--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: With our sympathy for the wrongdoer we…" description: "\"With our sympathy for the wrongdoer we need the old Puritan and Quaker hatred of wrongdoing; with our just tolerance of men and opinions a righteous ab..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/327/john-greenleaf-whittier-2061_abhorrence_with-our-sympathy-for-the-wrongdoer-we-n_2505692.png" --- # With our sympathy for the wrongdoer we need the old… ![“With our sympathy for the wrongdoer we need the old Puritan and Quaker hatred of wrongdoing; with our just tolerance of men and opinions a righteous abhorrence of sin.” quote by John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/327/john-greenleaf-whittier-2061_abhorrence_with-our-sympathy-for-the-wrongdoer-we-n_2505692.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/327/john-greenleaf-whittier-2061_abhorrence_with-our-sympathy-for-the-wrongdoer-we-n_2505692.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/327/john-greenleaf-whittier-2061_abhorrence_with-our-sympathy-for-the-wrongdoer-we-n_2505692.png) > “With our sympathy for the wrongdoer we need the old Puritan and Quaker hatred of wrongdoing; with our just tolerance of men and opinions a righteous abhorrence of sin.” [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing compassion with moral firmness, we must condemn wrongdoing while tolerating differing views. **In simple terms:** Condemn sin, tolerate people. Key Takeaway Stand for justice without losing empathy. Themes morality justice compassion Mood thoughtful serious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - personal relationships - public discourse - community leadership Key Concepts ethical balance social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How do you separate the person from the act? - When does tolerance become complicity? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on condemnation can alienate allies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abhorrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abhorrence/) [Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Puritan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puritan/) [Quaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quaker/) [Righteous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/righteous/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Tolerance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolerance/) [Wrongdoing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrongdoing/) ## Related quotes > [An ineffably holy God, who has the utmost abhorrence of sin, was never invented by any of Adam's descendents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/an-ineffably-holy-god-who-has-the-utmost-abhorrence-of-sin-was-never/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [“Continue with whatever it is that you have been doing, except for attachment-abhorrence. If ‘we’ stay in our state of Pure Soul, attachment-abhorrence will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/continue-with-whatever-it-is-that-you-have-been-doing-except-for/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [The greatest talents have been frequently misapplied and have produced evil proportionate to the extent of their powers. Both reason and revelation seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malthus/the-greatest-talents-have-been-frequently-misapplied-and-have/) [Thomas Malthus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malthus/) > [“The amount of abhorrence that departs, that much of ‘Pure Love’ arises. When abhorrence goes away completely, then Pure Love arises in totality. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/the-amount-of-abhorrence-that-departs-that-much-of-pure-love-arises/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [In proportion to the love existing among men, so will be the community of property and power. Among true and real friends, all is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/in-proportion-to-the-love-existing-among-men-so-will-be-the-community/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [ By 1782 \[John Adams\] had come to feel for \[Benjamin\] Franklin "no other sentiments than Contempt or Abhorrence." ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/by-1782-john-adams-had-come-to-feel-for-benjamin-franklin-no-other/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [Satan is ever seeking to inject that poison into our hearts to distrust God's goodness, especially in connection with his commandments. That is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/satan-is-ever-seeking-to-inject-that-poison-into-our-hearts-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Prejudice validates itself as righteous abhorrence of the criminally deviant. So Christian homophobia is just a metonym of that abjection in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-duncan/prejudice-validates-itself-as-righteous-abhorrence-of-the-criminally/) [Hal Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-duncan/) > [One thing I do find in the "lost" generation or something is a kind of abhorrence of history, you know, like it's boring, dumb,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/one-thing-i-do-find-in-the-lost-generation-or-something-is-a-kind-of/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [“Despite knowing and seeing through the senses, if one remains free from attachment-abhorrence, it is called knowledge beyond the senses (atindriya-gnan). But if one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/despite-knowing-and-seeing-through-the-senses-if-one-remains-free/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Few things loves better Than to abhor himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/few-things-loves-better-than-to-abhor-himself/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An unholy church! It is useless to the world, and of no esteem among men. It is an abomination, hells laughter, heavens abhorrence. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/an-unholy-church-it-is-useless-to-the-world-and-of-no-esteem-among/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“It is the reformer who is anxious for the reform, and not society, from which he should expect nothing better than opposition, abhorrence, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/it-is-the-reformer-who-is-anxious-for-the-reform-and-not-society-from/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“For I had loved Seid even in his darkest hours, even as he cursed me and we rode upon a fine line between ardor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-silverwood/for-i-had-loved-seid-even-in-his-darkest-hours-even-as-he-cursed-me/) [Jennifer Silverwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-silverwood/) > [The question is this - Is man an ape or an angel? My Lord, I am on the side of the angels. I repudiate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/the-question-is-this-is-man-an-ape-or-an-angel-my-lord-i-am-on-the/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) ## More by John Greenleaf Whittier > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [the joy that you give to others is the joy that comes back to you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/the-joy-that-you-give-to-others-is-the-joy-that-comes-back-to-you/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [No lance have I, in joust or fight, To splinter in my lady's sight; But, at her feet, how blest were I For any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/no-lance-have-i-in-joust-or-fight-to-splinter-in-my-lady-s-sight-but/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [A little smile, a word of cheer, A bit of love from someone near, A little gift from one held dear, Best wishes for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/a-little-smile-a-word-of-cheer-a-bit-of-love-from-someone-near-a/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [On leaf of palm, on sedge-wrought roll; on plastic clay and leather scroll, man wrote his thoughts; the ages passed, and lo! the Press…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/on-leaf-of-palm-on-sedge-wrought-roll-on-plastic-clay-and-leather/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [What does the good ship bear so well? The cocoa-nut with its stony shell, And the milky sap of its inner cell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/what-does-the-good-ship-bear-so-well-the-cocoa-nut-with-its-stony/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [Love hath never known a law beyond its own sweet will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/love-hath-never-known-a-law-beyond-its-own-sweet-will/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [Leaning on Him, make with reverent meekness His own thy will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/leaning-on-him-make-with-reverent-meekness-his-own-thy-will/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [Sweeter than any sungMy songs that found no tongue;Nobler than any factMy wish that failed of act.Others shall sing the song,Others shall right the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/sweeter-than-any-sungmy-songs-that-found-no-tongue-nobler-than-any/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [The Present, the Present is all thou hast For thy sure possessing; Like the patriarch's angel hold it fast Till it gives its blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/the-present-the-present-is-all-thou-hast-for-thy-sure-possessing-like/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [They who wander widest lift No more of beauties' jealous veils, Than they who from their doorways see The miracle of flowers and trees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/they-who-wander-widest-lift-no-more-of-beauties-jealous-veils-than/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [Once more the liberal year laughs out O'er richer stores than gems or gold: Once more with harvest song and shout Is nature's boldest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/once-more-the-liberal-year-laughs-out-o-er-richer-stores-than-gems-or/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [Quite the ugliest face I ever saw was that of a woman whom the world called beautiful. Through its silver veil the evil and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/quite-the-ugliest-face-i-ever-saw-was-that-of-a-woman-whom-the-world/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [With smoking axle hot with speed, with steeds of fire and steam, Wide-waked To-day leaves Yesterday behind him like a dream. Still, from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/with-smoking-axle-hot-with-speed-with-steeds-of-fire-and-steam-wide/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [If woman lost us Eden, such As she alone restore it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/if-woman-lost-us-eden-such-as-she-alone-restore-it/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) [Explore all 188 John Greenleaf Whittier quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) ## More Abhorrence quotes > [“Continue with whatever it is that you have been doing, except for attachment-abhorrence. If ‘we’ stay in our state of Pure Soul, attachment-abhorrence