Wisdom of the Saints about religion (part 2)

"We can believe what we choose. We are answerable for what we choose to believe." St. Philip Neri (16^th century)

“We must never speak of God or of things relating to His worship and His holy religion carelessly, or as a mere topic of conversation. Rather we must always speak of them in great respect, reverence and devotion.” St. Francis de Sales (16th-17th centuries, Doctor of the Church)

“There are some who do their utmost by force of arms to exterminate religion, as the pagan kings and emperors did; others try to make it despicable by their ungodly writings, and, if it were possible, to annihilate it; others deride it in the person of those who would like to practice it, and finally there are those who would like to practice it but are afraid of doing so before the world.” St. John Vianney (18th-19th centuries)

“Before putting an end to this letter, I am going to give you a little advice poured forth from the heart that most loves you on earth.  Keep your faith even in the great burdens of your life:  the religion you profess, the only true one, must be your shield and your pride, and instruct in it the children God wills to give you, teaching them to love it and respect it as the greatest thing upon earth....” Bl. Concepcion Cabrera de Armida (19th-20th centuries)

“…it is a joyous thing to live on the Divine-level. Religion does not seem pleasant to those who have never climbed high enough, by a renunciation of selfishness, to glimpse its vistas; but a Divine Religion with the Holy Eucharist is much more pleasant to those who experience It than the world is pleasant to those who sin in it.” Ven. Fulton Sheen (19th-20th centuries)

“No! Religion is not the opium of the people. Opium is the drug of deserters who are afraid to face the Cross – the opiate that gives momentary escape from the Hound of Heaven in pursuit of the human soul.” Ven. Fulton Sheen 

"Religion is actually not a crutch; it is a cross. It is not an escape, it is a burden; not a flight, but a response. We speak here of a religion with teeth in it, the wind that demands self-sacrifice and surrender. One leans on a crutch, but a cross rests on us. It takes a hero to embrace a cross."   Ven. Fulton Sheen

"An age without faith is an age of superstition. Religious belief is so essential to the heart of man that once it is cast aside, some false form is called in to fill the void. Every epoch of materialism has been followed by an era of superstition in which minds believe everything as fanatics and quacks become shrines of worship and objects of adoration." Ven. Fulton Sheen

"There are several ways to avoid loving God: Deny that you are a sinner. Pretend that religion is for the ignorant and the superstitious but not for the truly learned such as yourself. Insist that the sole purpose of religion is social service. Judge religion by whether or not it is accepted by the important people of the world. Avoid all contemplation, self-examination, and inquiry into the moral state of your soul.” Ven. Fulton Sheen

“…religion is popular only when it ceases to be truly religious. Religion by its very nature is unpopular – certainly unpopular with the ego.” Ven. Fulton Sheen