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The mistake made by all previous systems of ethics has been the failure to recognize that life as such is the mysterious value with which they have to deal. All spiritual life meets us within natural life. Reverence for life, therefore, is applied to natural life and spiritual life alike. In the parable of Jesus, the shepherd saves not merely the soul of the lost sheep but the whole animal. The stronger the reverence for natural life, the stronger grows also that for spiritual life.

— Albert Schweitzer

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More quotes by Albert Schweitzer

Any religion or philosophy which is not based on a respect for life is not a true religion or philosophy.

Letter to a Japanese Animal Welfare Society (1961)

The highest knowledge is to know that we are surrounded by mystery.

It belongs to the nature of mysticism that it is timeless and appeals to no other authority than that of the truth which it carries within it.

Indian Thought And Its Development (1936)

Anyone who proposes to do good must not expect people to roll stones out of his way, but must accept his lot calmly if they even roll a few more upon it.

True philosophy must start from the most immediate and comprehensive fact of consciousness: "I am life that wants to live, in the midst of life that wants to live."

Kulturphilosophie (1923)

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Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Albert Schweitzer (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.