--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For unbelievers, evil can best be…" description: "\"“For unbelievers, evil can best be described as the abandonment of our minds to the minds of others.”\" — Al Stefanelli" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/al-stefanelli-10033_evil_for-unbelievers-evil-can-best-be-describ_409563.jpg" --- # For unbelievers, evil can best be described as the… ![“For unbelievers, evil can best be described as the abandonment of our minds to the minds of others.” quote by Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/al-stefanelli-10033_evil_for-unbelievers-evil-can-best-be-describ_409563.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/al-stefanelli-10033_evil_for-unbelievers-evil-can-best-be-describ_409563.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/al-stefanelli-10033_evil_for-unbelievers-evil-can-best-be-describ_409563.jpg) > ““For unbelievers, evil can best be described as the abandonment of our minds to the minds of others.”” [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Evil arises when people surrender their own thinking to follow others' opinions, losing independent judgment. **In simple terms:** Evil is losing independent thought to others. Key Takeaway Guard your mind against undue influence. Themes independence critical thinking ethics Mood cautious reflective Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - political discourse - education - media consumption Key Concepts psychology social influence Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure your decisions are self‑directed? - What influences your beliefs most? A Different Perspective It may overlook structural factors that shape thought. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abandonment Minds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abandonment-minds-3655454/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evil Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-best-997200/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Unbelievers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unbelievers/) [Unbelievers Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unbelievers-evil-3655453/) ## Related quotes > [If you have to write a fictional adventure to convey a philosophy of evil, the best person is the destroyer of evil himself, Lord…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amish-tripathi/if-you-have-to-write-a-fictional-adventure-to-convey-a-philosophy-of/) [Amish Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amish-tripathi/) > [We have a mantra: don't be evil, which is to do the best things we know how for our users, for our customers, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-page/we-have-a-mantra-don-t-be-evil-which-is-to-do-the-best-things-we-know/) [Larry Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-page/) > [ Keep what you have got; the known evil is best. \[Lat., Habeas ut nactus; nota mala res optima est.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/keep-what-you-have-got-the-known-evil-is-best-lat-habeas-ut-nactus/) [Plautus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plautus/) > [Yet I know that good is coming to me—that good is always coming; though few have at all times the simplicity and the courage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/yet-i-know-that-good-is-coming-to-me-that-good-is-always-coming/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“There is evil in the best of us, of course; but perhaps just a little bit more in the worst of us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kerr/there-is-evil-in-the-best-of-us-of-course-but-perhaps-just-a-little/) [Philip Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kerr/) > [“He was some kind of a man... What does it matter what you say about people?" -- Marlene Dietrich's character in Touch Of Evil,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-masterson/he-was-some-kind-of-a-man-what-does-it-matter-what-you-say-about/) [Whit Masterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-masterson/) > [There is some good in the worst of us, and some evil in the best of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/there-is-some-good-in-the-worst-of-us-and-some-evil-in-the-best-of-us/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Keep what you have; the known evil is best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/keep-what-you-have-the-known-evil-is-best/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Probably no one of us has the True Religion. But all of us together - if we are allowed to be free - are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/probably-no-one-of-us-has-the-true-religion-but-all-of-us-together-if/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [In my life, the only certainty is to be uncertain. I'm an unbeliever who believes in skepticism. I'm only sure about being unsure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/in-my-life-the-only-certainty-is-to-be-uncertain-i-m-an-unbeliever/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Many of the innovations in science and philosophy have come from unbelievers, some of whom died for their 'unbeliefs.' Without unbelief, we might well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-stein/many-of-the-innovations-in-science-and-philosophy-have-come-from/) [Gordon Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-stein/) > [“If you are a pastor there is no way you can lose faith without losing face, you are considered the devil incarnate by your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/if-you-are-a-pastor-there-is-no-way-you-can-lose-faith-without-losing/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [Few things are more important at this time in history than for religious people to listen to the New Atheists as if these unbelievers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dowd/few-things-are-more-important-at-this-time-in-history-than-for/) [Michael Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dowd/) > [ \[T\]he politically correct are above the rules of ordinary civility, once they have identified you as an unbeliever in their religion. