Ezra Taft Benson Quotes

What a man does defiles him, not what is done by others.

Character, in the long run, is the decisive factor in the life of an individual and of nations alike.

When about to commit a base deed, respect thyself, though there is no witness.

A man's character is his guardian divinity.

Let every man consider virtue as what devolves on himself. He may not yield the performance of it even to his teacher.

As in everything else, I must start with myself. That is: in all circumstances try to be decent, just, tolerant, and understanding, and at the same time try to resist corruption and deception. In other words, I must do my utmost to act in harmony with my conscience and my better self.

A warrior takes responsibility for his acts, for the most trivial of acts. An average man acts out his thoughts, and never takes responsibility for what he does.

Integrity is the value we set on ourselves. It is a fulfillment of the duty we owe ourselves. An honorable man or woman will personally commit to live up to certain self-imposed expectations. They need no outside check or control. They are honorable in their inner core.

Tis weak and vicious people who cast the blame on Fate. The right use of Fate is to bring up our conduct to the loftiness of nature.

I speak of honor-your honor to God-your honor to country-your honor to self. I sincerely believe it to be the cure to most of our ills, both on a national or individual basis.

I just try to do my best and make the best judgments I can.

I decided in my life that I would do nothing that did not reflect positively on my father's life.

The great hope of society is in individual character.

I deserve respect for the things I did not do.

No one can harm the man who does himself no wrong.

I'm really only responsible for my own actions.

I formed, in early life, two purposes to which I have inflexibly adhered, under some very strong pressure from warm personal friends. They were, first, never to be a second in a duel; and, second, never to go security for another man's debts.

Purity of personal life is the one indispensable condition for building up a sound education.

... a man's first duty is to his own conscience and honor; the party and country come second to that, and never first.

My power for good, whatever it may, would be gone if I didn’t try to live up to the doctrines I have tried to preach.

The most dangerous thing you can do is to take any one impulse of your own nature and set it up as the thing you ought to follow at all costs. There's not one of them which won't make us into devils if we set it up as an absolute guide. You might think love of humanity in general was safe, but it isn't. If you leave out justice you'll find yourself breaking agreements and faking evidence in trials "for the sake of humanity" and become in the end a cruel and treacherous man.

Personal responsibility matters.

I wouldn't be doing my job, or holding myself to that standard that I see fit, if I just shut my mouth and played the game.

Ultimately, I play for myself, and I take responsibility for my own actions.

We should make virtue our master, not our servant.