--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe,\" the pope continued, \"that in…" description: "\"“I believe,\" the pope continued, \"that in some cases forgiveness can be dangerous. When we forgive evil in the world, we are giving evil permission to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b89/dan-brown-203_acts-of-violence_i-believe-the-pope-continued-that-in-som_2575136.jpg" --- # I believe," the pope continued, "that in some cases… ![“I believe," the pope continued, "that in some cases forgiveness can be dangerous. When we forgive evil in the world, we are giving evil permission to grow and spread. When we respond to an act of war with an act of mercy, we are encouraging or enemies to commit further acts of violence. There…” quote by Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b89/dan-brown-203_acts-of-violence_i-believe-the-pope-continued-that-in-som_2575136.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b89/dan-brown-203_acts-of-violence_i-believe-the-pope-continued-that-in-som_2575136.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b89/dan-brown-203_acts-of-violence_i-believe-the-pope-continued-that-in-som_2575136.jpg) > ““I believe," the pope continued, "that in some cases forgiveness can be dangerous. When we forgive evil in the world, we are giving evil permission to grow and spread. When we respond to an act of war with an act of mercy, we are encouraging or enemies to commit further acts of violence. There comes a time when we must do as Jesus did and forcefully throw over the money tables, shouting: 'This will not stand !' - Pope Innocent XIV (palmarians)”” [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Forgiveness can empower evil; sometimes forceful action is needed to stop injustice. **In simple terms:** Forgiveness may enable harm; act decisively. Key Takeaway Know when to act forcefully. Themes justice forgiveness violence morality Mood critical thoughtful Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - Activism - law enforcement - social movements Key Concepts Political theory ethics Questions to Reflect On - When is force justified? - How to balance forgiveness and justice? A Different Perspective Violence can create more harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acts of violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acts-of-violence/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) ## Related quotes > [“I believe, that in some cases forgiveness can be dangerous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/i-believe-that-in-some-cases-forgiveness-can-be-dangerous/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [“if any one shall endeavour to offer a sacrifice merely to outward appearance, unexceptionably, in due order, and according to appointment, while in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/if-any-one-shall-endeavour-to-offer-a-sacrifice-merely-to-outward/) The Church Fathers > [“I've been giving the evil in this world too much power and God too little.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-vigui/i-ve-been-giving-the-evil-in-this-world-too-much-power-and-god-too/) [Debbie Viguié](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-vigui/) > [We would rather forgive the evil proliferating all around us than the rebellion against it, which we mistake for the true evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arno-gruen/we-would-rather-forgive-the-evil-proliferating-all-around-us-than-the/) [Arno Gruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arno-gruen/) > [Yes, this is what good is: to forgive evil. There is no other good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/yes-this-is-what-good-is-to-forgive-evil-there-is-no-other-good/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [When we forgive evil we do not excuse it, we do not tolerate it, we do not smother it. We look the evil full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-b-smedes/when-we-forgive-evil-we-do-not-excuse-it-we-do-not-tolerate-it-we-do/) [Lewis B. Smedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-b-smedes/) > [We ask God to forgive us for our evil thoughts and evil temper, but rarely, if ever ask Him to forgive us for our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-ask-god-to-forgive-us-for-our-evil-thoughts-and-evil-temper-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“People will love people no matter what terrible shit they do. We forgive people, even when they don’t ask for forgiveness. When there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-cicero/people-will-love-people-no-matter-what-terrible-shit-they-do-we/) [Noah Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-cicero/) > [Muslim leaders around the globe have to continue working with us to decisively and unequivocally reject the hateful ideology that groups like ISIL and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/muslim-leaders-around-the-globe-have-to-continue-working-with-us-to/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [How do we deal with not just the acts of violence, but the extremist ideology that lies behind them? Because though the numbers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/how-do-we-deal-with-not-just-the-acts-of-violence-but-the-extremist/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [I want people around the world to hear me. To all those who would do us harm, no act of terror will go unpunished.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-people-around-the-world-to-hear-me-to-all-those-who-would-do/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I learned that victims come in all image - some raped, some witnessing an act of violence, some losing loved ones. I learned that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zainab-salbi/i-learned-that-victims-come-in-all-image-some-raped-some-witnessing/) [Zainab Salbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zainab-salbi/) > [We would never ask any other faith community to stand up and condemn acts of violence committed by people within their groups. The fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-sarsour/we-would-never-ask-any-other-faith-community-to-stand-up-and-condemn/) [Linda Sarsour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-sarsour/) > [“By the time they're out of preschool, most children have already seen thousands of acts of violence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-k-vaughan/by-the-time-they-re-out-of-preschool-most-children-have-already-seen/) [Brian K. Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-k-vaughan/) > [There was a man named Robert Dear who in court said he was a warrior for the babies, whose ex-wife talked about his Christian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/there-was-a-man-named-robert-dear-who-in-court-said-he-was-a-warrior/) [Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/) ## More by Dan Brown > [The more science I studied, the more I saw that physics becomes metaphysics and numbers become imaginary numbers. The farther you go into science,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/the-more-science-i-studied-the-more-i-saw-that-physics-becomes/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [A little faith can do wonders...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/a-little-faith-can-do-wonders/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [For me, the spiritual quest will be a life-long work in progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/for-me-the-spiritual-quest-will-be-a-life-long-work-in-progress/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [Sometimes all it takes is a tiny shift of perspective to see something familiar in a totally new light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/sometimes-all-it-takes-is-a-tiny-shift-of-perspective-to-see/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [“Leonardo believed his research had the potential to convert millions to a more spiritual life. Last year he categorically proved the existence of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/leonardo-believed-his-research-had-the-potential-to-convert-millions/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [“The price of greatness...is responsibility - Winston Churchill”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/the-price-of-greatness-is-responsibility-winston-churchill/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [I am a completely horizontal author. I can't think unless I'm lying down, either in bed or stretched on a couch and with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/i-am-a-completely-horizontal-author-i-can-t-think-unless-i-m-lying/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [We did not have a television while I was growing up, and so I read voraciously. My earliest memory of being utterly transfixed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/we-did-not-have-a-television-while-i-was-growing-up-and-so-i-read/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [“Robert,” Ambra whispered, “just remember the wise words of Disney’s Princess Elsa.” Langdon turned. “I’m sorry?” Ambra smiled softly. “Let it go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/robert-ambra-whispered-just-remember-the-wise-words-of-disney-s/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [“¿Tienes enemigos? Bien. ¡Eso significa que has defendido algo!”.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/tienes-enemigos-bien-eso-significa-que-has-defendido-algo/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [Who will guard the guards ? If we're the guards of society, then who will watch us and make sure that we're not dangerous?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/who-will-guard-the-guards-if-we-re-the-guards-of-society-then-who/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [“Dante's poem, Langdon was now reminded, was not so much about the misery of hell as it was about the power of the human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/dante-s-poem-langdon-was-now-reminded-was-not-so-much-about-the/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [It's kind of a catch-22 now because since the 'Da Vinci Code,' I have access to places and people that I didn't have access…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/it-s-kind-of-a-catch-22-now-because-since-the-da-vinci-code-i-have/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [“The man was no stranger to deception, and yet his heart was pounding wildly now. He took another deep, throbbing breath. You've been deceiving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/the-man-was-no-stranger-to-deception-and-yet-his-heart-was-pounding/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [“the entire operating system of the cosmos could be summed up by a single overriding command: spread energy!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/the-entire-operating-system-of-the-cosmos-could-be-summed-up-by-a/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) [Explore all 833 Dan Brown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) ## More Acts of violence quotes > [There was a man named Robert Dear who in court said he was a warrior for the babies, whose ex-wife talked about his Christian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/there-was-a-man-named-robert-dear-who-in-court-said-he-was-a-warrior/) [Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/) > [“By the time they're out of preschool, most children have already seen thousands of acts of violence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-k-vaughan/by-the-time-they-re-out-of-preschool-most-children-have-already-seen/) [Brian K. Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-k-vaughan/) > [We would never ask any other faith community to stand up and condemn acts of violence committed by people within their groups. The fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-sarsour/we-would-never-ask-any-other-faith-community-to-stand-up-and-condemn/) [Linda Sarsour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-sarsour/) > [I learned that victims come in all image - some raped, some witnessing an act of violence, some losing loved ones. I learned that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zainab-salbi/i-learned-that-victims-come-in-all-image-some-raped-some-witnessing/) [Zainab Salbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zainab-salbi/) > [I want people around the world to hear me. To all those who would do us harm, no act of terror will go unpunished.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-people-around-the-world-to-hear-me-to-all-those-who-would-do/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [How do we deal with not just the acts of violence, but the extremist ideology that lies behind them? Because though the numbers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/how-do-we-deal-with-not-just-the-acts-of-violence-but-the-extremist/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [Muslim leaders around the globe have to continue working with us to decisively and unequivocally reject the hateful ideology that groups like ISIL and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/muslim-leaders-around-the-globe-have-to-continue-working-with-us-to/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The introduction of numbers as coordinates by reference to the particular division scheme of the open one-dimensional continuum is an act of violence whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-weyl/the-introduction-of-numbers-as-coordinates-by-reference-to-the/) [Hermann Weyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-weyl/) > [“He wished he understood where they come from: all the terrorists, religious revolutionists and hate-criminals. Did terrorizing entire communities of people help them sleep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thisuri-wanniarachchi/he-wished-he-understood-where-they-come-from-all-the-terrorists/) [Thisuri Wanniarachchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thisuri-wanniarachchi/) > [By the age of 18, the average American has witnessed 200,000 acts of violence on television, most of them occurring during Game 1 of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rushin/by-the-age-of-18-the-average-american-has-witnessed-200-000-acts-of/) [Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/) > [Of course I tensed up when he touched me. To be with him was to hurt him-inevitably. And that's what I'd felt as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/of-course-i-tensed-up-when-he-touched-me-to-be-with-him-was-to-hurt/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [We have agreed with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to cease all acts of violence against the Israelis and against the Palestinians wherever they are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-abbas/we-have-agreed-with-prime-minister-ariel-sharon-to-cease-all-acts-of/) [Mahmoud Abbas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-abbas/) > [I feel like acts of violence against women are detestable, and they need to be dealt with, and they are important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-priestley/i-feel-like-acts-of-violence-against-women-are-detestable-and-they/) [Jason Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-priestley/) > [Another bigger problem is the fact that these incidents of police violence continue to occur because far too often the officers on the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakeem-jeffries/another-bigger-problem-is-the-fact-that-these-incidents-of-police/) [Hakeem Jeffries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakeem-jeffries/) > [During the summer of 2009, the debate on health care reform was emotional and intense. At its best, it represented the free exchange of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chellie-pingree/during-the-summer-of-2009-the-debate-on-health-care-reform-was/) [Chellie Pingree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chellie-pingree/) [Browse all 133 Acts of violence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acts-of-violence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I believe,\" the pope continued, \"that in some cases forgiveness can be dangerous. When we forgive evil in the world, we are giving evil permission to grow and spread. When we respond to an act of war with an act of mercy, we are encouraging or enemies to commit further acts of violence. There comes a time when we must do as Jesus did and forcefully throw over the money tables, shouting: 'This will not stand !' - Pope Innocent XIV (palmarians)”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dan Brown" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/i-believe-the-pope-continued-that-in-some-cases-forgiveness-can-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acts of violence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/i-believe-the-pope-continued-that-in-some-cases-forgiveness-can-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b89/dan-brown-203_acts-of-violence_i-believe-the-pope-continued-that-in-som_2575136.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b89/dan-brown-203_acts-of-violence_i-believe-the-pope-continued-that-in-som_2575136.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b89/dan-brown-203_acts-of-violence_i-believe-the-pope-continued-that-in-som_2575136.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I believe,\" the pope continued, \"that in some cases forgiveness can be dangerous. When we forgive evil in…” — Dan Brown", "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": "Dan Brown", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I believe,\" the pope continued, \"that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/i-believe-the-pope-continued-that-in-some-cases-forgiveness-can-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/i-believe-the-pope-continued-that-in-some-cases-forgiveness-can-be/#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 } } ] } ```