Ben Stein quotes - page 2

When I seemed to be irritable or sad, my father would quote the learned Dr. Knight, and then say, 'Just go to sleep.' Like all smart aleck kids, I thought the advice was silly. But as I've grown older, I've realized just how smart Knight was. (Ben Stein)
In today's world, at least in America, an Einstein or a Newton or a Galileo would probably not be allowed to receive grants to study or to publish his research. They cannot even mention the possibility that–as Newton or Galileo believed–these laws were created by God or a higher being. They could get fired, lose tenure, have their grants cut off. This can happen. It has happened. View quote
Ben Stein
Yes, it [making Expelled] has made my belief in that [Intelligent Design] much stronger. It has pointed out something which haunted me ever since I learned about Darwinism, which is, Where did it all start? How did life start? Darwinism has nothing to say about that--nothing useful, anyway--but I think Intelligent Design has a great deal to say about it. View quote
Ben Stein
A few truths, for those who have ears and eyes and care to know the truth: 1.) The hurricane that hit New Orleans and Mississippi and Alabama was an astonishing tragedy. The suffering and loss of life and peace of mind of the residents of those areas is acutely horrifying. 2.) George Bush did not cause the hurricane. Hurricanes have been happening for eons. George Bush did not create them or unleash this one. 3.) George Bush did not make this one worse than others. There have been far worse hurricanes than this before George Bush was born. View quote
Ben Stein
In life, events tend to follow patterns. People who commit crimes tend to be criminals, for example. Can anyone tell me any economists who have been convicted of violent sex crimes? Can anyone tell me of any heads of nonprofit international economic entities who have ever been charged and convicted of violent sexual crimes? Is it likely that just by chance this hotel maid found the only one in this category? View quote
Ben Stein
Screaming at children over their grades, especially to the point of the child's tears, is child abuse, pure and simple. It's not funny and it's not good parenting. It is a crushing, scarring, disastrous experience for the child. It isn't the least bit funny. View quote
Ben Stein
Evolutionism, as taught by Darwinism, has nothing - nothing - to say about how life originated. Has nothing to say about how the governing principles in the universe - gravity, thermodynamics, motion, fluid motion - how any of those originated. It's...it's got some gigantic missing pieces. View quote
Ben Stein
You can only say Darwinian causes -- random mutation, natural selection -- even gravity is supposed to be done by that! And I would say to these people, well, how did life begin? We don't know, but it had to be by Darwinian means. Well, how did gravity begin? We don't know, but it had to be by Darwinian means. Why did it have to be that way? Why couldn't there have been an intelligent designer? View quote
Ben Stein
The prosecutors say that Mr. Strauss-Kahn "forced" the complainant to have oral and other sex with him. How? Did he have a gun? Did he have a knife? He's a short fat old man. View quote
Ben Stein
It's amazing what ordinary people can do if they set out without preconceived notions. View quote
Ben Stein
We are not supposed to be all equal. Let's just forget that. We are supposed to have equal rights under law. If we do that, we have done enough. (Ben Stein)
Faith is not believing that God can. It is knowing that God will. View quote
Ben Stein
I have to tell you I never in my life anticipated getting this old, this fast. It seems as if I were 25 just a few days ago. View quote
Ben Stein
I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. View quote
Ben Stein
Men and women succeed because they find a field of endeavor that matches their interests and abilities. View quote
Ben Stein
It is inevitable that some defeat will enter even the most victorious life. The human spirit is never finished when it is defeated... it is finished when it surrenders. View quote
Ben Stein
Personal relationships are the fertile soil from which all advancement, all success, all achievement in real life grows. View quote
Ben Stein
Every soul deserves a shot at a Cadillac, but not everyone should be guaranteed a Cadillac. View quote
Ben Stein
The America that we knew as the smartest place on the planet is gone with the wind. View quote
Ben Stein
The successful people of this world take life as it comes. They just go out and deal with the world as it is. View quote
Ben Stein
If we are just specks of dust hit by lightning, if we have no spark of God in us, why not just take whatever we can and devil take the hindmost? I mean, we are fools not to do that if there is no right or wrong. (Ben Stein)
Sleep makes people calmer, more alert, less fearful - just plain happier, or so I see around me and in me. I am sure that if this great nation were to concentrate on getting more sleep, we would be a happier, more confident people, and that by itself would be a major achievement. View quote
Ben Stein
I am about to vote. I am about to do something that human beings are rarely allowed to do. I am doing something that did not exist until America. View quote
Ben Stein
If you can't stand the heat, don't go to Cancun in the summer. View quote
Ben Stein
Nothing happens by itself... it all will come your way, once you understand that you have to make it come your way, by your own exertions. View quote
Ben Stein