--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We should have charity for what the dead…" description: "\"We should have charity for what the dead say. We may disapprove of what they say, but we should not insult them and revile them knowing they cannot not..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06a/john-lithgow-2438_charity_we-should-have-charity-for-what-the-dead_3068851.jpg" --- # We should have charity for what the dead say. We may… ![“We should have charity for what the dead say. We may disapprove of what they say, but we should not insult them and revile them knowing they cannot not defend themselves.” quote by John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06a/john-lithgow-2438_charity_we-should-have-charity-for-what-the-dead_3068851.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06a/john-lithgow-2438_charity_we-should-have-charity-for-what-the-dead_3068851.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06a/john-lithgow-2438_charity_we-should-have-charity-for-what-the-dead_3068851.jpg) > “We should have charity for what the dead say. We may disapprove of what they say, but we should not insult them and revile them knowing they cannot not defend themselves.” [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We should respect the dead’s words, even if we disagree, because they cannot defend themselves. **In simple terms:** Respect the dead’s opinions despite disagreement. Key Takeaway Speak kindly about those who cannot speak for themselves. Themes respect empathy ethics Mood respectful serious Type ethical reflective When to use this quote - debates - historical analysis - memorial services Key Concepts mortality speech civil discourse Questions to Reflect On - Should we always honor the dead’s statements? - When is criticism appropriate? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Charity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charity/) ## Related quotes > [The living need charity more than the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arnold/the-living-need-charity-more-than-the-dead/) [George Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arnold/) > [Saying something is 'too bad' is easy. You say you disapprove, which makes you a nice person, and then you can go about your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/saying-something-is-too-bad-is-easy-you-say-you-disapprove-which/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [ When people say, well, they disapprove, I'd like to know what the specifics are, because sometimes - and the president \[Barack Obama\] has admitted… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-people-say-well-they-disapprove-i-d-like-to-know-what-the/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. N. B.: This quote is commonly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-beatrice-hall/i-disapprove-of-what-you-say-but-i-will-defend-to-the-death-your-2/) [Evelyn Beatrice Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-beatrice-hall/) > [I disapprove of what you say, but I defend to the death your right to say it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/i-disapprove-of-what-you-say-but-i-defend-to-the-death-your-right-to/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-disapprove-of-what-you-say-but-i-will-defend-to-the-death-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Tintin! Are you dead? Say yes or no but answer me!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snowy/tintin-are-you-dead-say-yes-or-no-but-answer-me/) Snowy > [You should never say bad things about the dead, you should only say good . . . Joan Crawford is dead. Good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/you-should-never-say-bad-things-about-the-dead-you-should-only-say/) [Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) > [You are dead when you say that you have achieved enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jatin-tanwer/you-are-dead-when-you-say-that-you-have-achieved-enough/) [Jatin Tanwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jatin-tanwer/) > [“It struck me that perhaps a lot of the people you see walking about are dead. We say that a man's dead when his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/it-struck-me-that-perhaps-a-lot-of-the-people-you-see-walking-about/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [You're dead to me and nothing you do or say can bring you back alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/you-re-dead-to-me-and-nothing-you-do-or-say-can-bring-you-back-alive/) [SONYA PARKER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Bitch, you're dead to me and nothing you do or say can bring you back alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/bitch-you-re-dead-to-me-and-nothing-you-do-or-say-can-bring-you-back/) [SONYA PARKER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Just remember, what the French say. No, probably not the French, they've got a president or something. The Brits, maybe, or the Swedes. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/just-remember-what-the-french-say-no-probably-not-the-french-they-ve/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Many people will find this book disrespectful. There is nothing amusing about being dead, they will say. Ah, but there is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roach/many-people-will-find-this-book-disrespectful-there-is-nothing/) [Mary Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roach/) > [You're never more alive than in battle." "Never more dead after," I say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/you-re-never-more-alive-than-in-battle-never-more-dead-after-i-say/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) ## More by John Lithgow > [It's nice when you've done enough movies that you can do your own anthology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/it-s-nice-when-you-ve-done-enough-movies-that-you-can-do-your-own/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [The Broadway audience is made up of a greater percentage of tourists now. 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