“We live" writes Pursewarden somewhere, "lives based upon selected fictions. Our view of reality is conditioned by our position in space and time - not by our personalities as we like to think. Thus every interpretation of reality is based upon a unique position. Two paces east or west and the whole picture is changed.”

“Reality is what we take to be true.What we take to be true is what we believe.What we believe is based upon our perceptions.What we perceive depends upon what we look for.What we look for depends upon what we think.What we think depends upon what we perceive.What we perceive determines what we believe.What we believe determines what we take to be true.What we take to be true is our reality.”

“People "at the top" are eager to attribute their position to their own intellect, savvy, and hard work. The reality is much more complicated. Personal connections, family environment, and what appears to be plain luck determine how successful a person is. We are the product of three things- genetics, environment, and our personal choices- but two of these three factors we have no power over. We are not nearly as responsible for our success as our popular views of God and reality lead us to think.”

“Every year, if not every day, we have to wager our salvation upon some prophecy based upon imperfect knowledge.”

“We need a morality based upon love of life, upon pleasure in growth and positive achievement, not upon repression and prohibition.”

“Holiness, as taught in the Scriptures, is not based upon knowledge on our part. Rather, it is based upon the resurrected Christ in-dwelling us and changing us into His likeness.”