Discover a wealth of wisdom and insight from Criss Jami through their most impactful and thought-provoking quotes and sayings. Expand your perspective with their inspiring words and share these beautiful Criss Jami quote pictures with your friends and followers on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or your personal blog - all free of charge. We've compiled the top 694 Criss Jami quotes for you to explore and share with others.

Listen to God with a broken heart. He is not only the doctor who mends it, but also the father who wipes away the tears. By Criss Jami God Listen Heart Broken Tears

When we look for success, it should be for the sole purpose of boasting sincerely in Christ. There's no other reason for it. Success is only worth it when the more intense it gets for you, the more you find yourself bragging for his glory rather than your own. By Criss Jami Christ Sole Purpose Boasting Sincerely

False humility is quite like the worst of both worlds: both that of Meekness and that of Conceit. By Criss Jami Conceit Meekness False Worlds Humility

The biggest challenge after success is shutting up about it. By Criss Jami Biggest Challenge Success Shutting

God speaks of his children shining best in ways that only he can provide. The heavens lift one as a golden child while the flesh lowers one to a child with gold. By Criss Jami God Provide Speaks Children Shining

A common mistake we make is that we look for God in places where we ourselves wish to find him, yet even in the physical reality this is a complete failure. For example, if you lost your car keys, you would not search where you want to search, you would search where you must in order to find them. By Criss Jami God Find Failure Search Common

If Christ be a fraud, he was among the most peculiar yet brilliant of frauds in saying that only he was the way, the truth, and the life. This is the importance of grace - some people think that simply being nice and not harming others is morality; others think that following rules and tithing are morality. But without Christ, all moral beliefs ultimately boil down to the one sin which perpetually rails against the concept of grace: man's lawful, religious, and futile attempt at establishing his own righteousness. By Criss Jami Christ Grace Truth Life Fraud

Pride has quite a bit to do with hatred. In many a case in which one hates another, one subconsciously begins patterns of cherry-picking and selective hearing: he continues to look only for things about the other person which he can use to justify his hatred, things which will then make him feel less guilty about hating someone. In this regard, hatred is not so much an emotion as it is a decision. By Criss Jami Pride Hatred Bit Things Hearing

As time moves on the line will blur. It will no longer seem to be the simplicity of good versus evil, but good versus fools who think they are good. By Criss Jami Blur Good Time Moves Line

The worst evil is that most subtle evil. It is the evil that is merely 'base' which is more evil than evil itself. For it is the one closest to righteousness, the one indistinguishable and doused in virtue. By Criss Jami Evil Worst Subtle Base Righteousness

An exceedingly confident student would in theory make a terrible student. Why would he take school seriously when he feels that he can outwit his teachers? By Criss Jami Student Exceedingly Confident Theory Make

Hypocrisy versus authenticity among men is not always so black and white, and as is righteousness, humility is often self-proclaimed. The Church is most definitely supposed to be a hospital for the spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically sick, hurting, and broken individual, yet ironically, many of its critics are those who ran away and permanently denounced its members after they visited and felt that they were sneezed on. By Criss Jami Hypocrisy White Righteousness Humility Selfproclaimed

It is ironic that constructive thinkers are often misunderstood as negative, as they differ from those longing for positivity: constructive thinkers have been conditioned to find positive in negative rather than suffering from the negative in negative. Or as Paul the Apostle wrote, 'I have learned the secret to contentment in any and every circumstance.' He was right. Indeed the Lord is our strength, especially under the commandment to love one another. Otherwise we are nothing and easily thrown about by both our own and other people's mind control in a painful, mental, physical desperation to run from every thought, every thing, and every one not seeming so positive or immediately beneficial to us. By Criss Jami Negative Constructive Thinkers Positivity Ironic

God is our final say in who and what's negative and who and what's positive in our lives. It is best not to have this so over-simplified as the illusioned superstitionists have it; an infinite being's tests may not always be so flowery, and the things we may see as positive are in many cases simply desires of our sinful nature. We are to protect our spirit without falling into the narcissistic mistake of trying to protect our selfish emotions, which the latter, in turn, is more than unlikely to bring peace and happiness. But rather guilt and emptiness. When one walks around constantly, in his mind, attempting to separate positive versus negative people, he is already controlled by something even worse than those he calls the 'negative people', and that is before he spots it soon enough to avoid it as he hypocritically tries to avoid them. By Criss Jami Positive Negative God Lives Final

The most mesmerizing of artists is always like one who was merely drawing in the sand and people came to watch. By Criss Jami Watch Mesmerizing Artists Drawing Sand

What is hard work? It takes strength, energy, and stress to truly care about others enough to place oneself last, but it is easy to wrap oneself up and selfishly scramble on the heads of others. By Criss Jami Work Hard Energy Oneself Strength

You think you're losing your mind, but do keep in mind, as long as you may, that the ability to go on thinking such a thing means it's not all gone. By Criss Jami Mind Losing Long Ability Thinking

The complete recipe for imagination is absolute boredom. By Criss Jami Boredom Complete Recipe Imagination Absolute

Much like humans, opinions come in all shapes and forms, but in the end, they are just what they are; and may yet still be categorized in nature. The first you might say is the Indoctrinal, which is, of course, dictated by community and necessity, by the human need for acceptance; secondly, there is the Personal, and this is often dictated by individuality, by the yearning to seem interesting and intelligent, or free, or special; and lastly comes the Emotional. This is most commonly dictated by circumstance and bitterness and excitement. However, rarely do we find the case in which any of these are dictated by reason in the pure state: it is by this we see that at the core of a number of false opinions lies not always misinformation but quite often some issue of the human self. By Criss Jami Dictated Human Forms End Nature

When good people consider you the bad guy, you develop a heart to help the bad ones. You actually understand them. By Criss Jami Bad Guy Good People Develop

Unprovoked hostility is often but displaced self-defense: 'I must stop him before he stops me.' In many of such environments, nobody is really hateful so much as they are just fearful. By Criss Jami Unprovoked Selfdefense Hostility Displaced Stop

God hates sin not because he wants us to be good little boys and girls, but because he knows sin destroys that which he loves most: sinners. By Criss Jami Sinners Sin God Girls Hates

It's not about whether or not someone is a bigot, but whether or not the argument which that someone is arguing is worth being a bigot about. By Criss Jami Bigot Argument Arguing Worth

The only truths worth arguing about are those truths that could prevent or lead to circumstances that may bite us in the rear sooner or later. By Criss Jami Truths Worth Arguing Prevent Lead

A lonely day is God's way of saying that he wants to spend some quality time with you. By Criss Jami God Lonely Day Spend Quality

Time and time over it is the ones who try a little too hard to be innovative rebels - and for the sheer glory of being considered innovative rebels - who then turn out not quite as innovative or as rebellious as they would like to think they are. By Criss Jami Rebels Innovative Time Hard Sheer

Credentials are like potential energy, the compliments of a name on paper, in documents, word of mouth, but faith is like kinetic energy, the motion and the force that which is witnessed. Hence in the end it is the faith rather than the credentials that really takes you places. By Criss Jami Energy Paper Documents Word Mouth

One may not always know his purpose until his only option is to monopolize in what he truly excels at. He grows weary of hearing the answer 'no' time and time again, so he turns to and cultivates, monopolizes in his one talent which others cannot possibly subdue. Then, beyond the crowds of criticism and rejection, the right people recognize his talent - among them he finds his stage. By Criss Jami Purpose Option Excels Time Talent

Good friends will allow you to be as innocent and free as a child when in private, and as wise and mature as an adult when in public. By Criss Jami Good Private Public Friends Innocent

The vanity of intelligence is that the intelligent man is often more committed to 'one-upping' his opponent than being truthful. When the idea of intelligence, rather than intelligence itself, becomes a staple, there is no wisdom in it. By Criss Jami Oneupping Intelligence Truthful Vanity Intelligent

If I were to vote, I would intentionally vote for the goofiest candidate. It is my theory that when the people can outwit the leader, the more respected their voices will be. By Criss Jami Vote Candidate Intentionally Goofiest Leader

There is a difference between criticizing people and criticizing a people's uninformed ideals. That is, unless one defines himself or others by their ideals, then he is offended, and usually offended secretly. Because oddly enough, this person is the same person quickest to resort to dismissive name-calling, such as 'bigot' or 'zealot'. And oddly enough, he is always the one, the 'open-minded' one, who adamantly protests for, not only himself, but others not to listen to any type of scholarly theological truth inherently for the sake of his own personal, moral beliefs. By Criss Jami Criticizing People Ideals Difference Uninformed

The manlier you are, the harder it is to understand what a woman wants: there is not a hint of female brain in you. By Criss Jami Manlier Harder Understand Woman Hint

Those who speak of progression but are afraid of change are self-repressed and therefore unable to reach any further than their eyes can already see. By Criss Jami Speak Progression Afraid Change Selfrepressed

I do not much trust the man who cares solely to inspire - he does not really inspire me - only the man who cares mostly to tell the truth, whatever that may do. For when the man who cares to tell the truth happens to inspire, I, in addition, find it easier to believe that he in fact does his homework on how and when one should truly inspire. By Criss Jami Man Cares Inspire Truth Trust

I often ask myself, 'Who would Jesus vote for?' Then I start to think that he wouldn't vote at all; however, it would not be out of apathy or disinterest, but out of perfection and light. As a miracle worker, I think he would, by the power of God's teachings, the perseverance and the truth, influence in a modern sense whoever is put into office how to best serve his fellow men. One, like his skeptics, may find that impractical. But there is a message in that no man in power can slow the momentum of the will of God, and the miracles of his teachings will be forever victorious. By Criss Jami Jesus Vote God Power Teachings

Conscious minds can, at the most, comprehend that the whole idea of a 'God' is his superiority, his omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience; and therefore, at the least, desire him, someone far greater than themselves. By Criss Jami God Omnipresence Conscious Comprehend Superiority

Whenever you feel like feeling like a devil's advocate, Bible-thump. That, in a worldly world, is the great irony and satire of evangelism. By Criss Jami Biblethump Advocate Feel Feeling Devil

Love is without a doubt the laziest theory for the meaning of life, but when it actually comes a time to do it we find just enough energy to over-complicate life again. Any devil can love, whom he himself sees as, a good person who has treated him well, but to love also the polar opposite is what separates love from fickle emotions. By Criss Jami Life Love Doubt Laziest Theory

The reality of loving God is loving him like he's a Superhero who actually saved you from stuff rather than a Santa Claus who merely gave you some stuff. By Criss Jami God Superhero Santa Claus Loving

Good works is giving to the poor and the helpless, but divine works is showing them their worth to the One who matters. By Criss Jami Works Good Helpless Matters Giving

Every time I create something, whether an idea or a work of art, initially, its supposed completion seems absolutely perfect to me. However the more I think about it, stare it down, the more it marinates in my soul over the hours, days, and weeks, the more flaws I start to find in it; and finally, the more I'm pressed to continue enhancing it. It essentially turns out that whatever thing a flawed and imperfect, human eye once thought was amazing begins to appear quite wretched. This is why, eternally, God cannot be impressed by mere talents or by mortal achievements. To perfect eyes, I imagine that great is not really that great; rather, humility is ultimately a human being's true greatness. By Criss Jami Initially Art Time Create Idea

Their doubt is your fuel for dreams. You just have to drive. By Criss Jami Dreams Doubt Fuel Drive

The love of Christ is always there and unchanging, no matter what we do, but it is when we are obedient that we actually begin to feel it. By Criss Jami Christ Unchanging Love Matter Obedient

To be honest, one can only feel glad that so many modern iconoclasts consider Christianity to be full of exceptionally hypocritical, religious zealots - it's biblically accurate and a prophecy fulfilled. The old smoke screen is one of Satan's favorite tricks. He conceals the authentic. He has a persistent strategy of targeting those who remind him of Christianity because he fears those who remind him of Christ. By Criss Jami Honest Hypocritical Religious Zealots Fulfilled

