“If everyone fought for their own convictions there would be no war”, the line penned by Leo Tolstoy, went on to become one of the most popular War And Peace quotes.
Today, living in a world torn apart by hatred and terror, our hearts bleed for the people of the world. In these uncertain times, when we are fearful about the future and dreadful about the present, let’s take comfort in the words of some great men and women who came before us. They fought injustice and hardships and became an inspiration for generations to come.
Today, we have compiled a list of motivating quotes on the burning topics of conflict, peace, and human rights, that will rekindle your faith in humanity and the power of love. For the best war and peace quotes and humanity quotes, keep reading.
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War And Peace Quotes
Let’s start with some of the quotes from the classic novel War And Peace by Tolstoy.
1. “It’s not given to people to judge what’s right or wrong. People have eternally been mistaken and will be mistaken, and in nothing more than in what they consider right and wrong.”
2. “You can love a person dear to you with a human love, but an enemy can only be loved with divine love.”
3. “God is the same everywhere.”
– Leo Tolstoy
This renowned writer is considered one of the greatest authors in the history of literature. Tolstoy was nominated for the Nobel Prize in literature every consecutive year between 1902 and 1906. He was also nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1901, 1902, and 1909.
Quotes On Humanity
These quotes about humanity by some of the greatest legendary historical figures will surely restore your faith in the goodness of mankind.
4. “To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.”
5. “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead”
6. “Forgiveness liberates the soul. It removes fear. That is why it is such a powerful weapon”
-Nelson Mandela
The South African anti-apartheid activist, philanthropist, and political leader was a revolutionary. He was the first democratically elected black president of the country serving people from 1994 to 1999.
7. “You can only protect your liberties in this world by protecting the other man’s freedom. You can only be free if I am free.”
-Clarence Darrow
Darrow was an American lawyer, a member of the American Civil Liberties Union, and an opponent of capital punishment.
8. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
9.“A right delayed is a right denied.”
10. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
– Martin Luther King Jr
He was an activist and American Baptist minister who became a strong voice for the civil rights movement from 1955 till he was assassinated in 1968.
Best Quotes About War And Peace
If you are looking for some war and peace quotes that will resonate with the present time and bring a ray of hope to the gloom, we recommend the following quotes about peace and war by some of the biggest advocates of pacifism.
11. “It is not enough to say we must not wage war. It is necessary to love peace and sacrifice for it.”
12. “Nonviolence means avoiding not only external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit. You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate him.“
– Martin Luther King Jr
13. “Peace does not mean an absence of conflicts; differences will always be there. Peace means solving these differences through peaceful means; through dialogue, education, knowledge; and through humane ways.”
14. “Anger is the ultimate destroyer of peace of mind.”
15. “If we ourselves remain angry and then sing world peace, it has little meaning. First, our individual self must learn peace. This we can practice. Then we can teach the rest of the world.”
16. “Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace.”
17. “Without changing one’s self, without peace in one’s self, world peace is not possible.”
18. “Universal responsibility is the key to human survival. It is the best foundation for world peace.”
19. “We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.”
– Dalai Lama
The 14th and current Dalai Lama is the holder of the highest spiritual rank among the Buddhists and is also the former head of the state of Tibet.
20. “I was once asked why I don’t participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I’ll be there.”
– Mother Teresa
Honored as Saint Teresa of Calcutta by the Catholic Church, she was an Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic missionary nun who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her immense contributions to the upliftment of the poor and down-trodden.
Anti-War Quotes
The followings are some of the most popular anti-war quotes of all time, which you can share with your groups and promote the cause of world peace.
21. “I appeal for cessation of hostilities, not because you are too exhausted to fight, but because war is bad in essence.”
22. “My religion is based on truth and nonviolence.” -Mahatma Gandhi
23. “The more money you spend on guns, the less money you spend on people! More weapons, less happiness; more guns, more misery!”
24. “Nations who are proud of their guns, tanks, missiles etc. are deprived of humanity!”
―Mehmet Murat İldan
25. “It’s time for us to turn to each other, not on each other.”
– Jesse Jackson
26. “We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other’s children.”
27. “War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good.”
– Jimmy Carter
28. “No more war, war never again! Peace, it is peace, which must guide the destinies of people and of all mankind.” -Pope Paul VI
29. “War settles nothing.” – Dwight D Eisenhower.
