--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As any sin passes through its stages from…" description: "\"As any sin passes through its stages from temptation, to toleration, to approval, its name is first euphemized, then avoided, then forgotten. A colleag..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/j-budziszewski-31468_approval_as-any-sin-passes-through-its-stages-fro_2452657.jpg" --- # As any sin passes through its stages from temptation, to… ![“As any sin passes through its stages from temptation, to toleration, to approval, its name is first euphemized, then avoided, then forgotten. A colleague tells me that some of his fellow legal scholars call child molestation "intergenerational intimacy": that's euphemism. A good-hearted editor…” quote by J. Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/j-budziszewski-31468_approval_as-any-sin-passes-through-its-stages-fro_2452657.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/j-budziszewski-31468_approval_as-any-sin-passes-through-its-stages-fro_2452657.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/j-budziszewski-31468_approval_as-any-sin-passes-through-its-stages-fro_2452657.jpg) > “As any sin passes through its stages from temptation, to toleration, to approval, its name is first euphemized, then avoided, then forgotten. A colleague tells me that some of his fellow legal scholars call child molestation "intergenerational intimacy": that's euphemism. A good-hearted editor tried to talk me out of using the term "sodomy": that's avoidance. My students don't know the word "fornication" at all: that's forgetfulness.” [J. Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Words describing wrongdoing become softened, ignored, or erased as society normalizes the act, obscuring its moral gravity. **In simple terms:** Euphemisms hide the true nature of sins. Key Takeaway Recognize and name wrongdoing plainly. Themes ethics language social norms morality law Mood critical reflective Type analytical ethical When to use this quote - legal education - public policy - media discourse - teaching ethics Key Concepts euphemism cognitive dissonance normalization Questions to Reflect On - How does language shape our perception of wrongdoing? - When is softened language justified? A Different Perspective Euphemisms can also protect victims by reducing stigma, complicating the issue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Approval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approval/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Colleagues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colleagues/) [Euphemism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/euphemism/) [Forgetfulness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgetfulness/) [Good hearted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-hearted/) [Intimacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intimacy/) [Molestation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/molestation/) [Scholar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scholar/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Temptation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temptation/) [Toleration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toleration/) ## Related quotes > [“In all the interviews I have done, I cannot remember one offender who did not admit privately to more victims than those for whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-all-the-interviews-i-have-done-i-cannot-remember-one-offender-who/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nothing leads more directly to the breach of charity, and to the injury and molestation of our fellow-creatures, than the indulgence of an ill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-blair/nothing-leads-more-directly-to-the-breach-of-charity-and-to-the/) [Hugh Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-blair/) > [I think trauma gets a reductive treatment. We tend to think only violence or molestation or total abandonment qualify as "childhood trauma," but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-febos/i-think-trauma-gets-a-reductive-treatment-we-tend-to-think-only/) [Melissa Febos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-febos/) > [“I should meet many people who do not know anyone personally who has been raped or molested as a child. But I can't remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-salter/i-should-meet-many-people-who-do-not-know-anyone-personally-who-has/) [Anna Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-salter/) > [So often with beginning writers, the story that they want to start with is the most important story of their life - my molestation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/so-often-with-beginning-writers-the-story-that-they-want-to-start/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [When I was five years old I was molested and just, you know. I remember feeling, literally right before it happened, I just could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/when-i-was-five-years-old-i-was-molested-and-just-you-know-i-remember/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [I've told Michael Jackson jokes. If you got really technical, you could say those are jokes about child molestation. You could, if you got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/i-ve-told-michael-jackson-jokes-if-you-got-really-technical-you-could/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [“Nothing is more beautiful than freedom, and nothing more grotesque than its molestation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/nothing-is-more-beautiful-than-freedom-and-nothing-more-grotesque/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [So Long as we do not harm others we should be free to think, speak, act, & live as we see fit, without molestation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/so-long-as-we-do-not-harm-others-we-should-be-free-to-think-speak-act/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [“Along with the trust issues, one of the hardest parts to deal with is the feeling of not being believed or supported, especially by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-merryn/along-with-the-trust-issues-one-of-the-hardest-parts-to-deal-with-is/) [Erin Merryn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-merryn/) > [ Well let me tell you what \[High School Musical\] is really about. High School Musical is about this group of boys who are all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/well-let-me-tell-you-what-high-school-musical-is-really-about-high/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [This House cannot function without an open, accountable, and independent ethics process; and the molestation of that process by the majority is an abuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-slaughter/this-house-cannot-function-without-an-open-accountable-and/) [Louise Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-slaughter/) > [Twenty-one years ago, when I first heard Mia Farrow had accused me of child molestation, I found the idea so ludicrous I didn't give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/twenty-one-years-ago-when-i-first-heard-mia-farrow-had-accused-me-of/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [Wars are to be undertaken in order that it may be possible to live in peace without molestation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/wars-are-to-be-undertaken-in-order-that-it-may-be-possible-to-live-in/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [A captured pirate was brought before Alexander the Great. “How dare you molest the sea?” asked Alexander. “How dare you molest the whole world?”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/a-captured-pirate-was-brought-before-alexander-the-great-how-dare-you/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More by J. Budziszewski > [“...a marriage with Christ at the center of it pulls you right out of yourself. It teaches each partner, the husband and the wife,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski/a-marriage-with-christ-at-the-center-of-it-pulls-you-right-out-of/) [J. Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski/) > [“Courage requires not mere fearlessness but a right estimate of what things are worth fighting for; in”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski/courage-requires-not-mere-fearlessness-but-a-right-estimate-of-what/) [J. Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski/) > [“A wise man governs his eyes, not because it is wrong to delight in beauty, but because otherwise his delight may suffer transmutation into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski/a-wise-man-governs-his-eyes-not-because-it-is-wrong-to-delight-in/) [J. Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski/) > [As to the latter point - that by having a child in America you are somehow starving a child in Bangladesh - remember that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski/as-to-the-latter-point-that-by-having-a-child-in-america-you-are/) [J. Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski/) > [The whole meaning of morality is a rule that we ought to obey whether we like it or not. If so, then the idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski/the-whole-meaning-of-morality-is-a-rule-that-we-ought-to-obey-whether/) [J. Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski/) > [“Jesus, I am sorry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski/jesus-i-am-sorry/) [J. Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski/) > [Depraved conscience turns out to be as different from genuine ignorance as it is from honest recognition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski/depraved-conscience-turns-out-to-be-as-different-from-genuine/) [J. Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski/) > [“He is what He is and there was never a time when he wasn't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski/he-is-what-he-is-and-there-was-never-a-time-when-he-wasn-t/) [J. Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski/) > [To be evil at all, Satan needs good things he can abuse, things like intelligence, power and will. Those good things come from God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski/to-be-evil-at-all-satan-needs-good-things-he-can-abuse-things-like/) [J. Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski/) > [To say that we cannot know anything about God is to say something about God; it is to say that if there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski/to-say-that-we-cannot-know-anything-about-god-is-to-say-something/) [J. Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski/) > [“We are put together in such a way that although we can be pushed and pulled and drowsied by flickering images, we cannot be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski/we-are-put-together-in-such-a-way-that-although-we-can-be-pushed-and/) [J. Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski/) > [“Though it always comes as a surprise to intellectuals, there are some forms of stupidity that one must be highly intelligent and educated to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski/though-it-always-comes-as-a-surprise-to-intellectuals-there-are-some/) [J. Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski/) > [“Justice requires acute perception of what is really due to the other person; in”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski/justice-requires-acute-perception-of-what-is-really-due-to-the-other/) [J. Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski/) > [There are some forms of stupidity that one must be highly intelligent and educated to achieve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski/there-are-some-forms-of-stupidity-that-one-must-be-highly-intelligent/) [J. Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski/) > [Your worldview has to have the same shape that reality does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski/your-worldview-has-to-have-the-same-shape-that-reality-does/) [J. Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski/) [Explore all 16 J. Budziszewski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski/) ## More Approval quotes > [Anyone who's read my 'Terror in the Skies' series knows that I have not been writing with an eye toward approval from any government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-jacobsen/anyone-who-s-read-my-terror-in-the-skies-series-knows-that-i-have-not/) [Annie Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-jacobsen/) > [we need not avoid our active lives, but simply bring to them a new vision and shift of gravity. for in the center we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/we-need-not-avoid-our-active-lives-but-simply-bring-to-them-a-new/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [Lean too much on the approval of people, and it becomes a bed of thorns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tehyi-hsieh/lean-too-much-on-the-approval-of-people-and-it-becomes-a-bed-of-thorns/) [Tehyi Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tehyi-hsieh/) > [But I always reassure them that as far as my contractual rights can go, I will protect them and make sure that they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-roach/but-i-always-reassure-them-that-as-far-as-my-contractual-rights-can/) [Jay Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-roach/) > [Growing up in that fashion is a breeding ground for insecurity and doubt; it also leaves you questioning motives. It took me a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-runyon/growing-up-in-that-fashion-is-a-breeding-ground-for-insecurity-and/) [Damon Runyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-runyon/) > [A year ago, my approval rating was in the 30s, my nominee for the supreme court had just withdrawn, and my vice president had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/a-year-ago-my-approval-rating-was-in-the-30s-my-nominee-for-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Approval is a greater motivator than disapproval, but we have to disapprove on occasion when we correct. It’s necessary. I make corrections only after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/approval-is-a-greater-motivator-than-disapproval-but-we-have-to/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [These days people are mean to people just because they don't like the way they look. No-one should be hated because of their flaws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/these-days-people-are-mean-to-people-just-because-they-don-t-like-the/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [I got this emptiness inside that got me fighting for approval because I missed out on my daddy saying, Way to Go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/i-got-this-emptiness-inside-that-got-me-fighting-for-approval-because/) [Lecrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) > [My dad taught me swears when I was a toddler, and I saw, at a really early age, that if I shocked people, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roseanne-barr/my-dad-taught-me-swears-when-i-was-a-toddler-and-i-saw-at-a-really/) [Roseanne Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roseanne-barr/) > [If torture is going to be administered as a last resort in the ticking-bomb case, to save enormous numbers of lives, it ought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/if-torture-is-going-to-be-administered-as-a-last-resort-in-the/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [Comedy is a very approval-oriented field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/comedy-is-a-very-approval-oriented-field/) [Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/) > [Whenever you are too worried about someone else's approval, that person loses respect for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-argov/whenever-you-are-too-worried-about-someone-else-s-approval-that/) [Sherry Argov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-argov/) > [Pleasure is Nature's test, her sign of approval.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/pleasure-is-nature-s-test-her-sign-of-approval/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Do you really mean the only reason you try to be good is to gain God's approval and reward? That's not morality, that's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/do-you-really-mean-the-only-reason-you-try-to-be-good-is-to-gain-god/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) [Browse all 904 Approval quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approval/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As any sin passes through its stages from temptation, to toleration, to approval, its name is first euphemized, then avoided, then forgotten. A colleague tells me that some of his fellow legal scholars call child molestation \"intergenerational intimacy\": that's euphemism. A good-hearted editor tried to talk me out of using the term \"sodomy\": that's avoidance. My students don't know the word \"fornication\" at all: that's forgetfulness.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J. 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