--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To sin is to be off the mark, that is, to…" description: "\"To sin is to be off the mark, that is, to inhibit development, contracting backward into regression rather than expanding forward into growth.\" — Conni..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/connie-zweig-33786_backward_to-sin-is-to-be-off-the-mark-that-is-to_491515.jpg" --- # To sin is to be off the mark, that is, to inhibit… ![“To sin is to be off the mark, that is, to inhibit development, contracting backward into regression rather than expanding forward into growth.” quote by Connie Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/connie-zweig-33786_backward_to-sin-is-to-be-off-the-mark-that-is-to_491515.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/connie-zweig-33786_backward_to-sin-is-to-be-off-the-mark-that-is-to_491515.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/connie-zweig-33786_backward_to-sin-is-to-be-off-the-mark-that-is-to_491515.jpg) > “To sin is to be off the mark, that is, to inhibit development, contracting backward into regression rather than expanding forward into growth.” [Connie Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-zweig/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sin diverts us from growth, pulling us backward into regression instead of forward expansion. **In simple terms:** Sin hinders growth. Key Takeaway Avoid actions that regress personal development. Themes ethics personal growth spirituality Mood thoughtful encouraging Type inspirational reflective When to use this quote - therapy - spiritual practice - education - leadership coaching Key Concepts self‑improvement regression moral choices Questions to Reflect On - How does one identify when a mistake is a setback vs. a lesson? - What practices promote forward growth? A Different Perspective Some view sin as a catalyst for learning, not just regression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) ## Related quotes > [... I know a number of Western children who would benefit greatly if only someone were primitive enough to inhibit the development of their personalities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dervla-murphy/i-know-a-number-of-western-children-who-would-benefit-greatly-if-only/) [Dervla Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dervla-murphy/) > [One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/one-can-choose-to-go-back-toward-safety-or-forward-toward-growth/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [One can go back toward safety or forward toward growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/one-can-go-back-toward-safety-or-forward-toward-growth/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [In any given moment we have two options : To step forward into Growth or to Step back into safety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-any-given-moment-we-have-two-options-to-step-forward-into-growth/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You will either step forward into growth or you will step back into safety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/you-will-either-step-forward-into-growth-or-you-will-step-back-into/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [Sometimes if your only approach is cutting spending at a time when the economy's contracting, then the economy will contract further.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/sometimes-if-your-only-approach-is-cutting-spending-at-a-time-when/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [An easily accessible and transparent database of contract information will bring sunshine into the confusing and sometimes shadowy practice of government contracting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-coburn/an-easily-accessible-and-transparent-database-of-contract-information/) [Tom Coburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-coburn/) > [In the end the privatisation of war is not acceptable. We shouldn't be issuing these sub-contracts to these contracting companies because the people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-loach/in-the-end-the-privatisation-of-war-is-not-acceptable-we-shouldn-t-be/) [Ken Loach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-loach/) > [ If it \[the universe\] was expanding fairly slowly, the force of gravity would cause it eventually to stop expanding and then to start contracting.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/if-it-the-universe-was-expanding-fairly-slowly-the-force-of-gravity/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [If you're in the contracting business in this country, you're suspect. If you're in the contracting business in New Jersey, you're indictable. If you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-j-donovan/if-you-re-in-the-contracting-business-in-this-country-you-re-suspect/) Raymond J. Donovan > [Over the years, I've found one rule. It is the only one I give on those occasions when I talk about writing. A simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/over-the-years-i-ve-found-one-rule-it-is-the-only-one-i-give-on-those/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [Under the administration of George W. Bush, you will recall, federal spending grew pretty significantly. At the same time, the number of people directly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-frank/under-the-administration-of-george-w-bush-you-will-recall-federal/) [Thomas Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-frank/) > [If you overcome your fear to ask someone for a date, a raise, or help with a project, that is an act of self-assertiveness.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/if-you-overcome-your-fear-to-ask-someone-for-a-date-a-raise-or-help/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [When the Constitution of the United States was framed and adopted, those high contracting parties did positively agree that they would not interfere with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor/when-the-constitution-of-the-united-states-was-framed-and-adopted/) [John Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor/) > [A hospital patient can expect one medical error every single day of any hospital stay. Malpractice suits are numerous enough that one may reasonably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-saul/a-hospital-patient-can-expect-one-medical-error-every-single-day-of/) [Andrew Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-saul/) ## More by Connie Zweig > [Unconscious of your story, you are in its grasp; but with consciousness, an alchemical process begins: The solidity of the complex dissolves and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-zweig/unconscious-of-your-story-you-are-in-its-grasp-but-with-consciousness/) [Connie Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-zweig/) > [The rewards are profound. Shadow-work enables us to alter our self-sabotaging behavior so that we can achieve a more self-directed life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-zweig/the-rewards-are-profound-shadow-work-enables-us-to-alter-our-self/) [Connie Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-zweig/) > [I remember when the Cold War ended, how quickly the United States was swept by a nationalistic fervor and turned against Saddam Hussein. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-zweig/i-remember-when-the-cold-war-ended-how-quickly-the-united-states-was/) [Connie Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-zweig/) > [If you can hold the tension of opposite points of view in your intimate relationships with people, instead of making somebody right and somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-zweig/if-you-can-hold-the-tension-of-opposite-points-of-view-in-your/) [Connie Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-zweig/) > [The shadow disguises itself in our projections, when we react intensely to a trait in others that we fail to see in ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-zweig/the-shadow-disguises-itself-in-our-projections-when-we-react/) [Connie Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-zweig/) > [“In order to protect its own control and sovereignty the ego instinctively puts up a great resistance to the confrontation with the shadow; when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-zweig/in-order-to-protect-its-own-control-and-sovereignty-the-ego/) [Connie Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-zweig/) > [Once you uncover the history of this pattern and trace its roots, you will see that your reaction in the present moment is really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-zweig/once-you-uncover-the-history-of-this-pattern-and-trace-its-roots-you/) [Connie Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-zweig/) > [“The Taoists realized that no single concept or value could be considered absolute or superior. If being useful is beneficial, the being useless is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-zweig/the-taoists-realized-that-no-single-concept-or-value-could-be/) [Connie Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-zweig/) > [There are certainly statistics which show that most people who become sociopaths, who become homicidal, who become child- abusers, have had a history of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-zweig/there-are-certainly-statistics-which-show-that-most-people-who-become/) [Connie Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-zweig/) > [As each layer of shadow is mined from the darkness, as each fear is faced and each projection reclaimed, the gold shines through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-zweig/as-each-layer-of-shadow-is-mined-from-the-darkness-as-each-fear-is/) [Connie Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-zweig/) > [Each of us wrestles with the dark giant in our own way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-zweig/each-of-us-wrestles-with-the-dark-giant-in-our-own-way/) [Connie Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-zweig/) > [Shadow-making happens in families and makes us who we are. It leads to shadow-work, which makes us who we can become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-zweig/shadow-making-happens-in-families-and-makes-us-who-we-are-it-leads-to/) [Connie Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-zweig/) > [There is an enemy-maker in each of us. We make enemies of the people we love the most and the people we know the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-zweig/there-is-an-enemy-maker-in-each-of-us-we-make-enemies-of-the-people/) [Connie Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-zweig/) [Explore all 14 Connie Zweig quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-zweig/) ## More Backward quotes > [I hate looking backward, but every once in a while it sneaks up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/i-hate-looking-backward-but-every-once-in-a-while-it-sneaks-up-on-you/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [“Thus the thoughtless drift backward toward slavery.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-g-woodson/thus-the-thoughtless-drift-backward-toward-slavery/) [Carter G. Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-g-woodson/) > [“Whoever said that the past isn’t dead had it backward. It’s the future that’s already dead, already played out. This whole night has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/whoever-said-that-the-past-isn-t-dead-had-it-backward-it-s-the-future/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [Honestly, if you were any slower, you’d be going backward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/honestly-if-you-were-any-slower-you-d-be-going-backward/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I learn things in a backward way. I learn all those limitations, and slowly my brain soaks them up, and if things go right,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-odenkirk/i-learn-things-in-a-backward-way-i-learn-all-those-limitations-and/) [Bob Odenkirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-odenkirk/) > [“It took us a while to discover that we do effectively think, but that we more readily narrate backward in order to give ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/it-took-us-a-while-to-discover-that-we-do-effectively-think-but-that/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [“Our habit of wishing backward from what is to what might have been is the soft but persistent tapping that cracks the crystal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/our-habit-of-wishing-backward-from-what-is-to-what-might-have-been-is/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [The thing I love most about my job is watching people age backward, becoming more lively and energetic as they free themselves from situations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/the-thing-i-love-most-about-my-job-is-watching-people-age-backward/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [“Dreaming her way backward in time, resurrecting images, the young girl realized, with wonder, that the absent are always present, that you don't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-shields/dreaming-her-way-backward-in-time-resurrecting-images-the-young-girl/) [Carol Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-shields/) > [“Us ballplayers do things backward. First we play, then we retire and go to work. —CHARLIE GEHRINGER”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-wilde/us-ballplayers-do-things-backward-first-we-play-then-we-retire-and-go-2/) [Lori Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-wilde/) > [This was the Darker Life, where every truth was written backward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/this-was-the-darker-life-where-every-truth-was-written-backward/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Backward, flow backward, O tide of the years!I am so weary of toil and of tears,-Toil without recompense, tears all in vain!Take them, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chase-allen/backward-flow-backward-o-tide-of-the-years-i-am-so-weary-of-toil-and/) [Elizabeth Chase Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chase-allen/) > [I loved you backward and forward in time. I loved you beyond boundaries of time and space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/i-loved-you-backward-and-forward-in-time-i-loved-you-beyond/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [Nobody gets to live life backward. Look ahead; that is where your future lies. Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/nobody-gets-to-live-life-backward-look-ahead-that-is-where-your/) [Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) > [“Life, too, is like that. You live it forward, but understand it backward." from CUTTING FOR STONE”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/life-too-is-like-that-you-live-it-forward-but-understand-it-backward/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) Browse all 340 Backward quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To sin is to be off the mark, that is, to inhibit development, contracting backward into regression rather than expanding forward into growth.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Connie Zweig" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-zweig/to-sin-is-to-be-off-the-mark-that-is-to-inhibit-development/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Backward" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-zweig/to-sin-is-to-be-off-the-mark-that-is-to-inhibit-development/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/connie-zweig-33786_backward_to-sin-is-to-be-off-the-mark-that-is-to_491515.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/connie-zweig-33786_backward_to-sin-is-to-be-off-the-mark-that-is-to_491515.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/connie-zweig-33786_backward_to-sin-is-to-be-off-the-mark-that-is-to_491515.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To sin is to be off the mark, that is, to inhibit development, contracting backward into regression rather…” — Connie Zweig", "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": "Connie Zweig", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-zweig/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To sin is to be off...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-zweig/to-sin-is-to-be-off-the-mark-that-is-to-inhibit-development/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-zweig/to-sin-is-to-be-off-the-mark-that-is-to-inhibit-development/#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 } } ] } ```