"So much attention is paid to the aggressive sins, such as violence and cruelty, and greed with all their tragic effects, that too little attention is paid to the passive sins, such as apathy and laziness, which in the long run can have a more devastating and destructive effect upon society than the others."

Ethics, Sin, Observation, Morality

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"So much attention is paid to the aggressive sins, such as violence and cruelty, and greed with all their tragic effects, that too little attention is paid to the passive sins, such as apathy and laziness, which in the long run can have a more devastating and destructive effect upon society than the others."

Exlpore more Ethics quotes

"But you can't just leave it at that!" said Anathema, pushing forward. "Think of all things you could do! Good things."Like what?" said Adam suspiciously."Well... you could bring all the whales back, to start with."He put his head on one side. "An' that'd stop people killing them?"She hesitated. It would have been nice to say yes."An' if people do start killing 'em, what would you ask me to do about 'em?" said Adam. "No. I reckon I'm getting the hang of this now. Once I start messing around like that, there'd be no stoppin' it. Seems to me, the only sensible thing is for people to know if they kill a whale, they've got a dead whale."

Terry Pratchett, English Author

Ethics, Environment, Morality, Responsibility, Power

"Religion [dharma] is that where there is no irreligion (adharma, immorality). Religion cannot exist where there is irreligion. There can be only one or the other. Behind every intention, there is either [the force of] religion or [the force of] irreligion."

Dada Bhagwan, Indian Spiritual Leader

Ethics, Religion, Morality, Truth, Wisdom

"Doing good things for bad people is no different than doing bad things on good people."

M.F. Moonzajer, Afghan Author

Ethics, Morality, Justice, Truth, Regret

"We are all flawed and creatures of our times. Is it fair to judge us by the unknown standards of the future?"

Carl Sagan, American Scientist

Ethics, Judgment, Fairness, Time, Perspective

"Because sometimes you have to do something bad to do something good."

Oscar Wilde, Irish Dramatist

Ethics, Morality, Action, Truth, Justice

"There is one thing, Emma, which a man can always do if he chooses, and that is his duty; not by manoeuvring and finessing, but by vigour and resolution. - Mr. Knightley."

Jane Austen, British Writer

Ethics, Duty, Resolution, Virtue, Action

"Of course, in the process, you must never do harm to others in any serious way, or you'll cease to amuse Him. Then payment comes due for promises you didn't keep."

Dean Koontz, American Author

Ethics, Promise, Responsibility, Harm

"It is better to be slave to righteousness than slave to sin."

Lailah Gifty Akita, Ghanaian Author

Ethics, Righteousness, Sin, Faith, Choice

"Happiness at any price is no happiness at all."

Abdulazeez Henry Musa, Nigerian Author

Ethics, Happiness, Morality, Selfishness, Empathy

"Must the citizen ever for a moment, or in the least degree, resign his conscience, then? I think that we should be men first, and subjects afterward. It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right."

Henry David Thoreau, American Author

Ethics, Conscience, Law, Morality, Rights

Explore more quotes by Eleanor Roosevelt

"When life is too easy for us, we must beware or we may not be ready to meet the blows which sooner or later come to everyone, rich or poor."

Life

"Women are like teabags. We don't know our true strength until we are in hot water!"

Woman

"Have convictions. Be friendly. Stick to your beliefs as they stick to theirs. Work as hard as they do."

Work

"Too often the great decisions are originated and given form in bodies made up wholly of men, or so completely dominated by them that whatever of special value women have to offer is shunted aside without expression."

Woman

"The only advantage of not being too good a housekeeper is that your guests are so pleased to feel how very much better they are."

Being

"Ambition is pitiless. Any merit that it cannot use it finds despicable."

Ambition

"Campaign behavior for wives: Always be on time. Do as little talking as humanly possible. Lean back in the parade car so everybody can see the president."

Car

"People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built."

Experience

"Do what you feel in your heart to be right- for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't."

Heart

"My experience has been that work is almost the best way to pull oneself out of the depths."

Experience