--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: God gave us free will, and we may choose…" description: "\"God gave us free will, and we may choose to exercise it in ways that end up hurting other people.\" — Francis Collins" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/710/francis-collins-5281_ends_god-gave-us-free-will-and-we-may-choose_2330987.png" --- # God gave us free will, and we may choose to exercise it in… ![“God gave us free will, and we may choose to exercise it in ways that end up hurting other people.” quote by Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/710/francis-collins-5281_ends_god-gave-us-free-will-and-we-may-choose_2330987.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/710/francis-collins-5281_ends_god-gave-us-free-will-and-we-may-choose_2330987.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/710/francis-collins-5281_ends_god-gave-us-free-will-and-we-may-choose_2330987.png) > “God gave us free will, and we may choose to exercise it in ways that end up hurting other people.” [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Free will allows choices that can harm others, highlighting moral responsibility. **In simple terms:** Freedom to choose includes potential to cause harm. Key Takeaway Consider impact of choices on others. Themes ethics free will responsibility Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - policy making - personal decisions - legal judgments Key Concepts moral philosophy consequentialism Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards can limit harmful choices? - How do we balance liberty with responsibility? 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He left it up to us to achieve them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-m-arcejaeger/god-gave-us-free-will-so-that-we-might-choose-our-own-destinies-he/) [R.M. ArceJaeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-m-arcejaeger/) > [“God gave us free agency, and then gave us the commandments to keep us free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecil-b-demille/god-gave-us-free-agency-and-then-gave-us-the-commandments-to-keep-us/) [Cecil B. DeMille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecil-b-demille/) > [The sin both of men and of angels, was rendered possible by the fact that God gave us free will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-sin-both-of-men-and-of-angels-was-rendered-possible-by-the-fact/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I end up hurting the people I don't want to and friend zoning the people I don't mean to and saying all the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-end-up-hurting-the-people-i-don-t-want-to-and-friend-zoning-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I always end up hurting the people I love the most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-always-end-up-hurting-the-people-i-love-the-most/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I end up hurting the people I mostly love!!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-end-up-hurting-the-people-i-mostly-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sin is a matter of opinion. Sins are only sins if you are hurting other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/sin-is-a-matter-of-opinion-sins-are-only-sins-if-you-are-hurting/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [I think that there are just people who are hurting other people, sometimes for the best of intentions and sometimes for the worst. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-marsters/i-think-that-there-are-just-people-who-are-hurting-other-people/) [James Marsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-marsters/) > [“Managing your emotions doesn't mean you don't express yourself; it means you stop short of hurting others and sabotaging yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-fitzmaurice/managing-your-emotions-doesn-t-mean-you-don-t-express-yourself-it/) [Sue Fitzmaurice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-fitzmaurice/) > [I just do what I want to do without hurting other people and you know, I wish other people would do the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/i-just-do-what-i-want-to-do-without-hurting-other-people-and-you-know/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [hurting other people is not excusable because you've been hurt yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jilly-cooper/hurting-other-people-is-not-excusable-because-you-ve-been-hurt/) [Jilly Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jilly-cooper/) > [Why should you be put on the spotlight and paid for something God gave you for free, and you charge us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rehn-williams/why-should-you-be-put-on-the-spotlight-and-paid-for-something-god/) [Rehn Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rehn-williams/) > [Dreams were all they gave for free to ugly duckling girls like me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-ian/dreams-were-all-they-gave-for-free-to-ugly-duckling-girls-like-me/) [Janis Ian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-ian/) > [Even when you’d lost everything you thought there was to lose, somebody came along and gave you something for free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-valentine/even-when-you-d-lost-everything-you-thought-there-was-to-lose/) [Jenny Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-valentine/) > [“Love brought out the worst in people, gave them free license to abuse each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-jordan/love-brought-out-the-worst-in-people-gave-them-free-license-to-abuse/) [Sophie Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-jordan/) ## More by Francis Collins > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [ \[Decoding the human genome sequence\] is the most significant undertaking that we have mounted so far in an organized way in all of science.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/decoding-the-human-genome-sequence-is-the-most-significant/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [By committing the scientific method to religious claims you're committing a logical fallacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/by-committing-the-scientific-method-to-religious-claims-you-re/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [All illnesses have some heredity contribution. It's been said that genetics loads the gun and environment pulls the trigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/all-illnesses-have-some-heredity-contribution-it-s-been-said-that/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [ As you kind of get over the anxiety about \[science and evolution\], it actually adds to your sense of awe about this amazing universe… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/as-you-kind-of-get-over-the-anxiety-about-science-and-evolution-it/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [Successful weight management really means a permanent change in lifestyle - and success in this arena provides that person with a great opportunity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/successful-weight-management-really-means-a-permanent-change-in/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [I trained initially as a physical chemist, and then, after becoming interested in biology, I went to medical school and learned how to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/i-trained-initially-as-a-physical-chemist-and-then-after-becoming/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [I think there are people who's lives have been saved because of the study of the genome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/i-think-there-are-people-who-s-lives-have-been-saved-because-of-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [I finished up my graduate degree in quantum mechanics, but underwent a bit of a personal crisis, recognizing that I didn't want to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/i-finished-up-my-graduate-degree-in-quantum-mechanics-but-underwent-a/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [One must dig deeply into opposing points of view in order to know whether your own position remains defensible. Iron sharpens iron.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/one-must-dig-deeply-into-opposing-points-of-view-in-order-to-know/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [Genes are effectively one-dimensional. If you write down the sequence of A, C, G and T, that's kind of what you need to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/genes-are-effectively-one-dimensional-if-you-write-down-the-sequence/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [By investigating God's majestic and awesome creation, science can actually be a means of worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/by-investigating-god-s-majestic-and-awesome-creation-science-can/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [Science is...a powerful way, indeed - to study the natural world. Science is not particularly effective...in making commentary about the supernatural world. Both worlds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/science-is-a-powerful-way-indeed-to-study-the-natural-world-science/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [I became an atheist because, as a graduate student studying quantum physics, life seemed to be reducible to second-order differential equations. Mathematics, chemistry and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/i-became-an-atheist-because-as-a-graduate-student-studying-quantum/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [We give our kids vaccinations. That's a biological enhancement that's considered not just acceptable but actually admirable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/we-give-our-kids-vaccinations-that-s-a-biological-enhancement-that-s/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) [Explore all 102 Francis Collins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) ## More Ends quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [The end is nothing; the road is all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/the-end-is-nothing-the-road-is-all/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Dating someone on the opposite end of the happy spectrum teaches you an incredible amount of patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pine/dating-someone-on-the-opposite-end-of-the-happy-spectrum-teaches-you/) [Chris Pine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pine/) > [What is history after all? 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