---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I thought...it was easy when I thought it…"
description: "\"“I thought...it was easy when I thought it was something to do with the flesh. But what I'm seeing is more than that. It's love, and love isn't a sin. ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/596/joey-w-hill-2643_gay-romance_i-thought-it-was-easy-when-i-thought-it_1678300.jpg"
---

#  I thought...it was easy when I thought it was something to…

![“I thought...it was easy when I thought it was something to do with the flesh. But what I'm seeing is more than that. It's love, and love isn't a sin. So how can God be so cruel as to give that feeling to two men or two women if it's a sin? I've always believed God to be compassionate. Loving.” quote by Joey W. Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/596/joey-w-hill-2643_gay-romance_i-thought-it-was-easy-when-i-thought-it_1678300.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/596/joey-w-hill-2643_gay-romance_i-thought-it-was-easy-when-i-thought-it_1678300.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/596/joey-w-hill-2643_gay-romance_i-thought-it-was-easy-when-i-thought-it_1678300.jpg)

> ““I thought...it was easy when I thought it was something to do with the flesh. But what I'm seeing is more than that. It's love, and love isn't a sin. So how can God be so cruel as to give that feeling to two men or two women if it's a sin? I've always believed God to be compassionate. Loving.””

[Joey W. Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-w-hill/)

## About This Quote

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

Love transcends gender and sin; divine compassion embraces all, challenging punitive interpretations.

**In simple terms:** Love is divine, not sinful.

Key Takeaway

Advocate inclusive belief.

Themes

love faith identity inclusion

Mood

thoughtful empathetic

Type

spiritual activist

When to use this quote

- church counseling
- activism
- personal relationships
- faith communities

Key Concepts

theology LGBTQ+ rights compassion

Questions to Reflect On

- How can faith communities reconcile love with doctrine?
- What role does compassion play in theology?

A Different Perspective

Traditional doctrines may resist change.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Compassionate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassionate/) [Compassionate Loving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassionate-loving-470402/) [Gay-romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay-romance/) [God Compassionate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-compassionate-308307/) [God Cruel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-cruel-895695/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Loving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loving/)

## Related quotes

> [God is compassionate and just, loving and holy, wrathful and forgiving. WE can't sideline His more difficult attributes to make room for the palatable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/god-is-compassionate-and-just-loving-and-holy-wrathful-and-forgiving/)

[Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/)

> [People who think of God as a warrior may become warriors themselves, whether in a Christian crusade, a Muslim jihad, or an apocalyptically oriented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/people-who-think-of-god-as-a-warrior-may-become-warriors-themselves/)

[Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/)

> [Jesus disclosed that God is compassionate. Jesus spoke of God that way: "Be compassionate, as God is compassionate." Compassion is the primary quality of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/jesus-disclosed-that-god-is-compassionate-jesus-spoke-of-god-that-way/)

[Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/)

> [“Compassion isn't just about feeling the pain of others; it's about bringing them in toward yourself. If we love what God loves, then, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-boyle/compassion-isn-t-just-about-feeling-the-pain-of-others-it-s-about/)

[Gregory Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-boyle/)

> [South Africans are caring, compassionate and loving people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrice-motsepe/south-africans-are-caring-compassionate-and-loving-people/)

[Patrice Motsepe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrice-motsepe/)

> [The best things in life such as love, laughter, sincere friendship, loyalty and compassion, are freely available but at the same time they couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chandrababu-vs/the-best-things-in-life-such-as-love-laughter-sincere-friendship/)

[Chandrababu VS](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chandrababu-vs/)

> [To think that God is compassionate is a terrible mistake. To think that God is wrathful is equally stupid. God isn't emotional. You are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/to-think-that-god-is-compassionate-is-a-terrible-mistake-to-think/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [One of God's central qualities is compassion, a word that in Hebrew is related to the word for "womb." Not only is compassion a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/one-of-god-s-central-qualities-is-compassion-a-word-that-in-hebrew-is/)

[Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/)

> [“Fred Rogers was not just a compassionate human being; he was a practicing Christian who firmly believed that human compassion has its ultimate source…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-long/fred-rogers-was-not-just-a-compassionate-human-being-he-was-a/)

[Michael G. Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-long/)

> [God the Compassionate and the Merciful, Tolerance incarnate, allows Mammon to have his nine days' wonder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/god-the-compassionate-and-the-merciful-tolerance-incarnate-allows/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [Verily, God is Compassionate and is fond of compassion, and He gives to the compassionate what He does not give to the harsh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad/verily-god-is-compassionate-and-is-fond-of-compassion-and-he-gives-to/)

