Lewis Thomas Quotes

We are all trying to make it the best way we know how, so when we look at each other as individuals and nations, we should do so with compassion.

We live in a highly polarized society. We need to try to understand each other in respectful ways. To that end, I believe that we should make room for both spiritual atheists and thinking believers.

Our uniqueness, our individuality, and our life experience molds us into fascinating beings. I hope we can embrace that. I pray we may all challenge ourselves to delve into the deepest resources of our hearts to cultivate an atmosphere of understanding, acceptance, tolerance, and compassion. We are all in this life together.

Knowledge of other people's beliefs and ways of thinking must be used to build bridges, not to create conflicts.

If you come out of the gate with a finger pointed, then you really aren't opening the door to any sort of resolution to whatever the problem may be. Whether it's about race or sexual orientation or religion, if you can't empathize with the opposing party, then you can't really meet in the middle.

I'm not asking you to be tolerant of each other. Tolerance is for cowards. Understand each other.

I think I've always had that orientation to try to understand the humanity behind people with whom I disagree.

It is through accepting other people in our own countries that we shall come to respect our neighbours and be respected in our turn.

The most important phase of living with a person is respect for that person as an individual.

Civility is not about dousing strongly held views. It's about making sure that people are willing to respect other perspectives.

I think understanding is the way to gain perspective - and therefore can live among those hideous realities. You can live with them.

I remember while I was at school some of my Muslim friends talked about a handful of people spoiling things in every culture. Hatred or hurt or pain isn't specific to a religion. I think it's a matter of acceptance. The one thing the world has to accept is everybody is different. What is normal to us is different and unusual to somebody else.

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.

The way to silence religious disputes is to take no notice of them.

Different people have different opinions, and it's okay to respect all of them.

Anyone can be tolerant of those who are tolerant.

The triumph of persuasion over force is the sign of a civilized society.

The real business of life is trying to understand each other.

I want people to talk to one another no matter what their difference of opinion might be.

The true triumph of reason is that it enables us to get along with those who do not possess it.

It is not our purpose to become each other; it is to recognize each other, to learn to see the other and honor him for what he is.

I think the way to keep a friendship is to respect that everybody is different.

Sometimes it's a form of love just to talk to somebody that you have nothing in common with and still be fascinated by their presence.

I want there to be a level of respect between everybody.

We don't need to share the same opinions as others, but we need to be respectful.