Jay W. Richards > Quotes

“In a sermon on prayer and fasting, for instance, Augustine—who was not an extreme ascetic—said, “Fasting cleanses the soul, raises the mind, subjects one’s flesh to the spirit, renders the heart contrite and humble, scatters the clouds of concupiscence, quenches the fire of lust, and kindles the true light of chastity. Enter again into yourself.”
― Jay W. Richards, Eat, Fast, Feast: Heal Your Body While Feeding Your Soul—A Christian Guide to Intermittent Fasting

“The Lord has created us not just to stay awake, but to switch between wakefulness and sleep. Not just to grow, but to grow and repair. Not just to exercise, but to exercise and recover. Not just to work, but to work and rest. Not just to fast, but to fast and feed. And, every once in a while, to feast.”
― Jay W. Richards, Eat, Fast, Feast: Heal Your Body While Feeding Your Soul—A Christian Guide to Intermittent Fasting

“In the United States, minimal virtues plus basic health are all you need to avoid poverty. You live in one of the freest and most prosperous countries on the planet. You’re not likely to die from thirst, starvation, or the countless water-and airborne diseases that tormented our ancestors. Given this blessing, if you’re thankful, courteous, thrifty, punctual, honest, and hardworking; graduate from college or trade school; seek employment where it may be found; wait until you’re married to have kids; stay married; don’t commit felonies; and don’t abuse drugs or alcohol, you’re sure to end up far better off than most people in history and easily in the top 10 or 15 percent of the global population.”
― Jay W. Richards, The Human Advantage: The Future of American Work in an Age of Smart Machines

“In early May, Knut M. Wittkowski, who specialized in biostatistics and epidemiology for twenty years at Rockefeller University, posted a video on YouTube. He offered sane and sober arguments against the American lockdown. YouTube memory-holed it.20 In April, when Wittkowski first began speaking out, his former employer felt compelled to respond, announcing that his views “do not represent the views of The Rockefeller University, its leadership, or its faculty.”21 Now, that normally goes without saying. We’re not aware of any university that says their faculty speak for it. But in the age of social mania, many universities fear the diverse and critical dialog that used to be the essence of higher education. Evidently, Rockefeller University is one of them.”
― Jay W. Richards, The Price of Panic: How the Tyranny of Experts Turned a Pandemic into a Catastrophe

“On the contrary, science is validating the ancient Christian practice of regular, and sometimes intense, fasting. Fasting, it turns out, is actually good for us.”
― Jay W. Richards, Eat, Fast, Feast: Heal Your Body While Feeding Your Soul—A Christian Guide to Intermittent Fasting

“In Scripture and in Church history, Christians fasted for penance. But they also fasted to put their passions and appetites under control, to identify with Christ, to enrich their prayer life, to become holier, and to prepare for spiritual battle.”
― Jay W. Richards, Eat, Fast, Feast: Heal Your Body While Feeding Your Soul—A Christian Guide to Intermittent Fasting

“progressives. Nobody expects otherwise. In early May, Knut M. Wittkowski, who specialized in biostatistics and epidemiology for twenty years at Rockefeller University, posted a video on YouTube. He offered sane and sober arguments against the American lockdown. YouTube memory-holed it.20 In April, when Wittkowski first began speaking out, his former employer felt compelled to respond, announcing that his views “do not represent the views of The Rockefeller University, its leadership, or its faculty.”21 Now, that normally goes without saying. We’re not aware of any university that says their faculty speak for it. But in the age of social mania, many universities fear the diverse and critical dialog that used to be the essence of higher education. Evidently, Rockefeller University is one of them.”
― Jay W. Richards, The Price of Panic: How the Tyranny of Experts Turned a Pandemic into a Catastrophe

“still up at Medium. Again, it’s your alignment that makes you right, not your credentials or the quality of your arguments. Take Knut Wittkowski, for example, one of the victims of YouTube censorship mentioned above. He’s the former head of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Research Design at Rockefeller University’s Center for Clinical and Translational Science. He has a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Stuttgart and a Doctor of Science degree in medical biometry from the University of Tübingen, both top German universities. He has as much expertise as anyone from WHO. But he was a staunch critic of the lockdowns and the logic behind them. That made him one of the wrong people.”
― Jay W. Richards, The Price of Panic: How the Tyranny of Experts Turned a Pandemic into a Catastrophe

“I'm convinced that one reason the Church is so weak is that she has abandoned this ancient spiritual practice. It's hard not to notice that a decline in fasting has tracked closely with a decline in holiness and faithfulness to perennial Christian teaching.”
― Jay W. Richards, Eat, Fast, Feast: Heal Your Body While Feeding Your Soul—A Christian Guide to Intermittent Fasting

“There's a void where books linking bod and soul should exist. This is my effort to help fill the void.”
― Jay W. Richards, Eat, Fast, Feast: Heal Your Body While Feeding Your Soul—A Christian Guide to Intermittent Fasting

“When we don't fast, there's a spiritual cost. And when we do fast sincerely, we should expect a spiritual benefit. We would never doubt such an idea applied to prayer and worship, so why doubt it when it comes to fasting?”
― Jay W. Richards