--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The moral is that it is probably better…" description: "\"The moral is that it is probably better not to sin at all, but if some kind of sin you must be pursuing, Well, remember to do it by doing rather than b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/ogden-nash-1286_character_the-moral-is-that-it-is-probably-better_992883.jpg" --- # The moral is that it is probably better not to sin at all… ![“The moral is that it is probably better not to sin at all, but if some kind of sin you must be pursuing, Well, remember to do it by doing rather than by not doing.” quote by Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/ogden-nash-1286_character_the-moral-is-that-it-is-probably-better_992883.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/ogden-nash-1286_character_the-moral-is-that-it-is-probably-better_992883.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/ogden-nash-1286_character_the-moral-is-that-it-is-probably-better_992883.jpg) > “The moral is that it is probably better not to sin at all, but if some kind of sin you must be pursuing, Well, remember to do it by doing rather than by not doing.” [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If sin is unavoidable, commit to it actively rather than passively avoiding it. **In simple terms:** Do the sin you must, actively. Key Takeaway Act rather than avoid when faced with sin. Themes ethics humor paradox Mood witty thought‑provoking Type humorous philosophical When to use this quote - personal dilemmas - ethical decisions - habit formation Key Concepts moral philosophy behavioral choice Questions to Reflect On - When is action better than inaction? - How do you justify moral compromises? A Different Perspective Encouraging sin, even humorously, can be controversial. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) ## Related quotes > [“In the same way, you have to stop loving and pursuing Christ in order to sin. When you are pursuing love, running toward Christ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/in-the-same-way-you-have-to-stop-loving-and-pursuing-christ-in-order/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [I don't think that sin and pursuing happiness are not necessarily the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/i-don-t-think-that-sin-and-pursuing-happiness-are-not-necessarily-the/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [ \[Y\]ou have to stop loving and pursuing Christ in order to sin. When you are pursuing love, running toward Christ, you do not have… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/y-ou-have-to-stop-loving-and-pursuing-christ-in-order-to-sin-when-you/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [“none of sin makes you better, sin always makes you get worse”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tolop-marbun/none-of-sin-makes-you-better-sin-always-makes-you-get-worse/) Tolop Marbun > [“you have to stop loving and pursuing Christ in order to sin. When you are pursuing love, running toward Christ, you do not have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/you-have-to-stop-loving-and-pursuing-christ-in-order-to-sin-when-you/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [“Better for him that each sin of his life had brought its sure, swift penalty along with it. There was purification in punishment. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/better-for-him-that-each-sin-of-his-life-had-brought-its-sure-swift-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“better for him that each sin of his life had brought its sure swift penalty along with it. there was purification in punishment”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/better-for-him-that-each-sin-of-his-life-had-brought-its-sure-swift/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [If you tell a lie to make a person better, then that is not a sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-myung-moon/if-you-tell-a-lie-to-make-a-person-better-then-that-is-not-a-sin/) [Sun Myung Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-myung-moon/) > [“affliction is better than sin, and if God sends the one to cleanse us from the other, let us thank him, and be also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/affliction-is-better-than-sin-and-if-god-sends-the-one-to-cleanse-us/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [It is common knowledge to every schoolboy and even every Bachelor of Arts, That all sin is divided into two parts. One kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/it-is-common-knowledge-to-every-schoolboy-and-even-every-bachelor-of/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [Having spent time around "sinners" and also around purported saints, I have a hunch why Jesus spent so much time with the former group:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/having-spent-time-around-sinners-and-also-around-purported-saints-i/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [I was pursuing the arts with theater in school, and I was doing after-school activities, but not in any real movement towards a professional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uzo-aduba/i-was-pursuing-the-arts-with-theater-in-school-and-i-was-doing-after/) [Uzo Aduba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uzo-aduba/) > [It's about pursuing it rather than waiting to see what comes along. That's partly because I found myself getting typecast, as everyone does unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/it-s-about-pursuing-it-rather-than-waiting-to-see-what-comes-along/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [“For the past has taught to not be caught, in what is not worth pursuing—”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lang-leav/for-the-past-has-taught-to-not-be-caught-in-what-is-not-worth-pursuing/) [Lang Leav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lang-leav/) > [I