God's judgment is not like man's judgment. It is not a suspension of His Love but an extension of His Love. His justice is always righteous, so His judgment is always Love. By Criss Jami Love Judgment God Man Suspension

I'm not a political Christian; for the most part I allow people even their vain, earthly rights. And I certainly don't see anti-Christians as bad or evil (as if they actually have the power to pose any kind of threat against God Almighty), but rather complete idiots I was commanded to love. By Criss Jami Christian Vain Earthly Political Part

Love is one of those topics that plenty of people try to write about but not enough try to do. By Criss Jami Love Topics Plenty People Write

You are believing not in your god but in yourself if your god knows no better than you do ... and yet, in this alone, I am afraid, you have already been fooling yourself. By Criss Jami God Afraid Believing Fooling

I fall asleepCall it deep while all is well be-Cause my life seems like a freestyle mean-While asleep on the couch I dream it's a written piece and nowThe symphony's soundingShouting out to these feet whose leaps feel foul but quite loudBut howI'm allowed to live my dreamsMy Chimeran team brings the Siberian breedRiding reality free 'til these tires they freezeIn mires in dire need of wires, fire and heat butI love a dark, hard cold heart in the wintery breeze By Criss Jami Chimeran Siberian Free Til Wires

The real test of love is loving those who we feel are the hardest ones to love. By Criss Jami Love Real Test Loving Feel

It is easier for one to take risks and to chase his dreams with a mindset that he has nothing to lose. In this lies the immense passion, the great advantage of avoiding a materialistic, pleasure-filled way of life. By Criss Jami Lose Easier Risks Chase Dreams

Philosophy may serve as the bridge between theology and science. All atheism is a philosophy, but not all philosophy is atheism. Philosophy ('love of wisdom') is simply a tool depending on how one uses it, and in some cases, logically understanding the nature of God and existence. By Criss Jami Philosophy Science Serve Bridge Theology

To swear day and night by media slander will make one a bigger victim than the slandered. It doesn't take much to begin to fear a mere illusion of human badness. By Criss Jami Slandered Swear Day Night Media

Civic duty? Perhaps it would be a little naive to try to coerce me into voting. I assure you my basic standards of healthy living are very different from yours, which is the reason I do not vote. You should note that, as nonsensical a scenario, if forced to choose I would most definitely rather live in a failing, Christ-honoring, God-fearing nation than a flourishing one that mocks said Creator. Beware of my personal ambitions. By Criss Jami Civic Duty Christhonoring Godfearing Creator

To say that one waits a lifetime for his soulmate to come around is a paradox. People eventually get sick of waiting, take a chance on someone, and by the art of commitment become soulmates, which takes a lifetime to perfect. By Criss Jami Paradox Lifetime Waits Soulmate Soulmates

The emphasis and the reason for a pure humility is to result in love for others; not always necessarily the belittlement of self. When there is pride and self-righteousness and being pretentiously too far above, generally, one has a difficult time reaching the compassionate side of love for others, the side that understands (or at least attempts to understand): 'I am aware that I am not so far from falling in the same way.' Humility seeks to understand, and sometimes even relate; and in result, the love lovingly, properly, effectively wills the removal of the destructive sins of another as from oneself. By Criss Jami Love Understand Emphasis Reason Pure

I am thankful when I am hungry because then I know that when I eat, the food will taste better. Life has taught me that my true contentment rests in hope, and the pleasure itself is secondary. It is self-awareness, not happiness, that maintains peace. By Criss Jami Eat Thankful Hungry Food Taste

When we begin to reflect Christ, the Bible, when more understood as being centered around Christ, seems to be potentially every man's biography regarding God's promised experiences and truth for him - his individual, unique path of humbling oneself before the Lord and then being exalted by the Lord back into his true and righteous personhood. Many followers may speak of it merely to try to change other people (before changing themselves), but the prophets speak of it as a living word which miraculously tells their very own experiences. By Criss Jami Christ Lord Bible God Individual

We tend to think that refusing to exalt Christ is staying true to our self-will and personal freedom when really we are condemning ourselves. Sure, we can pretend to stay true to ourselves, but if you want to talk about reality, all of that is completely trivial if this life is an island and He's the only pilot with a plane and a flight plan. By Criss Jami Christ True Tend Refusing Exalt

Drunken men give some of the best pep talks. By Criss Jami Drunken Talks Men Give Pep

The artist is often misunderstood because, stepping outside himself and holding most details in great tension, he's about as complex as a shape-shifter; or a head with faces on all sides, but not necessarily in the negative connotation as one being two-faced usually implies. For instance, to be misunderstood can mean to be improperly deemed a troublemaker when that is not one's true intent: you see, to troublemakers, the artist knows that the peacemaker may seem like a troublemaker; therefore he may, whether in honesty or in jest, at times, present himself as a troublemaker for perceptual, artistic flair. But then to the artless peacemakers, because of this they will interpret him as a troublemaker. This is why the artist has so few allies. To the troublemakers he's a troublemaker, yet still the peacemakers a troublemaker. By Criss Jami Troublemaker Artist Misunderstood Stepping Tension

To claim that one can never live a positive life with a negative mind is a very negative claim to make! By Criss Jami Make Claim Negative Live Positive

Part of God's work in his people is synchronizing the heart and the mind thus providing freedom from the deceit of emotion-based beliefs. Emotions are changing while truth is absolute. They don't believe simply because it sounds good, or deep, beautiful, happy, fun, cool, simple, or intelligent to them; but because it's true. By Criss Jami God Part Beliefs Work People

I am a fan of overdoing something, but not running it into the ground. They are complete opposites with only a fine line separating them. By Criss Jami Ground Fan Overdoing Running Complete

If you don't like the solution, change the problem. By Criss Jami Solution Change Problem

It often occurs that pride and selfishness are muddled with strength and independence. They are neither equal nor similar; in fact, they are polar opposites. A coward may be so cowardly that he masks his weakness with some false personification of power. He is afraid to love and to be loved because love tends to strip bare all emotional barricades. Without love, strength and independence are prone to losing every bit of their worth; they become nothing more than a fearful, intimidated, empty tent lost somewhere in the desert of self. By Criss Jami Occurs Pride Selfishness Muddled Love

With too much pride a man cannot learn a thing. In and of itself, learning teaches you how foolish you are. By Criss Jami Thing Pride Man Learn Learning

Our big mistake in modern intellectualism is first and foremost its lack of nuance. We have made science synonymous with atheism - a presupposed conception and yet, another means to non sequiturs - and therefore, to a number of enthusiasts determined to go the further, anti-theism. Hereby let us observe that science has long served best and should be, if none other, the one discipline, if at all possible, free of potential ideology, pro-religious or anti-religious, and/or biased presupposition in order to maintain the true authenticity and the full reliability of its nature. By Criss Jami Nuance Big Mistake Modern Intellectualism

Have nuts and be nuts. By Criss Jami Nuts

Bad luck with women is a determined man's road to success. For every affliction, he makes, out of indignation, yet another advancement in order to exceed the man that the woman chose over him. This goes to show that great men are made great because they once learned how to fight the feeling of rejection. By Criss Jami Bad Success Man Luck Women

Growing up I often wondered how the world would be today if, since the beginning of human life, every person acted as I did. By Criss Jami Growing Life Wondered World Today

Soar with wit. Conquer with dignity. Handle with care. By Criss Jami Soar Wit Conquer Dignity Handle

If we all knew who God really was and what he really wanted for each and every one of us, we would all know that only a fool could really deny him. By Criss Jami God Knew Wanted Fool Deny

The purest regret, no matter what, is thinking you didn't love enough. By Criss Jami Regret Purest Matter Thinking Love

I do not care about happiness simply because I believe that joy is something worth fighting for. By Criss Jami Care Happiness Simply Joy Worth

Thunderstorms are as much our friends as the sunshine. By Criss Jami Thunderstorms Sunshine Friends

I'd rather strive for the kind of interview where instead of me asking to introduce myself to society, society asks me to introduce myself to society. By Criss Jami Introduce Society Strive Kind Interview

There's nothing more contagious than the laughter of young children; it doesn't even have to matter what they're laughing about. By Criss Jami Children Contagious Laughter Young Matter

For God to prove himself on demand, physically, would be a grave disappointment, and the strongest Christians should be considerably grateful that he chooses not to do so. The skeptic endlessly demands proof, yet God refuses to insult the true intelligence of man, the '6th sense', the chief quality, the acumen which distinguishes man from the rest of creation, faith. By Criss Jami God Christians Physically Disappointment Prove

Self-righteousness is much like a spiritual egocentricity. It constitutes a secular type of love that thrives under conditionality, one in which is only existent after an individual meets the adopted standards of the condemner; oppositely, unconditional love is a holy love. By Criss Jami Selfrighteousness Egocentricity Love Spiritual Oppositely

I cannot encourage any fabrication even for the sake of making people feel good. If I were to fabricate consciously and knowingly, I would not only be ordaining myself their enemy, but also ordaining myself God's enemy. By Criss Jami Good Enemy Encourage Fabrication Sake

Is the phrase 'pay' or 'play the piper'I inquire, why'Cause I admire a desire to flip the switchYeah make a way to face the music likeLife savings for a mosh pit riotListen to a mixRock the tickets, higher volumeVelocity which shakes a cockpit's pilot By Criss Jami Pay Phrase Play Inquire Whycause

Of all the major religions, or lack thereof, the atheist's is one of the best pretenders: his foundation for all existences, as well as moral behaviors for the permanent good of mankind, begins at science but ends at himself, the Napoleon complex of both intelligence and imagination. On the other hand the anti-theist wouldn't survive without a deity beyond himself to hunt. He doesn't pretend, he simply nullifies his own position. By Criss Jami Napoleon Religions Thereof Pretenders Existences

Telling an introvert to go to a party is like telling a saint to go to Hell. By Criss Jami Hell Telling Introvert Party Saint

A man of God has many brothers. He is a wounded soldier - he is familiar with the pain one feels in his heart, as a close and loving brother, when a brother falls victim of evil men or turns to evil desires (the latter sometimes even betrayal). Because of this, too, he is and must be well-acquainted with and trained in the strengths of hope and the gentleness of forgiveness and mercy. By Criss Jami God Brother Man Evil Brothers

Christians walk as strangers in the world: They are untamed. They are free. To persevere with love, yet untamed by man, is often what leaves that open space for divine revelation when God so wills. By Criss Jami Christians World Walk Strangers Untamed

There are two circumstances that lead to arrogance: one is when you're wrong and you can't face it; the other is when you're right and nobody else can face it. By Criss Jami Face Arrogance Circumstances Lead Wrong

To better understand God we must first shatter our own idea of God - maybe even day after day. Maybe he's too great to stay compressed in the human mind. Maybe he splits it wide open; this is why pretentious intellectualism so often fails to comprehend the concept of God: it is only accepting of what it can explain while in the process finding higher sources offensive. What we may confidently assert is that faith is the opening that allows God, this unpredictable, unseen power, to travel in and out of the mind without all the pains of confusion. By Criss Jami God Day Understand Shatter Idea

I believe God himself will someday debate with and answer every objection arrogant men can come up with against him; I believe he will humble us and humor himself. Know-it-alls, pseudo-intellectuals, militant anti-theists, for Christ's sake, or rather their own sake, best beware of getting roasted by their own medicine. Ah! Our delusions of trying to argue against an omniscient Creator. By Criss Jami God Sake Pseudointellectuals Someday Debate

Hopefully, when your actions and deeds - and therefore other people - boast for you, you're made tired of hearing it, too, from your own mouth because if not, all could lose sight of those actions and deeds behind the gong of your boasting. By Criss Jami Actions Deeds People Boast Boasting

