Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes

Destiny is but a phrase of the weak human heart - the dark apology for every error. The strong and virtuous admit no destiny. On earth conscience guides; in heaven God watches. And destiny is but the phantom we invoke to silence the one and dethrone the other.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Strong Quotes , Heart Quotes

When you have really exhausted an experience you always reverence and love it.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Love Quotes , Experience Quotes

An almost unnatural vigilance is really required of the citizen because of the horrible rapidity with which human institutions grow old.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Citizens Quotes , Institutions Quotes

The truth is that it is our attitude towards children that is right, and our attitude towards grown-up people that is wrong. Our attitude towards our equals in age consists in a servile solemnity, overlying a considerable degree of indifference or disdain. Our attitude towards children consists in a condescending indulgence, overlying an unfathomable respect.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Children Quotes , Attitude Quotes

A great man knows he is not God, and the greater he is the better he knows it.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Men Quotes , Great Men Quotes

The Catholic Church is the only thing that saves man from the degrading slavery of being a child of his age.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Children Quotes , Men Quotes

In dealing with the arrogant asserter of doubt, it is not the right method to tell him to stop doubting. It is rather the right method to tell him to go on doubting, to doubt a little more, to doubt every day newer and wilder things in the universe, until at last, by some strange enlightenment, he may begin to doubt himself.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Doubt Quotes , Enlightenment Quotes

Our civilization has decided that determining the guilt or innocence of men is a thing too important to be trusted to trained men. When it wants a library catalogued, or the solar system discovered, or any trifle of that kind, it uses up its specialists. But when it wishes anything done which is really serious, it collects twelve of the ordinary men standing round. The same thing was done, if I remember right, by the Founder of Christianity.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Funny Quotes , Humorous Quotes

[V]ariety of climate should always go with stability of abode.... an Englishman’s house is not only his castle; it is his fairy castle. Clouds and colours of every varied dawn and eve are perpetually touching and turning it from clay to gold, or from gold to ivory. There is a line of woodland beyond a corner of my garden which is literally different on every one of the three hundred and sixty-five days. Sometimes it seems as near as a hedge, and sometimes as far as a faint and fiery evening cloud.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Garden Quotes , Weather Quotes

Boys like romantic [fairy] tales; but babies like realistic tales - because they find them romantic...This proves that even nursery tales only echo an almost prenatal leap of interest and amazement. These tales say that apples were golden only to refresh the forgotten moment when we found that they were green. They make rivers run with wine only to make us remember, for one wild moment, that they run with water.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Running Quotes , Baby Quotes

When a person has found something which he prefers to life itself, he for the first time has begun to live.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Firsts Quotes , Found Quotes

...but out of the desert, from the dry places and the dreadful suns, come the cruel children of the lonely God; the real Unitarians who with scimitar in hand have laid waste the world. For it is not well for God to be alone.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Lonely Quotes , Children Quotes

The only defensible war is a war of defense.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Peace Quotes , War Quotes

This is, first and last, the real value of Christmas; in so far as the mythology remains at all it is a kind of happy mythology. Personally, of course, I believe in Santa Claus; but it is the season of forgiveness, and I will forgive others for not doing so.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Real Quotes , Believe Quotes

The whole order of things is as outrageous as any miracle which could presume to violate it.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Order Quotes , Miracle Quotes

Buddhism is not a creed, it is a doubt.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Buddhism Quotes , Doubt Quotes

We actually love ourselves more than we love joy.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes

Men feel that cruelty to the poor is a kind of cruelty to animals. They never feel that it is an injustice to equals; nay it is treachery to comrades.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Men Quotes , Animal Quotes

I don't need a church to tell me I'm wrong where I already know I'm wrong; I need a Church to tell me I'm wrong where I think I'm right

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Thinking Quotes , Church Quotes

Children are grateful when Santa Claus puts in their stockings gifts of toys or sweets. Could I not be grateful to Santa Claus when he put in my stockings the gift of two miraculous legs? We thank people for birthday presents of cigars and slippers. Can I thank no one for the birthday present of birth?

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes , Sweet Quotes , Children Quotes