---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we have the potential to oppress or…"
description: "\"If we have the potential to oppress or slay millions, it’s because we also have the potential to liberate and love millions.\" — Gregory A. Boyd"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/285/gregory-a-boyd-9424_and-love_if-we-have-the-potential-to-oppress-or-s_3235794.jpg"
---

#  If we have the potential to oppress or slay millions, it’s…

![“If we have the potential to oppress or slay millions, it’s because we also have the potential to liberate and love millions.” quote by Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/285/gregory-a-boyd-9424_and-love_if-we-have-the-potential-to-oppress-or-s_3235794.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/285/gregory-a-boyd-9424_and-love_if-we-have-the-potential-to-oppress-or-s_3235794.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/285/gregory-a-boyd-9424_and-love_if-we-have-the-potential-to-oppress-or-s_3235794.jpg)

> “If we have the potential to oppress or slay millions, it’s because we also have the potential to liberate and love millions.”

[Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Human capacity for extreme harm implies an equal capacity for profound love and liberation.

**In simple terms:** Power to hurt means power to heal.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate compassion to counteract destructive abilities.

Themes

ethics human nature spirituality power

Mood

hopeful inspirational

Type

ethical spiritual

When to use this quote

- conflict resolution
- social justice
- personal growth
- leadership

Key Concepts

potential for oppression potential for liberation love responsibility

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we harness power for good?
- What safeguards prevent abuse of power?

A Different Perspective

Power can be misused; societal structures may limit liberation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[And love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/and-love/) [Liberate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberate/) [Liberate Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberate-love-2393150/) [Love Millions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-millions-3341349/) [Millions Potential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millions-potential-6138849/) [Potential Liberate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/potential-liberate-3007897/)

## Related quotes

> [The technological revolution has the potential to liberate us or enslave us, and the road we take will depend on our politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciana-berger/the-technological-revolution-has-the-potential-to-liberate-us-or/)

[Luciana Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciana-berger/)

> [If you want to liberate someone, love them.Not be in love with them - that's dangerous. If you're in love with your children, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-you-want-to-liberate-someone-love-them-not-be-in-love-with-them/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [If your purpose is to liberate yourself and others into love and freedom, then you should do whatever magnifies the love and freedom in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deida/if-your-purpose-is-to-liberate-yourself-and-others-into-love-and/)

[David Deida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deida/)

> [I love you more than anybody in the world... I love you for millions and millions of things, clocks and vampires and dirty nails…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-thomas/i-love-you-more-than-anybody-in-the-world-i-love-you-for-millions-and/)

[Dylan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-thomas/)

> [How many really know what love is ? Millions never will … I'm so thankfull that I found everything that i've been looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syoung/how-many-really-know-what-love-is-millions-never-will-i-m-so/)

[Syoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syoung/)

> [Connect. Embrace. Liberate. Love somebody. Just one person. And then spread that to two. And as many as you can. You'll see the difference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/connect-embrace-liberate-love-somebody-just-one-person-and-then/)

[Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/)

> [I was created in love. For that reason nothing can express my beauty nor liberate me except love alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mechthild-of-magdeburg/i-was-created-in-love-for-that-reason-nothing-can-express-my-beauty/)

[Mechthild of Magdeburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mechthild-of-magdeburg/)

> [“Liberation from dictatorships ultimately depends on the people's ability to liberate themselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-sharp/liberation-from-dictatorships-ultimately-depends-on-the-people-s/)

[Gene Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-sharp/)

> [What I responded to, on the page, was the way a poem could liberate, by means of a word's setting, through subtleties of timing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-gl-ck/what-i-responded-to-on-the-page-was-the-way-a-poem-could-liberate-by/)

[Louise Gluck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-gl-ck/)

> [As we now know, cyberspace did not liberate human society from pre-existing socioeconomic hierarchies and power structures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-wortham/as-we-now-know-cyberspace-did-not-liberate-human-society-from-pre/)

[Jenna Wortham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-wortham/)

