This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.
Erich Fromm, fully Erich Seligmann Fromm
Nationalism is our form of incest, is our idolatry, is our insanity. "Patriotism” is its cult. It should hardly be necessary to say, that by "patriotism” I mean that attitude which puts the own nation above humanity, above the principles of truth and justice; not the loving interest in one’s own nation, which is the concern with the nation’s spiritual as much as with its material welfare — never with its power over other nations. Just as love for one individual which excludes the love for others is not love, love for one’s country which is not part of one’s love for humanity is not love, but idolatrous worship.
Humanity | Individual | Love | Power | Principles | Truth |
Erich Fromm, fully Erich Seligmann Fromm
I believe that love is the main key to open the doors to the "growth" of man. Love and union with someone or something outside of oneself, union that allows one to put oneself into relationship with others, to feel one with others, without limiting the sense of integrity and independence. Love is a productive orientation for which it is essential that there be present at the same time: concern, responsibility, and respect for and knowledge of the object of the union.
Integrity | Knowledge | Love | Object | Present | Relationship | Respect | Sense | Respect |
Erich Fromm, fully Erich Seligmann Fromm
The affirmation of one's own life, happiness, growth, freedom, is rooted in one's capacity to love, i.e., in care, respect, responsibility, and knowledge. If an individual is able to love productively, he loves himself too; if he can love only others, he cannot love at all.
Capacity | Individual | Love |
We are, all of us, molded and remolded by those whom we have loved. And though that love may pass, we remain nevertheless their work – a work which very likely they do not recognize and which is never exactly what they intend. No love, no friendship, will ever cross the path of our destiny without leaving some mark upon it forever.
François Fénelon, fully Francois de Salignac de la Mothe-Fénelon
To love another better than one’s self is to begin heaven here. The greatest lesson of all is that the Father’s mansions are within one’s own breast. Heaven is here; the world of hope, anticipation, feeling, is all here. We have it here first, if we have it at all.
Creation is simply an act of divine love and cannot be accounted for on any other supposition than that of immense and eternal love.
Fred Rogers, "Mister Rogers," born Frederick McFeely Rogers
The thing I remember best about successful people I've met all through the years is their obvious delight in what they're doing and it seems to have very little to do with worldly success. They just love what they're doing, and they love it in front of others.
Fred Rogers, "Mister Rogers," born Frederick McFeely Rogers
In the external scheme of things, shining moments are as brief as the twinkling of an eye, yet such twinklings are what eternity is made of -- moments when we human beings can say "I love you," "I'm proud of you," "I forgive you," "I'm grateful for you." That's what eternity is made of: invisible imperishable good stuff.
In the Divine Design there is no limitation, only health, wealth, love and perfect self-expression.
François Fénelon, fully Francois de Salignac de la Mothe-Fénelon
God is love; for who does not love him, does not know him; for how can we know love without loving?
Love |
Worshippers in spirit and truth are to be found in all confession and all churches, and they are recognizable by a sign, and they love one another, in a manner of speaking, not in spite of what separates them but in some way or other because of what separates them.
François Fénelon, fully Francois de Salignac de la Mothe-Fénelon
The coldness of our love is the silence of our hearts toward God. Without this we may pronounce prayers, but we do not pray; for what shall lead us to mate upon the laws of God, if it be not love of Him who has made these laws? Let our hearts be full of love then, and they will pray.
François Fénelon, fully Francois de Salignac de la Mothe-Fénelon
We cease to pray to God as soon as we cease to love Him, as soon as we cease to thirst for His perfections. The coldness of our love is the silence of our hearts toward God. Without this we may pronounce prayers, but we do not pray; for what shall lead us to mate upon the laws of God if it be not the love of Him who has made these laws? Let our hearts be full of love, then, and they will pray.
Franklin D. Roosevelt, fully Franklin Delano Roosevelt, aka FDR
Charity literally translated from the original means love, the love that understands, that does not merely share the wealth of the giver, but in true sympathy and wisdom helps men to help themselves.
Fred Rogers, "Mister Rogers," born Frederick McFeely Rogers
Love isn't a state of perfect caring. It is an active noun like struggle. To love someone is to strive to accept that person exactly the way he or she is, right here and now.