Doubt Not Quotes

We discover truth by asking rapier-like questions that cut through the thick fog of doctrinarism. Artists and philosophers must be subversive: we need these rebellious cynics to ask questions, they must resist cultural norms; seek out truths that are not self-evident and challenge everything. Doubt, not blind belief, is essential for discovering truth. ~ Kilroy J. Oldster

Know the enemy, know yourself and victory is never in doubt, not in a hundred battles. ~ Sun Tzu

He believed in the primacy of doubt, not as a blemish upon our ability to know, but as the essence of knowing. ~ James Gleick

Doubt not my love," he repeated, with a chorus of knights to bolster him. "If men would seek to part us, death itself would be a veil too thin. For lo, though I wander the earth for my king, you remain - now and ever - queen of my heart. ~ Tessa Dare

Fear not little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail ... Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not. ~ Dallin H. Oaks

Doubt not without hoping, hope not without doubting (free after Seneca) ~ Marcus Annaeus Seneca

It is not scientific doubt, not atheism, not pantheism, not agnosticism, that in our day and in this land is likely to quench the light of the gospel. It is a proud, sensuous, selfish, luxurious, church going, hollow-hearted prosperity.5 ~ Francis Chan

Doubt not your purpose nor your strength. ~ Joe Dever

Doubt not his grace because of thy tribulation, but believe that he loveth thee as much in seasons of trouble as in times of happiness. ~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon

The object of the new school is to teach reasonable doubt. Not the unreasonable doubt of the wild-eyed heckler, but the evidence-based doubt of the questioning scientist and the reason-based doubt of the skilled debater. ~ Seth Godin

Our motives and thoughts ultimately influence our actions. Jesus repeatedly emphasized the power of good thoughts and proper motives: 'Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not'
In Proverbs we read, 'For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he ~ Dieter F. Uchtdorf

I have seen A curious child, who dwelt upon a tract Of inland ground, applying to his ear The convolutions of a smooth-lipped shell; To which, in silence hushed, his very soul listened intensely; for from within were heard Murmurings whereby the monitor expressed Mysterious union with its native sea. Even such a shell the universe itself Is to the ear of faith; and there are times, I doubt not, when to you it doth impart Authentic tidings of invisible things, Of ebb and flow, and ever enduring power, And central peace, subsisting at the heart Of endless Agitation. ~ William Wordsworth

Anything you don't want discard, anything that hurts let go. None of it's real you know, all that pain, all that regret, all that doubt, not thin enough, not a good enough mum, not a good enough son, not a good enough bum. You are enough, you're enough. there's nothing you can buy or try on that's going to make you any better, because you couldn't be any better than you are. ~ Russell Brand

It is true, I never assisted the sun materially in his rising, but, doubt not, it was of the last importance only to be present at it. ~ Henry David Thoreau

So it seems to have been with David after his sin with Bathsheba. I doubt not but that before the message of God to him by Nathan, he had unpleasing thoughts of what he had done; but there are not the least footsteps in the story or any of his prayers that he laid it seriously to heart and was humbled for it before. This ~ John Owen

Admonition never sinks so deeply on the heart as in the hour of trial; young, amiable as you are, life teems, I doubt not, with various blessings for you
blessings which you will know how to value properly, for early disappointment is the nurse of wisdom. ~ Regina Maria Roche

And you, good yeomen, Whose limbs were made in England, shew us here The metal of your pasture; let us swear That you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not, For there is none of you so mean and base That hath not noble luster in your eyes. (Act 3, Sc. 1.) The rank and file always fare well before a battle. ~ William Shakespeare

I doubt not, but from self-evident Propositions, by necessary Consequences, as incontestable as those in Mathematics, the measures of right and wrong might be made out. ~ John Locke

Damsel," said the Prince, bowing to her. "You are of a high courage, and therefore, I doubt not, you come of a noble blood in your own world. ~ C.S. Lewis

I was a sinner. I knew that without a doubt. But I was not alone. And the night was the accomplice of us all. ~ William Kent Krueger

Only after living through all eternity and assuring myself that you were mine every instant, only then would I return to you and live with you through all eternity, and no doubt not have patience enough to be separated from you for an instant without longing, but assurance enough to sit calmly at your side. ~ Soren Kierkegaard

Where sky and water meet,
Where the waves grow sweet,
Doubt not, Reepicheep,
To find all you seek, There is the utter East. ~ C.S. Lewis

I freely admit that the best of my fun, I owe it to Horse and Hound - Whyte Melville (1821-1878)


"Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up with our English dead.
In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage;
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;
Let pry through the portage of the head
Like the brass cannon; let the brow o'erwhelm it
As fearfully as doth a galled rock
O'erhang and jutty his confounded base,
Swill'd with the wild and wasteful ocean.
Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide,
Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit
To his full height. On, on, you noblest English.
Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof!
Fathers that, like so many Alexanders,
Have in these parts from morn till even fought
And sheathed their swords for lack of argument:
Dishonour not your mothers; now attest
That those whom you call'd fathers did beget you.
Be copy now to men of grosser blood,
And teach them how to war. And you, good yeoman,
Whose limbs were made in England, show us here
The mettle of your pasture; let us swear
That you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not;
For there is none of ~ Whyte Melville

Doubt not, O poet, but persist. Say 'It is in me, and shall out.' Stand there, balked and dumb, stuttering and stammering, hissed and hooted, stand and strive, until at last rage draw out of thee that dream-power which every night shows thee is thine own; a power transcending all limit and privacy, and by virtue of which a man is the conductor of the whole river of electricity. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Knowledge breeds doubt, not certainty,
And the more we know the more uncertain we become. ~ A.J.P. Taylor

A wild joy follows when you realize you've been caught and are now free, when you fling open the prison door, walk outside, and gulp air and light for the first time in hours or days or weeks.
You sense who you were and what you knew before you defined things as good or bad, fat or thin, right or wrong. Before you became what you needed to be to be loved, you know the holiness of trees and water and rocks. You knew the adults were a bit mad, but you loved them anyway. You had no doubt, not one, about who you were; you had wings, and now, you have them again. ~ Geneen Roth

Are you going to change yet again, shift your position according to the questions that are put to you, and say that the objections are not really directed at the place from which you are speaking? Are you going to declare yet again that you have never been what you have been reproached with being? Are you already preparing the way out that will enable you in your next book to spring up somewhere else and declare as you're now doing: no, no, I'm not where you are lying in wait for me, but over here, laughing at you?'
'What, do you imagine that I would take so much trouble and so much pleasure in writing, do you think that I would keep so persistently to my task, if I were not preparing – with a rather shaky hand – a labyrinth into which I can venture, into which I can move my discourse... in which I can lose myself and appear at last to eyes that I will never have to meet again. I am no doubt not the only one who writes in order to have no face. Do not ask who I am and do not ask me to remain the same: leave it to our bureaucrats and our police to see that our papers are in order. At least spare us their morality when we write. ~ Michel Foucault

I doubt not God is good, well-meaning, kind ~ Countee Cullen

How it came to pass that man, originally taught, as we doubt not he was, to know and to worship the true Jehovah, is found, at so early a period of his history, a worshiper of baser objects, it is foreign to our present purpose to inquire. ~ Simon Greenleaf

She used to be afraid of him catching her looking at him, but not anymore. It's funny how quickly the tables turn in the game of vulnerability. She had believed he'd had the power to hurt her. The reality is that it cuts both ways. His fear, her fear, they were sourced from the same place - both wanted to be loved, yet neither one was able to fully admit it. There was too much doubt, not enough trust to allow them to take that final step. ~ Vivian Winslow

I remember classes in college where the professor was espousing certain theories about how blacks were inherently less intelligent. But I learned a long time ago to give people the benefit of the doubt, not to assume that somebody was reacting to you because of race. ~ Condoleezza Rice

In the multi-camera TV room, one of the cameras zoomed on Vaishali. A confident Vaishali, with a determined face looked straight into the camera and said, "First let me clear up this misconception. I am not here to defend my father." She paused for the message to sink in.
It did. Everyone now looked at her with renewed interest. What was she here for?
She continued, "I'm outraged. No doubt. Not because the media is vilifying him, but because he - my father - is vile. She, the nurse, must be what? My age? Or, a couple years older than me. And he molested her? That too, when my mother was sick and fighting for life in the next room. Chi! Nauseating." She turned her face away from the camera as tears rolled down her eyes. ~ Hariharan Iyer

William thus began: "What a charming amusement for young people this is, Mr. Darcy! There is nothing like dancing after all. I consider it as one of the first refinements of polished society." "Certainly, sir; and it has the advantage also of being in vogue amongst the less polished societies of the world. Every savage can dance." Sir William only smiled. "Your friend performs delightfully," he continued after a pause, on seeing Bingley join the group; "and I doubt not that you are an adept in the science yourself, Mr. Darcy." "You saw me dance at Meryton, ~ Jane Austen

