--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It may be an infinitely less evil to…" description: "\"It may be an infinitely less evil to murder a man than to refuse to forgive him. The former may be the act of a moment of passion: the latter is the he..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81f/george-macdonald-295_choices_it-may-be-an-infinitely-less-evil-to-mur_2904952.png" --- # It may be an infinitely less evil to murder a man than to… ![“It may be an infinitely less evil to murder a man than to refuse to forgive him. The former may be the act of a moment of passion: the latter is the heart’s choice.” quote by George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81f/george-macdonald-295_choices_it-may-be-an-infinitely-less-evil-to-mur_2904952.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81f/george-macdonald-295_choices_it-may-be-an-infinitely-less-evil-to-mur_2904952.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81f/george-macdonald-295_choices_it-may-be-an-infinitely-less-evil-to-mur_2904952.png) > “It may be an infinitely less evil to murder a man than to refuse to forgive him. The former may be the act of a moment of passion: the latter is the heart’s choice.” [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing forgiveness over killing reflects a moral hierarchy where enduring compassion is less harmful than a fleeting violent act. **In simple terms:** Forgiveness is morally better than murder. Key Takeaway Prioritize forgiveness over revenge. Themes morality compassion violence forgiveness Mood reflective somber Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - conflict resolution - personal relationships - justice systems - personal growth Key Concepts ethical hierarchy human nature emotional choice Questions to Reflect On - Can you forgive someone who hurt you deeply? - What does forgiveness cost you? A Different Perspective Forgiveness may be difficult when anger is intense. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evil Murder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-murder-607497/) [Forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive/) [Forgive Act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive-act-3807026/) [Forgiving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiving/) [Former](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/former/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Latter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/latter/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Murder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murder/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Refuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refuse/) [Refuse Forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refuse-forgive-1212173/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Spiritual Murder It may be an infinitely less evil to murder a man than to refuse to forgive him. The former may be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/spiritual-murder-it-may-be-an-infinitely-less-evil-to-murder-a-man/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [It may be infinitely worse to refuse to forgive than to murder, because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/it-may-be-infinitely-worse-to-refuse-to-forgive-than-to-murder-because/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [To forgive is an act of compassion, Buffy. It's not done because people deserve it. It's done because they need it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-giles/to-forgive-is-an-act-of-compassion-buffy-it-s-not-done-because-people/) [Rupert Giles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-giles/) > [“ Christmas Amnesty. You can fall out of contact with a friend, fail to return calls, ignore e-mails, avoid eye contact at the Thrifty-Mart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/christmas-amnesty-you-can-fall-out-of-contact-with-a-friend-fail-to/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [It is unfortunate that in most cases when the sins of the father fall on the son it is because unlike God, people refuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-unfortunate-that-in-most-cases-when-the-sins-of-the-father-fall/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Mathematics is of two kinds, Rigorous and Physical. The former is Narrow: the latter Bold and Broad. To have to stop to formulate rigorous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-heaviside/mathematics-is-of-two-kinds-rigorous-and-physical-the-former-is/) [Oliver Heaviside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-heaviside/) > [“Elphaba’s face darkened again. 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It has been said that holding on to unforgiveness is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voddie-baucham-jr/forgiveness-also-frees-you-from-the-unbearable-weight-of-holding-on/) [Voddie Baucham Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voddie-baucham-jr/) > [Do we refuse to forgive? God, too, will refuse to forgive us. As we treat our neighbors, so also does God treat us. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tikhon-of-zadonsk/do-we-refuse-to-forgive-god-too-will-refuse-to-forgive-us-as-we-treat/) [Tikhon of Zadonsk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tikhon-of-zadonsk/) > [You refuse to forgive people, and yet on the Day of Judgment you will stand bare, begging Allah to forgive you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/you-refuse-to-forgive-people-and-yet-on-the-day-of-judgment-you-will/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [“Few suffer more than those who refuse to forgive themselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-norton/few-suffer-more-than-those-who-refuse-to-forgive-themselves/) [Mike Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-norton/) > [“The karmic cycle, when someone screws up really bad and hurts you. Our first instinct is to hurt back, or refuse to forgive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-probst/the-karmic-cycle-when-someone-screws-up-really-bad-and-hurts-you-our/) [Jennifer Probst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-probst/) ## More by George MacDonald > [“No revelation can be other than partial. 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No, I don't That would be to take it from somebody else. But it's mine for all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-wish-i-had-made-that-song-no-i-don-t-that-would-be-to-take-it-from/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Past tears are present strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/past-tears-are-present-strength/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Age is not all decay; it is the ripening, the swelling, of the fresh life within, that withers and bursts the husk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/age-is-not-all-decay-it-is-the-ripening-the-swelling-of-the-fresh/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [I want to help you grow as beautiful as God meant you to be when he thought of you first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-want-to-help-you-grow-as-beautiful-as-god-meant-you-to-be-when-he/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Immeasurably imperfect it was, but false the impression could not be, for she saw with the eyes made for seeing, and saw indeed what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/immeasurably-imperfect-it-was-but-false-the-impression-could-not-be/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Those that hope little cannot grow much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/those-that-hope-little-cannot-grow-much/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) [Explore all 720 George MacDonald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) ## More Choices quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) [Alison James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-james/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It may be an infinitely less evil to murder a man than to refuse to forgive him. 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