--- title: "1 False-self Quotes By Henri J.M. Nouwen" description: "1 False-self quotes by Henri J.M. Nouwen. Plus more from Henri J.M. Nouwen and more False-self sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cc/henri-j-m-nouwen-4122_false-self_secularity-is-a-way-of-being-dependent-o_726260.jpg" --- > [“Secularity is a way of being dependent on the responses of our milieu. The secular or false self is the self which is fabricated, as Thomas Merton says, by social compulsions. 'Compulsive' is indeed the best adjective for the false…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/secularity-is-a-way-of-being-dependent-on-the-responses-of-our-milieu/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cc/henri-j-m-nouwen-4122_false-self_secularity-is-a-way-of-being-dependent-o_726260.jpg) ## Other authors on False-self - [Dan B. Allender 10 quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false-self/dan-b-allender/) ## More by Henri J.M. Nouwen > [“Spiritual reading, therefore, is slow, deliberate, meditative reading in which we allow the words to penetrate our heart and question our spirit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/spiritual-reading-therefore-is-slow-deliberate-meditative-reading-in/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“The mystery of ministry is that we have been chosen to make our own limited and very conditional love the gateway for the unlimited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/the-mystery-of-ministry-is-that-we-have-been-chosen-to-make-our-own/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Jesus changes our history from a random series of sad incidents and accidents into a constant opportunity for a change of heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/jesus-changes-our-history-from-a-random-series-of-sad-incidents-and/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Why should a man marry and have children, study and build a career; why should he invent new techniques, build new institutions, and develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/why-should-a-man-marry-and-have-children-study-and-build-a-career-why/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“It wasn't that the Gospel proved useful for my many worries but that the Gospel proved the uselessness of my worries and so refocused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/it-wasn-t-that-the-gospel-proved-useful-for-my-many-worries-but-that/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“But mortification - literally, "making death" - is what life is all about, a slow discovery of the mortality of all that is created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/but-mortification-literally-making-death-is-what-life-is-all-about-a/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Christians should put survival of the planet ahead of national security...Here is the mystery of our global responsibility: that we are in communion with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/christians-should-put-survival-of-the-planet-ahead-of-national/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“We want to live as people chosen, blessed, and broken, and thus become food for the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/we-want-to-live-as-people-chosen-blessed-and-broken-and-thus-become/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Those who really can receive bread from a stranger and smile in gratitude, can feed many without even realizing it. Those who can sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/those-who-really-can-receive-bread-from-a-stranger-and-smile-in/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Whereas discipline without discipleship leads to rigid formalism, discipleship without discipline ends in sentimental romanticism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/whereas-discipline-without-discipleship-leads-to-rigid-formalism/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“When God makes a covenant with us, God says: 'I will love you with an everlasting love. I will be faithful to you, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/when-god-makes-a-covenant-with-us-god-says-i-will-love-you-with-an/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Am I afraid to die? I am every time I let myself be seduced by the noisy voices of my world telling me that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/am-i-afraid-to-die-i-am-every-time-i-let-myself-be-seduced-by-the/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Our life is a short time in expectation, a time in which sadness and joy kiss each other at every moment. There is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/our-life-is-a-short-time-in-expectation-a-time-in-which-sadness-and/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Here the mystery of drinking the cup becomes clear. The coming and leaving of friends, the experiences of love and betrayal, of care and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/here-the-mystery-of-drinking-the-cup-becomes-clear-the-coming-and/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Thus, our brokenness can become a gateway to new life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/thus-our-brokenness-can-become-a-gateway-to-new-life/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false-self/henri-j-m-nouwen/#itemlist", "name": "1 False-self Quotes By Henri J.M. Nouwen", "numberOfItems": 1, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Secularity is a way of being dependent on the responses of our milieu. The secular or false self is the self which is fabricated, as Thomas Merton says, by social compulsions. 'Compulsive' is indeed the best adjective for the false self. It points to the need for ongoing and increasing affirmation. Who am I? 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