---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is easy to prime the pump and have the…"
description: "\"“It is easy to prime the pump and have the words gush forth in a torrent of pious phrases but the proof of what we really want – regardless of what we ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df2/charles-templeton-43511_pump-words_it-is-easy-to-prime-the-pump-and-have-th_427774.jpg"
---

#  It is easy to prime the pump and have the words gush forth…

![“It is easy to prime the pump and have the words gush forth in a torrent of pious phrases but the proof of what we really want – regardless of what we say we want – is evident in the way we live.” quote by Charles Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df2/charles-templeton-43511_pump-words_it-is-easy-to-prime-the-pump-and-have-th_427774.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df2/charles-templeton-43511_pump-words_it-is-easy-to-prime-the-pump-and-have-th_427774.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df2/charles-templeton-43511_pump-words_it-is-easy-to-prime-the-pump-and-have-th_427774.jpg)

> ““It is easy to prime the pump and have the words gush forth in a torrent of pious phrases but the proof of what we really want – regardless of what we say we want – is evident in the way we live.””

[Charles Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-templeton/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The true measure of desire is shown by actions, not just words or promises

**In simple terms:** Actions reveal real intentions

Key Takeaway

Align deeds with words

Themes

integrity authenticity intentions

Mood

reflective serious

Type

ethical motivational

When to use this quote

- personal relationships
- leadership
- public speaking
- ethical decision making

Key Concepts

moral philosophy behavioral consistency

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you ensure your actions match your statements?
- What habits reveal your true priorities?

A Different Perspective

Words can be empty without consistent behavior

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

## Related quotes

> [I distrust pious phrases, especially when they issue from my mouth. I try militantly never to be affected by the pious language of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/i-distrust-pious-phrases-especially-when-they-issue-from-my-mouth-i/)

[Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/)

## More by Charles Templeton

> [Christianity does not remove you from the world and its problems; it makes you fit to live in it, triumphantly and usefully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-templeton/christianity-does-not-remove-you-from-the-world-and-its-problems-it/)

[Charles Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-templeton/)

> [“Fundamentalist preaching may and sometimes does induce a dramatically changed life, but its converts tend to be judgemental and elitist. And fundamentalism deadens the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-templeton/fundamentalist-preaching-may-and-sometimes-does-induce-a-dramatically/)

[Charles Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-templeton/)

> [“If God's love encompasses the whole world and if everyone who does not believe in him will perish, then surely this question needs to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-templeton/if-god-s-love-encompasses-the-whole-world-and-if-everyone-who-does/)

[Charles Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-templeton/)

> [Should one continue to base one's life on a system of belief that--for all its occasional wisdom and frequent beauty--is demonstrably untrue?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-templeton/should-one-continue-to-base-one-s-life-on-a-system-of-belief-that-for/)

[Charles Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-templeton/)

> [The old style hypocrite was a person who tried to appear better than he actually was; the new style hypocrite tries to appear worse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-templeton/the-old-style-hypocrite-was-a-person-who-tried-to-appear-better-than/)

[Charles Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-templeton/)

> [The Bible says that the the Lord thy God is a jealous God. But if you are omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, eternal, and the creator…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-templeton/the-bible-says-that-the-the-lord-thy-god-is-a-jealous-god-but-if-you/)

[Charles Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-templeton/)

> [You were born with two things: existence and opportunity, and these are the raw materials out of which you can make a successful life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-templeton/you-were-born-with-two-things-existence-and-opportunity-and-these-are/)

[Charles Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-templeton/)

> [ He \[Jesus\] was the greatest human being who has ever lived. He was a moral genius. His ethical sense was unique. He was the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-templeton/he-jesus-was-the-greatest-human-being-who-has-ever-lived-he-was-a/)

[Charles Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-templeton/)

[Explore all 9 Charles Templeton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-templeton/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“It is easy to prime the pump and have the words gush forth in a torrent of pious phrases but the proof of what we really want – regardless of what we say we want – is evident in the way we live.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Charles Templeton"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-templeton/it-is-easy-to-prime-the-pump-and-have-the-words-gush-forth-in-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Pump Words"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-templeton/it-is-easy-to-prime-the-pump-and-have-the-words-gush-forth-in-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df2/charles-templeton-43511_pump-words_it-is-easy-to-prime-the-pump-and-have-th_427774.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df2/charles-templeton-43511_pump-words_it-is-easy-to-prime-the-pump-and-have-th_427774.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df2/charles-templeton-43511_pump-words_it-is-easy-to-prime-the-pump-and-have-th_427774.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It is easy to prime the pump and have the words gush forth in a torrent of pious phrases but the proof of…” — Charles Templeton",
                "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": "Charles Templeton",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-templeton/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“It is easy to prime the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-templeton/it-is-easy-to-prime-the-pump-and-have-the-words-gush-forth-in-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-templeton/it-is-easy-to-prime-the-pump-and-have-the-words-gush-forth-in-a/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
