Sanctimony Quotes

“It was badly received by the generation to which it was first addressed, and the outpouring of angry nonsense to which it gave rise is sad to think upon. But the present generation will probably behave just as badly if another Darwin should arise, and inflict upon them that which the generality of mankind most hate—the necessity of revising their convictions. Let them, then, be charitable to us ancients; and if they behave no better than the men of my day to some new benefactor, let them recollect that, after all, our wrath did not come to much, and vented itself chiefly in the bad language of sanctimonious scolds. Let them as speedily perform a strategic right-about-face, and follow the truth wherever it leads.”
― Thomas Henry Huxley

“I am also concerned not to come off as shrill or preachy when what I really am is more like confused.”
― David Foster Wallace, Consider the Lobster and Other Essays

“The word 'religion' has acquired a very bad name among those who really love truth, justice, charity. It also exhales the musty odor of sanctimony and falsehood.”
― Luther Burbank

“...I mistrust folk who are always bringing God or Christ into their conversations. If it is not an actual blasphemy it is at least a presumption. It smacks of self-conceit, doesn't it?”
― Winston Graham, The Black Moon

“The Guardian's headline is 'How Going Green May Make You Mean.' We're inclined to think the chain of causation runs the other way—that people who are jerks to begin with gravitate toward verdant sanctimony.”
― James Taranto

“Deacon began to speak of a woman who he had used; how he had turned up his nose at her because her loose and easy ways gave him the license to drop and despise her. That while the adultery preyed on him for a short while (very short), his long remorse was at having become what the Old Fathers cursed: the kind of man who set himself up to judge, rout and even destroy the needy, the defenseless, the different.”
― Toni Morrison, Paradise

“Among politicians the esteem of religion is profitable; the principles of it are troublesome.”
― Benjamin Whichcote

“If you feel compelled by circumstances beyond your control to front an avatar of uncertainty, be uncertain inside and you've inoculated yourself against extremism. When circumstances change, get out. On the other hand, if you publicly front an avatar of uncertainty to manipulate circumstances to your advantage, shame on you. You're part of the problem. Lastly, if certainty about your righteousness is eternally genuine, you're psychologically impaired. If you're a child, growing up should dissolve the impairment. If you're an adult, get help.”
― Robert L Foster, Subordinating American Democracy: Exploring the Functionality of “Dysfunctional” Hyperpartisanship