--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People are no longer sinful, they are…" description: "\"People are no longer sinful, they are only immature or underprivileged or frightened or, more particularly, sick.\" — Phyllis McGinley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/phyllis-mcginley-4467_frightened_people-are-no-longer-sinful-they-are-onl_762704.png" --- # People are no longer sinful, they are only immature or… ![“People are no longer sinful, they are only immature or underprivileged or frightened or, more particularly, sick.” quote by Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/phyllis-mcginley-4467_frightened_people-are-no-longer-sinful-they-are-onl_762704.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/phyllis-mcginley-4467_frightened_people-are-no-longer-sinful-they-are-onl_762704.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/phyllis-mcginley-4467_frightened_people-are-no-longer-sinful-they-are-onl_762704.png) > “People are no longer sinful, they are only immature or underprivileged or frightened or, more particularly, sick.” [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human flaws stem from immaturity, lack of resources, fear, or illness rather than inherent sinfulness. **In simple terms:** People are immature or disadvantaged, not sinful. Key Takeaway Address root causes of behavior. Themes psychology social critique human nature Mood reflective critical Type analytical thought‑provoking When to use this quote - education reform - mental health support - social policy - community outreach Key Concepts maturity privilege fear illness Questions to Reflect On - How can society better support the immature or disadvantaged? - What role does personal choice play? A Different Perspective Ignores personal responsibility in some cases. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Immature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immature/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Underprivileged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underprivileged/) ## Related quotes > [Sin has always been an ugly word, but it has been made so in a new sense over the last half-century. It has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/sin-has-always-been-an-ugly-word-but-it-has-been-made-so-in-a-new/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [A lover would find life less broken apart after a misguided love affair if they could feel that they had been sinful rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/a-lover-would-find-life-less-broken-apart-after-a-misguided-love/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [People who are underprivileged have more to grieve and have more to overcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/people-who-are-underprivileged-have-more-to-grieve-and-have-more-to/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [After embracing Islam in 1977, I considered the majority of underprivileged dark-skinned people of the so-called Third World brothers and sisters in humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/after-embracing-islam-in-1977-i-considered-the-majority-of/) [Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/) > [People who are underprivileged build more than just character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/people-who-are-underprivileged-build-more-than-just-character/) [Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) > [“I vow I shall give all my very best books to the underprivileged, once I have read them”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/i-vow-i-shall-give-all-my-very-best-books-to-the-underprivileged-once/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [I have my own foundation, which I just started, called Believe Anything Is Possible, which is going to be an organization to help the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-angel/i-have-my-own-foundation-which-i-just-started-called-believe-anything/) [Criss Angel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-angel/) > [I grew up in an underprivileged home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kirkpatrick/i-grew-up-in-an-underprivileged-home/) [Chris Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kirkpatrick/) > [The war on privilege will never end. Its next grat campaign will be against the special privileges of the underprivileged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-war-on-privilege-will-never-end-its-next-grat-campaign-will-be/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Jesus' whole life and mission involve accepting powerlessness and revealing in this powerlessness the limitlessness of God's love. Here we see what compassion means.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/jesus-whole-life-and-mission-involve-accepting-powerlessness-and/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [While it is undeniable that many have been driven to immorality and crime by the need to survive, it is equally evident that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aung-san-suu-kyi/while-it-is-undeniable-that-many-have-been-driven-to-immorality-and/) [Aung San Suu Kyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aung-san-suu-kyi/) > [Well, I help some underprivileged children stay and study in Rajpur, near Narendrapur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roopa-ganguly/well-i-help-some-underprivileged-children-stay-and-study-in-rajpur/) [Roopa Ganguly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roopa-ganguly/) > [ A lawyer’s either a social engineer or … a parasite on society … A social engineer \[is\] a highly skilled, perceptive, sensitive lawyer who… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-hamilton-houston/a-lawyer-s-either-a-social-engineer-or-a-parasite-on-society-a-social/) [Charles Hamilton Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-hamilton-houston/) > [“Nonviolence is supremely the weapon of the dispossessed, the underprivileged, and the egalitarian, not those who are still addicted to private profit, commercial values,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-t-dellinger/nonviolence-is-supremely-the-weapon-of-the-dispossessed-the/) [David T. Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-t-dellinger/) > [Too much is made for us; too much is given to us - even those of us who are underprivileged. The poverty is given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/too-much-is-made-for-us-too-much-is-given-to-us-even-those-of-us-who/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) ## More by Phyllis McGinley > [The saints differ from us in their exuberance, the excess of our human talents. Moderation is not their secret. It is in the wildness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/the-saints-differ-from-us-in-their-exuberance-the-excess-of-our-human/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [Tomorrow will come and today will pass, / But the hearts of the young are brittle as glass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/tomorrow-will-come-and-today-will-pass-but-the-hearts-of-the-young/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [Borrow my umbrellas, my clothes, my money, and I will likely not think of them again. But borrow my books and I will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/borrow-my-umbrellas-my-clothes-my-money-and-i-will-likely-not-think/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [The Enemy, who wears her mother's usual face and confidential tone, has access; doubtless stares into her writing case and listens on the phone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/the-enemy-who-wears-her-mother-s-usual-face-and-confidential-tone-has/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [God know that a mother need fortitude and courage and tolerance and flexibility and patience and firmness and nearly every other brave aspect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/god-know-that-a-mother-need-fortitude-and-courage-and-tolerance-and/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [The trouble with gardening is that it does not remain an avocation. It becomes an obsession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/the-trouble-with-gardening-is-that-it-does-not-remain-an-avocation-it/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [The thing to remember about fathers is, they're men. A girl has to keep it in mind: They are dragon