will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/continue-with-whatever-it-is-that-you-have-been-doing-except-for/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [An ineffably holy God, who has the utmost abhorrence of sin, was never invented by any of Adam's descendents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/an-ineffably-holy-god-who-has-the-utmost-abhorrence-of-sin-was-never/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [“For I had loved Seid even in his darkest hours, even as he cursed me and we rode upon a fine line between ardor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-silverwood/for-i-had-loved-seid-even-in-his-darkest-hours-even-as-he-cursed-me/) [Jennifer Silverwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-silverwood/) > [“It is the reformer who is anxious for the reform, and not society, from which he should expect nothing better than opposition, abhorrence, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/it-is-the-reformer-who-is-anxious-for-the-reform-and-not-society-from/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [An unholy church! It is useless to the world, and of no esteem among men. It is an abomination, hells laughter, heavens abhorrence. 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But if one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/despite-knowing-and-seeing-through-the-senses-if-one-remains-free/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [One thing I do find in the "lost" generation or something is a kind of abhorrence of history, you know, like it's boring, dumb,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/one-thing-i-do-find-in-the-lost-generation-or-something-is-a-kind-of/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [Prejudice validates itself as righteous abhorrence of the criminally deviant. So Christian homophobia is just a metonym of that abjection in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-duncan/prejudice-validates-itself-as-righteous-abhorrence-of-the-criminally/) [Hal Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-duncan/) > [Satan is ever seeking to inject that poison into our hearts to distrust God's goodness, especially in connection with his commandments. That is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/satan-is-ever-seeking-to-inject-that-poison-into-our-hearts-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ By 1782 \[John Adams\] had come to feel for \[Benjamin\] Franklin "no other sentiments than Contempt or Abhorrence." ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/by-1782-john-adams-had-come-to-feel-for-benjamin-franklin-no-other/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [In proportion to the love existing among men, so will be the community of property and power. Among true and real friends, all is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/in-proportion-to-the-love-existing-among-men-so-will-be-the-community/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“The amount of abhorrence that departs, that much of ‘Pure Love’ arises. When abhorrence goes away completely, then Pure Love arises in totality. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/the-amount-of-abhorrence-that-departs-that-much-of-pure-love-arises/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [The greatest talents have been frequently misapplied and have produced evil proportionate to the extent of their powers. Both reason and revelation seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malthus/the-greatest-talents-have-been-frequently-misapplied-and-have/) [Thomas Malthus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malthus/) > [The question is this - Is man an ape or an angel? My Lord, I am on the side of the angels. I repudiate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/the-question-is-this-is-man-an-ape-or-an-angel-my-lord-i-am-on-the/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) [Browse all 69 Abhorrence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abhorrence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "With our sympathy for the wrongdoer we need the old Puritan and Quaker hatred of wrongdoing; with our just tolerance of men and opinions a righteous abhorrence of sin.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Greenleaf Whittier" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/with-our-sympathy-for-the-wrongdoer-we-need-the-old-puritan-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abhorrence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/with-our-sympathy-for-the-wrongdoer-we-need-the-old-puritan-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/327/john-greenleaf-whittier-2061_abhorrence_with-our-sympathy-for-the-wrongdoer-we-n_2505692.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/327/john-greenleaf-whittier-2061_abhorrence_with-our-sympathy-for-the-wrongdoer-we-n_2505692.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/327/john-greenleaf-whittier-2061_abhorrence_with-our-sympathy-for-the-wrongdoer-we-n_2505692.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“With our sympathy for the wrongdoer we need the old Puritan and Quaker hatred of wrongdoing; with our just…” — John Greenleaf Whittier", "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": "John Greenleaf Whittier", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "With our sympathy for the wrongdoer...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/with-our-sympathy-for-the-wrongdoer-we-need-the-old-puritan-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/with-our-sympathy-for-the-wrongdoer-we-need-the-old-puritan-and/#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 } } ] } ```