Desmond Tutu Quotes

Moral character has now some influence in our elections, but not that place which it deserves. The law of public opinion excludes confirmed sots, and persons judicially convicted of high crimes and misdemeanors against the State; but it ought to render the election of all profane swearers, notorious Sabbath breakers, seducers, slanderers, prodigals and riotous persons, as well as the advocates of dueling, impracticable.

I don't believe that a piece of paper will excuse my actions. In the end, only my actions will.

The virtuous will be sure to speak uprightly; but those whose speech is upright may not be virtuous.

It is a fair adornment of a man and a great convenience both to himself and to all those with whom he converses and deals, to act uprightly, uniformly, and consistently. The practice of piety frees a man from interior distraction and from irresolution in his mind, from duplicity or inconstancy in his character, and from confusion in his proceedings, and consequently securing for others freedom from deception and disappointment in their transactions with him.

If one acts rightly and honestly, it is difficult to decide whether it is the effect of integrity or skill.

I did nothing wrongEverything I've done at this university I did the right way.

Deal honestly and objectively with yourself; intellectual honesty and personal courage are the hallmarks of great character.

Strong moral character results from consistent correct choices in the trials and testing of life. Your faith can guide you to those correct choices.

I'm happy because - I'm not doing anything deceitful, I think, to my family. I'm successful because I don't have to sleep with one of my friends' girlfriends or wife or something. That's why I'm successful, that's success to me. I'm not dead, I'm not in the gutter - that's success to me.

A good man with a good conscience doesn't walk so fast.

Of all the properties which belong to honorable men, not one is so highly prized as that of character.

Every night I go over what I did in the day, in ethical or moral terms. Have I treated people properly? Did I tell the truth?

A man should be upright, not be kept upright.

There is no real excellence in all of this world which can be separated from right living.

An honest man's the noblest work of God.

True freedom is where an individual's thoughts and actions are in alignment with that which is true, correct, and of honor - no matter the personal price.

You can't buy a good reputation; you must earn it.

I'm never going to take the view that I should say whatever I need to say in order to achieve something. Because that implies a level of dishonesty.

I think anyone who doesn't say that they'd like people to think that they're doing the right thing is wrong. I mean, I'd like it to be that way, but I've never allowed it to influence my actions.

Unfortunately, goodness and honor are rather the exception than the rule among exceptional men, not to speak of geniuses.

Never do a wrong thing to make a friend or to keep one.

The best men of the best epochs are simply those who make the fewest blunders and commit the fewest sins.

In honorable dealing you should consider what you intended, not what you said or thought.

I am always prepared to do the right thing regardless of what other people think.

I've tried to do away with lying in my life in the last few years, but it's hard.