His face is livid, gaunt his whole body, his breath is green with gall; his tongue drips poison.
John Quincy AdamsRead
This idea of the transcendent power of the Supreme Being is essentially connected with that by which the whole duty of man is summed up: obedience to His will.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes that understanding the Supreme Being's power is linked to humanity's primary duty: to obey His will.
John Quincy Adams expresses a belief that the concept of a higher power carries with it a moral obligation for individuals. He suggests that recognizing the transcendent power of God is intertwined with understanding that humanity's main responsibility lies in obedience to divine guidance, implying a deep connection between faith and ethical living.
Themes
ObedienceFaithDutyHigher PowerMoral Obligation
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech on faith and morality, a speaker could quote Adams to highlight the importance of following divine guidance.
More from John Quincy Adams
All quotes βAlways vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.
John Quincy AdamsRead
It is among the evils of slavery that it taints the very sources of moral principle. It establishes false estimates of virtue and vice: for what can be more false and heartless than this doctrine which makes the first and holiest rights of humanity to depend upon the color of the skin?
John Quincy AdamsRead
The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.
John Quincy AdamsRead
I have no predilection for unpopularity as such, but I hold it much preferable to the popularity of a day, which perishes with the transient topic upon which it is grounded.
John Quincy AdamsRead
According to the Stoics, all vice was resolvable into folly: according to the Christian principle, it is all the effect of weakness.
John Quincy AdamsRead
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