--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What is worse than doing evil, is being…" description: "\"“What is worse than doing evil, is being evil” (Ethics, p.67). To lie is wrong, but what is worse than the lie is the liar, for the liar contaminates e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_evil_what-is-worse-than-doing-evil-is-being-e_390504.jpg" --- # What is worse than doing evil, is being evil” (Ethics… ![“What is worse than doing evil, is being evil” (Ethics, p.67). To lie is wrong, but what is worse than the lie is the liar, for the liar contaminates everything he says, because everything he says is meant to further a cause that is false. The liar as liar has endorsed a world of falsehood and…” quote by Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_evil_what-is-worse-than-doing-evil-is-being-e_390504.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_evil_what-is-worse-than-doing-evil-is-being-e_390504.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_evil_what-is-worse-than-doing-evil-is-being-e_390504.jpg) > ““What is worse than doing evil, is being evil” (Ethics, p.67). To lie is wrong, but what is worse than the lie is the liar, for the liar contaminates everything he says, because everything he says is meant to further a cause that is false. The liar as liar has endorsed a world of falsehood and deception, and to focus only on the truth or falsity of his particular statements is to miss the danger of being caught up in his twisted world. This is why, as Bonhoeffer says, that “(i)t is worse for a liar to tell the truth than for a lover of truth to lie” (Ethics, p.67).”” [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being a liar is more damaging than telling a lie because the liar corrupts all communication, making truth‑seeking dangerous. **In simple terms:** Liar corrupts more than a lie. Key Takeaway Beware of deceitful character, not just false statements. Themes morality truth deception character philosophy Mood cautionary serious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - political discourse - personal relationships - media consumption Key Concepts ethical integrity trust truthfulness Questions to Reflect On - How does a liar’s reputation affect truth? - Can truth survive in a world of pervasive deceit? A Different Perspective Truth‑telling may still cause harm if the liar’s influence persists. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evil Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-ethics-1926215/) [Lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lie/) [Lie Liar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lie-liar-984306/) [Lie Wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lie-wrong-3522504/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth-telling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-telling/) [Worse Liar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worse-liar-3522503/) [Worse Lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worse-lie-801944/) ## Related quotes > [“It is worse for a liar to tell the truth than for a lover of truth to lie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/it-is-worse-for-a-liar-to-tell-the-truth-than-for-a-lover-of-truth-to-2/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [In My Opinion, I Would Definitely Tell The Main Truth. Instead Of Getting Myself Into More Trouble. And, Just Tell Whom Ever The Truth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-2/in-my-opinion-i-would-definitely-tell-the-main-truth-instead-of/) [Angelicaâ¥](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-2/) > [Evil, in this system of ethics, is that which tears apart, shuts out the other person, raises barriers, sets people against each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/evil-in-this-system-of-ethics-is-that-which-tears-apart-shuts-out-the/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [The only person who is a worse liar than a faith healer is his patient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-only-person-who-is-a-worse-liar-than-a-faith-healer-is-his-patient/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The only thing worse than a liar is a liar that's also a hypocrite!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/the-only-thing-worse-than-a-liar-is-a-liar-that-s-also-a-hypocrite/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [There is not a quality worse than being a liar. Honesty is the best policy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-not-a-quality-worse-than-being-a-liar-honesty-is-the-best/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Sometimes people don’t want the truth. Sometimes the truth is worse than a lie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-cameron/sometimes-people-don-t-want-the-truth-sometimes-the-truth-is-worse/) [Chelsea Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-cameron/) > [“A half truth is much worse than a whole lie because it makes it even harder to tell the difference between the two.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-ruyle/a-half-truth-is-much-worse-than-a-whole-lie-because-it-makes-it-even/) [Gene Ruyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-ruyle/) > [“Some things are best left...unknown, you know? People search for answers and they don’t always like what they get. Sometimes the truth is worse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/some-things-are-best-left-unknown-you-know-people-search-for-answers/) [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/) > [There is no worse lie than a truth misunderstood bu those who hear it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/there-is-no-worse-lie-than-a-truth-misunderstood-bu-those-who-hear-it/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [I - honestly, I don't know of a worse lie one could tell other than a lie to take a country to war. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/i-honestly-i-don-t-know-of-a-worse-lie-one-could-tell-other-than-a/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [Sometimes the truth hurts worse than a lie when you hear it from someone that you least expect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rasheed-bryant/sometimes-the-truth-hurts-worse-than-a-lie-when-you-hear-it-from/) [Rasheed Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rasheed-bryant/) > [As there is no worse lie than a truth misunderstood by those who hear it, so reasonable arguments, challenges to magnanimity, and appeals to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/as-there-is-no-worse-lie-than-a-truth-misunderstood-by-those-who-hear/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [“And if you lie to a liar, is the sin somehow negated or reversed?