Samuel Butler (novelist) - God Quotes

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God and the Devil are an effort after specialization and the division of labor.

Samuel Butler
Men of Science. If they are worthy of the name they are indeed about God's path and about his bed and spying out all his ways.

Samuel Butler
If [men of science] are worthy of the name, [they] are indeed about God's path and about his bed and spy out all his ways.

Samuel Butler
If God wants us to do a thing, he should make his wishes sufficiently clear. Sensible people will wait till he has done this before paying much attention to him.

Samuel Butler
It was very good of God to let Carlyle and Mrs Carlyle marry one another and so make only two people miserable instead of four.

Samuel Butler
God's merits are so transcendent that it is not surprising his faults should be in reasonable proportion.

Samuel Butler
He has spent his life best who has enjoyed it most; God will take care that we do not enjoy it any more than is good for us.

Samuel Butler
The true laws of God are the laws of our own well-being.

Samuel Butler
It has been said that though God cannot alter the past, historians can; it is perhaps because they can be useful to Him in this respect that He tolerates their existence.

Samuel Butler
Stowed away in a Montreal lumber room
The Discobolus standeth and turneth his face to the wall;
Dusty, cobweb-covered, maimed and set at naught,
Beauty crieth in an attic and no man regardeth:
O God! O Montreal!

Samuel Butler
Thought pure and simple is as near to God as we can get; it is through this that we are linked with God.

Samuel Butler
To put one's trust in God is only a longer way of saying that one will chance it.

Samuel Butler
God does not intend people, and does not like people, to be too good. He likes them neither too good nor too bad, but a little too bad is more venial with him than a little too good.

Samuel Butler
To love God is to have good health, good looks, good sense, experience, a kindly nature and a fair balance of cash in hand.

Samuel Butler
Theist and atheist: the fight between them is as to whether God shall be called God or shall have some other name.

Samuel Butler
God is Love — I dare say. But what a mischievous devil Love is!

Samuel Butler
It is the manner of gods and prophets to begin: "Thou shalt have none other God or Prophet but me." If I were to start as a God or a prophet I think I should take the line: "Thou shalt not believe in me. Thou shalt not have me for a God. Thou shalt worship any d_____d thing thou likest except me." This should be my first and great commandment, and my second should be like unto it.

Samuel Butler
An apology for the Devil: It must be remembered that we have only heard one side of the case. God has written all the books.

Samuel Butler