---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What was once justified as sanctioned by…"
description: "\"What was once justified as sanctioned by God is now properly reviled as an unconscionable violation of human rights.\" — Hillary Clinton"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96f/hillary-clinton-51_human-rights_what-was-once-justified-as-sanctioned-by_311509.jpg"
---

#  What was once justified as sanctioned by God is now…

![“What was once justified as sanctioned by God is now properly reviled as an unconscionable violation of human rights.” quote by Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96f/hillary-clinton-51_human-rights_what-was-once-justified-as-sanctioned-by_311509.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96f/hillary-clinton-51_human-rights_what-was-once-justified-as-sanctioned-by_311509.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96f/hillary-clinton-51_human-rights_what-was-once-justified-as-sanctioned-by_311509.jpg)

> “What was once justified as sanctioned by God is now properly reviled as an unconscionable violation of human rights.”

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

## About This Quote

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

Actions once deemed divinely sanctioned are now condemned as human rights violations.

**In simple terms:** Past justifications now seen as violations.

Key Takeaway

Reevaluate moral frameworks over time.

Themes

ethics human rights historical revision

Mood

critical reflective

Type

political ethical

When to use this quote

- policy making
- human rights advocacy
- educational curricula

Key Concepts

religious authority legal standards

Questions to Reflect On

- How to reconcile past beliefs with modern ethics?
- What role should religion play in law?

A Different Perspective

Changing norms can cause cultural conflict.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Human rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-rights/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Justified](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justified/) [Justified Sanctioned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justified-sanctioned-2955946/) [Lgbt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lgbt/) [Reviled Unconscionable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reviled-unconscionable-2955947/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Sanctioned God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sanctioned-god-2955945/) [Unconscionable Violation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unconscionable-violation-2955944/) [Violation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violation/) [Violation Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violation-human-2955948/) [Violation of human rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violation-of-human-rights/)

## Related quotes

> [It is a violation of human rights when governments declare it illegal to be gay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/it-is-a-violation-of-human-rights-when-governments-declare-it-illegal/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [“Conquest by force is not sanctioned by God. The Americans have no right to be here. We will defeat them because we believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-sionil-jos/conquest-by-force-is-not-sanctioned-by-god-the-americans-have-no/)

[F. Sionil José](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-sionil-jos/)

> [“There's a strong message of divine righteousness in dictatorships. Every megalomaniac has to believe his actions are sanctioned by God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-gamalinda/there-s-a-strong-message-of-divine-righteousness-in-dictatorships/)

[Eric Gamalinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-gamalinda/)

> [The roots of all conflicts could be traced to the violation of human rights. When we think of violation of human rights, it need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-joseph-benziger/the-roots-of-all-conflicts-could-be-traced-to-the-violation-of-human/)

[T Joseph Benziger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-joseph-benziger/)

> [“Man is Nature's most wonderful creature. Torturing him, crushing him, murdering him for his beliefs and ideas is more than a violation of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armando-valladares/man-is-nature-s-most-wonderful-creature-torturing-him-crushing-him/)

[Armando Valladares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armando-valladares/)

> [The more I wrote, the more I became a human being. The writing may have seemed monstrous (to some) for it was a violation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/the-more-i-wrote-the-more-i-became-a-human-being-the-writing-may-have/)

[Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/)

> [“It is a violation of human rights when babies are denied food, or drowned, or suffocated, or their spines broken, simply because they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/it-is-a-violation-of-human-rights-when-babies-are-denied-food-or/)

[Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/)

> [Dear Youth, please understand that we should avoid completely even small instances of violation of human rights, at our homes, towns, public places, organizations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-joseph-benziger/dear-youth-please-understand-that-we-should-avoid-completely-even/)

[T Joseph Benziger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-joseph-benziger/)

> [The situation of the Salvadorian people is terrible; all their rights are violated. There is a direct violation against the human person, a violation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-julia-hernandez/the-situation-of-the-salvadorian-people-is-terrible-all-their-rights/)