Artificial Intelligence leaves no doubt that it wants its audiences to enter a realm of pure fantasy when it identifies one of the last remaining islands of civilization as New Jersey. ~ Godfried Danneels

it is better to remain silent and be thought an idiot, than to speak and remove all doubt'. ~ Craig Alanson

The doubter is a true man of science: he doubts only himself and his interpretations, but he believes in science. ~ Claude Bernard

It's because others have said you were bad and they made you live in bad conditions. When a man hears that over and over and looks about him and sees that his life is bad, he begins to doubt his own mind. ~ Richard Wright

When I reach the shades at last it will no doubt astonish Satan to discover, on thumbing my dossier, that I was a member of the Y.M.C.A. ~ H.L. Mencken

Taking action in alignment with your gifts, talents, and strengths will start to break down the door of fear and doubt. What you will find on the other side is simply divine. ~ Charles F. Glassman

It [I'm leaving] wasn't really necessary to say, especially if you were already walking away. Almost redundant. And yet, there was a comfort in being no question, no room for doubt. ~ Sarah Dessen

The next day's call would be vital.
Then at 12:02 P.M., the radio came to life.
"Bear at camp two, it's Neil. All okay?"
I heard the voice loud and clear.
"Hungry for news," I replied, smiling. He knew exactly what I meant.
"Now listen, I've got a forecast and an e-mail that's come through for you from your family. Do you want to hear the good news or the bad news first?"
"Go on, then, let's get the bad news over with," I replied.
"Well, the weather's still lousy. The typhoon is now on the move again, and heading this way. If it's still on course tomorrow you've got to get down, and fast. Sorry."
"And the good news?" I asked hopefully.
"Your mother sent a message via the weather guys. She says all the animals at home are well."
Click.
"Well, go on, that can't be it. What else?"
"Well, they think you're still at base camp. Probably best that way. I'll speak to you tomorrow."
"Thanks, buddy. Oh, and pray for change. It will be our last chance."
"Roger that, Bear. Don't start talking to yourself. Out."
I had another twenty-four hours to wait. It was hell. Knowingly feeling my body get weaker and weaker in the vain hope of a shot at the top.
I was beginning to doubt both myself and my decision to stay so high.
I crept outside long before dawn. It was 4:30 A.M. I sat huddled, waiting for the sun to rise while sitting in the porch of my tent.
My mind wandered to being up there--up higher on th ~ Bear Grylls

Let those who believe, believe. Let those who doubt, doubt. ~ Lisa See

When in doubt, vary, change, solve the problem, seize the opportunity, experiment, try something new (consistent, of course, with the core ideology) - even if you can't predict precisely how things will turn out. Do something. If one thing fails, try another. Fix. Try. Do. Adjust. Move. Act. No matter what, don't sit still. ~ Jim Collins

Be warned. This book has no literary merit whatsoever. It it a lurid piece of nonsense, convoluted, implausible, peopled by unconvincing characters, written in drearily pedestrian prose, frequently ridiculous and wilfully bizarre. Needless to say, I doubt you'll believe a word of it. ~ Jonathan Barnes

Mind chatter: a clatter of left-brain rains of doubt, worry, guilt, shame in a thunderstorm of fear. Forgive the chatter, clear your mind. ~ Soul Dancer

If you doubted your fears instead of doubting your dreams, imagine how much in life you'd accomplish. ~ Joel Brown

In practice it is possible to determine directly the skin colour and hence the ethnic affiliations of the ancient Egyptians by microscopic analysis in the laboratory; I doubt if the sagacity of the researchers who have studied the question has overlooked the possibility. ~ Cheikh Anta Diop

Vanity as an impulse has without doubt been of far more benefit to civilization than modesty has ever been. ~ William E. Woodward

All we have gained then by our unbelief Is a life of doubt diversified by faith, For one of faith diversified by doubt: We called the chess-board white-we call it black. ~ Robert Browning

Christ distributes courage through community. He dissipates doubt through fellowship. Max Lucado ~ Matt Chandler

Oh goodness infinite, goodness immense!
That all this good of evil shall produce,
And evil turn to good; more wonderful
Than that which by creation first brought forth
Light out of darkness! Full of doubt I stand,
Whether I should repent me now of sin
By me done, and occasioned; or rejoice
Much more, that much more good thereof shall spring;
To God more glory, more good-will to men
From God, and over wrath grace shall abound. ~ John Milton

