--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: the Bible is only as good and decent as…" description: "\"the Bible is only as good and decent as the person reading it.\" — Dan Savage" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb2/dan-savage-2880_bible_the-bible-is-only-as-good-and-decent-as_133579.jpg" --- # the Bible is only as good and decent as the person reading… ![“the Bible is only as good and decent as the person reading it.” quote by Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb2/dan-savage-2880_bible_the-bible-is-only-as-good-and-decent-as_133579.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb2/dan-savage-2880_bible_the-bible-is-only-as-good-and-decent-as_133579.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb2/dan-savage-2880_bible_the-bible-is-only-as-good-and-decent-as_133579.jpg) > “the Bible is only as good and decent as the person reading it.” [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The value of the Bible depends on the reader's character and interpretation. **In simple terms:** The Bible reflects the reader's morality. Key Takeaway Cultivate personal integrity when reading. Themes religion ethics interpretation Mood introspective inquisitive Type philosophical contemplative When to use this quote - study groups - personal study - teaching Key Concepts subjectivity morality reflection Questions to Reflect On - How does your character shape your reading? - Can a text be neutral? A Different Perspective May overlook textual context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [Every person who has a reading with me has an audiotape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/every-person-who-has-a-reading-with-me-has-an-audiotape/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) > [Whether it's corporate investigations or comedy, there are certain inherent truths to trying to get what you want while trying to be a decent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kroll/whether-it-s-corporate-investigations-or-comedy-there-are-certain/) [Nick Kroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-kroll/) > [Any decent person who knows what warfare is can never go into battle with a whole heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/any-decent-person-who-knows-what-warfare-is-can-never-go-into-battle/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [A saint is a person who does almost everything any other decent person does, only somewhat better and with a totally different motive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coventry-patmore/a-saint-is-a-person-who-does-almost-everything-any-other-decent/) [Coventry Patmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coventry-patmore/) > [I'm trying to make you think I'm a decent person. Telling you I saw you naked while I was another species does not help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-m-trying-to-make-you-think-i-m-a-decent-person-telling-you-i-saw/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [... the English think of an opinion as something which a decent person, if he has the misfortune to have one, does all he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/the-english-think-of-an-opinion-as-something-which-a-decent-person-if/) [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) > [Breaking Bad' - I've heard that question phrased in many directions, and it always means the same thing. It's when someone can't... when a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rj-mitte/breaking-bad-i-ve-heard-that-question-phrased-in-many-directions-and/) [RJ Mitte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rj-mitte/) > [You get out of life what you put into it. 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That's not how life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/why-would-i-want-to-read-something-about-somebody-that-s-just-a/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [“Intelligence Is Categorical The God of the Bible is not a good God and the Bible is not a good model for Humanity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-devaney/intelligence-is-categorical-the-god-of-the-bible-is-not-a-good-god/) Gary DeVaney > [“all i know about the bible is that wherever it goes there's trouble. the only time i ever heard of it being useful was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-courtenay/all-i-know-about-the-bible-is-that-wherever-it-goes-there-s-trouble/) [Bryce Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-courtenay/) > [“Nothing good was withheld from me, even moral guidance was provided as my uncle read to me nightly out of a King James red-letter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-niles/nothing-good-was-withheld-from-me-even-moral-guidance-was-provided-as/) [Sara Niles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-niles/) > [There are more words in the IRS code than there are in the Bible. And not a one of them is as good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/there-are-more-words-in-the-irs-code-than-there-are-in-the-bible-and/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [The Bible is good enough for me, just the old book under which I was brought up. I do not want notes or criticisms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover/the-bible-is-good-enough-for-me-just-the-old-book-under-which-i-was/) Grover ## More by Dan Savage > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [Bisexuals need to recognize that their being closeted is a huge contributing factor to the hostility they face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/bisexuals-need-to-recognize-that-their-being-closeted-is-a-huge/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [Really, when it comes to gay rights, there's two wars going on. The first war is political. But the culture war is over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/really-when-it-comes-to-gay-rights-there-s-two-wars-going-on-the/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [I get letters every year from women who think Valentine's Day is an empty exercise, but are ironically pretty exercised when their boyfriends neglect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/i-get-letters-every-year-from-women-who-think-valentine-s-day-is-an/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [I'm allergic to dogs, so I couldn't even adopt what gay men typically adopt when they have that maternal gene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/i-m-allergic-to-dogs-so-i-couldn-t-even-adopt-what-gay-men-typically/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [And that really captures the difference for the bullied straight kid versus the bullied gay kid, is that the bullied straight kid goes home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/and-that-really-captures-the-difference-for-the-bullied-straight-kid/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [I'm one of those gay people who's constantly reminded of how fortunate I am to live now and not to be Ennis and Jack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/i-m-one-of-those-gay-people-who-s-constantly-reminded-of-how/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [I think the best thing for you to do is just live your life. Live a life that's worth living, one where you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/i-think-the-best-thing-for-you-to-do-is-just-live-your-life-live-a/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [There's a big mistake the left has made with talking to religious people, which is attempting to talk them out of their interpretations of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/there-s-a-big-mistake-the-left-has-made-with-talking-to-religious/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [The mistake that straight people made was imposing the monogamous expectation on men. Men were never expected to be monogamous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/the-mistake-that-straight-people-made-was-imposing-the-monogamous/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [I got picked on a lot, even by teachers too. I liked to listen to musicals and bake, and my homeroom teacher found out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/i-got-picked-on-a-lot-even-by-teachers-too-i-liked-to-listen-to/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [“Either way... you've got to tell him--in no uncertain terms--to knock it the fuck off already. Don't be measured, don't wrap it up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/either-way-you-ve-got-to-tell-him-in-no-uncertain-terms-to-knock-it/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [I wanted to be a priest when I was a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/i-wanted-to-be-a-priest-when-i-was-a-kid/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [When you're young and queer and closeted, you can end up in this place where you regard your straight peers as the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/when-you-re-young-and-queer-and-closeted-you-can-end-up-in-this-place/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [I am not an idiot, and I'm not a Pollyanna sort of kumbaya type.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/i-am-not-an-idiot-and-i-m-not-a-pollyanna-sort-of-kumbaya-type/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) [Explore all 147 Dan Savage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) Michael Arnold > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) Robert A. Peterson > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) Stephen Taylor > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) Walsham How > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? Heaven is referred to in fifty-four of the Bible's sixty-six books, and the final two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/what-comes-to-mind-when-you-think-of-heaven-heaven-is-referred-to-in/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [“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/) > [The definition of a Church is crystal clear in the New Testament. We see the picture of it. They came together the first day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-definition-of-a-church-is-crystal-clear-in-the-new-testament-we/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) [Browse all 8,465 Bible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "the Bible is only as good and decent as the person reading it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dan Savage" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/the-bible-is-only-as-good-and-decent-as-the-person-reading-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bible" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/the-bible-is-only-as-good-and-decent-as-the-person-reading-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb2/dan-savage-2880_bible_the-bible-is-only-as-good-and-decent-as_133579.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb2/dan-savage-2880_bible_the-bible-is-only-as-good-and-decent-as_133579.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb2/dan-savage-2880_bible_the-bible-is-only-as-good-and-decent-as_133579.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“the Bible is only as good and decent as the person reading it.” — Dan Savage", "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 Savage", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "the Bible is only as good...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/the-bible-is-only-as-good-and-decent-as-the-person-reading-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/the-bible-is-only-as-good-and-decent-as-the-person-reading-it/#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 } } ] } ```