The first pork-barrel bill that crosses my desk I'm going to veto it and make the authors of those pork-barrel items famous all over America.

Quite often I can be in a bookshop standing beneath a great big picture of myself and paying for a book with a credit card clearly marked John Grisham yet no one recognises me. I often say I'm a famous author in a country where no one reads.

Celebrity distorts democracy by giving the rich beautiful and famous more authority than they deserve.

In this connection faith and experience teach us many truths by means of the short-cut of authority and by the proofs of very pleasant and agreeable feelings.

Why should any man have power over any other man's faith seeing Christ Himself is the author of it?

I stepped out on faith to follow my lifelong dream of being an author. I made real sacrifices and took big risks. But living it seems to me is largely about risk.

As the most extravagant errors were received among the established articles of their faith so the most infamous vices obtained in their practice and were indulged not only with impunity but authorized by the sanction of their laws.

The balance between faith and reason is for the determination of each individual and of the people as a whole not of unauthorized government officials uttering impious humbug as they arbitrarily try to define that balance.

But I recognize no infallible authority even in special questions consequently whatever respect I may have for the honesty and the sincerity of such or such an individual I have no absolute faith in any person.

I think there ought to be a strict separation or wall built between our religious faith and our practice of political authority in office. I don't think the President of the United States should extoll Christianity if he happens to be a Christian at the expense of Judaism Islam or other faiths.