Oh I bet you're sweet as under all that posh.'
And he looked at her in a way that left her in no doubt that he wasn't talking about the way she might move on the dance floor. If he mentioned honey pots she was going to pour her vodka shot over him. 'You'll never know, ~ Amy Andrews

One can't stand forever on the shore. At some point, filled with indecision, skepticism, reservation and doubt, you either jump in or concede that life is forever elsewhere ~ Arthur Miller

1. Clue to ending the "dream": only rarely we can actually put our own ending to one of our regular dreams. This can only be done in the last few seconds of sleep - as we are waking up. If we do a very drastic action in our dream, the dream will end the way we want, but we will then wake up. No doubt the Solipsist Dream willl work the same way. Reward: the final "waking up" - but into what? ~ Vincent Wallace

These days I am ruled by doubt, and that is a difficult place to write from. ~ Robyn Davidson

No doubt concentration camps were a means, a menace used to keep order. ~ Albert Speer

The only way to maintain our position in the Kingdom of God is to so conduct ourselves that we may have a living testimony of the truth continually dwelling in our bosoms, to live so that the Spirit of the Lord may be a constant and abiding guest with us, whether in the privacy of our chamber, in the domestic circle or in the midst of the crowded thoroughfares, the busy scenes and anxious cares of life. He who will pursue this course will never lack for knowledge; he will never be in doubt or in darkness, nor will his mind ever be clouded by the gloomy pall of unbelief; on the contrary his hopes will be bright; his faith will be strong; his joy will be full; he will be able to each succeeding day to comprehend the unfolding purposes of Jehovah and to rejoice in the glorious liberty and happiness which all the faithful children of God enjoy... ~ George Q. Cannon

Even Ignatius Loyola wavered. That dark night of the soul, man. No one's immune. It would all be meaningless if you didn't wonder and doubt. That's what makes it real. That's what makes us people. God could have sent angels to flutter around like fairies, delivering rum punch and manna all day on a cosmic cruise ship. But what would that avail us? ~ Luis Alberto Urrea

He had to pause for his usual misgivings. ~ Paul C. Nagel

My heart cracked, splintered, shattered in my chest. And I knew without a doubt I would love Road until I died. ~ Pepper Winters

Truth be told, even with Sophronia's arm muscles, vampires could hurl her a great deal farther than Sophronia could hurl vampires. A great tragedy of life, no doubt. The ~ Gail Carriger

Well, let me try again,' he said. 'If it be true, and no doubt it is, that the proper study of mankind is man, it is also true that man is best studied in the books that he has written about himself; and all books, whatever their subject matter, are in essence autobiographical... Wherefore, it is clear - or is it? - that writers of books are what I have called them, the most fascinating people in the world. ~ Peter Ruber

Some people can work amid chaos or conversations, and some can't - and while there's no doubt an element of brain wiring to it, there's also the possibility of acquiring skills that improve your focus. ~ Carolyn Hax

Lord Jesus, we praise you for your victory over death and your grace. In our moments of doubt and worry, remind us of the certainty of the resurrection, until we see it with our own eyes. Amen. ~ Northwestern Publishing House

There are some midshipmen who will never have the decency to lie down and die, whatever the circumstances. Because they are born to be hanged, no doubt,' added the lieutenant darkly. ~ Patrick O'Brian

I have no doubt that there are great people about though ... the thing of it is, nothing to this day moves me like classical music (Debussy, Vaughn Williams). ~ Gary Lucas

Doubt – all a Gansey did was doubt. A Gansey reached bravely into the night-blind water, fate uncertain until the hilt of a sword pressed into a hopeful palm.
Except – only a few months before, this Gansey had reached into the dark uncertainty of the future, stretching for the promise of a sword, and had instead pulled out a mirror. ~ Maggie Stiefvater

There could be no doubt, so I was finally forced to decide, that the longer one dealt with them, the more one developed the habit of treating generals like members of the opposite sex; specifically, like ladies no longer young, who therefore deserve extra courtesy and attention; indeed, whose every whim must be given thought. ~ Anthony Powell

We went into Iraq because Saddam Hussein refused to account for his weapons of mass destruction, consistently violated UN resolutions and in a post-9/11 world no American president could afford to give Saddam Hussein the benefit of the doubt. ~ Peter T. King

The doubt of an earnest, thoughtful, patient and laborious mind is worthy of respect. In such doubt may be found indeed more faith than in half the creeds. ~ John Lancaster Spalding