Excuses will become self-refuting. No man who does not believe that Jesus is the perfect, sinless Son of God can, in his desperation and love for sin, reasonably use and misconstrue Jesus' words that unless a Christian is perfect, then that Christian cannot judge sin. Otherwise this non-believer is unconsciously entertaining a belief that Jesus, unlike any other man to ever live, was indeed perfect and sinless in His judgments and therefore that Christian is supposed to be like Him. By Criss Jami Christian Jesus Excuses Selfrefuting Perfect

I still believe that many Americans have a deep longing for that glorious moment when a sermon is more Biblical than American. By Criss Jami Biblical Americans American Deep Longing

Oftentimes winning can become an addiction, whether good or bad, to the point where you would rather lose it all before you lose at all. By Criss Jami Oftentimes Addiction Bad Lose Winning

As for the secularist belief that says 'if we were to eliminate all religions, the world would know peace,' this is the Atheist Heaven; thus it is so important to him (although perhaps more laughable than some say the Christian Heaven). It is about as useless as saying 'if all people were true Christians, the world would know peace,' or 'if all people were devout Muslims, the world would know peace.' And even yet, the secular dream could remain active only for a time before generational rebellion and freedom of thought were to kick in anew. By Criss Jami Heaven Peace World Atheist Religions

In some cases, I am able to respect what so many call bigots. Such people have a more solid foundation for drawing their lines when it comes to the security of their ways and quite possibly the security of mankind. They rely on something that has worked to get man this far without placing ideals blindly driven by emotion first; they have a sure line and they say, 'No.' That, in a sense, is something I find to be highly respectable. By Criss Jami Cases Bigots Security Respect Call

I sit and ponder my existence: how I'm here, what put me here in these thoughts, these feelings, birthed from a timeless sleep, what it felt like, or rather the lack thereof, to not have been and now to 'be', and suddenly, I realize how absurd I am to exist, the fragility in my understanding of existence; I then wonder why the supernatural, the thought of other beings, of God or of gods, must be distinctly absurd - by which I am no longer sure. 'If I exist and I have made myself absurd to me, then why not they exist while merely believed absurd by me?' Perhaps it is true that in a wandering head, one full of wonders, the natural becomes supernatural and the supernatural becomes preternatural (or rational within the sights of discovery and explanation), just as the return home after a life-long journey feels, for a moment, foreign after the many experiences. By Criss Jami Existence Absurd God Gods Exist

Ask anyone and they'll most likely say their family is crazy, and if they don't say their family is crazy, their friends are crazy. That's because everyone is crazy after taking the mask off. People are most themselves when not really trying to fit in, when either alone or around those already closest to them, and that is crazy. By Criss Jami Family Crazy Friends Taking Mask

Frequent risk-takers have had their fair shares of failures and successes, hence, being confident in reaching their goals, they will usually seem insensitive to whether or not they look foolish or cool to other people. By Criss Jami Frequent Successes Goals People Risktakers

For those constantly full of joy, they sometimes feel a little guilty for always feeling so good. That guilt is compassion: it flies in with an attempt to share one's joy with others who do not have it. By Criss Jami Good Joy Constantly Full Feel

Those small moments of pleasure men get from sin, from defying God, are perhaps grace - His final gift still to those who hard-heartedly choose to deny Him. Godless men may blatantly enjoy offending God not because they are free-spirited, but on the whole because He moves them to enjoy it. Sin is, in a sense, still touching God: for a strike involves a touch. Perhaps this is His divine kindness. Faithful men find everlasting fulfillment in His good company; but godless men who strike at the Author of Joy, who are completely ignorant of the greater, for them - and by God's love for His enemies - there is yet this small recoil known as 'pleasure' before the fall. By Criss Jami God Men Grace Moments Defying

Every man has a specific skill, whether it is discovered or not, that more readily and naturally comes to him than it would to another, and his own should be sought and polished. He excels best in his niche - originality loses its authenticity in one's efforts to obtain originality. By Criss Jami Skill Polished Man Specific Discovered

The pressure of adversity is the most powerful sustainer of accountability. It's as though everything you do is multiplied by 50 in order to surpass those with a head-start. I was never capable of slacking when at the threshold of failure. By Criss Jami Accountability Pressure Adversity Powerful Sustainer

Assuming what people want is about as controlled as using fireworks to start a fire. By Criss Jami Assuming Fire People Controlled Fireworks

In the heart of appeasement there's the fear of rejection, and in acts of fear there are mirrors of oppression. By Criss Jami Fear Rejection Oppression Heart Appeasement

What good is there in being blind, you ask? Well, maybe it's to see the beauty on the inside without being vainly distracted, or superficially blinded, by the ugly on the outside. By Criss Jami Blind Good Distracted Blinded Beauty

The faithful man perceives nothing less than opportunity in difficulties. Flowing through his spine, faith and courage work together: Such a man does not fear losing his life, thus he will risk losing it at times in order to empower it. By this he actually values his life more than the man who fears losing his life. It is much like leaping from a window in order to avoid a fire yet in that most crucial moment knowing that God will appear to catch you. By Criss Jami Losing Life Man Difficulties Order

Discernment is the son of good judgment and the father of self-control. When mixed with an already clear conscience, the ability to read the true motives of a critic keeps one's conscience both clear and at ease. By Criss Jami Discernment Selfcontrol Son Good Judgment

Our enemies are quite good for relentlessly keeping us sharp and on our toes. This especially goes for sincere philosophers. They use their enemies to challenge their arguments so that they can know the weak points in their own reasoning and how to argue for and strengthen their position. There are just none like one's enemies to always look for his mistakes and do it harder than anyone else. By Criss Jami Toes Enemies Good Relentlessly Keeping

People think that fun in Christ is non-existent, but there is fun wherever your heart lives. By Criss Jami Christ People Nonexistent Lives Fun

I do not believe it possible for one to genuinely love Truth more than people (or vice versa). One might fall into the snare of loving the search more than people, or the pride of having exposed something or someone, but not the truth itself. For if you love Truth you love people; because to love people at all and without illusion, you must also love the truth about them. By Criss Jami Truth Love People Versa Genuinely

A rebel adult often seems like a glorious savior, whereas a rebel child often seems like a little devil. By Criss Jami Rebel Savior Devil Adult Glorious

Generally it appears the case that, when faced with all life's problems, the baby, he wants to cry about everything, the child wants to question everything, the teenager wants to rebel against everything, the young adult wants to solve everything, the middle-aged adult wants to protect everything, and the elder wants to accept everything. By Criss Jami Adult Generally Problems Baby Case

What man ever openly apologizes for slander? It is not so much a feeling of slander as it is that of a massive lie, a misdeed not only to the slandered but also to those manipulated in the process. He has made them all, every one, his enemies, thereupon he is so overwhelmed with guilt that he will deny it until his grave. By Criss Jami Slander Man Openly Apologizes Lie

In a society where dirt sells, for every good story told as it is, you will hear the whole of that day's 10 bad stories sensationalized; although in reality, it could be that 100 good deeds happened that day which went unsung. By Criss Jami Day Good Sells Bad Sensationalized

Cleverness isn't always true nor is the truth always clever. By Criss Jami Cleverness Clever True Truth

The harder you fall, the heavier your heart; the heavier your heart, the stronger you climb; the stronger you climb, the higher your pedestal. By Criss Jami Heart Climb Heavier Stronger Fall

When you're appeasing too much, you might be egotistically over-estimating everyone's need for your approval. By Criss Jami Approval Appeasing Egotistically Overestimating

The Bible does not say money is the root of all evil; it says the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. A poor man who, in his heart, worships the idea of being rich is more vulnerable to its evils than a rich man who has a heart to use it all for the Lord. By Criss Jami Root Money Bible Evil Love

Some virtues, when they become fashions, also become exaggerated. Just because nobody likes a judgmental attitude does not mean that there isn't a sort of spoiled, self-righteous hypocrisy when one man obsessively commands other men not to judge without knowing the circumstances without himself, too, knowing their circumstances behind their judgments. By Criss Jami Virtues Fashions Exaggerated Knowing Circumstances

Walk and loveWe're walking in loveFor the walk of love By Criss Jami Love Walk Lovewe Walking Lovefor

Stretched and skewedTap of the 8-ball and the cueScratches fall throughThey are the scars of you By Criss Jami Stretched Skewedtap Cuescratches Fall Throughthey

Just because something isn't a lie does not mean that it isn't deceptive. A liar knows that he is a liar, but one who speaks mere portions of truth in order to deceive is a craftsman of destruction. By Criss Jami Deceptive Lie Liar Destruction Speaks

Always have there been great numbers of individuals who were very much eager to fight for good causes. Always there were these, but then there were even greater numbers of trendies who would then become wholly and completely misguided in the efforts. By Criss Jami Numbers Great Individuals Eager Fight

When we find that God's ways always coincide with our own ways, it's time to question who we're really worshipping, God or ourselves. The latter moves the nature of godliness from the King to our servant to a slave, a deduction into the realm of selfhood and then the lower, slavehood. It's a spiritual mathematics in that men who need God in his godhood are humble yet strong and spiritually ambitious while men who need a slave in their selfhood are ultimately paralyzed and will remain paralyzed. By Criss Jami God Worshipping Find Coincide Time

If Christians always seemed to be the most intelligent and the most righteous of men, I'd be a skeptic. By Criss Jami Christians Men Skeptic Intelligent Righteous

There was a time when skepticism was an act of rebellion. Since to a degree I both believe in evolution and have faith, I can only conclude that, as prophesied, to have faith will someday be an act of rebellion. By Criss Jami Rebellion Act Time Skepticism Faith

Every job from the heart is, ultimately, of equal value. The nurse injects the syringe; the writer slides the pen; the farmer plows the dirt; the comedian draws the laughter. Monetary income is the perfect deceiver of a man's true worth. By Criss Jami Ultimately Job Heart Equal Syringe

In a sense, discouragement does not have to exist. Allow it to be rather the encouragement to honestly reconsider all the options, then, as necessary, shine on. By Criss Jami Sense Discouragement Exist Options Shine

Men promise freedom while establishing laws; God promises laws while establishing freedom. By Criss Jami God Establishing Men Freedom Laws

I am not convinced of the argument, 'I want to believe; it is only those awful Christians I hate. They get in the way of my belief.' If you hate Christians more than you love Christ, you do not love Christ. It comes to mind the question, 'If you do not love your brother or sister whom you have seen, how can you love God whom you have not seen? By Criss Jami Christians Christ Love Argument Convinced

To spend your time wanting things is to smother your time for achieving things beyond your expectations. By Criss Jami Time Expectations Things Spend Wanting

The only honorable, desirable kind of fear that shouldn't be feared is the fear of harm on a loved one. It's the kind of fear that leads to self-sacrifice and the kind of fear where you would truly jump in front of a bus to save another. By Criss Jami Fear Kind Honorable Desirable Feared

Ingredients to success: know what you do well, know what to do well, and know someone who's swell. By Criss Jami Ingredients Success Swell

I often find that people confuse inner peace with some sense of insensibility whenever something goes wrong. In such cases inner peace is a permit for destruction: The unyielding optimist will pretend that the forest is not burning either because he is too lazy or too afraid to go and put the fire out. By Criss Jami Wrong Peace Find People Confuse

Ultimate prosperity is one's value within. It takes a man of depth, morality, and charm to be envied yet without a sign of wealth or romance. A passion to prove such inner worth is his permission to achieve whatever he desires. By Criss Jami Ultimate Prosperity Morality Depth Romance

People, generally, are equally insecure. They just show it (or hide it) differently. By Criss Jami People Generally Insecure Differently Equally

