Thus I came… to a deep religiosity, which, however, found an abrupt ending at the age of 12. Through the reading of popular scientific books I soon reached the conviction that much in the stories of the Bible could not be true… Suspicion against every kind of authority grew out of this experience—an attitude which has never again left me.

There is no other salvation for civilization and even for the human race than in the creation of a world government, with the security of nations founded upon law. As long as there are sovereign states with their separate armaments and armament secrets, new world wars cannot be avoided.

He who is untrue to his own cause cannot command the respect of others.

Any government is in itself an evil insofar as it carries within it the tendency to deteriorate into tyranny.

The attempt to combine wisdom and power has only rarely been successful, and then only for a short while.

The only justifiable purpose of political institutions is to assure the unhindered development of the individual… That is why I consider myself to be particularly fortunate to be an American.

A forced faithfulness is a bitter fruit for all concerned.

In the case of political, and even of religious, leaders, it is often very doubtful whether they have done more good or harm.

The conscientious objector is a revolutionary. In deciding to disobey the law he sacrifices his personal interests to the most important cause of working for the betterment of society.

Nationalism is, in my opinion, nothing more than an idealistic rationalization for militarism and aggression.