--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: His grandfather used to say that there…" description: "\"“His grandfather used to say that there were angels whom devils would greet on the street. If that were true, thought Parker, then let the devils raise..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b74/john-connolly-1479_devil_his-grandfather-used-to-say-that-there-w_1741786.jpg" --- # His grandfather used to say that there were angels whom… ![“His grandfather used to say that there were angels whom devils would greet on the street. If that were true, thought Parker, then let the devils raise their hats to him. It would just make them easier to identify and destroy.” quote by John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b74/john-connolly-1479_devil_his-grandfather-used-to-say-that-there-w_1741786.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b74/john-connolly-1479_devil_his-grandfather-used-to-say-that-there-w_1741786.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b74/john-connolly-1479_devil_his-grandfather-used-to-say-that-there-w_1741786.jpg) > ““His grandfather used to say that there were angels whom devils would greet on the street. If that were true, thought Parker, then let the devils raise their hats to him. It would just make them easier to identify and destroy.”” [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If angels and devils coexist, identifying the devils becomes easier, allowing their defeat. **In simple terms:** Seeing evil clearly helps eliminate it. Key Takeaway Identify and confront hidden threats. Themes morality perception conflict Mood cautious reflective Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - political intrigue - personal betrayal - social justice movements Key Concepts dualism ethics recognition Questions to Reflect On - What criteria do you use to label someone “evil”? - Can good and bad coexist in one person? A Different Perspective Assumes clear moral binaries that may oversimplify reality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) ## Related quotes > [ “\[...\] let us go with all our "devils" to the help of our "god"!” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nietzsche-friedrich-wilhelm/let-us-go-with-all-our-devils-to-the-help-of-our-god/) [Nietzsche Friedrich Wilhelm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nietzsche-friedrich-wilhelm/) > [The angels and the devils are definitely within us, not within the machines we use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dertouzos/the-angels-and-the-devils-are-definitely-within-us-not-within-the/) Michael Dertouzos > [We are not angels. Nor are we the devils you have made us out to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/we-are-not-angels-nor-are-we-the-devils-you-have-made-us-out-to-be/) [Slobodan Milosević](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/) > [It would be absurd if we did not understand both angels and devils, since we invented them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/it-would-be-absurd-if-we-did-not-understand-both-angels-and-devils/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“What I want I take if I can get it, and so I wrestle neither with angels nor devils”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/what-i-want-i-take-if-i-can-get-it-and-so-i-wrestle-neither-with/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [Take no repulse, whatever she doth say; For 'get you gone,' she doth not mean 'away.' Flatter and praise, commend, extol their graces; Though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/take-no-repulse-whatever-she-doth-say-for-get-you-gone-she-doth-not/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Revelation has a great deal to say about angels and demons. In fact, it talks about angels more than any other Bible book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hitchcock/revelation-has-a-great-deal-to-say-about-angels-and-demons-in-fact-it/) [Mark Hitchcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hitchcock/) > [I'm not a very spiritual guy when it comes to music. I remember hearing Carlos Santana say that angels helped him write his songs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-isaak/i-m-not-a-very-spiritual-guy-when-it-comes-to-music-i-remember/) [Chris Isaak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-isaak/) > [The angels and the archangels will help you with world peace to the degree it affects you. But they have to honor everyone's free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/the-angels-and-the-archangels-will-help-you-with-world-peace-to-the/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [“What a fine affair it would be if we could flit across the Atlantic as they say the angels do from planet to planet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/what-a-fine-affair-it-would-be-if-we-could-flit-across-the-atlantic/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Angels can recognize the nature of our unique essence on the basis of nothing more than a brief conversation with us. From hearing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-swedenborg/angels-can-recognize-the-nature-of-our-unique-essence-on-the-basis-of/) [Emanuel Swedenborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-swedenborg/) > [“God forgives. Nowhere did it say that angels had to. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-r-bedford/god-forgives-nowhere-did-it-say-that-angels-had-to-i/) Erin R. Bedford > [“Beauty is not only a terrible thing, it is also a mysterious thing. There God and the Devil strive for mastery, and the battleground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/beauty-is-not-only-a-terrible-thing-it-is-also-a-mysterious-thing/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [Alimony - the ransom that the happy pay to the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/alimony-the-ransom-that-the-happy-pay-to-the-devil/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) Michael Arnold ## More by John Connolly > [There is sometimes a feeling in crime fiction that good writing gets in the way of story. I have never felt that way. All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/there-is-sometimes-a-feeling-in-crime-fiction-that-good-writing-gets/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [He had quite liked the dwarfs. He often had no idea what they were talking about, but for a group of homicidal, class-obsessed small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/he-had-quite-liked-the-dwarfs-he-often-had-no-idea-what-they-were/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [I'm a ghost," said the small figure, then added, a little uncertainly, "Boo?