It is sometimes but the mere hope for enjoyment that allows one to enjoy something, even when he is not really enjoying it at the moment. By Criss Jami Moment Mere Hope Enjoyment Enjoy

I would rather a romantic relationship turn into contempt than turn into apathy. The passion in the extremities make it appear as though it once meant something. We grow from hot or cold, but lukewarm is the biggest insult. By Criss Jami Turn Apathy Romantic Relationship Contempt

How is it that some celebrities, whom the average person would believe to have all the popularity a human being could want, still admit to feeling lonely? It is quite naive to assume that popularity is the remedy for loneliness. Loneliness does not necessarily equal physical solitude, it is the inability to be oneself and rightfully represented as oneself. By Criss Jami Celebrities Lonely Popularity Average Person

It starts off like climbing a tree or solving a puzzle - poetry, if nothing else, is just fun to write. But deeper into each and every piece, you no longer hesitate to call it work. It's passion. A poet's sense of lyrical accomplishment is then his food and water, his means of survival. By Criss Jami Poetry Puzzle Write Starts Climbing

Pride and power fall when the person falls, but discoveries of truth form legacies that can be built upon for generations. By Criss Jami Pride Generations Power Person Discoveries

Truth in Christ is not a matter of being near or far like in martial arts when you strive for a black belt. He saves us then we grow; not the other way around. By Criss Jami Christ Truth Belt Matter Martial

Christ died not so that you could freely go on sinning, and therefore, continue dying; He died rather so that you could freely grow in obedience, and therefore, start living. By Criss Jami Freely Christ Sinning Continue Dying

God will save whomever He chooses to save. The Christian should proselytize not because he thinks he can change everybody; he should proselytize because the Gospel being shared is the ultimate act of love: because he thinks he can love everybody. By Criss Jami Save God Whomever Chooses Proselytize

Sometimes it takes a lowly, title-less man to humble the world. Kings, rulers, CEOs, judges, doctors, pastors, they are already expected to be greater and wiser. By Criss Jami Lowly Titleless World Kings Rulers

The greater ignorance towards a country is not ignoring what its politicians have to say, it is ignoring what the inmates in its prisons have to say. By Criss Jami Ignoring Greater Ignorance Country Politicians

Envy is a sign of insecurity, yes; but so is longing to be envied. By Criss Jami Envy Insecurity Envied Sign Longing

If you use a philosophy education well, you can get your foot in the door of any industry you please. Industries are like the blossoms on a tree while philosophy is the trunk - it holds the tree together, but it often goes unnoticed. By Criss Jami Philosophy Education Foot Door Industry

When you meet someone, and you find that they are prejudiced against your kind, it might be your chance, not to confirm, but to be the one to finally change their mind. By Criss Jami Kind Chance Confirm Mind Meet

At first, they'll only dislike what you say, but the more correct you start sounding the more they'll dislike you. By Criss Jami Dislike Correct Start Sounding

God is not some lesser employee, as many try to make Him out to be: rather He is the ultimate Treasure. He works in a man; He works on a man; He works through a man; He works around a man. Know that He does far more than simply work for a man. And yet, even as He Himself needs no one else, everyone else is ever in need of Him. By Criss Jami Man Treasure Works God Employee

Deceit for personal gain is one of history's most recurring crimes. Man's first step towards change would be thinking, counter-arguing, re-thinking, twisting, straightening, perfecting, then believing every original idea he intends to make public before making it public. There is always an angle from which an absolute truth may appear askew just as there is always a personal emotion, or a personal agenda, which alienates the ultimate good of mankind. By Criss Jami Deceit Crimes Personal Gain History

Respect? Of course, always, to all, because everything seems funnier when you're trying to show respect. By Criss Jami Respect Funnier Show

You ask me why I don't speakNot a word at willBut write so much worth well over a mill'Well I value words like I value kissesA sober one, a closer one penetrates the heartDarling it's how it mends it By Criss Jami Speaknot Willbut Write Worth Millwell

Think outside the box? Indeed. But to add balance to that, one should not in the process forget what the inside of the box looks like as well. Those who are best at thinking outside the box do it not to puff themselves up, but to see how small they really are. As a contented fish in its fish tank appears to have a small, boring existence to us, imagine a larger, more perceptive kingdom (even by scientific taxonomy) to whom our contented existences may appear to be small and boring. This is where true creativity and massive perceptive abilities spawn a sense of intellectual humility; the kind which God adores. By Criss Jami Box Small Perceptive Contented Fish

In essence I find that the foundation of modern conservatism is driven by a clinging to God in fear of the world, whereas the foundation of modern liberalism is a clinging to the world in fear of God; albeit, the true foundation should be one's clinging to God in fear of God. By Criss Jami God Fear Clinging Foundation Modern

Perhaps not everything happens for a reason. That is, until you make it so; because for everything there is a season, which can, in fact, become beautiful. By Criss Jami Reason Season Fact Beautiful Make

Time and time again does the pride of man influence his very own fall. While denying it, one gradually starts to believe that he is the authority, or that he possesses great moral dominion over others, yet it is spiritually unwarranted. By that point he loses steam; in result, he falsely begins trying to prove that unwarranted dominion by seizing the role of a condemner. By Criss Jami Time Fall Pride Man Influence

The most judgmental people are often those who complain most about being judged. The ones not complaining will look as though they're the ones doing the judging. By Criss Jami Judged Judgmental People Complain Judging

One of the bigger mistakes of our time, I suppose, was preaching the demonization of all judgment without teaching how to judge righteously. We now live in an age where, apart from the inability to bear even good judgment when it so passes by, still everyone, inevitably, has a viral opinion (judgment) about everything and everyone, but little skill in good judgment as its verification or harness. By Criss Jami Judgment Time Suppose Righteously Bigger

All great leaders find a sense of balance through their levels of reception. For instance, those who support a leader may soften him, those who ignore him may challenge him, and those who oppose him may stroke his ego. By Criss Jami Reception Great Find Sense Balance

Love is as simple as the absence of self given to another. God, when invited, fills the void of any unrequited love; hence loving is how one is drawn closer to God no matter its most horrific repercussions. By Criss Jami Love God Simple Absence Invited

The Christian should never have to put others down in order to feel good about himself. Instead, he can simply check out the media's insistent portrayal of Christianity and feel grateful that he isn't as deceived as the masses who really swallow the garbage. Ignorance is ultimately how people put themselves down, and the mere Christian who knows what entails the mere Christian is ultimately free from such. By Criss Jami Christian Feel Order Good Put

To be more precise about it, it is neither close nor open-mindedness but wisdom, discernment, and a pure heart that God wants. By Criss Jami Discernment God Wisdom Precise Close

Love begets wisdom, thus it is, as often misconceived, more than vain layers of tenderness; it is inherently rational and comprehensive of the problem within the problem: for instance, envy is one of the most excused sins in the media of political correctness. Those you find most attractive, or seem to have it all, are often some of the most insecure at heart, and that is because people assume that they do not need anything but defamation. By Criss Jami Problem Love Wisdom Misconceived Tenderness

Nothing amuses people more than a cocky guy who starts losing. By Criss Jami Losing Amuses People Cocky Guy

Nothing frustrates people more than a cocky guy who's still winning. By Criss Jami Winning Frustrates People Cocky Guy

Senses of humor define people, as factions, deeper rooted than religious or political opinions. When carrying out everyday tasks, opinions are rather easy to set aside, but those whom a person shares a sense of humor with are his closest friends. They are always there to make the biggest influence. By Criss Jami People Factions Deeper Humor Opinions

Liberalism, contrary to popular belief, is facing backward in considering the injustice of its ancestors. Conservatism, contrary to popular belief, is facing forward in considering the psychology of its descendants. Definitively, it seems in the modern world that neither side really knows which direction it's facing, and men of the sharpest judgment are simply turned off from picking either of the poisons. By Criss Jami Contrary Belief Liberalism Popular Facing

When most of the greatest individuals in history were misunderstood and you've spent so much of your own adult life misunderstood, you can't help but believe that the majority of people know very little worth knowing. By Criss Jami Misunderstood Knowing Greatest Individuals History

My heart goes out to some of those rather hostile yet highly intelligent individuals who may see problems really because they have solutions. That hostility is learned in defense; not offense. An often stubborn and prideful world, in its self-destructive, temporary bliss of ignorance, may be violently resistant to the watchful mind. By Criss Jami Solutions Heart Hostile Highly Intelligent

Even the self-assured truth-finders and self-proclaimed freedom-fighters reject Truth. As admirable as such endeavors may be, they still only really want it so long as it to some extent confirms what they had already presumed to be true. By Criss Jami Truth Selfassured Truthfinders Selfproclaimed Freedomfighters

God judges men from the inside out; men judge men from the outside in. Perhaps to God, an extreme mental patient is doing quite well in going a month without murder, for he fought his chemical imbalance and succeeded; oppositely, perhaps the healthy, able and stable man who has never murdered in his life yet went a lifetime consciously, willingly never loving anyone but himself may then be subject to harsher judgment than the extreme mental patient. It might be so that God will stand for the weak and question the strong. By Criss Jami Men God Judges Judge Mental

When you're socially awkward, you're isolated more than usual, and when you're isolated more than usual, your creativity is less compromised by what has already been said and done. All your hope in life starts to depend on your craft, so you try to perfect it. One reason I stay isolated more than the average person is to keep my creativity as fierce as possible. Being the odd one out may have its temporary disadvantages, but more importantly, it has its permanent advantages. By Criss Jami Usual Isolated Awkward Socially Compromised

I think that there are excellent and poor thinking habits just as there are healthy and unhealthy eating habits; and when a man really knows how to think, you cannot necessarily assert that he thinks too much in a strictly negative connotation. Perhaps this is in a sense food for thought, whereas the other is fool for thought. By Criss Jami Habits Thought Connotation Excellent Poor

I write about adversity, I praise adversity, not to be pessimistic, but rather to strengthen myself. The more familiar that you are with it, the less likely you are to have a breakdown when it occurs. You become more reflective of its purpose, you understand God's reason for it, and are then able to make the best of everything that you are handed. The darkness is only frightening after constant sunshine. By Criss Jami Adversity Pessimistic Write Praise Strengthen

Our poor world aspires simply to point out where Christians have gone wrong, and that is pretty much where it goes wrong. It is as though many of us, when of the world, are actually all the more judgmental: for we are stuck on a bad Christian while the Christian is pinned to a good Christ. By Criss Jami Wrong Christian World Christ Poor

If I love a dose of (good) theology or philosophy, I probably also love discipline, improvement, wisdom, and challenges. If I hate it, I am probably too comfortable and proud to try to question myself. By Criss Jami Good Improvement Wisdom Love Theology

The typical atheist rebels against God as a teenager rebels against his parents. When his own desires or standards are not fulfilled in the way that he sees fit, he, in revolt, storms out of the house in denial of the Word of God and in scrutiny of a great deal of those who stand by the Word of God. The epithet 'Heavenly Father' is a grand reflection, a relation to that of human nature. By Criss Jami God Rebels Word Parents Typical

To be truly positive in the eyes of some, you have to risk appearing negative in the eyes of others. By Criss Jami Eyes Positive Risk Appearing Negative

The first ingredient to being wrong is to claim that you are right. Geniuses have a knack for raising new questions. Hence by the public they are either admired for their creativity or, even more commonly so, detested for disturbing the daily peace of mind. By Criss Jami Ingredient Wrong Claim Geniuses Questions

Intelligence entails a strong mind, but genius entails a heart of a lion in tune with a strong mind. By Criss Jami Mind Strong Entails Intelligence Genius

Christianity, like genius, is one of the hardest concepts to forgive. We hear what we want to hear and accept what we want to accept, for the most part, simply because there is nothing more offensive than feeling like you have to re-evaluate your own train of thought and purpose in life. You have to die to an extent in your hunger for faith, for wisdom, and quite frankly, most people aren't ready to die. By Criss Jami Christianity Genius Forgive Hardest Concepts

