Matthew 23:1-39 ESV

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so practice and observe whatever they tell you—but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, ...

Inspiring words influence people sufficiently to want to change the world. On a much more down to earth level the realist devotes their time to changing who they are, as a result of understanding that change, for the better...begins with us.

Francis of Assisi's appeal to those wishing to follow his example, and enter the monastic life:

"Preach the Gospel - use words if necessary"

Brother Francis while instructing a novice encouraged him to understand that our own behaviour always reveals the truth...in other words, unmask, and let the world see who you really are...for human frailty is a human trait that recognises others are just as human...and just as imperfect.

Brother Francis:

"We have been seen by many; our behaviour has been closely watched; it was thus that we have preached our morning sermon. It is of no use to walk anywhere to preach unless we preach everywhere as we walk.”

In Chapter XVII of his Rule of 1221, Francis of Assisi asked his friars not to preach unless they had received permission to do so. Then he added:

"Let all the brothers, however, preach by their deeds."

end

Preach the Gospel - use words if necessary

://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/factchecker-misquoting-francis-of-assisi/

Same with quoting St Teresa out of context below about her being more frightened of those frightened of the devil than of the devil itself.
Reading the quote within the context of chapter 25 of The Book of Her Life shows that it bears absolutely no relation to your statement about dissidents having been historically burnt at the stake, despite your citation of it in support.

One thing to be off with the pixies, Alex, another one to misrepresent great saints of the Church in order to encourage others along.

: Preach the Gospel - use words if necessary

Determining if St Francis actually used these words is a matter of fact.

From what I can glean there is substantial doubt that he did use these exact words.

: Same with quoting St Teresa out of context
: below about her being more frightened of
: those frightened of the devil than of the
: devil itself.
: Reading the quote within the context of
: chapter 25 of The Book of Her Life shows
: that it bears absolutely no relation to your
: statement about dissidents having been
: historically burnt at the stake, despite
: your citation of it in support.

In a sense every 'quote' is taken out of 'context' and it is not a matter of fact if that is done appropriately or not, it is a matter of opinion.

: One thing to be off with the pixies*, Alex,
: another one to misrepresent great saints of
: the Church in order to encourage others
: along.

Speaking of 'fact' and 'opinion', what is Alex encouraging others 'along'?

* It would be quite reasonable to state that you've used that expression 'out of context' or that 'that it bears absolutely no relation to your' assertion about Alex.

Well, Tony M, I'll begin with Teresa of Avila. Here's a link to an official Carmelite site that clearly quotes from Teresa's diary, otherwise known as her auto-biography:

http://ocarm.org/en/content/ocarm/teresa-avila-quotes

"I do not fear Satan half so much as I fear those who fear him.”

I appreciate that translating into the English language, from the original Spanish can produce variations..likewise, translating from the Latin language, into English can produce variations...I have consulted the original Latin Franciscan rules of Francis of Assisi and the best translation that I can freely provide is:

No brother should preach contrary to the formula (form) and regulations of the Church unless they have been permitted by their superior . . . All the Friars . . . should preach by their deeds.

It is an historical fact of life that in past centuries the church authorities burnt dissidents at the stake.

end

: Determining if St Francis actually used
: these words is a matter of fact.
:
: From what I can glean there is substantial
: doubt that he did use these exact words.

From what I can glean, there is nothing on the record to suggest he ever used anything like them.

As a one-time dropper of this mis-quote, I fully get your now reluctant, qualified scepticism regarding its authenticity.



: In a sense every 'quote' is taken out of
: 'context' and it is not a matter of fact if
: that is done appropriately or not, it is a
: matter of opinion.

A show review being taken out of context and used for promotion purposes (an example from Wikipedia 'Quoting out of context'):

I couldn't help feeling that, for all the energy, razzmatazz and technical wizardry, the audience had been shortchanged" being pared down to "having 'energy, razzmatazz and technical wizardry.

It is not a matter of opinion, but of fact, that this quote has been taken out of context inappropriately.

Ditto Alex's.

: From what I can glean, there is nothing on
: the record to suggest he ever used anything
: like them.

Well, that's a different assertion!

There is plenty of evidence that he did use 'something like them'.

: As a one-time dropper of this mis-quote, I
: fully get your now reluctant, qualified
: scepticism regarding its authenticity.

Reluctant? Hardly. Qualified? Sure! Sceptical? 'Nothing on the record' is 'sceptical'?

: It is not a matter of opinion, but of fact,
: that this quote has been taken out of
: context inappropriately.

Wikipedia on 'fact':

A fact is a statement that is true or can be proven with evidence. The usual test for a statement of fact is verifiability — that is, whether it can be demonstrated to correspond to experience. Standard reference works are often used to check facts ...

Your opinion, no matter how strongly held or repeated, about the appropriateness of a quote, is just that.