[Maria Julia Hernandez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-julia-hernandez/)

> [The United States has given frequent and enthusiastic support to the overthrow of democracy in favor of "investor friendly" regimes. The World Bank, IMF,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-s-herman/the-united-states-has-given-frequent-and-enthusiastic-support-to-the/)

[Edward S. Herman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-s-herman/)

> [Violence against women continues to persist as one of the most heinous, systematic and prevalent human rights abuses in the world. It is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/violence-against-women-continues-to-persist-as-one-of-the-most/)

[Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/)

> [The disgraceful and shameful construction of walls, the increasing enforcement of security systems and increasing violation of human rights and labor rights will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicente-fox/the-disgraceful-and-shameful-construction-of-walls-the-increasing/)

[Vicente Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicente-fox/)

> [“If the law doesn't protect the people, the people protect themselves by breaking the law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamerlan-kuzgov/if-the-law-doesn-t-protect-the-people-the-people-protect-themselves/)

[Tamerlan Kuzgov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamerlan-kuzgov/)

> [I'm very careful not to isolate Israel on this but to make this part of a transformed foreign policy where we apply the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-m-very-careful-not-to-isolate-israel-on-this-but-to-make-this-part/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [World peace is threatened not only by weapons of mass destruction but also by conventional weapons which have led to countless violations of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-maurice-de-zayas/world-peace-is-threatened-not-only-by-weapons-of-mass-destruction-but/)

[Alfred-Maurice de Zayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-maurice-de-zayas/)

## More by Hillary Clinton

> [When it comes to bullying small businesses, Donald Trump is the poster boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-it-comes-to-bullying-small-businesses-donald-trump-is-the-poster/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [I'm going to do everything I can to get myself elected, but that's not enough. I'm going to try to help move the Senate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-m-going-to-do-everything-i-can-to-get-myself-elected-but-that-s-not/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [I think we have to take a look at corporate law. We have to take a look at the incentives that we can perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-think-we-have-to-take-a-look-at-corporate-law-we-have-to-take-a/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [I am somewhat influenced by the years that I've spent trying to actually get things done, whether it was reforming education in Arkansas or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-am-somewhat-influenced-by-the-years-that-i-ve-spent-trying-to/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [We know in New York we have several million at any one time who are in New York illegally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-know-in-new-york-we-have-several-million-at-any-one-time-who-are/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [I have always believed that women are not victims, we are agents of change, we are drivers of progress, we are makers of peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-have-always-believed-that-women-are-not-victims-we-are-agents-of/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [I have clearly said we faced terrorist enemies who use Islam to justify slaughtering innocent people and we have to stop them and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-have-clearly-said-we-faced-terrorist-enemies-who-use-islam-to/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [If I had lost the popular vote but won the electoral college and in my first day as president the intelligence community came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/if-i-had-lost-the-popular-vote-but-won-the-electoral-college-and-in/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [We now have power under the Dodd-Frank legislation to break up banks. And I've said I will use that power if they pose a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-now-have-power-under-the-dodd-frank-legislation-to-break-up-banks/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [I am not going to make promises I can't keep. I am not going to talk about big ideas like single-payer and then not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-am-not-going-to-make-promises-i-can-t-keep-i-am-not-going-to-talk/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [It's important to recognize that expanding the circle of opportunity and increasing the democratic potential of our own society, as well as those across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/it-s-important-to-recognize-that-expanding-the-circle-of-opportunity/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [We're living in a technological world. You cannot tell me we can't do a better job getting that information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-re-living-in-a-technological-world-you-cannot-tell-me-we-can-t-do/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [I do not think homosexuality is immoral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-do-not-think-homosexuality-is-immoral/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [We need to have more second chance programs. I'm glad that we're ending private prisons in the federal system; I want to see them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-need-to-have-more-second-chance-programs-i-m-glad-that-we-re/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [A nuclear-weapons armed Iran is not in anyone's human-rights interests. That is a direct threat to the lives and the livelihoods and the stability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/a-nuclear-weapons-armed-iran-is-not-in-anyone-s-human-rights/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