The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people. By Criss Jami People Yawning Activity Cynic Find

By(e) pen, I've tried my hand at poetry; only to see how boring it is to me. That is, unless I get a chance to destroy each and every piece while doing it as I please. By Criss Jami Pen Poetry Hand Boring Chance

The best people are always the worst. They drive everyone mad by being so good at second-guessing everything bad. By Criss Jami Worst People Bad Drive Mad

April Fools' is the only day to take people seriously. By Criss Jami Fools April Day People

Respect elders; protect children. This I do believe. As a young man it is sometimes, in a charitable sense, difficult to shake the sentiment that every elderly person is my grandparent, and every child is my child. By Criss Jami Respect Elders Protect Children Child

Christianity is at its purest a philosophy about a person, Jesus Christ, and at its dirtiest a philosophy about requirements and law. By Criss Jami Philosophy Jesus Christ Christianity Person

Where God is like the sun, the Devil is like a raindrop. There is no 'God vs. Satan' because they aren't even that close in power and authority. The former is very patient; the latter is at mercy. By Criss Jami Devil God Sun Raindrop Satan

Never hide things from hardcore thinkers. They get more aggravated, more provoked by confusion than the most painful truths. By Criss Jami Thinkers Hide Things Hardcore Aggravated

Pseudo-artists think that being an artist means opposing whatever seems to be an establishment. That is not creative at all. True creativity is the ability to gain perspective wherever you may have missed it before. By Criss Jami Pseudoartists Establishment Artist Opposing True

I always make sure that the world will prove me right. It gives me the freedom to contradict myself. By Criss Jami Make World Prove Freedom Contradict

Even though artists of all kinds claim to put their hearts and souls into their works, it will only confuse you, for example, if you try to discern a painter by his paintings. His masterpiece may be the master because of its iridescence; it may display a hundred different perspectives through his single face. By Criss Jami Works Paintings Artists Kinds Claim

How to love is the real question. We all know to love and to keep loving more, but man's confusion comes from the differing opinions on how to love. The Church will always be accused of not loving enough by human standards - which should be its motivation to love more - however that is, in many cases, because its focus is and should also be to love on levels of eternal significance. This is the level of love that will inevitably go unnoticed by those who do not believe in eternity. By Criss Jami Love Question Real Loving Church

I am not sure if women are attracted to genius. Can you imagine the wise wizard winning the woman over the gallant swordsman? It seems rather otherworldly in more ways than one. By Criss Jami Genius Women Attracted Swordsman Imagine

I will never deny that life isn't fair. It seems as though when a woman leaves a man she is strong and independent, but when a man leaves a woman he is a pig and a jerk. By Criss Jami Fair Deny Life Woman Leaves

Peace is more of an internal settlement rather than what is visible on the external. By Criss Jami Peace External Internal Settlement Visible

I'm not offended until you think I'm offended. By Criss Jami Offended

Love may be harder to find in some people, but when they do love you know it must be something marvelous. By Criss Jami People Marvelous Love Harder Find

I would rather my descendants have greater abilities and a greater knowledge of the love of Christ than I do, much like standing on one's shoulders in order to get a clearer view of the valley. By Criss Jami Christ Greater Valley Descendants Abilities

The exaggerated dopamine sensitivity of the introvert leads one to believe that when in public, introverts, regardless of its validity, often feel to be the center of (unwanted) attention hence rarely craving attention. Extroverts, on the other hand, seem to never get enough attention. So on the flip side it seems as though the introvert is in a sense very external and the extrovert is in a sense very internal - the introvert constantly feels too much 'outerness' while the extrovert doesn't feel enough 'outerness'. By Criss Jami Attention Introvert Unwanted Public Validity

Christ delves far beyond the means of superficiality, not simply because of his immaculate love, but also because he considers the distinct cases of each individual rather than withholding a broadened perception by use of stereotypes. By Criss Jami Christ Superficiality Love Stereotypes Delves

Is it 'Stockholm syndrome' when your God has never once misguided your steps? I think not! Let the lost ones dart across the darkness, bashing into walls, pretending to love their ways as we delight in obedience to the footsteps of Christ which bring us to freedom. By Faith we wander - not because we are lost, but because we are free. By Criss Jami Stockholm God Syndrome Steps Misguided

Songwriting and poetry are so commonly birthed from underdogs because one can make even the ugliest situations admirable, or more beautiful than the beautiful situations - they are the most graceful media in which the lines of society are distorted. By Criss Jami Situations Beautiful Songwriting Admirable Distorted

There are 2 kinds of artists, essentially: those who want to make something popular, and those who want to make something dignified. But then there is still that rare hybrid case, and perhaps by that unintentional stroke of genius, in which one's work uncontrollably becomes both popular and dignified yet beyond its time. By Criss Jami Make Essentially Kinds Artists Popular

The only thing more frustrating than slanderers is those foolish enough to listen to them. By Criss Jami Thing Frustrating Slanderers Foolish Listen

I would say that introverts make some of the best international philosophers. The less common attribute of the introverted lifestyle - a close societal connection, as such a connection disappears or changes in relevance as the currents of the winds change - leaves too much room for one's own cultural bias. Instead, introverts tend to turn inward, the laboratory of being and all its forms. This is the most accurate study of the individual human being, which is in turn, rather than those affected by cultural limitations, the most universal reflection of human understanding and human behavior. By Criss Jami Philosophers Make International Introverts Human

Chance is your godThough you're falling free you will land hard By Criss Jami Chance Hard Godthough Falling Free

History does seem to repeat itself hence it's mindboggling to still hear the 'avoid all negative people' speeches from, of all people, supposedly important spiritual teachers. Ironically, their congregations would probably be the ones hiding their faces from the accuracies of truth speakers like Christ. Now, Christ was the complete opposite of negative, however the danger is that truth is often misunderstood as negativity by those who are constantly taught to only seek flattery. By Criss Jami People History Avoid Speeches Supposedly

Society tells me to follow my own truth, but I don't let society tell me what to do. If you need someone to tell you that, chances are you're part of the crowd that will move on to the next fashion that comes around. By Criss Jami Society Truth Follow Chances Part

Most people want so desperately to be an individual yet are so easily shaped by the media. By Criss Jami Media People Desperately Individual Easily

If life is music, I sometimes feel as though I was born on the off-beat of the song, and I love it. As Christian numbers reportedly decrease in America, my love for Christ feels as though it increases. Perhaps that is a little strange, yes, but in all honesty, I now want to be thought unfaithful about as much as a smug aristocrat wants to be thought a hobo. By Criss Jami Music Song Love Life Born

If ever you feel like an animal among men, be a lion. By Criss Jami Men Lion Feel Animal

The hated man is the result of his hater's pride rather than his hater's conscience. By Criss Jami Hater Conscience Hated Man Result

I don't recall God ever saying you couldn't be 'cool'. It's only a problem if you esteem 'coolness' above that which is righteous and true, which is, when we give it its way, really what many of us do. 'Coolness' is too transient to be of any real and meaningful, lasting significance, and it is often in great conflict with one being one's honest, most vulnerable self. That, and in reality, some of the coolest people are actually those who least concern themselves with being 'cool' anyway, those who make 'trying to be cool' less evident. By Criss Jami God Cool Coolness Recall Esteem

Religion, like science, is only noteworthy when it emphasizes a matter of what is true rather than whose belief is greater or lesser or which deity works for whom. Sincere religion and tested science are similar in that their assertions can be argued logically and objectively; otherwise, we get false cults and babble. By Criss Jami Religion Science Noteworthy Emphasizes Matter

Happiness is good, but well-overrated: what we hate most are the very motivators that put us in gear. A man drifts along with little to contribute until something agitates him enough to make a difference, whether for himself or for his communities. By Criss Jami Happiness Good Welloverrated Gear Hate

The hard part about one being tough yet meek is the illusion of being a punching bag. By Criss Jami Bag Hard Part Tough Meek

In societies where coolness and being cool is a top priority, the religious replace the word 'religious' with 'spiritual' to make their faiths seem less extreme. By Criss Jami Spiritual Priority Word Religious Extreme

It is neither just the religious, the spiritual, the power-hungry, the evil, the ignorant, the corrupt, the Christian, the Muslim, the Hindu, the Buddhist, the Jew, nor the atheist that makes a hypocrite, but being a human being. Any man who thinks himself to be free of hypocrisy while committed to cherry-picking others for such, I am confident, the Almighty can prove to him a great deal of his own hypocrisy even beyond his earthly comprehension. By Criss Jami Christian Muslim Hindu Buddhist Jew

If I do not love my fellow man, I can be sure of it that I do not love Jesus Christ. And I would do well if guilty of loving Jesus Christ even more than I love my fellow man, because only by this may I fully come to love my fellow man. By Criss Jami Man Fellow Love Jesus Christ

I would rather have strong enemies than a world of passive individualists. In a world of passive individualists nothing seems worth anything simply because nobody stands for anything. That world has no convictions, no victories, no unions, no heroism, no absolutes, no heartbeat. That world has rigor mortis. By Criss Jami World Passive Individualists Strong Enemies

The survival of poor opinions can make a thinker feel as though he is failing humanity. By Criss Jami Humanity Survival Poor Opinions Make

If love is blind, then maybe a blind person that loves has a greater understanding of it. By Criss Jami Blind Person Greater Understanding Love

Drinking is such a necessity to human life that people cannot fathom an individual who, like a child confined to a church pew, gets little enjoyment out of it and would rather do other things. By Criss Jami Drinking Pew Things Necessity Human

I've come to the point where I never feel the need to stop and evaluate whether or not I am happy. I'm just 'being', and without question, by default, it works. By Criss Jami Happy Point Feel Stop Evaluate

The pain of the narcissist is that, to him, everything is really a threat. What doesn't surrender in reverence is blasphemous to a high opinion of oneself - the burden of self-importance. The narcissist reconstructs his own law of gravity which states that all things and all creatures must adhere to his personal satisfaction, but when they do not, the pain is far more intense than it is for one who is free from the clamors of 'I'. By Criss Jami Threat Pain Narcissist Oneself Selfimportance

The only thing more dangerous than ignorance is the pretense of intelligent ignorance. The former is teachable; the latter is not. By Criss Jami Ignorance Thing Dangerous Pretense Intelligent

It is not that men become too intelligent for God,' says the Apologist, 'but rather they become too arrogant for intelligence. By Criss Jami God Apologist Intelligence Men Intelligent

When a poet digs himself into a hole, he doesn't climb out. He digs deeper, enjoys the scenery, and comes out the other side enlightened. By Criss Jami Hole Digs Poet Climb Deeper

To reach only for that which pleasantly enchants you is the least of imagination, if even imagination at all, by the obvious reality of remaining within your means. The greater of imagination is parallel to risk. It extends beyond your comfort zone or haven, or sense of beauty, or what you personally believe suits you in exploration of what may not. By Criss Jami Imagination Reach Pleasantly Enchants Obvious

A rumor is a social cancer: it is difficult to contain and it rots the brains of the masses. However, the real danger is that so many people find rumors enjoyable. That part causes the infection. And in such cases when a rumor is only partially made of truth, it is difficult to pinpoint exactly where the information may have gone wrong. It is passed on and on until some brave soul questions its validity; that brave soul refuses to bite the apple and let the apple eat him. Forced to start from scratch for the sake of purity and truth, that brave soul, figuratively speaking, fully amputates the information in order to protect his personal judgment. In other words, his ignorance is to be valued more than the lie believed to be true. By Criss Jami Rumor Brave Soul Cancer Masses

Most men either compromise or drop their greatest talents and start running after, what they perceive to be, a more reasonable success, and somewhere in between they end up with a discontented settlement. Safety is indeed stability, but it is not progression. By Criss Jami Success Settlement Men Compromise Drop

