--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we believe or say we have been…" description: "\"When we believe or say we have been offended, we usually mean we feel insulted, mistreated, snubbed, or disrespected. And certainly clumsy, embarrassin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f9/david-a-bednar-2121_belief_when-we-believe-or-say-we-have-been-offe_3071869.jpg" --- # When we believe or say we have been offended, we usually… ![“When we believe or say we have been offended, we usually mean we feel insulted, mistreated, snubbed, or disrespected. And certainly clumsy, embarrassing, unprincipled, and mean-spirited things do occur in our interactions with other people that would allow us to take offense. However, it…” quote by David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f9/david-a-bednar-2121_belief_when-we-believe-or-say-we-have-been-offe_3071869.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f9/david-a-bednar-2121_belief_when-we-believe-or-say-we-have-been-offe_3071869.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f9/david-a-bednar-2121_belief_when-we-believe-or-say-we-have-been-offe_3071869.jpg) > “When we believe or say we have been offended, we usually mean we feel insulted, mistreated, snubbed, or disrespected. And certainly clumsy, embarrassing, unprincipled, and mean-spirited things do occur in our interactions with other people that would allow us to take offense. However, it ultimately is impossible for another person to offend you or to offend me. Indeed, believing that another person offended us is fundamentally false. To be offended is a choice we make; it is not a condition inflicted or imposed upon us by someone or something else.” [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Offense is a personal decision, not an external imposition; we choose how to interpret others’ actions. **In simple terms:** Being offended is a choice, not a condition. Key Takeaway Recognize and release the choice to be offended. Themes personal responsibility emotions communication Mood reflective calm Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - conflict resolution - personal growth - relationship management Key Concepts psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What triggers your choice to feel offended? - How can you reframe perceived slights? A Different Perspective Offense can be a protective reflex that may be hard to relinquish. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Clumsy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clumsy/) [Conditions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conditions/) [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Disrespected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disrespected/) [Embarrassing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embarrassing/) [False Offended](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false-offended-433654/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Impossible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible/) [Insulted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insulted/) [Interaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interaction/) [Interaction with others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interaction-with-others/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Mean people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean-people/) [Mean spirited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean-spirited/) [Mistreated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistreated/) [Mormonism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mormonism/) [Offended](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offended/) [Offended Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offended-choice-433657/) [Offended Fundamentally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offended-fundamentally-433655/) [Offended Usually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offended-usually-5199734/) [Offending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offending/) [Offense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offense/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Say Offended](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-offended-2887231/) [Spirited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirited/) ## Related quotes > [“Certainly clumsy, embarrassing, unprincipled, and mean spirited things do occur in our interactions with other people that would allow us to take offense. However,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/certainly-clumsy-embarrassing-unprincipled-and-mean-spirited-things/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [To be offended is a choice we make; it is not a condition inflicted or imposed upon us by someone or something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/to-be-offended-is-a-choice-we-make-it-is-not-a-condition-inflicted-or/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [It's now very common to hear people say 'I'm rather offended by that'...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/it-s-now-very-common-to-hear-people-say-i-m-rather-offended-by-that-2/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [“I think there's a difference between (a) offending people for its own sake, which I don't necessarily want to do, because some people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/i-think-there-s-a-difference-between-a-offending-people-for-its-own/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [“It's now very common to hear people say, 'I'm rather offended by that.' As if that gives them certain rights. It's actually nothing more...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/it-s-now-very-common-to-hear-people-say-i-m-rather-offended-by-that/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [Being offended is a choice. I believe that. You don't have - you don't hear a word and you have to be offended.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bartlett/being-offended-is-a-choice-i-believe-that-you-don-t-have-you-don-t/) [John Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bartlett/) > [One is faced with a dilemma: If one places total trust in all other users, one is vulnerable to the antisocial behavior of any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-j-corbato/one-is-faced-with-a-dilemma-if-one-places-total-trust-in-all-other/) [Fernando J. Corbato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-j-corbato/) > [One of the best ways to educate our hearts is to look at our interaction with other people, because our relationships with others are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/one-of-the-best-ways-to-educate-our-hearts-is-to-look-at-our/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Every person with whom you interact is a part of the person you are becoming. 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I call them the frequency-holders. They are here to generate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/their-function-is-to-anchor-the-frequency-of-the-new-consciousness-on/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Love is a way of seeing and a way of being that honors God in everyone we meet. And it changes us in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-l-taylor/love-is-a-way-of-seeing-and-a-way-of-being-that-honors-god-in/) [Susan L. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-l-taylor/) > [The hours spent viewing TV are hours not available for actively participating in the real world, or playing, or being involved with friends and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hart/the-hours-spent-viewing-tv-are-hours-not-available-for-actively/) [Louise Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-hart/) > [We need to build millions of little moments of caring on an individual level. Indeed, as talk of a politics of meaning becomes more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lerner/we-need-to-build-millions-of-little-moments-of-caring-on-an/) [Michael Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lerner/) ## More by David A. Bednar > [Righteousness and faith certainly are instrumental in moving mountains - if moving mountains accomplishes God's purposes and is in accordance with His will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/righteousness-and-faith-certainly-are-instrumental-in-moving/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [“Certainly clumsy, embarrassing, unprincipled, and mean spirited things do occur in our interactions with other people that would allow us to take offense. However,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/certainly-clumsy-embarrassing-unprincipled-and-mean-spirited-things/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [“The relationship between love and appropriate action is demonstrated repeatedly in the scriptures and is highlighted by the Savior's instruction to His Apostles: 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/the-relationship-between-love-and-appropriate-action-is-demonstrated/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [“Each and every member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints bears a personal responsibility to learn and live the truths of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/each-and-every-member-of-the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day/) [David A. 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Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [ As we learn in \[the\] scriptures, the fundamental purposes for the gift of agency were to love one another and to choose God. Thus… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/as-we-learn-in-the-scriptures-the-fundamental-purposes-for-the-gift/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [Conversion is an enlarging, a deepening, and a broadening of the undergirding base of testimony. It is the result of revelation from God, accompanied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/conversion-is-an-enlarging-a-deepening-and-a-broadening-of-the/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [Feeling the security and constancy of love from a spouse, a parent or a child is a rich blessing. Such love nurtures and sustains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/feeling-the-security-and-constancy-of-love-from-a-spouse-a-parent-or/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [Regular reading of and talking about the Book of Mormon invite the power to resist temptation and to produce feelings of love within our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/regular-reading-of-and-talking-about-the-book-of-mormon-invite-the/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [It's tough for parents to talk to children about heavy-weight topics such as peer pressure, drugs and morality if they don't already have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/it-s-tough-for-parents-to-talk-to-children-about-heavy-weight-topics/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [Godly fear is loving and trusting in Him. As we fear God more completely, we love Him more perfectly. And "perfect love casteth out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/godly-fear-is-loving-and-trusting-in-him-as-we-fear-god-more/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [Ordinary men are given the authority of the priesthood. Worthiness and willingness - not experience, expertise, or education - are the qualifications for priesthood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/ordinary-men-are-given-the-authority-of-the-priesthood-worthiness-and/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [One of my favorite activities as a priesthood leader is visiting members of the Church in their homes. I especially enjoy calling upon and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/one-of-my-favorite-activities-as-a-priesthood-leader-is-visiting/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) [Explore all 185 David A. Bednar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) ## More Belief quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“MIND & GRIND Self-belief and hard work can propel you past more talented peers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-ali/mind-grind-self-belief-and-hard-work-can-propel-you-past-more/) [Kamil Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-ali/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. 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