would call myself a Gnostic. Which means, I'm interested in pursuing and understanding the spiritual nature of things. A Gnostic is somebody seeking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/i-would-call-myself-a-gnostic-which-means-i-m-interested-in-pursuing/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) ## More by Ogden Nash > [There is only one way to achieve happiness on this terrestrial ball, and that is to have either a clear conscience or none at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/there-is-only-one-way-to-achieve-happiness-on-this-terrestrial-ball/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [The sky is now indelible ink, The branches reft asunder; But you and I we do not shrink; We love the lovely thunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/the-sky-is-now-indelible-ink-the-branches-reft-asunder-but-you-and-i/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [Middle-aged life is merry, and I love to lead it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/middle-aged-life-is-merry-and-i-love-to-lead-it/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [When a lady's erotic life is vexed God knows what God is coming next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/when-a-lady-s-erotic-life-is-vexed-god-knows-what-god-is-coming-next/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [“Love is a word that is constantly heard, Hate is a word that is not. Love, I am told, is more precious that gold.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/love-is-a-word-that-is-constantly-heard-hate-is-a-word-that-is-not/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [A husband is a guy who tells you when you've got on too much lipstick and helps you with your girdle when your hips…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/a-husband-is-a-guy-who-tells-you-when-you-ve-got-on-too-much-lipstick/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [Marriage is the alliance of two people, one of whom never remembers birthdays and the other never forgets them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/marriage-is-the-alliance-of-two-people-one-of-whom-never-remembers/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [I claim there ain't Another Saint As great as Valentine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/i-claim-there-ain-t-another-saint-as-great-as-valentine/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [“Senescence begins And middle-age ends The day your descendants Outnumber your friends”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/senescence-begins-and-middle-age-ends-the-day-your-descendants/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [Poets arent very usefulBecause they aren't consumeful or produceful..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/poets-arent-very-usefulbecause-they-aren-t-consumeful-or-produceful/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [I don't mind their having a lot of money, and I don't care how they employ it, but I do think that they damn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/i-don-t-mind-their-having-a-lot-of-money-and-i-don-t-care-how-they/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [To maintain your marriage brimming, with really like in the wedding cup, anytime you are incorrect, admit it each time you're proper, shut up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/to-maintain-your-marriage-brimming-with-really-like-in-the-wedding/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [No, you never get any fun Out of the things you haven't done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/no-you-never-get-any-fun-out-of-the-things-you-haven-t-done/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [“Which the Chicken and Which the Egg? He drinks because she scolds, he thinks; She thinks she scolds because he drinks; And nether will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/which-the-chicken-and-which-the-egg-he-drinks-because-she-scolds-he/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [“People can't concentrate properly on blowing other people to pieces if their minds are poisoned by thoughts suitable to the twenty-fifth of December.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/people-can-t-concentrate-properly-on-blowing-other-people-to-pieces/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) [Explore all 261 Ogden Nash quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The moral is that it is probably better not to sin at all, but if some kind of sin you must be pursuing, Well, remember to do it by doing rather than by not doing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ogden Nash" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/the-moral-is-that-it-is-probably-better-not-to-sin-at-all-but-if-some/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/the-moral-is-that-it-is-probably-better-not-to-sin-at-all-but-if-some/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/ogden-nash-1286_character_the-moral-is-that-it-is-probably-better_992883.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/ogden-nash-1286_character_the-moral-is-that-it-is-probably-better_992883.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/ogden-nash-1286_character_the-moral-is-that-it-is-probably-better_992883.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The moral is that it is probably better not to sin at all, but if some kind of sin you must be pursuing…” — Ogden Nash", "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": "Ogden Nash", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The moral is that it is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/the-moral-is-that-it-is-probably-better-not-to-sin-at-all-but-if-some/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/the-moral-is-that-it-is-probably-better-not-to-sin-at-all-but-if-some/#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 } } ] } ```