Crime Quote by John Stott
““many former sins have become crimes’, so that responsibility for dealing with them has passed from church to state, from priest to policeman (p.50), while others have dissipated into sicknesses, or at least into symptoms of sickness, so that in their case punishment has been replaced by treatment (pp.74ff.). A third convenient device called ‘collective irresponsibility’ has enabled us to transfer the blame for some of our deviant behaviour from ourselves as individuals to society as a whole or to one of its many groupings (pp.94ff.).””
About This Quote
Historical sins have shifted from religious punishment to state enforcement, medical treatment, or collective blame, diffusing personal responsibility.
In simple terms: Responsibility moved from church to state, medicine, or society.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and address shared accountability.
Themes
justice
responsibility
history
society
ethics
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- criminal justice reform
- public health policy
- social welfare programs
- education curricula
Key Concepts
collective guilt
institutional shift
moral evolution
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies maintain personal responsibility within collective frameworks?
- What role should institutions play in moral accountability?
A Different Perspective
Diffusing blame can obscure individual accountability.
![“[Christian rebellion] arises from the doctrine of mankind made in the image of God, and therefore protests against all forms of dehumanization. It sets itself against the social injustices which insult God the Creator, seeks to protect human beings from oppression and longs to liberate them… it…” quote by John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/328/john-stott-1926_arise_christian-rebellion-arises-from-the-doct_31161.jpg)