The legions who attempt to love without Christ, without a new heart, are indeed able to love amongst themselves; however this love is made possible by restraining any anger or hatred deep within the old heart, only to release it all on whichever village idiot(s) they collectively feel a crucifixion would be justified. By Criss Jami Heart Christ Love Idiot Justified

We are often taught to look for the beauty in all things, so in finding it, the layman asks the philosopher while the philosopher asks the photographer. By Criss Jami Philosopher Things Photographer Taught Beauty

Knowledge is power, as some say. But on some days it is just as much pain and confusion as it is power; and any wise man worth his salt as a wise man at least understands this. One may be able to comprehend all the human perspectives in the universe, but this gives more to decipher regarding what is actually true; and even after discovering the truth, the challenge is in maintaining a patience for the infinite number of opinions that do not reflect that truth. Its consistency in man is challenge. A worldly knowledge ends at the former challenge of confusion, but the knowledge of Christ ends at the latter challenge of patience. By Criss Jami Power Challenge Man Knowledge Wise

It's neither judgment nor judgment according to the status quo that we have a problem with, but rather judgment according to God's Word that we have a problem with. We sharply dress ourselves, go out into the world, shape ourselves, our personalities according to the world's standards and preferences, allow ourselves to be made dull by the world and its desires in order to appear successful and happy and attractive in the eyes of the world. We love the world's judgment but we hate God's judgment. Absurdly enough, the one that really matters, the one out of the purest of loves rather than a mere contract in hopes of mutual gain, is the one which we so adamantly try to shut ourselves off from. By Criss Jami Problem World Judgment Word God

Let them spend their time condemning every action of persons they do not like; by this let them revoke their own condemnation licenses: no one will take them seriously when it comes time to condemn something that really needs to be condemned, and thus hear, hear, despite the excess noise, the reasonable voices may prevail. By Criss Jami Hear Time Licenses Condemned Noise

A sign of power in a man is not only when people follow what he suggests, but also when people make a conscious effort to do the exact opposite of what he suggests. By Criss Jami Suggests People Sign Power Man

What decent philosopher was ever an appeaser? The former is a rare catch among the multitudes of modern opinionists. His role is to be one who loves truth. That is a place where his love for humanity is more powerful than his love for hot air about empowering humanity. By Criss Jami Appeaser Decent Philosopher Love Humanity

Disasters work like alarm clocks to the world, hence God allows them. They are shouting, 'Wake up! Love! Pray! By Criss Jami God Disasters World Love Wake

I've finally decided to write about profit for a changeBut before I really started I already started to feel lameBaby what's it to a beast who manely to money remains untamed By Criss Jami Started Untamed Finally Decided Write

If I were to envy any persons on this planet, it would be mountain hermits. You often hear old platitudes such as, 'Speak out. Be heard.' On the contrary, a breath of fresh air would be something like: 'Silence, think for at least 15 minutes, and then maybe speak out. By Criss Jami Planet Hermits Speak Envy Persons

Where everyone wants to be a leader, it makes one a follower to want to be a leader, and a leader to know what to follow. By Criss Jami Leader Follow Makes Follower

I am often guilty of expecting the worst so as to avoid disappointment and welcome surprise. By Criss Jami Surprise Guilty Expecting Worst Avoid

I enjoy melancholic music and art. They take me to places I don't normally get to go. By Criss Jami Art Enjoy Melancholic Music Places

They call good evil and evil good. There are those who are so easily offended that they lose their ability to ever discern any truth, and this is often derived from a sort of frenzy by way of their own masked prejudice. By Criss Jami Good Evil Call Truth Prejudice

Life is about discovering things worth dying for. By Criss Jami Life Discovering Things Worth Dying

There is, after all, no moral difference between the bigot and the tolerator. They are from case to case positive or negative. One man is bigoted because he was given the sword of truth, another because he is angered in thoughtlessness; then, one man is tolerant because he was given the flag of peace, another because he is cowardly and wishes to hide all guilt. By Criss Jami Tolerator Moral Difference Bigot Man

Competition works best in sports, but humans get addicted to stuff. By Criss Jami Competition Sports Stuff Works Humans

It can be a good thing if deeper theology, or philosophy, only makes one more uncertain. It may lead to a healthy doubt; he may throw his hands up saying, 'God, I just don't know anymore. If you're out there, I'm giving it all to you.' From there, after the surrender, he is allowing God himself, rather than theories, books, and documents, to take over and lead him into all truth. By Criss Jami Theology Philosophy Uncertain God Good

Law without reason is criminal. By Criss Jami Law Criminal Reason

I have a thing for things that last. By Criss Jami Thing Things

From recovery to rags and rags to recovery symbolizes art - a perfect compilation of human imperfections. By Criss Jami Art Imperfections Recovery Rags Symbolizes

The humble sinner will sometimes be interpreted as one of the filthiest in the eyes of man yet immersed in the eyes of God, and this is due to the volition of honesty regarding his own corruption. By Criss Jami Eyes God Corruption Humble Sinner

Love in this life is expanded by our anticipation of the next life. Those who love under God are never satisfied with small love, or love bound by the flaws of human emotion. Those who love under God dream of another life where they can experience it and live it in God's perfect form, so they seek to build it in this life as much as possible. By Criss Jami Love God Life Expanded Anticipation

A man who goes into a restaurant and blatantly disrespects the servers shows a strong discontent with his own being. Deep down he knows that restaurant service is the closest thing he will ever experience to being served like a king. By Criss Jami Restaurant Man Blatantly Disrespects Servers

What I admire about the modern atheist is not at all his logic, but rather his gift of imagination. There will always be the cartoon versions of Christianity further perpetuated by the extremist atheists who do not possess the humility to ask real scholars and theologians its difficult questions. There is little doubt that the atheist has the bigger imagination: the first reason is due to his persistent caricatures of what constitutes a Christian; the second because of his belief that most of his questions are actually rhetorical. From this I can infer that, instead of laughing at one another (the Christian at modern atheist immaturity and the modern atheist at Christian stupidity), we would have a better chance at productivity laughing with one another as we all dumb down what we don't understand. By Criss Jami Atheist Christian Modern Imagination Logic

It helps to not confuse theological philosophers with evangelists. There is a difference but objectively neither better than the other: an evangelist's mission is to convert; a theological philosopher's mission is to build an understanding of a position. By Criss Jami Theological Confuse Mission Philosophers Convert

I'm always talking to God about whether or not he exists - that's how I know I'm a theist. By Criss Jami God Exists Theist Talking

Gloating is a superficial glowing, floating is an idle flowing, and bloatedness is the paralysis of blowing up; because silent movement results in loud victories. By Criss Jami Gloating Glowing Floating Flowing Victories

The man who is most aggressive in teaching tolerance is the most intolerant of all: he wants a world full of people too timid and ashamed to really disagree with anything. By Criss Jami Man Aggressive Teaching Tolerance Intolerant

A good work ethic is not so much a concern for hard work but rather one for responsibility. There have been a great many men and women who have in fact used work or hustle or selfish ambition as an escape from real responsibility, an escape from purpose. In matters such as these, the hard worker is just as dysfunctional as the sloth. By Criss Jami Responsibility Work Escape Good Ethic

The first reaction is surely the most natural one, but not always the most correct one; thereupon, the invention of apologies. By Criss Jami Apologies Reaction Surely Natural Correct

If you're capable of despising your own behavior, you might just love yourself. By Criss Jami Behavior Capable Despising Love

Like crying wolf, if you keep looking for sympathy as a justification for your actions, you will someday be left standing alone when you really need help. By Criss Jami Wolf Actions Crying Sympathy Justification

A writer is one who communicates ideas and emotions people want to communicate but aren't quite sure how, or even if, they should communicate them. By Criss Jami Communicate Writer Ideas Emotions People

Men seek a great deal, but fatally close, albeit very different, is one's pride in proving oneself right with one's zeal for finding the truth. By Criss Jami Men Deal Close Albeit Truth

In the end, only God can see the heart of an individual and distinguish the difference between legalistic deadweight and the passion of holy solemnity. By Criss Jami God End Solemnity Heart Individual

You can't let the truth bring out the worst and let it get the best of you. By Criss Jami Truth Bring Worst

Grudges are for those who insist that they are owed something; forgiveness, however, is for those who are substantial enough to move on. By Criss Jami Forgiveness Grudges Insist Owed Substantial

Sometimes you feel as though you've slandered yourself, but the joke's on them. By Criss Jami Feel Slandered Joke

The evangelist is the world's hopeless romantic, and just like a hopeless romantic, he must hope for the miracle of God more than the romance itself. By Criss Jami Romantic Hopeless God Evangelist World

We are to love God most importantly so that we can grow to love people as he loved us, not so that we can feel more divine and worthy than the worldly. By Criss Jami Love God Worldly Importantly Grow

A steampunk nationBaby pollution rises up then the loving comes arraigning 'causeOur art's official and only partially artificialAnd our heart's in the middle of sharp hardened shards of metal butThere's not where it settlesBecause it's beating to the steaming of God's hottest pot or kettleAnd now we face it, this creation we made toTo save our craving for a synthetic rebelnation it'sOur safeway they make into a pathetic revelationIn our steampunk nationOur steampunk nation By Criss Jami Steampunk God Arraigning Causeour Nation

Constantly stopping to explain oneself may expand into a frustrating burden for the rare individual, so ceasing to do so is like finally dropping the weights and sprinting towards his goals. Those who insincerely misunderstand, who intentionally distort the motives of a pure-intentioned individual, then, no longer have the opportunity to block his path; instead, they are the ones left to stand on the sidelines shouting frustratedly in the wind of his trail. By Criss Jami Individual Constantly Goals Stopping Explain

Where neither go wrong, the naive only see the world as a victim of bad doctrine; the cynic only sees good doctrine as a victim of the world. By Criss Jami Victim World Doctrine Wrong Naive

Divinity for the sake of the simple-minded is beautiful. Those theological assertions you write, say, or live by that you later feel foolish about, it means God still lives in you enough to tell you that they were indeed foolish. By mistakes you know you are alive. By Criss Jami Divinity Beautiful Sake Simpleminded Foolish

You maintain hope for humanity as an infinite skeptic of gossip and slander. In all mankind's desires for entertainment and exaggeration and sensationalism, when it comes to gossip, the individual always sounds worse than he really is. This is why adhering to gossip subtly affects the mental state of the listener - he goes on holding shady opinions regardless of where the realities of their lights and darknesses may stand. By Criss Jami Gossip Slander Maintain Hope Humanity

It is the philosophers, theologians, and evangelists who are said to be filled with pride and bigotry due to the strong convictions that they represent. On the contrary, teachings can be either taken or dismissed; whereas voting is the only thing the average person can do to force everyone to live how they would prefer. A simple vote is among the largest yet most acceptable forms of bigotry, and that is because people play the card only when they feel that in doing so it conveniences themselves. By Criss Jami Theologians Philosophers Represent Evangelists Filled

In God's eyes, a man who teaches one truth and nothing else is more righteous than a man who teaches a million truths and one lie. By Criss Jami Man God Teaches Eyes Lie

To love without need or without expectation of restitution, that is how we ought to love. By Criss Jami Love Restitution Expectation

Don't change your mind just because people are offended; change your mind if you're wrong. By Criss Jami Change Mind Offended Wrong People

Whenever we want to combat our enemies, first and foremost we must start by understanding them rather than exaggerating their motives. By Criss Jami Enemies Motives Combat Foremost Start

A wise man's goal shouldn't be to say something profound, but to say something useful. By Criss Jami Profound Wise Man Goal

Learning isn't acquiring knowledge so much as it is trimming information that has already been acquired. By Criss Jami Learning Acquired Acquiring Knowledge Trimming

