Capacity to love Quote by Billy Graham
““If God were to remove all evil from our world (but somehow leave human beings on the planet), it would mean that the essence of 'humanness' would be destroyed. We would become robots. Let me explain what I mean by this. If God eliminated evil by programming us to perform only good acts, we would lose this distinguishing mark - the ability to make choices. We would no longer be free moral agents. We would be reduced to the status of robots. Let's take this a step further. Robots do not love. God created us with the capacity to love. Love is based upon one's right to choose to love. We cannot force others to love us. We can make them serve us or obey us. But true love is founded upon one's freedom to choose to respond.””
About This Quote
Source Sermon: Unknown, date unknown
Removing evil would eliminate free will, making humans into deterministic beings without true moral agency or love.
In simple terms: No evil = no choice = no love.
Key Takeaway
Preserve moral freedom.
Themes
free will
morality
love
human nature
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
philosophical
theological
When to use this quote
- theological debate
- ethical discussions
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
determinism
ethical agency
choice
autonomy
Questions to Reflect On
- Is freedom worth the pain of evil?
- Can love exist without choice?
A Different Perspective
Some argue that moral growth requires confronting evil.
![“She would certainly eat only black bread and drink only water rather than sell her soul, and she would not surrender her moral freedom in return for comfort; she wouldn't surrender it for all Schleswig-Holstein [...]” quote by Dostoevsky F](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1a1/dostoevsky-f-73051_freedom_she-would-certainly-eat-only-black-bread_1511508.jpg)