[Muhammad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad/)

> [It ill becomes us to invoke in our daily prayers the blessings of God, the Compassionate, if we in turn will not practice elementary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/it-ill-becomes-us-to-invoke-in-our-daily-prayers-the-blessings-of-god/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [“When Moses was on the mountaintop, he discovered why God kept putting up with His rebellious, complaining children: God was “compassionate and gracious, slow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kendrick/when-moses-was-on-the-mountaintop-he-discovered-why-god-kept-putting/)

[Stephen Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kendrick/)

> [When we are in touch with God's joy and peace in us, then we become whole and holy persons. Like living torches we radiate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/when-we-are-in-touch-with-god-s-joy-and-peace-in-us-then-we-become/)

[Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/)

> [“This time, recall being loving, compassionate. It could be loving or compassionate toward a person, a pet, or something else. Any affectionate feeling, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-t-lusk/this-time-recall-being-loving-compassionate-it-could-be-loving-or/)

[Julie T. Lusk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-t-lusk/)

## More by Joey W. Hill

> [“You need to fight with someone...You call on me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-w-hill/you-need-to-fight-with-someone-you-call-on-me/)

[Joey W. Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-w-hill/)

> [“I'll say this one more time. I will be gentle. I will be slow. But you don't have the reins.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-w-hill/i-ll-say-this-one-more-time-i-will-be-gentle-i-will-be-slow-but-you/)

[Joey W. Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-w-hill/)

> [“You think I ever expected to find a woman with so many of the things I wanted in a relationship? Your sexual nature, your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-w-hill/you-think-i-ever-expected-to-find-a-woman-with-so-many-of-the-things/)

[Joey W. Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-w-hill/)

> [“Tell him... You think it's kinder not to, but it isn't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-w-hill/tell-him-you-think-it-s-kinder-not-to-but-it-isn-t/)

[Joey W. Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-w-hill/)

> [“ That's when I got it. The rough canvas. God paints our bodies over that, over our heart and soul. It's the eyes that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-w-hill/that-s-when-i-got-it-the-rough-canvas-god-paints-our-bodies-over-that/)

[Joey W. Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-w-hill/)

> [“I can't believe I agreed to this shit. One minute I feel like some lovesick fool; then I remember that kiss, the way you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-w-hill/i-can-t-believe-i-agreed-to-this-shit-one-minute-i-feel-like-some/)

[Joey W. Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-w-hill/)

> [“Tell me you're not going to do anything stupid." "I'm not that kind of guy, Peter." "Not usually, no. But I've seen the look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-w-hill/tell-me-you-re-not-going-to-do-anything-stupid-i-m-not-that-kind-of/)

[Joey W. Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-w-hill/)

> [“ Oh, for Christ's sake. Nothing is going to make your boy straight, Elaine. I didn't drag him into anything. But you're absolutely right.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-w-hill/oh-for-christ-s-sake-nothing-is-going-to-make-your-boy-straight/)

[Joey W. Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-w-hill/)

> [“Thomas eyed the array of hair products on the corner of the tub and snorted. "God, I forget sometimes how gay you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-w-hill/thomas-eyed-the-array-of-hair-products-on-the-corner-of-the-tub-and/)

[Joey W. Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-w-hill/)

> [“The only thing that ever scared him was finding out there was something he couldn't do, so he damn well made sure there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-w-hill/the-only-thing-that-ever-scared-him-was-finding-out-there-was/)

[Joey W. Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-w-hill/)

> [“He understood that she’d always believed herself cursed, his angel. That she lived on stolen time. That she deserved nothing..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-w-hill/he-understood-that-she-d-always-believed-herself-cursed-his-angel/)

[Joey W. Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-w-hill/)

> [“I held her in my arms last night," he said quietly. "And when I felt her every response, I thought, 'There's nothing else I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-w-hill/i-held-her-in-my-arms-last-night-he-said-quietly-and-when-i-felt-her/)

[Joey W. Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-w-hill/)

> [“Little things matter far more than big ones. We remember them longer. We can’t control the big things. If you think about what’s happened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-w-hill/little-things-matter-far-more-than-big-ones-we-remember-them-longer/)

[Joey W. Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-w-hill/)

> [“I have the right to try to overcome the challenges in my own life, she continued fiercely. Who's to say that's not what makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-w-hill/i-have-the-right-to-try-to-overcome-the-challenges-in-my-own-life-she/)

[Joey W. Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-w-hill/)