The humble ones are always learning and improving, and their secret is always that it's a secret. By Criss Jami Improving Secret Humble Learning

The surface of learning is hearing what your ears aren't prepared to hear, and the core of learning is hearing what your ears don't want to hear. By Criss Jami Hear Learning Hearing Ears Surface

God loves atheists. The former ones make the most compelling theists because they're so empirically familiar with how atheists think. By Criss Jami God Atheists Loves Make Compelling

I never feel unsafe except for when the majority is on my side. By Criss Jami Side Feel Unsafe Majority

Many people in a rather reckless context claim to 'just tell it like it is'. In actuality, nobody really stresses what one says so much as the motive behind what one says; hence, he is merely blowing hot air and detracting from 'what is'. By Criss Jami People Reckless Context Claim Actuality

Excitement is a crossroad which runs in all directions. No man lacks personality; he just never connected with you at the intersection. By Criss Jami Excitement Directions Crossroad Runs Personality

Extreme right-wingers are known for giving God a bad name; extreme left-wingers are known for giving God a weak name. He's not as simple as conservative versus liberal, old versus new. His wings are balanced. God is both and neither. By Criss Jami Extreme Giving God Rightwingers Bad

Armed neutrality makes it much easier to detect hypocrisy. By Criss Jami Armed Hypocrisy Neutrality Makes Easier

The writer's curse is that even in solitude, no matter its duration, he never grows lonely or bored. By Criss Jami Solitude Duration Bored Writer Curse

To ask, 'How do you do it?' is already starting off on the wrong foot. When reaching for the stars, there does not have to be a 'how' if there is a big enough 'why'. By Criss Jami Foot Starting Wrong Stars Reaching

Simplicity is a bliss that makes one comprehend. By Criss Jami Simplicity Comprehend Bliss Makes

The crazy creatives are the creatives who never go completely mad. They aren't so easily disheartened by the seemingly endless amounts of scrutiny that creative individuals tend to receive because they, like insanity, are the ones who feed off of opposition and negative feedback and manage to continue along with a healthy ambition. It is the crazy that teaches us to use our gifts wisely and own all the attackers. By Criss Jami Mad Creatives Crazy Completely Creative

Man has 2 common problems with God: the one is that there is evil in the world; the other is that free will is limited. The one, he is charging that the world is too evil; the other is that it is not evil enough. By Criss Jami God Evil World Man Common

A young outcast will often feel that there is something wrong with himself, but as he gets older, grows more confident in who he is, he will adapt, he will begin to feel that there is something wrong with everyone else. By Criss Jami Wrong Feel Older Grows Adapt

You can be yourself without pursuing yourself. Have you ever seen a dog chase his own tail? He just runs in circles. By Criss Jami Pursuing Tail Circles Dog Chase

When enemies, the intellect and the heart only see one another as the hater and the fool. By Criss Jami Enemies Fool Intellect Heart Hater

As a poet there is something about joy I find hard to express, whereas every other emotion is rather simple. For instance, you never feel so bad that you can't describe how bad you feel, but joy on the other hand is far too divine for human language. By Criss Jami Express Simple Joy Poet Find

In an extroverted society, the difference between an introvert and an extrovert is that an introvert is often unconsciously deemed guilty until proven innocent. By Criss Jami Introvert Society Innocent Extroverted Difference

It's much easier on the emotions when one sees life as an experiment rather than a struggle for popularity. By Criss Jami Popularity Easier Emotions Life Experiment

On the whole the modern world has been conditioned to have a chip on its shoulder against devoutly religious people. I disagree with this in some instances - particularly in, believe it or not, matters of integrity. Deep down I often rather believe the man who honestly thinks - or better yet even, prefers - that he has an omnipotent Judge breathing down his neck, holding his every word and his every move accountable, than the man who much like his modern peers, and ironically enough, claims or wishes to bask in complete independence. As it appears actually, the former is more free of guilt than the latter. By Criss Jami People World Conditioned Chip Shoulder

Humility is by far the most spiritual virtue of the lot. The only way by which one may cease obsessing over himself is to wholly step outside his flesh. But who could do this by himself? And who would really want to under his natural pretense? And even if somehow he could and he succeeded, would not it be artificial? Would not he seem far too aware of his own talents of achieving humility for it to be such? Alternatively, he would need a distraction, something else to love; it is not that the Humbleman thinks poorly of himself, nor highly for that matter, but rather he does not think of himself at all - and this is because he is too busy loving something or someone else to do it. For the humility of this kind 'rears its head' as the most love-driven and free, spiritual of virtues; whereas its opposite, pride, the most self-imprisoning human vice. By Criss Jami Lot Humility Spiritual Flesh Humbleman

As individuals die every moment, how insensitive and fabricated a love it is to set aside a day from selfish routine in prideful, patriotic commemoration of tragedy. Just as God is provoked by those who tithe simply because they feel that they must tithe, I am provoked by those who commemorate simply because they feel that they must commemorate. By Criss Jami Moment Prideful Patriotic Tragedy Feel

Sure, some of us humans might be angry at a sovereign God about Hell, but know that that is about as meaningful as a few germs being angry at humans about bleach. By Criss Jami Hell Angry God Humans Bleach

Honesty is not the same as truth. That is the obstacle of the notion of relative truths. I would like to put my trust in the lunatic. He is the one least concerned of what I think of him, the mark of an honest man. I can always depend on him to be completely honest in what he thinks and feels, about anything, no matter the consequences laid before him, however with no course of rationale, I cannot necessarily take his word for even the well-being of him in his own reality. By Criss Jami Honesty Truth Truths Honest Obstacle

The ultimate story of success: When a nobody, who has never once in his entire life known the feeling of being remembered or respected, suddenly snaps and becomes a world dictator. On one hand it sounds just, but on the other, it illustrates the reason why a prosperity message has and needs its limitations. By Criss Jami Success Respected Suddenly Dictator Ultimate

Everyone pretends to be 'free thinkers', but few individuals pass the line into expressive territories that may be detrimental to their own social well-being. By Criss Jami Free Thinkers Wellbeing Pretends Individuals

When a man is penalized for honesty he learns to lie. By Criss Jami Lie Man Penalized Honesty Learns

The fans are always more radical than that which they are fans. By Criss Jami Fans Radical

Old words are reborn with new faces. By Criss Jami Faces Words Reborn

I believe in evolution in the sense that a short-tempered man is the successor of a crybaby. By Criss Jami Crybaby Evolution Sense Shorttempered Man

Those who stand for different causes during different generations often experience the same oppositions and the same difficulties as those of the previous and the next generations. That is the basis of history repeating itself. By Criss Jami Generations Stand Experience Oppositions Difficulties

The pride of man hopes but to blame God for the evils of the world, and to praise himself for the good. By Criss Jami God World Good Pride Man

So, how close are love and genius, really? We know that they are both mentioned far more than lived. By Criss Jami Genius Close Love Lived Mentioned

I am not here to merely argue about the perplexities regarding theism or philosophy, but to be a light to the world and to reach out to those who long to be a part of that light. By Criss Jami Light Philosophy Argue Perplexities Theism

I'm starting to think that my level of intrigue outweighs my fear of controversy. By Criss Jami Controversy Starting Level Intrigue Outweighs

In the modern Christian attempt to take a stand as Christ did, and maybe for others, win the approval of the world, the Christian will often think that it consists of targeting and demoralizing fellow Christians and only fellow Christians. It is one thing to stand against religious hypocrisy when one sees it, but it is another to go on snorting at anything or anyone who might seem 'too Christian' to us. The irony is that by doing this we are further advocating hypocrisy and 'half-hearted Christians'. By Criss Jami Christian Christians Christ Fellow Win

The theistic philosopher has a tendency to devalue insufficient worldviews, ideologies, and quite often common sense for the greater good, and in such cases, one should not be discouraged when seen as a bad guy. If he stresses over man's perception of a righteous heart, then he has given his heart to man. By Criss Jami Ideologies Worldviews Good Cases Guy

Tension, in the long run, is a more dangerous force than any feud known to man. By Criss Jami Tension Run Man Long Dangerous

After awhile you realize that putting your actions where your mouth is makes you less likely to have to put your money where your mouth is. By Criss Jami Mouth Awhile Realize Putting Actions

Love without humility results in the inclination to act as everyone's parent, humility without love results in the need to be everyone's child, and love with humility results in the desire to be a friend. By Criss Jami Results Humility Love Parent Child

I'm never proud of my old work. I always feel as though my skills have since improved. By Criss Jami Work Proud Improved Feel Skills

It is not enough to call yourself a 'free thinker' just because you can change your beliefs. A whole mess of people change their beliefs based on what is fashionable rather than what is factual, which, by always following the crowd, would be the complete opposite of the beauty of a free thinker. By Criss Jami Thinker Free Change Beliefs Call

The eye of danger and the face of fear are what really pull off a person's mask. By Criss Jami Mask Eye Danger Face Fear

Knowing the truth is so minuscule compared to having the nerve to say it ... and even more to live it. By Criss Jami Knowing Truth Minuscule Compared Nerve

When disinformation is running rampant, there are two ignorances that may emerge: the one is actually positive, a sort of pure and intentional emptying of the mind; but the other is of course negative and clogged and polluted. By Criss Jami Rampant Emerge Positive Mind Polluted

Keep your finger on the pulse of society, take controversies with a grain of salt, lick your finger and then lift it to the wind; always know what is going on, my friend, so this world can never steer you wrong again. By Criss Jami Finger Society Salt Lick Wind

If I knew what to doI'd do more than write a song for you By Criss Jami Knew Doi Write Song

A fruitless year, take a fearless heartOne that blooms late will flourish in the dark By Criss Jami Year Dark Fruitless Fearless Heartone

Pretentiousness isn't always just big words and meaningless jargon, but also pretty words that either when put into action don't mean beans or hurt you in the long run. Oftentimes, the former appeals to the intellect whereas the latter appeals to the heart. By Criss Jami Words Pretentiousness Jargon Run Big

The barrier during self-improvement is not so much that we hate learning, rather we hate being taught. To learn entails that the knowledge was achieved on one's own accord - it feels great - but to be taught often leaves a feeling of inferiority. Thus it takes a bit of determination and a lot of humility in order for one to fully develop. By Criss Jami Hate Learning Taught Barrier Selfimprovement

I imagine that the intelligent people are the ones so intelligent that they don't even need or want to look 'intelligent' anymore. By Criss Jami Anymore Intelligent Imagine People

Beyond all sciences, philosophies, theologies, and histories, a child's relentless inquiry is truly all it takes to remind us that we don't know as much as we think we know. By Criss Jami Philosophies Theologies Sciences Histories Child

Worldly religion is that which replaces Faith with mere wishful thinking. One must not make the common mistake of putting his faith in all the things he thinks God ought to bless him with; he should instead keep his faith planted in God Himself. Present to Him his needs and wants like a child to his Father, but have faith only in His wisdom and goodness like a servant to his King. God must always be one's Everything before He is one's token to everything. By Criss Jami Faith God Worldly Thinking Religion

God tests, but he does not tempt. By Criss Jami God Tests Tempt

If beauty is relative, then any and everything when compared to the beauty of God is absolutely hideous. By Criss Jami God Relative Hideous Beauty Compared

Man was designed in a way in which he must eat in order to give him a solid reason to go to work everyday. This helps to keep him out of trouble. God is wise. By Criss Jami Man Everyday Designed Eat Order

An over-indulgence of anything, even something as pure as water, can intoxicate. By Criss Jami Water Intoxicate Overindulgence Pure

These days when Christians bicker they exaggerate passion into a legalistic belief and prosperity into a lukewarm belief. By Criss Jami Christians Belief Days Bicker Exaggerate