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/i-m-a-ghost-said-the-small-figure-then-added-a-little-uncertainly-boo/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [“There is a price to be paid for everything, and it is a good idea to find out that price before you make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/there-is-a-price-to-be-paid-for-everything-and-it-is-a-good-idea-to/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [“She was a round, curvy woman who, for Parker, brought to mind a figure assembled from a selection of soft fruits. Aside”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/she-was-a-round-curvy-woman-who-for-parker-brought-to-mind-a-figure/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [“Prepare for the worst and you won’t be disappointed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/prepare-for-the-worst-and-you-won-t-be-disappointed/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [“When Louis relaxed, it was an indication that a threat was at hand and he was preparing to act, as when an archer releases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/when-louis-relaxed-it-was-an-indication-that-a-threat-was-at-hand-and/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [“The presence in the living room called to her, summoning her in a hundred voices and none, a great dissonant harmony alien yet familiar,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/the-presence-in-the-living-room-called-to-her-summoning-her-in-a/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [“Warraner would rather have been the king of nothing than the prince of something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/warraner-would-rather-have-been-the-king-of-nothing-than-the-prince/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [“had been like wandering into the wrong carnival sideshow, the kind that left one feeling sick and slightly soiled.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/had-been-like-wandering-into-the-wrong-carnival-sideshow-the-kind/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [“think you just like tethering goats.” “Well, be sure to tell me when your rope begins”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/think-you-just-like-tethering-goats-well-be-sure-to-tell-me-when-your/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [“David could tell, by looking at her face as she read, whether or not the story contained in the book was living inside her,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/david-could-tell-by-looking-at-her-face-as-she-read-whether-or-not/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [“Before she came ill, David's mother would often tell him that stories were alive. They weren't alive in the way that people were alive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/before-she-came-ill-david-s-mother-would-often-tell-him-that-stories/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [“Stories wanted to be read, David's mother would whisper. They needed it. It was the reason they forced themselves from their world into ours.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/stories-wanted-to-be-read-david-s-mother-would-whisper-they-needed-it/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [She was plump, with dyed red hair and a face so caked with cosmetics that the floor of the Amazon jungle probably saw more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/she-was-plump-with-dyed-red-hair-and-a-face-so-caked-with-cosmetics/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) [Explore all 232 John Connolly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) ## More Devil quotes > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) Michael Arnold > [Alimony - the ransom that the happy pay to the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/alimony-the-ransom-that-the-happy-pay-to-the-devil/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“Beauty is not only a terrible thing, it is also a mysterious thing. There God and the Devil strive for mastery, and the battleground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/beauty-is-not-only-a-terrible-thing-it-is-also-a-mysterious-thing/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [The devil has been defeated, stop trying to defeat him. What we have left is the fight of faith, and it's a good fight!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-oyakhilome/the-devil-has-been-defeated-stop-trying-to-defeat-him-what-we-have/) [Chris Oyakhilome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-oyakhilome/) > [You gonna take the case?" It's not a case. It's a missing person. Sort of." You're gonna have a devil of a time finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/you-gonna-take-the-case-it-s-not-a-case-it-s-a-missing-person-sort-of/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/your-head-s-like-mine-like-all-our-heads-big-enough-to-contain-every/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [And so it is, that both the Devil and the angelic Spirit present us with objects of desire to awaken our power of choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/and-so-it-is-that-both-the-devil-and-the-angelic-spirit-present-us/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Remember that Abraham Lincoln was a Whig far longer than he was a Republican. As a whole, the Whigs looked upon banks and corporations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-c-guelzo/remember-that-abraham-lincoln-was-a-whig-far-longer-than-he-was-a/) [Allen C. Guelzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-c-guelzo/) > [Wine is the first weapon that devils use in attacking the young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-jerome/wine-is-the-first-weapon-that-devils-use-in-attacking-the-young/) [St. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-jerome/) > [“I tend to agree with that little devil more and more these days.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/i-tend-to-agree-with-that-little-devil-more-and-more-these-days/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [This is the gift of your species and this is the danger, because you do not choose to control your imaginings. You imagine wonderful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/this-is-the-gift-of-your-species-and-this-is-the-danger-because-you/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [“The devil?” Jason heaved the tick over his shoulder like a collier with his sack. “Satan. The adversary. The enemy of the plan of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/the-devil-jason-heaved-the-tick-over-his-shoulder-like-a-collier-with/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [God never talks. But the devil keeps advertising, Father. The devil does a lot of commercials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/god-never-talks-but-the-devil-keeps-advertising-father-the-devil-does/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [If it was a sin for you to choose me . . . then I would go to the Devil himself and bless him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/if-it-was-a-sin-for-you-to-choose-me-then-i-would-go-to-the-devil/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist”—Charles Baudelaire “The second greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/the-greatest-trick-the-devil-ever-pulled-was-convincing-the-world-he/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) [Browse all 4,283 Devil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“His grandfather used to say that there were angels whom devils would greet on the street. 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