Swami Vivekananda

Never think there is anything impossible for the soul. It is the greatest heresy to think so. If there is sin, this is the only sin; to say that you are weak, or others are weak.

Indian Clergyman

Alexander Hamilton

In politics, as in religion, it is equally absurd to aim at making proselytes by fire and sword. Heresies in either can rarely be cured by persecution.

American Politician

Thomas Hobbes

They that approve a private opinion, call it opinion; but they that dislike it, heresy; and yet heresy signifies no more than private opinion.

English Philosopher

Dean Ornish

No one has a monopoly on truth, and science continues to advance. Yesterday's heresies may be tomorrow's conventional wisdom.

American Educator

Stephen Hawking

Time travel was once considered scientific heresy, and I used to avoid talking about it for fear of being labelled a 'crank.

English Physicist

Galileo Galilei

It is surely harmful to souls to make it a heresy to believe what is proved.

Italian Scientist

Henry David Thoreau

All this worldly wisdom was once the unamiable heresy of some wise man.

American Author

H. G. Wells

Heresies are experiments in man's unsatisfied search for truth.

English Author

Mahathir Mohamad

A heretic can be tolerated. But a heresy cannot.

Malaysian Politician

Charles Baudelaire

French Poet

Heresy often involves rejecting church teachings or doctrine.

Religious Context

Understanding historical heresy helps grasp its severity in the past.

Historical Significance

Heresy implies strong disapproval by authority or majority opinion.

Strong Disapproval

'Heresy' can refer to unconventional ideas outside of religion too.

Beyond Religion

What's heresy in one culture may be acceptable in another.

Cultural Relativity

What constitutes heresy can be subjective and change over time.

Subjective Term

 We're losing a ritual. We're losing a ritual that I believe is transformative, transcendent, and is at the heart of the patient-physician relationship. This may actually be heresy to say this at TED, but I'd like to introduce you to the most important innovation, I think, in medicine

Abraham Verghese: A...

 I won't take any more of this formless, lifeless description. I will not take these lies, and neither should you. A doctor asks you how you feel. "I feel bad." Heresy! The doctor, based on this paltry report, could conclude that you have brain cancer or the flu or rabies.

The case against "good"...

 losing a ritual we're losing a ritual that I believe is transformative transcendent and is at the heart of the patient-physician relationship this may actually be heresy to say this at Ted but I'd like to introduce you to the most important innovation I think in

A doctor's touch -...

 instead of just scoffing at this heresy that kid when to get published or saying wait until you're older my parents were really supportive many publishers were not quite so encouraging one large children's publisher ironically saying

What adults can learn...

 persist for the entire duration of the life of the organism and in fact, very new research indicates that these epigenetic changes can be passed down for at least a couple of generations. Now, ten years ago this was complete heresy.

The Science of a Happy...

 and I wanted to get published. Instead of just scoffing at this heresy that a kid wanted to get published, or saying wait until you're older, my parents were really supportive. Many publishers were not quite so encouraging.

 Friends turned in friends, neighbors accused neighbors, and even family members reported each other of heresy. Under the Inquisition, people were condemned to live in fear and paranoia for centuries.

Ugly History: The...

 and my interests with the guidance of my ego to create work that is mutually beneficial to myself and a client. Now, this is heresy in the design world. The ego is not supposed

Marian Bantjes:...

 I mean -- this is heresy, what I'm about to say -- but what if it's really safety third? Right? No, I mean, really. What I mean to say I value my safety on these crazy jobs

Learning from dirty jobs...

 happened almost overnight to many biologists this is heresy the kind of idea that would have Darwin turning in his grave freaks of nature do