> [“Can I get back to fucking your brains out now?" Thomas grinned. "You forget how to be a Master? Why are you asking?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-w-hill/can-i-get-back-to-fucking-your-brains-out-now-thomas-grinned-you/)

[Joey W. Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-w-hill/)

[Explore all 156 Joey W. Hill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-w-hill/)

## More Compassionate quotes

> [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/)

[Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/)

> [More compassionate mind, more sense of concern for other's well-being, is source of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/more-compassionate-mind-more-sense-of-concern-for-other-s-well-being/)

[Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/)

> [A hard heart makes for hard judgments; a compassionate heart understands the humanity of the one we presume to judge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/a-hard-heart-makes-for-hard-judgments-a-compassionate-heart/)

[Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/)

> [“Seeing human suffering changes you. It either makes you compassionate or it makes you hard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-wilson-howarth/seeing-human-suffering-changes-you-it-either-makes-you-compassionate/)

[Jane Wilson-Howarth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-wilson-howarth/)

> [It has been hard to muster the resources to support fledgling democracies and to intervene on behalf of the most desperate. The AIDS orphans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/it-has-been-hard-to-muster-the-resources-to-support-fledgling/)

[Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/)

> [It is not enough to be compassionate, we must act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-not-enough-to-be-compassionate-we-must-act/)

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

> [God is compassionate and just, loving and holy, wrathful and forgiving. WE can't sideline His more difficult attributes to make room for the palatable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/god-is-compassionate-and-just-loving-and-holy-wrathful-and-forgiving/)

[Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/)

> [ \[Chinese\] are a huge empire now, you'll soon be - in a few years two billion people in the world. So, you should be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/chinese-are-a-huge-empire-now-you-ll-soon-be-in-a-few-years-two/)

[Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/)

> [I love the idea of the teachings of Jesus Christ and the beautiful stories about it, which I loved in Sunday school and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/i-love-the-idea-of-the-teachings-of-jesus-christ-and-the-beautiful/)

[Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/)

> [If the photographer is interested in the people in front of his lens, and if he is compassionate, it's already a lot. The instrument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-arnold/if-the-photographer-is-interested-in-the-people-in-front-of-his-lens/)

[Eve Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-arnold/)

> [Those who grieve frequently find themselves alone. Missed is the laughter of children, the commotion of teenagers, and the tender, loving concern of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/those-who-grieve-frequently-find-themselves-alone-missed-is-the/)

[Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/)

> [The logical conclusion to a compassionate and respectful relationship to sentient animals is that we stop eating them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-balcombe/the-logical-conclusion-to-a-compassionate-and-respectful-relationship/)

[Jonathan Balcombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-balcombe/)

> [Nothing is more urgent than a serious, dare I say compassionate, debate as to where we are going at home and abroad. Technicians cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/nothing-is-more-urgent-than-a-serious-dare-i-say-compassionate-debate/)

[Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/)

> [“The kindness sent from one compassionate soul to another during the time of loss of one held so dear allows the sorrow-filled heart to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-friedenfeld/the-kindness-sent-from-one-compassionate-soul-to-another-during-the/)

[Molly Friedenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-friedenfeld/)

> [A strong person is not meant to be insensitive. He might be compassionate and loving. But, he relentlessly fights for the things he thinks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-strong-person-is-not-meant-to-be-insensitive-he-might-be/)

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

[Browse all 1,064 Compassionate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassionate/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“I thought...it was easy when I thought it was something to do with the flesh. But what I'm seeing is more than that. It's love, and love isn't a sin. So how can God be so cruel as to give that feeling to two men or two women if it's a sin? I've always believed God to be compassionate. Loving.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Joey W. Hill"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-w-hill/i-thought-it-was-easy-when-i-thought-it-was-something-to-do-with-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Compassionate"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-w-hill/i-thought-it-was-easy-when-i-thought-it-was-something-to-do-with-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/596/joey-w-hill-2643_gay-romance_i-thought-it-was-easy-when-i-thought-it_1678300.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/596/joey-w-hill-2643_gay-romance_i-thought-it-was-easy-when-i-thought-it_1678300.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/596/joey-w-hill-2643_gay-romance_i-thought-it-was-easy-when-i-thought-it_1678300.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I thought...it was easy when I thought it was something to do with the flesh. But what I'm seeing is more…” — Joey W. Hill",
                "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": "Joey W. Hill",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-w-hill/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I thought...it was easy when I...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-w-hill/i-thought-it-was-easy-when-i-thought-it-was-something-to-do-with-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-w-hill/i-thought-it-was-easy-when-i-thought-it-was-something-to-do-with-the/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