30. “War… is as much a punishment to the punisher as to the sufferer.” – Thomas Jefferson
31. “Nothing will end war unless the people themselves refuse to go to war.”
32. “How vile and despicable war seems to me! I would rather be hacked to pieces than take part in such an abominable business.”
33. “You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war.”
34. “It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder.” – Albert Einstein
35.“You don’t liberate a country standing on the soil of another.” ― Fadia Faqir, ‘Willow Trees Don’t Weep’.
36. “There never was a good war or a bad peace.” – Benjamin Franklin
37. “Peace is not achieved by controlling nations, but mastering our thoughts.” – John Harricharan
38. “Bullets cannot be recalled. They cannot be uninvented. But they can be taken out of the gun.” – Martin Amis
39. “Peace is the virtue of civilization. War is its crime.” – Victor Hugo
40. “My personal opinion is that if someone writes honestly about war, it will inherently be anti-war.” – Kevin Powers
41. “Peace is constructed, not fought for.” – Brent Davis
42. “War is like a vacuum cleaner that sucks tax dollars out of your pocket and funnels the money directly into the pockets of the robber barons who own the weapons factories.” – Oliver Markus Malloy
43. “Observe good faith and justice toward all nations. Cultivate peace and harmony with all.” – George Washington
44. “People do not make wars; governments do.” – Ronald Reagan
45. “War does not determine who is right, only who is left.” – Bertrand Russell
46. “The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become the instruments of tyranny at home.”
47.“The executive has no right, in any case, to decide the question, whether there is or is not cause for declaring war.” – James Madison
48. “No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare. “ – James Madison
49. “No protracted war can fail to endanger the freedom of a democratic country.” – Alexis de Tocqueville
50. “If you like war, be a nationalist. If you like peace, be a citizen of the world.” – Oliver Markus Malloy
51. “What is absurd and monstrous about war is that men who have no personal quarrel should be trained to murder one another in cold blood.” – Aldous Huxley
52. “Society has arisen out of the works of peace; the essence of society is peacemaking. Peace and not war is the father of all things.” – Ludwig Von Mises
53.“War, in the end, is always about betrayal, betrayal of the young by the old, of soldiers by politicians, and of idealists by cynics.” – Chris Hedges.
RECOMMENDATION
Thich Nhat Hanh, the recently deceased Zen Buddhist Monk who dedicated his life to popularizing the Buddhist way of forgiveness, non-violence, and harmony, had written this beautiful verse, which we are sharing here along with the war and peace quotes, in solidarity with all the countries that are going through the evils of war right now.
By Thich Nhat Hanh
Promise me,
promise me this day,
promise me now,
while the sun is overhead
exactly at the zenith,
promise me:
Even as they
strike you down
with a mountain of hatred and violence;
even as they step on you and crush you
like a worm,
even as they dismember and disembowel you,
remember brother, remember:
man is not our enemy.
The only thing worthy of you is compassion –
invincible, limitless, unconditional.
Hatred will never let you face
the beast in man.
One day, when you face this beast alone
with your courage intact, your eyes kind,
untroubled
(even as no one sees them),
out of your smile
will bloom a flower.
And those who love you
will behold you
across ten thousand worlds of birth and dying.
Alone again,
I will go on with bent head,
knowing that love has become eternal.
On the long, rough road
the sun and moon will continue to shine.
Also For You: Powerful Thich Nhat Hanh Quotes: Remembering The Revered Zen Buddhist Monk
“Peace Begins With A Smile”
As we wrap up our discussion on famous quotes on war and peace with this beautiful line by Mother Teresa, we hope you can bring back your focus to your inner-self and trudge the way of life with more patience, understanding, and compassion for others.
Did our article comprising best war and peace quotes, anti-war peace quotes, and humanity quotes help you to hush those troubling thoughts? Don’t forget to let us know through your beautiful comments.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you inspire humanity?
You can inspire humanity by being the best version of yourself and loving your fellow human beings selflessly. Our collection of war and peace quotes might help you in this journey.
What is the most powerful quote?
It is a matter of debate and personal preference, however, any quote that motivates you to be a better human being is a powerful one.
What is the motto of peace?
The end goal of peace should be peace itself. If you are looking for more inputs, check out our pick of best war and peace quotes and popular humanity quotes.
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