--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Some years ago a leading media…" description: "\"“Some years ago a leading media personality had a high-level conference in Aspen, Colorado, on the topic of evil. (Shouldn’t that meeting have been hel..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80d/dallas-willard-819_darkness_some-years-ago-a-leading-media-personali_2076400.jpg" --- # Some years ago a leading media personality had a… ![“Some years ago a leading media personality had a high-level conference in Aspen, Colorado, on the topic of evil. (Shouldn’t that meeting have been held elsewhere? South Los Angeles or Soweto?) The outcome was that one or two participants out of a large group thought that there was such a thing as…” quote by Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80d/dallas-willard-819_darkness_some-years-ago-a-leading-media-personali_2076400.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80d/dallas-willard-819_darkness_some-years-ago-a-leading-media-personali_2076400.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80d/dallas-willard-819_darkness_some-years-ago-a-leading-media-personali_2076400.jpg) > ““Some years ago a leading media personality had a high-level conference in Aspen, Colorado, on the topic of evil. (Shouldn’t that meeting have been held elsewhere? South Los Angeles or Soweto?) The outcome was that one or two participants out of a large group thought that there was such a thing as evil. But most were either noncommittal on the point or certain that evil did not exist at all. When you heard their comments it was clear that they simply could not conceptualize the evil to be seen flourishing abundantly around them in the twentieth century. One of the most glaring evidences of the bankruptcy of contemporary ethical thinking is that it cannot deal with evil. A recent proposal to found a field of “Evil Studies” within academia will not be enthusiastically received.7 We should be very sure that the ruined soul is not one who has missed a few more or less important theological points and will flunk a theological examination at the end of life. Hell is not an “oops!” or a slip. One does not miss heaven by a hair, but by constant effort to avoid and escape God. “Outer darkness” is for one who, everything said, wants it, whose entire orientation has slowly and firmly set itself against God and therefore against how the universe actually is. It is for those who are disastrously in error about their own life and their place before God and man.8 The ruined soul must be willing to hear of and recognize its own ruin before it can find how to enter a different path, the path of eternal life that naturally leads into spiritual formation in Christlikeness.”” [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that modern ethical discourse fails to address the reality of evil, suggesting a need for deeper theological self‑examination and a path toward spiritual renewal. **In simple terms:** Modern ethics ignore evil; we need true self‑reflection and spiritual growth. Key Takeaway Recognize personal ruin and seek spiritual transformation. Themes ethics theology evil spirituality self‑examination Mood reflective serious hopeful Type theological philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal crisis - religious study - counseling - community dialogue - academic curricula Key Concepts theology of evil moral bankruptcy spiritual formation Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance theological insight with practical ethics? - What steps help individuals recognize and overcome personal ruin? A Different Perspective Some may argue that labeling evil as a theological issue limits secular solutions to societal problems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Different path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-path/) [End of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-of-life/) [Eternal life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal-life/) [God and man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-and-man/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Los angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/los-angeles/) [Spiritual formation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-formation/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) ## Related quotes > [“I do not admit that theological points are small points. Theology is only thought applied to religion; and those who prefer a thoughtless religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/i-do-not-admit-that-theological-points-are-small-points-theology-is/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [Money is the root of all evil.' Then we hear, 'A fool and his money are soon parted.' What are they talking about? If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-burns/money-is-the-root-of-all-evil-then-we-hear-a-fool-and-his-money-are/) [George Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-burns/) > [“a reporter asked Barth what was the single most important theological discovery he’d made. After stopping to consider his answer carefully, Barth said, “Jesus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/a-reporter-asked-barth-what-was-the-single-most-important-theological/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [I challenge anyone to tell me that there isn’t evil in this world. From the days of Cain and Abel we know all too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taya-kyle/i-challenge-anyone-to-tell-me-that-there-isn-t-evil-in-this-world/) [Taya Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taya-kyle/) > [You get into theological education and you're busy marking papers and getting into administration in raising funds and doing all the things that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/you-get-into-theological-education-and-you-re-busy-marking-papers-and/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [“the aim of spiritual formation is the transformation of the self, and that it works through transformation of thought, transformation of feeling, transformation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-aim-of-spiritual-formation-is-the-transformation-of-the-self-and/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [Spiritual formation in a Christian tradition answers a specific human question: 'What kind of person am I going to be?' It is the process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/spiritual-formation-in-a-christian-tradition-answers-a-specific-human/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“the focus of spiritual formation is the formation of our spirit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-focus-of-spiritual-formation-is-the-formation-of-our-spirit/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“spiritual formation is a matter of reworking all aspects of the self.