Said Man Quote by Aldous Huxley
““For the good that I would,’” he quoted, “‘I do not; and the evil that I would not, that I do.’” “Who said that?” “The man who invented Christianity—St. Paul.””
About This Quote
A paradoxical claim is quoted: the speaker says he does not do good he intends, but does do the evil he intends not, attributing this to the founder of Christianity, St. Paul.
In simple terms: Contradictory moral behavior linked to religious influence.
Self‑deception can mask ethical contradictions.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- ethical debates in academia
- literary analysis workshops
- psychology seminars on self‑justification
Key Concepts
Practical Applications
- use as a teaching case for moral reasoning
- stimulate critical discussion on religious authority
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we attribute paradoxical statements to famous figures?
- How does cognitive dissonance affect moral self‑assessment?
Attribution to St. Paul is historically inaccurate; the quote is likely apocryphal.