"We are biological creatures. We are born, we live, we die. There is no transcendent purpose to existence. At best we are creatures of reason, and by using reason we can cure ourselves of emotional excess. Purged of both hope and fear, we find courage in the face of helplessness, insignificance and uncertainty.“


-Jonathan Sacks

posted in courage


We are biological creatures. We are born, we live, we die. There is no transcendent purpose to existence. At best we are creatures of reason, and by using reason we can cure ourselves of emotional excess. Purged of both hope and fear, we find courage in the face of helplessness, insignificance and uncertainty.

Other Quotes You Might Like

Discover more inspiring quotes from our collection

"Focus on the mind and the soul. Read. Study. Enrol in a course of lectures. Pray. Become a member of a religious congregation. Study the Bible or other ancient works of wisdom."

-Jonathan Sacks

wisdomView Quote
"What creates freedom? A revolution in the streets? Mass protest? Civil war? A change of government? The ousting of the old guard and its replacement by the new? History, more often than not, shows that hopes raised by such events are often dashed, sooner rather than later."

-Jonathan Sacks

warView Quote
"We believe that what we possess we don't ultimately own. God is merely entrusting it to us. And one of the conditions of that trust is that we share what we have with those who have less. So, if you don't give to people in need, you can hardly call yourself a Jew. Even the most unbelieving Jew knows that."

-Jonathan Sacks

trustView Quote
"In an ecology of love, people can relate in trust and face the future without fear. They do not need to play it safe. They can take uncertainty in their stride."

-Jonathan Sacks

trustView Quote
"Which European leader today would not relish the wonder-working powers of a Moses? Budget deficit? Unpopular cuts? How about just a little miracle, an overnight increase in gold reserves, a new oil field, or the next world-changing communications technology? Surely that's not too much to ask."

-Jonathan Sacks

technologyView Quote
"Technology gives us power, but it does not and cannot tell us how to use that power. Thanks to technology, we can instantly communicate across the world, but it still doesn't help us know what to say."

-Jonathan Sacks

technologyView Quote

More Quotes About courage

Explore other inspiring quotes in this category

"I want to encourage our people, to educate our people to have the courage to understand and fight for their rights."

-Megawati Sukarnoputri

courageView Quote
"You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man's initiative and independence."

-William Boetcker

courageView Quote
"I know that if I'd had to go and take an exam for acting, I wouldn't have got anywhere. You don't take exams for acting, you take your courage."

-Dame Edith Evans

courageView Quote
"There can be a fundamental gulf of gracelessness in a human heart which neither our love nor our courage can bridge."

-Patrick Campbell

courageView Quote
"Resignation is the courage of Christian sorrow."

-Alexandre Vinet

courageView Quote
"There's no mystique to acting. It's only common sense - and a bit of courage."

-Bill Hunter

courageView Quote