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/t-he-politically-correct-are-above-the-rules-of-ordinary-civility/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“An atheist is someone who is disappointed in his search of god. He is a man who strongly needed god but couldn't find him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/an-atheist-is-someone-who-is-disappointed-in-his-search-of-god-he-is/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) ## More by Al Stefanelli > [“. The understanding that what is good supports basic human rights and anything that threatens it is bad. We do not need a supernatural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/the-understanding-that-what-is-good-supports-basic-human-rights-and/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“Somewhere during the process of intellectual development there was a disconnect in the believer’s ability to discern fantasy from reality and the outlandish, scientifically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/somewhere-during-the-process-of-intellectual-development-there-was-a/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“Fundamental Christianity and Islam are diseases. They are viruses that have infected our species, and I see no reason to cease my broad-brushed punditry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/fundamental-christianity-and-islam-are-diseases-they-are-viruses-that/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“. Christianity is marketed as a religion of love and tolerance, but inwardly it is a destructive virus that causes division, promotes willful ignorance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/christianity-is-marketed-as-a-religion-of-love-and-tolerance-but/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“When mystical elements are introduced into morality, the whole system ends up being corrupted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/when-mystical-elements-are-introduced-into-morality-the-whole-system/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“Prayer – The Art Of Talking To Yourself”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/prayer-the-art-of-talking-to-yourself/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“The vilification of atheists is becoming the anchor knot of religion. The more they resist us, the tighter it gets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/the-vilification-of-atheists-is-becoming-the-anchor-knot-of-religion/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“One competent scientist is worth more than a thousand evangelists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/one-competent-scientist-is-worth-more-than-a-thousand-evangelists/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“The belief in a god is irrational, and once this leap of faith is made it only takes short steps to abandon the standards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/the-belief-in-a-god-is-irrational-and-once-this-leap-of-faith-is-made/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“Basically, the field of apologetics is an entire discipline built around the concept of getting people to believe the biggest bullshit stories to ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/basically-the-field-of-apologetics-is-an-entire-discipline-built/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“When we could not explain the horizon, we simply calculated that the earth has an edge and if you go out too far, you’ll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/when-we-could-not-explain-the-horizon-we-simply-calculated-that-the/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“Take Creationism. Please.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/take-creationism-please/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“Equating abortion with murder is not only playing fast and furious with the truth, such a comparison is legally disingenuous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/equating-abortion-with-murder-is-not-only-playing-fast-and-furious/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“The scientific community thrives on probabilities, working theories and fact-based hypothesis that have resulted in the advances we have made in fields such as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/the-scientific-community-thrives-on-probabilities-working-theories/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“Christianity operates under the “malevolent universe” premise, which holds that humans are destined to a life of pain and suffering because pain and suffering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/christianity-operates-under-the-malevolent-universe-premise-which/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) [Explore all 68 Al Stefanelli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) ## More Evil quotes > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [What is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-done-out-of-love-always-takes-place-beyond-good-and-evil/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Evil cannot be "treated" -- nor should it be. Evil has to \[be\] confronted and destroyed and it matters not why the evil is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/evil-cannot-be-treated-nor-should-it-be-evil-has-to-be-confronted-and/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [The evil which does me no harm is like the good which in no wise avails me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-evil-which-does-me-no-harm-is-like-the-good-which-in-no-wise/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/) [James Nayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nayler/) > [The politician attempts to remedy the evil by increasing the very thing that caused the evil in the first place: legal plunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-politician-attempts-to-remedy-the-evil-by-increasing-the-very/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [“Water is so friendly when you have it on your palms, but so evil when they have you on theirs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/water-is-so-friendly-when-you-have-it-on-your-palms-but-so-evil-when/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [THE ART OF PEACE is not easy. It is a fight to the finish, the slaying of evil desires and all falsehood within. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/the-art-of-peace-is-not-easy-it-is-a-fight-to-the-finish-the-slaying/) [Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/) [Browse all 11,163 Evil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“For unbelievers, evil can best be described as the abandonment of our minds to the minds of others.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Al Stefanelli" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/for-unbelievers-evil-can-best-be-described-as-the-abandonment-of-our/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Evil" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/for-unbelievers-evil-can-best-be-described-as-the-abandonment-of-our/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/al-stefanelli-10033_evil_for-unbelievers-evil-can-best-be-describ_409563.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/al-stefanelli-10033_evil_for-unbelievers-evil-can-best-be-describ_409563.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/al-stefanelli-10033_evil_for-unbelievers-evil-can-best-be-describ_409563.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For unbelievers, evil can best be described as the abandonment of our minds to the minds of others.” — Al Stefanelli", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Al Stefanelli", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“For unbelievers, evil can best be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/for-unbelievers-evil-can-best-be-described-as-the-abandonment-of-our/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/for-unbelievers-evil-can-best-be-described-as-the-abandonment-of-our/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```