[Explore all 1,911 Hillary Clinton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

## More Human rights quotes

> [I found out about Sister Song through Poppy Liu, who's on the show 'Hacks.' Reproductive rights are human rights, and I wanted to shine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/i-found-out-about-sister-song-through-poppy-liu-who-s-on-the-show/)

[Ayo Edebiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/)

> [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/)

[Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/)

> [I want a society free of human trafficking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anuradha-koirala/i-want-a-society-free-of-human-trafficking/)

[Anuradha Koirala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anuradha-koirala/)

> [“. The understanding that what is good supports basic human rights and anything that threatens it is bad. We do not need a supernatural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/the-understanding-that-what-is-good-supports-basic-human-rights-and/)

[Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/)

> [“Whatever happened in those more than one hundred years, from the time my great-great-great grandfather studied law to the time when my own father…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwenn-wright/whatever-happened-in-those-more-than-one-hundred-years-from-the-time/)

[Gwenn Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwenn-wright/)

> [When history looks back, I want people to know the Nazis weren't able to kill millions of people and get away with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-wiesenthal/when-history-looks-back-i-want-people-to-know-the-nazis-weren-t-able/)

[Simon Wiesenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-wiesenthal/)

> [UN peacekeeping operations are now increasingly complex and multi-dimensional, going beyond monitoring a ceasefire to actually bringing failed States back to life, often after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/un-peacekeeping-operations-are-now-increasingly-complex-and-multi/)

[Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/)

> [Its up to any government to decide how to react to the denial of basic human rights anywhere in the world, including Egypt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/its-up-to-any-government-to-decide-how-to-react-to-the-denial-of/)

[Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/)

> [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/)

[Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/)

> [Currently, the United States provides 22 percent of the U.N. annual budgets, over $900 million in fiscal year 2007, and some of that funding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mccaul/currently-the-united-states-provides-22-percent-of-the-u-n-annual/)

[Michael McCaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mccaul/)

> [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/)

[Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/)

> [America should be leading the world in green and clean solutions, and human rights. We shouldn't be leading the world in wars and incarceration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/america-should-be-leading-the-world-in-green-and-clean-solutions-and/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

> [Human rights they legalize rum &amp; cigarettes, legalize gays &amp; lesbian rights, the next thing coming is legalizing weed. Our way of life keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/human-rights-they-legalize-rum-cigarettes-legalize-gays-lesbian/)

[Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/)

> [When we struggle for human rights, for freedom, for dignity, when we feel that it is a ministry of the church to concern itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-we-struggle-for-human-rights-for-freedom-for-dignity-when-we/)

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

> [A nuclear-weapons armed Iran is not in anyone's human-rights interests. That is a direct threat to the lives and the livelihoods and the stability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/a-nuclear-weapons-armed-iran-is-not-in-anyone-s-human-rights/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

[Browse all 2,241 Human rights quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-rights/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "What was once justified as sanctioned by God is now properly reviled as an unconscionable violation of human rights.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Hillary Clinton"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/what-was-once-justified-as-sanctioned-by-god-is-now-properly-reviled/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Human rights"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/what-was-once-justified-as-sanctioned-by-god-is-now-properly-reviled/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96f/hillary-clinton-51_human-rights_what-was-once-justified-as-sanctioned-by_311509.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96f/hillary-clinton-51_human-rights_what-was-once-justified-as-sanctioned-by_311509.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96f/hillary-clinton-51_human-rights_what-was-once-justified-as-sanctioned-by_311509.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“What was once justified as sanctioned by God is now properly reviled as an unconscionable violation of human…” — Hillary Clinton",
                "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": "Hillary Clinton",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "What was once justified as sanctioned...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/what-was-once-justified-as-sanctioned-by-god-is-now-properly-reviled/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/what-was-once-justified-as-sanctioned-by-god-is-now-properly-reviled/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
