Sam Harris Quotes

Obviously a primary liberal conviction is that we should be tolerant of other peoples' convictions. But if we believe in something, we had better find ways to say so convincingly.

Liberals are sometimes defined as people who can't take their own side in an argument.

Compassion is not a dirty word. Compassion is not a sign of weakness. In my view, compassion in politics and in public policy is in fact a hallmark of great strength. It is a hallmark of a society which has about it a decency which speaks for itself.

You have to give others the opportunity to love who you love. If they don't accept it, it's their loss.

You make yourself broad. You make yourself appealing. 'Hey, y'all, I'm cool with everybody.' That's my message.

It is only through such real-life daily struggles and challenges that a genuine sensitivity to human rights can be inculcated. This is a truth that is not limited to school education: it applies to all of us.

I will stand strong to defend people even if I don't agree with them.

We need a type of patriotism that recognizes the virtues of those who are opposed to us.

However, it must always remain a dialogue, and never an imposition of the church's own convictions and methods. Propose, not impose. To serve, and not to dominate.

Be kind, don't judge, and have respect for others. If we can all do this, the world would be a better place. The point is to teach this to the next generation.

He who closes his ears to the views of others shows little confidence in the integrity of his own views.

Quick condemnation of all that is not ours, of views with which we disagree, of ideas that do not attract us, is the sign of a narrow mind, of an uncultivated intelligence. Bigotry is always ignorant, and the wise boy, who will become the wise man, tries to understand and to see the truth in ideas with which he does not agree.

If I had a worldview, and I don't know if I do, but if I did, it's one that's intensely humanistic.

I want a world where everything is welcome, everything is valid, everything is acknowledged, embraced, and accepted. To me, that's a perfect world.

To the extent that we are all educated and informed, we will be more equipped to deal with the gut issues that tend to divide us.

I'm not looking to exclude people, I'm looking to include them.

I guess my view of America is of a real bighearted country, real compassionate.

We have to believe that we can hold different points of view without labeling each other bad feminists.

All ambitions are lawful except those that climb upward on the miseries or credulities of mankind.

What I say should always be prefaced with this: I'm not really politically articulate. I just try to be like Thomas Paine: what is common sense? So when I say these things to you, I am speaking from a humanist point of view. I just look around and see what's wrong.

We should be tolerant, fair, open, and we should understand the rights that all people have in our society.

I think if we open ourselves to all different kinds of men and all groups, we find a lot more opportunities to love.

I have gained so much more from my experiences of being open and loving humanity rather than being jaded and being closed-off.

I embrace everything.

All ambitions are lawful except those which climb upward on the miseries or credulities of mankind.