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We are a purely idealistic Nation but let no one confuse our idealism with weakness.
Jimmy Carter
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We simply must have faith in each other, faith in our ability to govern ourselves, and faith in the future of this Nation. Restoring that faith and that confidence to America is now the most important task we face.
Jimmy Carter
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Thomas Jefferson declared, stating that he was speaking on behalf of the other founding fathers, ...(that) we should build a wall between the church and state.
Jimmy Carter
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I have never been disappointed when I asked in a humble and sincere way for God's help. I pray often. I think I pray more often since January 12th.
Jimmy Carter
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I think there's an awakening now of a realization that we too early congratulated ourselves on the end of racial prejudice and white supremacy. And that was a feeling that we had when I was president, that we had pretty much overcome that problem.
Jimmy Carter
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It's clear that the true problems of our Nation are much deeper - deeper than gasoline lines of energy shortages, deeper even than inflation or recession. And I realize more than ever that as President I need your help. So, I decided to reach out and listen to the voices of America.
Jimmy Carter
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You have given me a great responsibility: to stay close to you, to be worthy of you and to exemplify what you are.
Jimmy Carter
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Jerry Falwell can go straight to hell - and I mean that in a Christian way.
Jimmy Carter
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In a nation that was proud of hard work, strong families, close-knit communities, and our faith in God, too many of us now tend to worship self-indulgence and consumption. Human identity is no longer defined by what one does, but by what one owns. But we've discovered that owning things and consuming things does not satisfy our longing for meaning. We've learned that piling up material goods cannot fill the emptiness of lives which have no confidence or purpose.
Jimmy Carter
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Unfortunately, some of the African leaders employ various nefarious means to remain in office far beyond what their constitutions permit.
Jimmy Carter
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On human rights, civil rights and environmental quality, I consider myself to be very liberal. On the management of government, on openness of government, on strengthening individual liberties and local levels of government, I consider myself a conservative. And I don't see that the two attitudes are incompatible.
Jimmy Carter
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Except during my childhood, when I was probably influenced by Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel depiction of God with a flowing white beard, I have never tried to project the Creator in any kind of human likeness. The vociferous debates about whether God is male or female seem ridiculous to me. I think of God as an omnipotent and omniscient presence, a spirit that permeates the universe, the essence of truth, nature, being, and life. To me, these are profound and indescribable concepts that seem to be trivialized when expressed in words.
Jimmy Carter
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What are the things that you can't see that are important? I would say justice, truth, humility, service, compassion, love...They're the guiding lights of a life.
Jimmy Carter
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I can't really criticize the Tea Party people, because I came into the White House pretty much on the same basis that they have become popular. That is dissatisfaction with the way things are going in Washington and disillusionment and disencouragement about the government.
Jimmy Carter
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The government ought to stay out of the prayer business.
Jimmy Carter
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Since I was 18 years old, I have taught the Bible. For the last fifteen or twenty years, I have taught every Sunday when I was home or near my own house, so that would be 35 or 40 times per year. Half of those Sundays, the text comes from the Hebrew Bible. I have had a deep personal interest in the Holy Land and in the teachings of the Hebrew people. God has a special position for the Jewish people, the Hebrews, or whatever. I know the difference between ancient Israel and Judaea, and I know the history. I don't have any problem with the Jewish people.
Jimmy Carter
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On Saint Paul, he's probably one of the best theologians of all time, but I don't believe that some of his teachings are appropriate today.
Jimmy Carter
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If you fear making anyone mad, then you ultimately probe for the lowest common denominator of human achievement.
Jimmy Carter
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I have a great deal of confidence in myself and in my faith.
Jimmy Carter
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I don't believe that China, in my lifetime or maybe my children's lifetime, be equal to the United States militarily speaking, but they are very careful to avoid any engagement in war, they are basically a peaceful country, which gives them another advantage over the United States when we are much more inclined to go to war for various reasons.
Jimmy Carter
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It was the darndest thing I've ever seen. It was big, it was very bright, it changed colors and it was about the size of the moon.. We watched it for ten minutes, but none of us could figure out what it was. One thing's for sure, I'll never make fun of people who say they've seen unidentified objects in the sky.
Jimmy Carter
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Americans long thought that nature could take care of itself-or that if it did not, the consequences were someone else's problem. As we know now, that assumption was wrong; none of us is a stranger to environmental problems.
Jimmy Carter
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We have the deepest respect and reverence for Islam and all who share the faith of Islam.
Jimmy Carter
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My wish is peace for Israel and for Israel's neighbors.
Jimmy Carter
