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Robert A. Heinlein Quotes - Page 3

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Never try to outstubborn a cat.

Never try to outstubborn a cat.

Robert A. Heinlein
Cat, Trying
Time Enough for Love "Second Intermission" (1973)

The most ridiculous concept ever perpetrated by Homo Sapiens is that the Lord God of Creation, Shaper and Ruler of the Universes, wants the saccharine adoration of his creations, that he can be persuaded by their prayers, and becomes petulant if he does not receive this flattery. Yet this ridiculous notion, without one real shred of evidence to bolster it, has gone on to found one of the oldest, largest and least productive industries in history.

Robert A. Heinlein
Religious, Prayer, Real

Sin lies only in hurting others unnecessarily. All other "sins" are invented nonsense.

Robert A. Heinlein
Hurt, Lying, Religion
"Time Enough for Love". Book by Robert A. Heinlein, 1973.

One of the sanest, surest, and most generous joys of life comes from being happy over the good fortune of others.

Robert A. Heinlein
Relationship, Thank You, Giving

Belief gets in the way of learning.

Robert A. Heinlein
Clever, Believe, Creativity
Robert A. Heinlein (1987). “Time Enough for Love”, p.33, Penguin

Yield to temptation. It may not pass your way again.

Robert A. Heinlein
Wisdom, Philosophy, Yield
Robert A. Heinlein (1987). “Time Enough for Love”, p.326, Penguin

My old man claimed that the more complicated the law the more opportunity for scoundrels.

Robert A. Heinlein
Opportunity, Men, Law
Robert A. Heinlein (1959). “The Door Into Summer”, Roc

The hardest part of gaining any new idea is sweeping out the false idea occupying that niche.

Robert A. Heinlein
Ideas, Niche, Hardest

When one teaches, two learn.

Robert A. Heinlein
Education, Clever, Teaching

The police of a state should never be stronger or better armed than the citizenry. An armed citizenry, willing to fight, is the foundation of civil freedom. That's a personal evaluation, of course.

Robert A. Heinlein
Fighting, Police, Stronger
Robert A. Heinlein (1960). “Beyond This Horizon”, Roc

The right to figure things out for yourself is the only true freedom everyone shares. Go use it.

Robert A. Heinlein
Use, Share, Figures

If you are part of a society that votes, then do so. There may be no candidates and no measures you want to vote for ... but there are certain to be ones you want to vote against. In case of doubt, vote against. By this rule you will rarely go wrong.

Robert A. Heinlein
Doubt, May, Want
Robert A. Heinlein (1987). “Time Enough for Love”, p.321, Penguin

There is an old song which asserts 'the best things in life are free.' Not true! Utterly false! This was the tragic fallacy which brought on the decadence and collapse of the democracies of the twentieth century; those noble experiments failed because the people had been led to believe that they could simply vote for whatever they wanted...and get it without toil, without sweat, without tears. Nothing of value is free. Even the breath of life is purchased at birth only through gasping effort and pain.

Robert A. Heinlein
Song, Pain, Believe
Robert A. Heinlein (1987). “Starship Troopers”, p.76, Penguin

May you live as long as you wish and love as long as you live.

Robert A. Heinlein
Love, Anniversary, Long
Robert A. Heinlein (1987). “Time Enough for Love”, p.87, Penguin

God created men to test the souls of women.

Robert A. Heinlein
Men, Soul, Tests
Robert A. Heinlein (1985). “Job, a Comedy of Justice”, Del Rey

Your enemy is never a villain in his own eyes. Keep this in mind; it may offer a way to make him your friend. If not, you can kill him without hate — and quickly.

Robert A. Heinlein
Friendship, Peace, Hate
Robert A. Heinlein (1987). “Time Enough for Love”, p.224, Penguin

The price of freedom is the willingness to do sudden battle anywhere, any time and with utter recklessness.

Robert A. Heinlein
Battle, Price Of Freedom, Willingness

The greatest fallacy of democracy is that everyone's opinion is worth the same.

Robert A. Heinlein
Freedom, Democracy, Opinion

What are the facts? Again and again and again – what are the facts? Shun wishful thinking, ignore divine revelation, forget what “the stars foretell,” avoid opinion, care not what the neighbors think, never mind the unguessable “verdict of history” – what are the facts, and to how many decimal places? You pilot always into an unknown future; facts are your single clue. Get the facts!

Robert A. Heinlein
Stars, Truth, Thinking
Time Enough for Love (p. 264)

Expertise in one field does not carry over into other fields. But experts often think so. The narrower their field of knowledge the more likely they are to think so.

Robert A. Heinlein
Knowledge, Science, Thinking
Robert A. Heinlein (1987). “Time Enough for Love”, p.326, Penguin

The Bible is such a gargantuan collection of conflicting values that anyone can prove anything from it.

Robert A. Heinlein
Humour, Prove, Collections
"The Number of the Beast". Book by Robert A. Heinlein, Chapter XXXVIII, p. 377, 1980.

A woman is not property, and husbands who think otherwise are living in a dreamworld.

Robert A. Heinlein
Marriage, Husband, Thinking
Robert A. Heinlein (1987). “Time Enough for Love”, p.228, Penguin

When any government, or any church for that matter, undertakes to say to its subjects, This you may not read, this you must not see, this you are forbidden to know, the end result is tyranny and oppression no matter how holy the motives.

Robert A. Heinlein
Atheist, Government, Church
Robert A. Heinlein (2007). “Glory Road”, p.318, Macmillan

Never attempt to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and annoys the pig.

Robert A. Heinlein
Inspirational, Funny, Leadership
Time Enough for Love "Prelude II" (1973)

The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire.

Robert A. Heinlein
Race, People, Desire
"Time Enough for Love" by Robert A. Heinlein, Ace, (p. 352), August 1988.

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