Evil Quote by Lewis B. Smedes
“When we forgive evil we do not excuse it, we do not tolerate it, we do not smother it. We look the evil full in the face, call it what it is, let its horror shock and stun and enrage us, and only then do we forgive it.”
About This Quote
Source Book: “The Gift of Forgiveness” (1996)
Forgiving requires confronting evil directly, not ignoring it, and allowing its horror to provoke righteous anger before forgiveness
In simple terms: Forgiveness follows confronting and feeling anger at evil
Key Takeaway
Face evil, then forgive
Themes
forgiveness
justice
emotions
Mood
somber
hopeful
Type
spiritual
psychological
When to use this quote
- personal trauma
- legal injustice
- social reconciliation
- spiritual healing
Key Concepts
moral courage
psychological processing
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance confronting evil with self‑care?
- What steps help transform anger into constructive forgiveness?
A Different Perspective
Confrontation can be retraumatizing
![“Evil cannot be "treated" -- nor should it be. Evil has to [be] confronted and destroyed and it matters not why the evil is in play. Society has no obligation to try to rehabilitate evil.” quote by Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b89/bill-o-reilly-1019_destroyed_evil-cannot-be-treated-nor-should-it-be_3597.jpg)
