Faith is a cop-out. If the only way you can accept an assertion is by faith, then you are conceding that it can't be taken on its own merits. ››There are two ways to live your life. Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all. ››I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart. ››In case you never get a second chance: don't be afraid! And what if you do get a second chance? You take it! ››The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays. ››The Bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand, we are obliged to act accordingly. ››Faith — is the Pierless BridgePeople who have faith in life are like swimmers who entrust themselves to a rushing river. They neither abandon themselves to its current nor try to resist it. Rather, they adjust their every movement to the watercourse, use it with purpose and skill, and enjoy the adventure. ››As we learn to give thanks for all of life and death, for all of this given world of ours, we find a deep joy. It is the joy of trust, the joy of faith in the faithfulness at the heart of all things. It is the joy of gratefulness in touch with the fullness of life. ››There are many things that are essential to arriving at true peace of mind, and one of the most important is faith, which cannot be acquired without prayer. ››Our faith is faith in some one else's faith, and in the greatest matters this is most the case. Our belief in truth itself, for instance, that there is a truth, and that our minds and it are made for each other, - what is it but a passionate affirmation of desire, in which our social system backs us up? We want to have a truth; we want to believe that our experiments and studies and discussions must put us in a continually better and better position towards it; and on this line we agree to fight out our thinking lives. ››When you walk to the edge of all the light you have and take that first step into the darkness of the unknown, you must believe that one of two things will happen. There will be something solid for you to stand upon or you will be taught to fly. ››It's easy to have faith in yourself and have discipline when you're a winner, when you're number one. What you got to have is faith and discipline when you're not a winner. ››In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don't. ››If knowing answers to life's questions is absolutely necessary to you, then forget the journey. You will never make it, for this is a journey of unknowables - of unanswered questions, enigmas, incomprehensibles, and, most of all, things unfair. ››Everything will fall into place eventually. Until then, learn what you can, laugh often, live for the moments, and know its all worthwhile. ››God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. ››Life is a battle between faith and reason in which each feeds upon the other, drawing sustenance from it and destroying it. ››You have to have faith that there is a reason you go through certain things. I can't say I am glad to go through pain, but in a way one must, in order to gain courage and really feel joy. ››One thing I learned the hard way was that it doesn't pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself. ››Be patient. Our prayers are always answered, but not always on the exact day we'd like them to be. ››