seekers, bent on improbable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/the-thing-to-remember-about-fathers-is-they-re-men-a-girl-has-to-keep/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [Not reading poetry amounts to a national pastime here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/not-reading-poetry-amounts-to-a-national-pastime-here/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [Sisters are always drying their hair. Locked into rooms, alone, they pose at the mirror, shoulders bare, trying this way and that their hair,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/sisters-are-always-drying-their-hair-locked-into-rooms-alone-they/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [What in me is pure conviction is simple prejudice in you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/what-in-me-is-pure-conviction-is-simple-prejudice-in-you/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [Of course we women gossip on occasion. But our appetite for it is not as avid as a man s. It is in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/of-course-we-women-gossip-on-occasion-but-our-appetite-for-it-is-not/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [Marriage was all a woman's idea and for man's acceptance of the pretty yoke, it becomes us to be grateful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/marriage-was-all-a-woman-s-idea-and-for-man-s-acceptance-of-the/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [“But the kitchen will not come into its own again until it ceases to be a status symbol and becomes again a workshop. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/but-the-kitchen-will-not-come-into-its-own-again-until-it-ceases-to/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [Sin has always been an ugly word, but it has been made so in a new sense over the last half-century. It has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/sin-has-always-been-an-ugly-word-but-it-has-been-made-so-in-a-new/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [Those wearing Tolerance for a label call other views intolerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/those-wearing-tolerance-for-a-label-call-other-views-intolerable/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) [Explore all 110 Phyllis McGinley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) ## More Frightened quotes > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [“and I actually talked about God, the one who had abandoned me when I was very little, very frightened, and very hurt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alcoholics-anonymous/and-i-actually-talked-about-god-the-one-who-had-abandoned-me-when-i/) [Alcoholics Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alcoholics-anonymous/) > [I don't think kids have a problem with death. It's us older ones who are nearer to it, that start being frightened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helena-bonham-carter/i-don-t-think-kids-have-a-problem-with-death-it-s-us-older-ones-who/) [Helena Bonham Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helena-bonham-carter/) > [American imperialism has always been the imperialism that has been frightened of speaking its name. Now it's beginning to do so. In a way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/american-imperialism-has-always-been-the-imperialism-that-has-been/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) > [We all have prejudices to dispel: the need to get away from thinking that 'I' am important and special and 'you' are not, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-newkirk/we-all-have-prejudices-to-dispel-the-need-to-get-away-from-thinking/) [Ingrid Newkirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-newkirk/) > [“She had just started living like a grown-up and she'd never felt more vulnerable, frightened or confused in her life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/she-had-just-started-living-like-a-grown-up-and-she-d-never-felt-more/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [Megachurches. I can't be the only one frightened when our houses of worship sound like they could take on Godzilla.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/megachurches-i-can-t-be-the-only-one-frightened-when-our-houses-of/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [No one seems to have learned, or can remember, the magic words that calm people when they are frightened or threatened: "I'm sorry; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-tavris/no-one-seems-to-have-learned-or-can-remember-the-magic-words-that/) [Carol Tavris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-tavris/) > [Or why it is acceptable to train fast runners and high jumpers but not to breed them. I can think of some answers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/or-why-it-is-acceptable-to-train-fast-runners-and-high-jumpers-but/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [I can't help it when people are frightened," says Merricat. "I always want to frighten them more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-jackson/i-can-t-help-it-when-people-are-frightened-says-merricat-i-always/) [Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/) > [Soothing touch, whether it be applied to a ruffled cat, a crying infant, or a frightened child, has a universally recognized power to ameliorate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deane-juhan/soothing-touch-whether-it-be-applied-to-a-ruffled-cat-a-crying-infant/) [Deane Juhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deane-juhan/) > [Sometimes I've been to a party where no one spoke to me for a whole evening. The men, frightened by their wives or sweeites...the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/sometimes-i-ve-been-to-a-party-where-no-one-spoke-to-me-for-a-whole/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [All your names I and my friend approve of or nearly all as to sense & expression, but I am frightened by their length…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-faraday/all-your-names-i-and-my-friend-approve-of-or-nearly-all-as-to-sense/) [Michael Faraday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-faraday/) > [I was hit by a car. I almost died. My show was taken away from me. I was frightened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-brennan/i-was-hit-by-a-car-i-almost-died-my-show-was-taken-away-from-me-i-was/) [Eileen Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-brennan/) > [“She was using the water as she had used the fruit earlier—to calm herself, to assure herself of the possibility of normality. Yet all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/she-was-using-the-water-as-she-had-used-the-fruit-earlier-to-calm/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) Browse all 1,303 Frightened quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People are no longer sinful, they are only immature or underprivileged or frightened or, more particularly, sick.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Phyllis McGinley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/people-are-no-longer-sinful-they-are-only-immature-or-underprivileged/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Frightened" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/people-are-no-longer-sinful-they-are-only-immature-or-underprivileged/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/phyllis-mcginley-4467_frightened_people-are-no-longer-sinful-they-are-onl_762704.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/phyllis-mcginley-4467_frightened_people-are-no-longer-sinful-they-are-onl_762704.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/phyllis-mcginley-4467_frightened_people-are-no-longer-sinful-they-are-onl_762704.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People are no longer sinful, they are only immature or underprivileged or frightened or, more particularly…” — Phyllis McGinley", "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": "Phyllis McGinley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "People are no longer sinful, they...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/people-are-no-longer-sinful-they-are-only-immature-or-underprivileged/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/people-are-no-longer-sinful-they-are-only-immature-or-underprivileged/#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 } } ] } ```