> [Outer fire we need to cook. Inner fire we need to liberate. God's Fire we need to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-chinmoy/outer-fire-we-need-to-cook-inner-fire-we-need-to-liberate-god-s-fire/)

[Sri Chinmoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-chinmoy/)

> [“I can confidently state that the greatest rescues in my life have occurred when I’ve been saved from myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/i-can-confidently-state-that-the-greatest-rescues-in-my-life-have/)

[Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/)

> [Liberate yourself from my vice-like grip!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/liberate-yourself-from-my-vice-like-grip/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“From this point forward, you don’t even know how to quit in life.” ~ Aaron Lauritsen, ‘100 Days Drive”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-lauritsen/from-this-point-forward-you-don-t-even-know-how-to-quit-in-life-aaron/)

[Aaron Lauritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-lauritsen/)

> [“While religions could not liberate humans from the agony of the human condition…they did provide an invaluable way to withdraw from the brink of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-griffith/while-religions-could-not-liberate-humans-from-the-agony-of-the-human/)

[Jeremy Griffith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-griffith/)

## More by Gregory A. Boyd

> [“Consider these questions: Did Jesus ever suggest by word of example that we should aspire to acquire, let alone take over, the power of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/consider-these-questions-did-jesus-ever-suggest-by-word-of-example/)

[Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/)

> [Jesus came to establish the kingdom of God as a radical alternative to all versions of the kingdom of the world, whether they declare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/jesus-came-to-establish-the-kingdom-of-god-as-a-radical-alternative/)

[Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/)

> [“God took on our humanity, our sin, and the just punishment that sin deserves, dying a God-forsaken, hellish death on the cross, because only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/god-took-on-our-humanity-our-sin-and-the-just-punishment-that-sin/)

[Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/)

> [The holiness of the kingdom of God must be preserved. If Jesus refused to acknowledge and fight for Israel as God's favored nation- even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/the-holiness-of-the-kingdom-of-god-must-be-preserved-if-jesus-refused/)

[Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/)

> [“Coming under others has a power to do what laws and bullets and bombs can never do—namely, bring about transformation in an enemy’s heart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/coming-under-others-has-a-power-to-do-what-laws-and-bullets-and-bombs/)

[Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/)

> [“Jesus’ life and ministry consistently reveal the humble character of a servant. Though he rightfully owned the entire cosmos, he, by choice, had no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/jesus-life-and-ministry-consistently-reveal-the-humble-character-of-a/)

[Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/)

> [“Why would these people do this for us?” This is the question the church ought to be continually raising in people’s minds by its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/why-would-these-people-do-this-for-us-this-is-the-question-the-church/)

[Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/)

> [“The question that wins the world is not, how can we get our “morally superior” way enforced in the world? The question that wins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/the-question-that-wins-the-world-is-not-how-can-we-get-our-morally/)

[Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/)

> [Accommodation is a central aspect of the cross-centered interpretation of violent portraits of God that I'm advocating. Like everything else in Cross Vision, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/accommodation-is-a-central-aspect-of-the-cross-centered/)

[Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/)

> [Second, if you disbelieve in the reality of good and evil spirit agents, you fundamentally change the narrative of Scripture. The motif of spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/second-if-you-disbelieve-in-the-reality-of-good-and-evil-spirit/)

[Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/)

> [“many people have trouble passionately loving and living for God because they have a mental picture of him that inspires anything but passion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/many-people-have-trouble-passionately-loving-and-living-for-god/)

[Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/)

> [“I believe a significant segment of American evangelicalism is guilty of nationalistic and political idolatry. To a frightful degree, I think, evangelicals fuse the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/i-believe-a-significant-segment-of-american-evangelicalism-is-guilty/)

[Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/)

> [Our central job is not to solve the world’s problems. Our job is to draw our entire life from Christ and manifest that life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/our-central-job-is-not-to-solve-the-world-s-problems-our-job-is-to/)

[Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/)

> [“So too, since Christ has in principle defeated the fallen "gods" (principalities and powers) who have for ages inspired injustice, cruelty and apathy toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/so-too-since-christ-has-in-principle-defeated-the-fallen-gods/)

[Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/)

> [“the reason God now calls kingdom people to remain separate from the ways of the kingdom-of-the-world is not to isolate them from their culture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/the-reason-god-now-calls-kingdom-people-to-remain-separate-from-the/)

[Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/)

[Explore all 73 Gregory A. Boyd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/)

## More And love quotes

> [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/)

[Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/)

> [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/)

> [We need, in a special way, to work twice as hard to help people understand that animals are fellow creatures, that we must protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/we-need-in-a-special-way-to-work-twice-as-hard-to-help-people/)

[Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/)

> [There are few husbands whom the wife cannot win in the long run, by patience and love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-of-valois/there-are-few-husbands-whom-the-wife-cannot-win-in-the-long-run-by/)

[Margaret of Valois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-of-valois/)

> [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/)

[Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/)

> [We'll walk together holding hands, and kiss in broad daylight, and love each other as much as we want to, and no one will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/we-ll-walk-together-holding-hands-and-kiss-in-broad-daylight-and-love/)

[Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/)

> [Anyone who knows me knows that I am really into hair. I'm a real girly girl and love doing my hair and experimenting with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/anyone-who-knows-me-knows-that-i-am-really-into-hair-i-m-a-real-girly/)

[Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/)

> [“When we let go of our battles and open our heart to things as they are, then we come to rest in the present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/when-we-let-go-of-our-battles-and-open-our-heart-to-things-as-they/)

[Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/)

> [Only when man succeeds in developing his reason and love further than he has done so far, only when he can build a world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/only-when-man-succeeds-in-developing-his-reason-and-love-further-than/)

[Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/)

> [I shall pray God to send charity into this hideous world, and sympathy for the weak, and love for the unhappy and unfortunate. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wyndham/i-shall-pray-god-to-send-charity-into-this-hideous-world-and-sympathy/)

[John Wyndham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wyndham/)

> [And I read the moral--A brave endeavour To do thy duty, whate'er its worth, Is better than life with love forever, And love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-jeffrey-roche/and-i-read-the-moral-a-brave-endeavour-to-do-thy-duty-whate-er-its/)

[James Jeffrey Roche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-jeffrey-roche/)

> [The world is a wonderfully weird place, consensual reality is significantly flawed, no institution can be trusted, certainty is a mirage, security a delusion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-world-is-a-wonderfully-weird-place-consensual-reality-is/)

[Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/)

> [You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/you-should-never-hate-anyone-even-your-worst-enemies-everyone-has/)

[Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/)

> [I rejoice that the reign of Christ is such, while it thrills the soul with emotions, and opens before the highest intellect the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-simpson/i-rejoice-that-the-reign-of-christ-is-such-while-it-thrills-the-soul/)

[Matthew Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-simpson/)

> [If you abide in the love of Christ, rooted in the faith, you will encounter, even amid setbacks and suffering, the source of true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/if-you-abide-in-the-love-of-christ-rooted-in-the-faith-you-will/)

[Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/)

[Browse all 2,635 And love quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/and-love/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If we have the potential to oppress or slay millions, it’s because we also have the potential to liberate and love millions.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Gregory A. Boyd"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/if-we-have-the-potential-to-oppress-or-slay-millions-it-s-because-we/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "And love"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/if-we-have-the-potential-to-oppress-or-slay-millions-it-s-because-we/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/285/gregory-a-boyd-9424_and-love_if-we-have-the-potential-to-oppress-or-s_3235794.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/285/gregory-a-boyd-9424_and-love_if-we-have-the-potential-to-oppress-or-s_3235794.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/285/gregory-a-boyd-9424_and-love_if-we-have-the-potential-to-oppress-or-s_3235794.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If we have the potential to oppress or slay millions, it’s because we also have the potential to liberate…” — Gregory A. Boyd",
                "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": "Gregory A. Boyd",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If we have the potential to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/if-we-have-the-potential-to-oppress-or-slay-millions-it-s-because-we/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/if-we-have-the-potential-to-oppress-or-slay-millions-it-s-because-we/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