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/spiritual-formation-is-a-matter-of-reworking-all-aspects-of-the-self/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“So my fifth point is this: spiritual formation is the process whereby the inmost being of the individual takes on the quality or character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/so-my-fifth-point-is-this-spiritual-formation-is-the-process-whereby/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [In Spiritual formation we are aiming at a character and life that is so shaped that the deeds of Christ routinely and easily come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/in-spiritual-formation-we-are-aiming-at-a-character-and-life-that-is/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [Everyone gets a spiritual formation. It's like education. Everyone gets an education; it's just a matter of which one you get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/everyone-gets-a-spiritual-formation-it-s-like-education-everyone-gets/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [Spiritual formation for the Christian basically refers to the Spirit-driven process of forming the inner world of the human self in such a way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/spiritual-formation-for-the-christian-basically-refers-to-the-spirit/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [Spiritual formation is character formation. Everyone gets a spiritual formation. It's like education. Everyone gets an education; it's just a matter of which one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/spiritual-formation-is-character-formation-everyone-gets-a-spiritual/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [Spiritual formation in Christ moves us toward a total interchange of our ideas and images for his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/spiritual-formation-in-christ-moves-us-toward-a-total-interchange-of/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) ## More by Dallas Willard > [Today it is the skeptics who are the social conformists, though because of powerful intellectual propaganda they continue to enjoy thinking of themselves as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/today-it-is-the-skeptics-who-are-the-social-conformists-though/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > ["Spirituality" wrongly understood or pursued is a major source of human misery and rebellion against God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/spirituality-wrongly-understood-or-pursued-is-a-major-source-of-human/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“Sabbath is a way of life (Heb 4:3; 9-11). It is simply "casting all your anxiety on Him," to find that in actual fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/sabbath-is-a-way-of-life-heb-4-3-9-11-it-is-simply-casting-all-your/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [In many cases, our need to wonder about or be told what God wants in a certain situation is nothing short of a clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/in-many-cases-our-need-to-wonder-about-or-be-told-what-god-wants-in-a/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [Discipline, strictly speaking, is activity carried on to prepare us indirectly for some activity other than itself. We do not practice the piano to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/discipline-strictly-speaking-is-activity-carried-on-to-prepare-us/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“The Spirit makes Christ present to us and draws us toward his likeness. It is as we thus behold the “glory of the Lord”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-spirit-makes-christ-present-to-us-and-draws-us-toward-his/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [We are unceasing spiritual beings with an eternal destiny in God's great universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-are-unceasing-spiritual-beings-with-an-eternal-destiny-in-god-s/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [We must understand that God does not "love" us without liking us - through gritted teeth - as "Christian" love is sometimes thought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-must-understand-that-god-does-not-love-us-without-liking-us/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [We know we can't be spiritually transformed by just focusing on the will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-know-we-can-t-be-spiritually-transformed-by-just-focusing-on-the/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [To allow lust (or strong desires) to govern our life is to exalt our will over God's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/to-allow-lust-or-strong-desires-to-govern-our-life-is-to-exalt-our/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [My central claim is that we become like Christ by doing one thing-by following Him in the overall style of life He chose for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/my-central-claim-is-that-we-become-like-christ-by-doing-one-thing-by/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“The aim of God in history is the creation of an all-inclusive community of loving persons, with Himself included in that community as its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-aim-of-god-in-history-is-the-creation-of-an-all-inclusive/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heartbreaking needs, is whether those who, by profession or culture, are identified as ‘Christians’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-greatest-issue-facing-the-world-today-with-all-its-heartbreaking/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [What we can do with these means (our own unassisted strength) is still very small compared to what we could do in acting in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/what-we-can-do-with-these-means-our-own-unassisted-strength-is-still/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) [Explore all 357 Dallas Willard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) ## More Darkness quotes > [“Narrative cannot sustain formlessness any more than light can sustain darkness - it is the antithesis of