The creation of man is evidence for the love of God, the preservation of man is evidence for the patience of God, and Christ is evidence for the forgiveness of God. It is when we are wrapped up in our own little peeves that we begin to displace His benevolence with malevolence. By Criss Jami God Evidence Man Christ Creation

Today's zealots are mostly those pretending to be anti-religious. By Criss Jami Today Antireligious Zealots Pretending

It's not at all hard to understand a person; it's only hard to listen without bias. By Criss Jami Hard Person Bias Understand Listen

The hardest thing for a sane person to do is not care what anyone thinks, although everyone swears by it, hence our glorification of insanity. By Criss Jami Insanity Hardest Thing Sane Person

There is a greater Christian faith than one which settles for the temporal happiness, and that is the augmentation of faith. The more faithful you become, the harder the obstacles get; but the harder the obstacles get, the tougher your spine grows; and the tougher your spine grows, the less dependent you are on man's approval. I came to know this about Christianity when valuing faith before comfort. By Criss Jami Christian Faith Grows Happiness Harder

The denial of truth does not harm the Truth; it only harms that which denies the Truth. By Criss Jami Truth Denial Denies Harm Harms

It always seems as though the definition of love will remain debatable by an opinionated world. By Criss Jami World Definition Love Remain Debatable

One may suffer the long-term in order to grow in appreciation for the small things. For in short-term suffering, one only notices the large. By Criss Jami Things Suffer Longterm Order Grow

They say that people fall in and out of love, but do they, too, fall in hate? Or fall into indifference? It has hindered men for ages the notion that one falls in love rather than decides to truly love, the notion that his lack of control, on the B-side, can also make him fall in hate or indifference without the responsibility to help it or control it. By Criss Jami Fall Love Hate People Notion

No man voluntarily expresses his opinion without some intent to make a difference, and even if he does, he shouldn't. By Criss Jami Difference Man Voluntarily Expresses Opinion

Faithfulness imparts God's reason for all circumstances. No matter what the world says, losing is no longer an option. By Criss Jami God Faithfulness Circumstances Imparts Reason

Man is not, by nature, deserving of all that he wants. When we think that we are automatically entitled to something, that is when we start walking all over others to get it. By Criss Jami Man Nature Deserving Automatically Entitled

Everyone judges constantly: positively judging one person is the same as negatively judging everyone else; it is to say that that person is superior in some sense. By Criss Jami Person Judging Constantly Positively Sense

A true prophet would rather be believed false by many but actually true than believed true by many but actually false. By Criss Jami True Believed False Prophet

Never rebel for the sake of rebelling, but always rebel for the sake of truth. By Criss Jami Sake Rebel Rebelling Truth

Usually without realizing it, our ultimate peace starts and ends in the authority of God alone, which means the solution to living in joy, peace, and harmony with our fellow men has been here for all since the beginning of mankind and throughout civilization. I have yet to feel the urge to argue politics: it reminds me of getting off the freeway to sit in raging traffic. By Criss Jami Peace God Joy Civilization Realizing

If a man cannot understand the beauty of life, it is probably because life never understood the beauty in him. By Criss Jami Beauty Life Man Understand Understood

Easily mistaken, it is not about a love for adversity, it is about knowing a strength and a faith so great that adversity, in all its adverse manifestations, hardly even exists. By Criss Jami Adversity Easily Mistaken Manifestations Exists

Fashion is simply a guideline for style-less people to appear stylish. By Criss Jami Fashion Stylish Simply Guideline Styleless

Trends are about as fickle as the direction of the wind; as are the legacies of those who flow with them. By Criss Jami Trends Wind Fickle Direction Legacies

One of the Christian's biggest fears is appearing 'too Christian'. God forbid, because that's often characterized as god-awful! We want to be one, but without being 'one of them'. By Criss Jami Christian Appearing Biggest Fears God

You get hit the hardest when trying to run or hide from a problem. Like the defense on a football field, putting all focus on evading only one defender is asking to be blindsided. By Criss Jami Problem Hit Hardest Run Hide

The motive behind criticism often determines its validity. Those who care criticize where necessary. Those who envy criticize the moment they think that they have found a weak spot. By Criss Jami Validity Motive Criticism Determines Criticize

Few endeavors, if any at all, I find to be inherently mature or inherently immature. Maturity is neither defined by one's particular preferences nor by one's particular activities; rather, it is defined by the strength of one's character. By Criss Jami Inherently Endeavors Immature Find Mature

The most important part of discernment is pinpointing the forces to be reckoned with, both the constructive and destructive. By Criss Jami Destructive Important Part Discernment Pinpointing

Through Christ, the sting of death is but a gentle pinch to the soul; and the mourn is light. Perhaps, someday, in that glorious place, free of sin, we shall meet again. By Criss Jami Christ Soul Light Sting Death

In the land where excellence is commended, not envied, where weakness is aided, not mocked, there is no question as to how its inhabitants are all superhuman. By Criss Jami Commended Envied Aided Mocked Superhuman

As Aristotle said, 'Excellence is a habit.' I would say furthermore that excellence is made constant through the feeling that comes right after one has completed a work which he himself finds undeniably awe-inspiring. He only wants to relax until he's ready to renew such a feeling all over again because to him, all else has become absolutely trivial. By Criss Jami Aristotle Excellence Habit Feeling Aweinspiring

There's sometimes a tugging feeling you get to push further when you aren't being challenged enough or when things get too comfortable. By Criss Jami Comfortable Tugging Feeling Push Challenged

Naturally, I always place my word over anyone else's simply because I know why I said what I said. By Criss Jami Naturally Place Word Simply

Seemingly minor yet persistent things penetrate the mind over time making it difficult to ever realize the impact; hence, though quite unfortunate, the most dangerous forms of corruption are those that are subtle and below the radar. By Criss Jami Seemingly Impact Unfortunate Radar Minor

I think that I am too warm to negatively judge individuals, yet I am cold enough to negatively judge humanity. By Criss Jami Negatively Judge Individuals Humanity Warm

It has always seemed that a fear of judgment is the mark of guilt and the burden of insecurity. By Criss Jami Insecurity Fear Judgment Mark Guilt

I'm often painted as the bad guy, and the artistic part of me wants to hand out the brush. By Criss Jami Guy Brush Painted Bad Artistic

What further helps to reveal reality is when our personal thinking ceases to take reality for granted. By Criss Jami Granted Reality Reveal Personal Thinking

Confirmation bias is the most effective way to go on living a lie. By Criss Jami Confirmation Lie Bias Effective Living

People love answers, but only as long as they are the ones who came up with them. By Criss Jami People Answers Love Long

Even if there are instances in which it can be mistook by onlookers, never fool yourself into using misunderstood genius as an excuse to be a fool. By Criss Jami Onlookers Fool Instances Mistook Misunderstood

Everyone has a sense of humor. If you don't laugh at jokes, you probably laugh at opinions By Criss Jami Humor Sense Laugh Jokes Opinions

A sign of a lover of wisdom is his delight in not running his mouth about things he doesn't know. By Criss Jami Sign Lover Wisdom Delight Running

Tolerance! The virtue that makes one bite his tongue so that he can tear out his hair. By Criss Jami Tolerance Hair Virtue Makes Bite

Children are the most reasonable about discipline. When they tell you not to do something, it's always because they know why. By Criss Jami Children Discipline Reasonable

For the believer, humility is honesty about one's greatest flaws to a degree in which he is fearless about truly appearing less righteous than another. By Criss Jami Believer Humility Honesty Greatest Flaws

Christ didn't join in. He saw which direction the rocks were being thrown, and became a shield. By Criss Jami Christ Join Thrown Shield Direction

The Christian who loves his Master needs not fear any longer for himself. For it is then completely irrational, as it is written thus: 'Perfect love casts out fear.' However, it is very much rational for one to fear instead for the enemies of God. By Criss Jami Christian Master Fear Longer Perfect

All individuals have moral deficiencies, and when introducing these to reality one not only strengthens himself but also the confidence of others in the human exigency for Christ due to a reflection throughout the body of Christ. By Criss Jami Christ Deficiencies Individuals Moral Introducing

Sadly enough, some people are insecure in such a way that they cannot bear the thought of the sovereignty of God, the thought of His Being as greater than themselves. It makes them feel insignificant. But I know if I were to worship and obey anything, I would like it far greater than myself or any person or human system, preferably to the point that which it, perhaps, in all its majesty, makes me feel lost and even 'creatural' in my sheer humanity. Only this God - He who is great beyond human measure, yet still considers His creation precious - I find to be more than worthy of praise; otherwise, I bow down and worship nothing. And if the thought of such a superior and almighty God were to indeed offend me, I would have to remember that it is because I am only as significant as the things which I am idolizing, things which are ultimately separating me, the creation, from my original Creator. By Criss Jami Thought God Sadly Greater People

God favors men and women who delight in being made worthy of happiness before the happiness itself. By Criss Jami God Happiness Favors Men Women

It is never just disagreement but always intellectual dishonesty that is the apologist's worst enemy. And its apprentice is ignorance. By Criss Jami Enemy Disagreement Intellectual Dishonesty Apologist

Tell me that the purpose of life is to have fun, and without a care in the world I'll begin wreaking havoc on everything I pass. Now that's what I call pure, honest fun. By Criss Jami Fun Pass Purpose Life Care

All knowledge meets an end at the question ' ... Why? By Criss Jami Question Knowledge Meets End

Only the man who thinks himself a fool is as wise as he thinks. By Criss Jami Man Fool Wise

Of course we'll win. And even if we were to lose, we'd win at losing. By Criss Jami Win Lose Losing

It's not about going around trying to stir up trouble. As long as you're honest and you articulate what you believe to be true, somebody somewhere will become your enemy whether you like it or not. By Criss Jami Trouble Stir True Long Honest

I feel as though whenever I create something, my Mr. Hyde wakes up in the middle of the night and starts thrashing it. I sometimes love it the next morning, but other times it is an abomination. By Criss Jami Hyde Feel Create Wakes Middle

The best of fiction, as we know, of course, doesn't tell the truth; it tales the truth. By Criss Jami Truth Fiction Tales

Everyone claims to be okay with freedom of religion, but the moment you mention God there is a strange tension that fills the air. If there was a 6th sense, that would be it. By Criss Jami God Religion Air Sense Claims

The introvert's anthem for not wanting to hang out is 'It's not you; it's me. By Criss Jami Introvert Anthem Wanting Hang

It's simple, it's not that simple; or life is simple, but the things in it are not. When a man does not understand it, he tends to inflate it. When he does, he tends to deflate it. In the end, neither images are fully accurate. By Criss Jami Simple Life Things Man Understand

When your only regret is if anyone thinks you regret anything - that is the definition of conviction. By Criss Jami Conviction Regret Definition

A spirit ushered by false teachings is like a body nourished by sweets. The adult, as opposed to the child, will come to understand reasons one cannot live a healthy existence on nothing but candy; so likewise, the Christian must come to understand that one cannot know and love the will of God under false doctrine. By Criss Jami Sweets False Spirit Ushered Teachings

In our worldly perceptions of Jesus, we tend to embrace the kindness of his love ('be encouraged') but not the discipline of his love ('and sin no more'). But with the whole scope of his love, or maturity in Christ, we begin relying on him for guidance where we would prefer him to walk beside us rather than behind us. By Criss Jami Love Jesus Worldly Perceptions Tend

For wordsmiths and masters of words, without necessarily being harsh with words, the words have a tendency to shoot straight to the hearts of people, and this either deeply touches them or deeply angers them. Like the apostles in all their loving controversies are those who are masters of words while combining this gift with truth. By Criss Jami Words Deeply People Masters Wordsmiths

The actual confident man, the man truly sure of himself, is not he who esteems himself higher than others, but he who is sure enough that he can bear to esteem others higher than himself. By Criss Jami