“We are conscious that religions cannot solve the economic, political and social problems of this earth.”

At the same time we are aware that our various religions and ethical traditions often offer very different bases for what is helpful and what is unhelpful for men and women, what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is evil.

Humanity today possesses sufficient economic, cultural and spiritual resources to introduce a better global order.

The Gospel has to be the norm.

In the event that my illness worsens, I want to have a guarantee that I can die in a dignified manner. Nowhere in the bible does it say that a person has to stick it out to the decreed end. No one tells us what “decreed” means.

If priests were allowed to marry, if this would be an optional thing, and if he could have wife and children, he would certainly have less temptation to satisfy certain sexual impulses with minors.

But I have to add – and this answers your other question – this catholicity in time and in space is only meaningful for me if there is, at the same time, a concentration on the Gospel.

I am firmly convinced that there is life after death, not in a primitive sense but as the entry of my completely finite person into God’s infinity, as a transition into another reality beyond the dimension of space and time that pure reason can neither affirm nor deny.

All historical experience demonstrates the following: Our earth cannot be changed unless in the not too distant future an alteration in the consciousness of individuals is achieved.

Alluding to hell is a warning that a person can completely neglect his purpose in life. I don’t believe in an eternal hell.

However, if the religions in essence merely repeat statements from the United Nations Human Rights Declaration, such a Declaration becomes superfluous; an ethic is more than rights.

A Church which abandons the truth abandons itself.

Everyone agrees the celibacy rule is just a Church law dating from the 11th century, not a divine command.

There will be peace on earth when there is peace among the world religions.

As a matter of fact, you have deficiencies in all religions, but you have truth in all religions.

There will be no peace among the nations without peace among the religions. There will be no peace among the religions without dialogue among the religions.

It is not certain that everything is certain, neither is it certain that everything is uncertain.

I’m very aware and very conscious of the path I chose in life, and very aware of the path I didn’t choose.

Anger is like a storm rising up from the bottom of your consciousness. When you feel it coming, turn your focus to your breath.

While I am working I am not conscious of what I am putting on the canvas.

Consciousness is a concept that can sound esoteric, but all it really means is caring.

There is no coming to consciousness without pain.

As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

A man’s hatred is always concentrated upon that which makes him conscious of his bad qualities.

I had a lot of resistance, and not just to fame. I was always conscious of not changing.