--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think most non-Christians who try to be…" description: "\"I think most non-Christians who try to be good people are probably better Christians than Christians.\" — Paul Kantner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/paul-kantner-22989_be-good_i-think-most-non-christians-who-try-to-b_3021115.png" --- # I think most non-Christians who try to be good people are… ![“I think most non-Christians who try to be good people are probably better Christians than Christians.” quote by Paul Kantner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/paul-kantner-22989_be-good_i-think-most-non-christians-who-try-to-b_3021115.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/paul-kantner-22989_be-good_i-think-most-non-christians-who-try-to-b_3021115.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/paul-kantner-22989_be-good_i-think-most-non-christians-who-try-to-b_3021115.png) > “I think most non-Christians who try to be good people are probably better Christians than Christians.” [Paul Kantner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kantner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Many non‑Christians who strive to be good often embody the moral standards of Christianity better than some believers. **In simple terms:** Non‑Christians can be more moral than some Christians. Key Takeaway Judge character, not labels. Themes ethics religion morality hypocrisy Mood thoughtful challenging Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - interfaith dialogue - ethical education - community service Key Concepts philosophy theology Questions to Reflect On - What defines true moral behavior? - How can faith communities improve ethical consistency? A Different Perspective Might overlook sincere believers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Christians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christians/) [Good people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-people/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I am sorry that so often the biggest obstacle to God has been Christians. Christians who have had so much to say with our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/i-am-sorry-that-so-often-the-biggest-obstacle-to-god-has-been/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [I've heard plenty of Christians try to answer the why question by going back to the what. "You have to believe because Jesus is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/i-ve-heard-plenty-of-christians-try-to-answer-the-why-question-by/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [When you poll snake person Christians, Christians born after 1980, it's like 80% of them are against the death penalty. It's not because they've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/when-you-poll-snake-person-christians-christians-born-after-1980-it-s/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [The University of North Carolina-Greensboro has ordered a Christian club to allow non-Christians as leaders. While we're at it, let's put high school dropouts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/the-university-of-north-carolina-greensboro-has-ordered-a-christian/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [“God has made a point of preventing non-Christians from knowing him through their own wisdom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-cheung/god-has-made-a-point-of-preventing-non-christians-from-knowing-him/) Vincent Cheung > [“few years ago, the Barna Group, a prominent research company, went to every state in the US and asked young non-Christians what their perceptions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/few-years-ago-the-barna-group-a-prominent-research-company-went-to/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [“We will see every human beings as Christ and we will help Hindus to be better Hindus, Muslims to be better Muslims, and Christians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-raphael/we-will-see-every-human-beings-as-christ-and-we-will-help-hindus-to/) Maryanne Raphael > [“Soon-Bok Kim closed her eyes, said rapid prayers in castellano, beat the steering wheel, begged God to save her and her stupid husband, said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-jerome-dickey/soon-bok-kim-closed-her-eyes-said-rapid-prayers-in-castellano-beat/) [Eric Jerome Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-jerome-dickey/) > [You can show your love to others by not wishing that they should be better Christians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/you-can-show-your-love-to-others-by-not-wishing-that-they-should-be/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [There are many, many Christians who practice Buddhism, and they become better and better Christians all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-many-many-christians-who-practice-buddhism-and-they-become/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are rare Christians whose very presence incites others to be better Christians. I want to be that rare Christian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/there-are-rare-christians-whose-very-presence-incites-others-to-be/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“There are Christians, and there are Christians.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/there-are-christians-and-there-are-christians/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [What the world expects of Christians is that Christians should speak out, loud and clear... in such a way that never a doubt, never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/what-the-world-expects-of-christians-is-that-christians-should-speak/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“There are times when solitude is better than society, and silence is wiser than speech. We should be better Christians if we were more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/there-are-times-when-solitude-is-better-than-society-and-silence-is/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [If the church would only be the church- if Christians would only be Christians- nothing could halt our onward march.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vance-havner/if-the-church-would-only-be-the-church-if-christians-would-only-be/) [Vance Havner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vance-havner/) ## More by Paul Kantner > [The starship thing is really political action and reaction, the natural outgrowth of Volunteers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kantner/the-starship-thing-is-really-political-action-and-reaction-the/) [Paul Kantner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kantner/) > [One of the main things we learned as a band in those days was not to be the headliner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kantner/one-of-the-main-things-we-learned-as-a-band-in-those-days-was-not-to/) [Paul Kantner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kantner/) > [I wouldn't have expected an audience of ours to burn down our equipment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kantner/i-wouldn-t-have-expected-an-audience-of-ours-to-burn-down-our/) [Paul Kantner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kantner/) > [When we toured... I was hungry to take out people like Jeff Beck in front of us; Fleetwood Mac, just before they hit; Heart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kantner/when-we-toured-i-was-hungry-to-take-out-people-like-jeff-beck-in/) [Paul Kantner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kantner/) > [We're giving RCA another record, and that should finish them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kantner/we-re-giving-rca-another-record-and-that-should-finish-them/) [Paul Kantner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kantner/) > [Correcting it, I don't know; just shedding the light of day on it is a first major step, being one of the earliest generations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kantner/correcting-it-i-don-t-know-just-shedding-the-light-of-day-on-it-is-a/) [Paul