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/and-if-you-lie-to-a-liar-is-the-sin-somehow-negated-or-reversed/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [You lie. Worse, you lie poorly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-lie-worse-you-lie-poorly/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Dietrich Bonhoeffer > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Why do Christians sing when they are together? The reason is, quite simply, because in singing together it is possible for them to speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/why-do-christians-sing-when-they-are-together-the-reason-is-quite/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [...Gratitude transforms the torment of memory of good things now gone into silent joy. One bears what was lovely in the past not as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/gratitude-transforms-the-torment-of-memory-of-good-things-now-gone/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Only he who believes is obedient and only he who is obedient believes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/only-he-who-believes-is-obedient-and-only-he-who-is-obedient-believes/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Who can really be faithful in great things if he has not learned to be faithful in the things of daily life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/who-can-really-be-faithful-in-great-things-if-he-has-not-learned-to/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“The church can only defend its own space by fighting, not for space, but for the salvation of the world. Otherwise the church becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/the-church-can-only-defend-its-own-space-by-fighting-not-for-space/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [There remains an experience of incomparable value . . . to see the great events of world history from below; from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/there-remains-an-experience-of-incomparable-value-to-see-the-great/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“To endure the cross is not a tragedy; it is the suffering which is the fruit of an exclusive allegiance to Jesus Christ. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/to-endure-the-cross-is-not-a-tragedy-it-is-the-suffering-which-is-the/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“There is only one church, the church of faith ruled by the word of Jesus Christ alone. This is the true catholic church that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/there-is-only-one-church-the-church-of-faith-ruled-by-the-word-of/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“As Christians, we needn’t be at all ashamed of some impatience, longing, opposition to what is unnatural, and our full share of desire for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/as-christians-we-needn-t-be-at-all-ashamed-of-some-impatience-longing/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Those who love their dream of a Christian community more than the Christian community itself become destroyers of that Christian community even though their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/those-who-love-their-dream-of-a-christian-community-more-than-the/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“From now on there can be no more wars of faith. The only way to overcome our enemy is by loving him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/from-now-on-there-can-be-no-more-wars-of-faith-the-only-way-to/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“The scriptures do not present us with a series of Christian types to be imitated according to choice; they preach to us in every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/the-scriptures-do-not-present-us-with-a-series-of-christian-types-to/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [We are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, we are to drive a spoke into the wheel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/we-are-not-to-simply-bandage-the-wounds-of-victims-beneath-the-wheels/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) [Explore all 711 Dietrich Bonhoeffer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) ## More Evil quotes > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [What is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-done-out-of-love-always-takes-place-beyond-good-and-evil/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Evil cannot be "treated" -- nor should it be. Evil has to \[be\] confronted and destroyed and it matters not why the evil is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/evil-cannot-be-treated-nor-should-it-be-evil-has-to-be-confronted-and/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [The evil which does me no harm is like the good which in no wise avails me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-evil-which-does-me-no-harm-is-like-the-good-which-in-no-wise/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/) [James Nayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nayler/) > [The politician attempts to remedy the evil by increasing the very thing that caused the evil in the first place: legal plunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-politician-attempts-to-remedy-the-evil-by-increasing-the-very/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [“Water is so friendly when you have it on your palms, but so evil when they have you on theirs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/water-is-so-friendly-when-you-have-it-on-your-palms-but-so-evil-when/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [THE ART OF PEACE is not easy. It is a fight to the finish, the slaying of evil desires and all falsehood within. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/the-art-of-peace-is-not-easy-it-is-a-fight-to-the-finish-the-slaying/) [Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/) [Browse all 11,163 Evil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What is worse than doing evil, is being evil” (Ethics, p.67). To lie is wrong, but what is worse than the lie is the liar, for the liar contaminates everything he says, because everything he says is meant to further a cause that is false. The liar as liar has endorsed a world of falsehood and deception, and to focus only on the truth or falsity of his particular statements is to miss the danger of being caught up in his twisted world. 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