formlessness, and so it can never truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/narrative-cannot-sustain-formlessness-any-more-than-light-can-sustain/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [“Wait here, wait here!" he cried and jumped up and began to run for help toward a cluster of lights he saw in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/wait-here-wait-here-he-cried-and-jumped-up-and-began-to-run-for-help/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [Strange - is it not? That of the myriads who Before us passed the door of Darkness through, Not one returns to tell us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/strange-is-it-not-that-of-the-myriads-who-before-us-passed-the-door/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [Clear moments are so short. There is much more darkness. More ocean than terra firma. More shadow than form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-zagajewski/clear-moments-are-so-short-there-is-much-more-darkness-more-ocean/) [Adam Zagajewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-zagajewski/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > [I guess he'll have to figure out someday that he is supposed to have this dark side, that it is part of what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-guess-he-ll-have-to-figure-out-someday-that-he-is-supposed-to-have/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“I promise to respect and protect your aloneness, knowing that everything created must have its period of darkness: child and bulb, poem and personality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/i-promise-to-respect-and-protect-your-aloneness-knowing-that/) [anne morrow lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [The beauty of darkness is how it lets you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/the-beauty-of-darkness-is-how-it-lets-you-see/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [“Even in darkness your lips taste of sunshine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/even-in-darkness-your-lips-taste-of-sunshine/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [“Defy me not for gleam can only shine in my existence" said Darkness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/defy-me-not-for-gleam-can-only-shine-in-my-existence-said-darkness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What does he look like? The question was soft- tentative. I knew who he meant. I interlaced my fingers through Rhysand's and squeezed tightly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/what-does-he-look-like-the-question-was-soft-tentative-i-knew-who-he/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [The dream of coming back is becoming a reality. A lot of the uncertainty about the future has been cleared up. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tagliabue/the-dream-of-coming-back-is-becoming-a-reality-a-lot-of-the/) [Paul Tagliabue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tagliabue/) > [“Life is like coffee, the darker it gets, the more it energizes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ankita-singhal/life-is-like-coffee-the-darker-it-gets-the-more-it-energizes/) [Ankita Singhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ankita-singhal/) > [Twinking tears in a sea of black. Soft light in a world of darkness. Tiny wishes in a place of dreams. Do you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gentile/twinking-tears-in-a-sea-of-black-soft-light-in-a-world-of-darkness/) Nicole Gentile [Browse all 8,219 Darkness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Some years ago a leading media personality had a high-level conference in Aspen, Colorado, on the topic of evil. (Shouldn’t that meeting have been held elsewhere? South Los Angeles or Soweto?) The outcome was that one or two participants out of a large group thought that there was such a thing as evil. But most were either noncommittal on the point or certain that evil did not exist at all. When you heard their comments it was clear that they simply could not conceptualize the evil to be seen flourishing abundantly around them in the twentieth century. One of the most glaring evidences of the bankruptcy of contemporary ethical thinking is that it cannot deal with evil. A recent proposal to found a field of “Evil Studies” within academia will not be enthusiastically received.7 We should be very sure that the ruined soul is not one who has missed a few more or less important theological points and will flunk a theological examination at the end of life. Hell is not an “oops!” or a slip. One does not miss heaven by a hair, but by constant effort to avoid and escape God. “Outer darkness” is for one who, everything said, wants it, whose entire orientation has slowly and firmly set itself against God and therefore against how the universe actually is. It is for those who are disastrously in error about their own life and their place before God and man.8 The ruined soul must be willing to hear of and recognize its own ruin before it can find how to enter a different path, the path of eternal life that naturally leads into spiritual formation in Christlikeness.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dallas Willard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/some-years-ago-a-leading-media-personality-had-a-high-level/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Darkness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/some-years-ago-a-leading-media-personality-had-a-high-level/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80d/dallas-willard-819_darkness_some-years-ago-a-leading-media-personali_2076400.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80d/dallas-willard-819_darkness_some-years-ago-a-leading-media-personali_2076400.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80d/dallas-willard-819_darkness_some-years-ago-a-leading-media-personali_2076400.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Some years ago a leading media personality had a high-level conference in Aspen, Colorado, on the topic of…” — Dallas Willard", "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": "Dallas Willard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Some years ago a leading media...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/some-years-ago-a-leading-media-personality-had-a-high-level/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/some-years-ago-a-leading-media-personality-had-a-high-level/#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 } } ] } ```