Acceptance Quote by Joshua Loth Liebman
““A love of neighbor manifests itself in the tolerance not only of opinions of others but, what is more important, of the essence and uniqueness of others, when we subscribe to that religious philosophy of life that insists that God has made each man and woman an individual sacred personality endowed with a specific temperament, created with differing needs, hungers, dreams. This is a variegated, pluralistic world where no two stars are the same and every snowflake has its own distinctive pattern. God apparently did not want a regimented world of sameness. That is why creation is so manifold. So it is with us human beings. Some are born dynamic and restless; others placid and contemplative…One man’s temperament is full throated with laughter; another’s tinkles with the sad chimes of gentle melancholy. Our physiques are different, and that simple difference oftentimes drives us into conflicting fulfillment of our natures, to action or to thought, to passion or to denial, to conquest or to submission. There is here no fatalism of endowment. We can change and prune and shape the hedges of our being, but we must rebel against the sharp shears being wielded by other hands, cutting off the living branches of our spirits in order to make our personalities adornments for their dwellings.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Art of Living, Joshua Loth Liebman, 1945
Respecting others’ unique personalities requires tolerating both their views and their intrinsic nature, recognizing each person as a distinct creation with specific needs and dreams.
In simple terms: Accept differences, honor individuality.
Embrace diversity, avoid imposing uniformity.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- community building
- interfaith dialogue
- team collaboration
- education
- conflict resolution
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you celebrate uniqueness without alienating others?
- What practices foster genuine acceptance?
Uniform standards can suppress personal growth and creativity.