Kantner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kantner/) > [I was raised by the Christian Brothers, who believe in that, fortunately. They were, to me, the most rebellious arm of the Catholic Church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kantner/i-was-raised-by-the-christian-brothers-who-believe-in-that/) [Paul Kantner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kantner/) > [Life is change, how it differs from the rocks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kantner/life-is-change-how-it-differs-from-the-rocks/) [Paul Kantner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kantner/) > [What we're saying now is you have a choice: You can stay, or you can go away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kantner/what-we-re-saying-now-is-you-have-a-choice-you-can-stay-or-you-can-go/) [Paul Kantner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kantner/) > [We printed all the words out because otherwise nobody would be able to understand them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kantner/we-printed-all-the-words-out-because-otherwise-nobody-would-be-able/) [Paul Kantner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kantner/) > [Maintain yourself and everything maintains itself around you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kantner/maintain-yourself-and-everything-maintains-itself-around-you/) [Paul Kantner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kantner/) > [There's that thing about the '80s, the '40s and the '60s, and the '30s, the '50s and the '70s. Something about those odd decades…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kantner/there-s-that-thing-about-the-80s-the-40s-and-the-60s-and-the-30s-the/) [Paul Kantner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kantner/) > [You couldn't have fed the '50s into a computer and come out with the '60s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kantner/you-couldn-t-have-fed-the-50s-into-a-computer-and-come-out-with-the/) [Paul Kantner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kantner/) > [The studio scene in California is sort of ridiculous anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kantner/the-studio-scene-in-california-is-sort-of-ridiculous-anyway/) [Paul Kantner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kantner/) > [You can't just sit around and make protest albums all your life; eventually it comes to the point where you have to do something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kantner/you-can-t-just-sit-around-and-make-protest-albums-all-your-life/) [Paul Kantner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kantner/) [Explore all 26 Paul Kantner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kantner/) ## More Be good quotes > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [Peace is the result of love, and if love were easy we'd all be good at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colman-mccarthy/peace-is-the-result-of-love-and-if-love-were-easy-we-d-all-be-good-at/) [Colman McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colman-mccarthy/) > [Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Most of us want to live in harmony and peace and be good to others. Right now, however, the world is in a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hany-abu-assad/most-of-us-want-to-live-in-harmony-and-peace-and-be-good-to-others/) [Hany Abu-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hany-abu-assad/) > [I've never had any desire to be good. I don't like goodness particularly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-ve-never-had-any-desire-to-be-good-i-don-t-like-goodness/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [To become a classical ballerina, you have to move to New York when you're 12 or 11 and that becomes your life. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-garner/to-become-a-classical-ballerina-you-have-to-move-to-new-york-when-you/) [Jennifer Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-garner/) > [The producers felt that 24 would be good for the audience, to really get to know who these 12 and 12 are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-abdul/the-producers-felt-that-24-would-be-good-for-the-audience-to-really/) [Paula Abdul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-abdul/) > [All will concede that in order to have good neighbors, we must also be good neighbors. That applies in every field of human endeavor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/all-will-concede-that-in-order-to-have-good-neighbors-we-must-also-be/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [Everybody wants to be good, but not many are prepared to make the sacrifices it takes to be great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-arden/everybody-wants-to-be-good-but-not-many-are-prepared-to-make-the/) [Paul Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-arden/) > [There's such cultural rot taking place, such a disintegration throughout our culture. Values, morality, you name it. Standards have been relaxed, and people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-s-such-cultural-rot-taking-place-such-a-disintegration/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The difference in being good at some thing and being great at something is usually found in the little things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-anderson/the-difference-in-being-good-at-some-thing-and-being-great-at/) Randy Anderson > [It doesn't matter if your lead character is good or bad. He just has to be interesting, and he has to be good at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-chase/it-doesn-t-matter-if-your-lead-character-is-good-or-bad-he-just-has/) [David Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-chase/) > [What's good for the very rich might not be good for anybody but them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/what-s-good-for-the-very-rich-might-not-be-good-for-anybody-but-them/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [“Living in the middle of beauty like this, we've no call to have puny ideas about God. Why do you suppose His world is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/living-in-the-middle-of-beauty-like-this-we-ve-no-call-to-have-puny/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) Browse all 1,747 Be good quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think most non-Christians who try to be good people are probably better Christians than Christians.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Kantner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kantner/i-think-most-non-christians-who-try-to-be-good-people-are-probably/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Be good" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kantner/i-think-most-non-christians-who-try-to-be-good-people-are-probably/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/paul-kantner-22989_be-good_i-think-most-non-christians-who-try-to-b_3021115.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/paul-kantner-22989_be-good_i-think-most-non-christians-who-try-to-b_3021115.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/paul-kantner-22989_be-good_i-think-most-non-christians-who-try-to-b_3021115.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think most non-Christians who try to be good people are probably better Christians than Christians.” — Paul Kantner", "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": "Paul Kantner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kantner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think most non-Christians who try...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kantner/i-think-most-non-christians-who-try-to-be-good-people-are-probably/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kantner/i-think-most-non-christians-who-try-to-be-good-people-are-probably/#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 } } ] } ```