--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The greatest deception, and the deepest…" description: "\"The greatest deception, and the deepest source of unhappiness, is the illusion of finding life by excluding God, of finding freedom by excluding moral ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f06/pope-john-paul-ii-485_deception_the-greatest-deception-and-the-deepest-s_2423399.jpg" --- # The greatest deception, and the deepest source of… ![“The greatest deception, and the deepest source of unhappiness, is the illusion of finding life by excluding God, of finding freedom by excluding moral truths and personal responsibility.” quote by Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f06/pope-john-paul-ii-485_deception_the-greatest-deception-and-the-deepest-s_2423399.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f06/pope-john-paul-ii-485_deception_the-greatest-deception-and-the-deepest-s_2423399.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f06/pope-john-paul-ii-485_deception_the-greatest-deception-and-the-deepest-s_2423399.jpg) > “The greatest deception, and the deepest source of unhappiness, is the illusion of finding life by excluding God, of finding freedom by excluding moral truths and personal responsibility.” [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Excluding spiritual and moral foundations leads to false freedom and unhappiness. **In simple terms:** Leaving out God and morals brings false freedom. Key Takeaway Embrace moral responsibility. Themes spirituality morality freedom Mood contemplative serious Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - life coaching - religious practice - ethical policy Key Concepts existential meaning ethical living personal accountability Questions to Reflect On - How do you find purpose without religion? - Can morality exist independently? A Different Perspective Secularism can provide meaning without God. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deception/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Illusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Personal responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-responsibility/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Sadness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sadness/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Unhappiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappiness/) ## Related quotes > [The greatest deception is the perception man has no option.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-chambers/the-greatest-deception-is-the-perception-man-has-no-option/) Wesley Chambers > [The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-greatest-deception-men-suffer-is-from-their-own-opinions/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [It is important for America that the moral truths which make freedom possible should be passed on to each new generation. Every generation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/it-is-important-for-america-that-the-moral-truths-which-make-freedom/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [A man inferior with the blade or with his thoughts can still so elevate himself," Entreri explained curtly, "if he can impart the belief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-inferior-with-the-blade-or-with-his-thoughts-can-still-so/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The very thought that war can ever be justified, let alone desirable or even noble, is quite honestly the greatest deception that mankind has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/the-very-thought-that-war-can-ever-be-justified-let-alone-desirable/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“The idea that war can ever bring freedom is quite possibly the greatest deception that mankind has ever forced upon himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/the-idea-that-war-can-ever-bring-freedom-is-quite-possibly-the/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“How can we be fooled over and over? I believe that it is because his greatest deception is to keep it all hidden from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-durham/how-can-we-be-fooled-over-and-over-i-believe-that-it-is-because-his/) [James A. Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-durham/) > [“Man's greatest gift is his ability to create his own reality with himself at the center of it. The greatest deception is the giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vd/man-s-greatest-gift-is-his-ability-to-create-his-own-reality-with/) VD > [With truths of a certain kind, it is not enough to make them appear convincing: one must also make them felt. Of such kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/with-truths-of-a-certain-kind-it-is-not-enough-to-make-them-appear/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are some particular moral truths that I believe we have access to (such as the one not to inflict pain on a sentient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbjorn-tannsjo/there-are-some-particular-moral-truths-that-i-believe-we-have-access/) [Torbjorn Tannsjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torbjorn-tannsjo/) > [“Subjectivism maintains that there are no objective moral truths.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edmonds/subjectivism-maintains-that-there-are-no-objective-moral-truths/) [David Edmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edmonds/) > [That the system of morals propounded in the New Testament contained no maxim which had not been previously enunciated, and that some of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-thomas-buckle/that-the-system-of-morals-propounded-in-the-new-testament-contained/) [Henry Thomas Buckle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-thomas-buckle/) > [There are many agreements across the so-called "world religions," at a certain level of abstraction. But when it comes to applying them in concrete…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-anthony-appiah/there-are-many-agreements-across-the-so-called-world-religions-at-a/) [Kwame Anthony Appiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-anthony-appiah/) > [“All the dilemmas and questions of today were known in ethics more than 2,000 years ago. All the greatest teachers of mankind whether prophets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alija-izetbegovic/all-the-dilemmas-and-questions-of-today-were-known-in-ethics-more/) [Alija Izetbegović](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alija-izetbegovic/) > [When I was at Notre Dame studying under Joe Evans, Frank O'Malley, and others, there was a very lively debate about the distinction between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-babbitt/when-i-was-at-notre-dame-studying-under-joe-evans-frank-o-malley-and/) [Bruce Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-babbitt/) ## More by Pope John Paul II > [the path of goodness had a name it is called Love in it we find the key to every hope and has it's root…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-path-of-goodness-had-a-name-it-is-called-love-in-it-we-find-the/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [Man always travels along precipices... His truest obligation is to keep his balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/man-always-travels-along-precipices-his-truest-obligation-is-to-keep/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [The way Jesus shows you is not easy. Rather, it is like a path winding up a mountain. Do not lose heart! The steeper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-way-jesus-shows-you-is-not-easy-rather-it-is-like-a-path-winding/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [The Church must persist in the teaching transmitted to her by Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-church-must-persist-in-the-teaching-transmitted-to-her-by-christ/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [And Christ, through His own salvific suffering, is very much present in every human suffering, and can act from within that suffering by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/and-christ-through-his-own-salvific-suffering-is-very-much-present-in/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [“What is the difference between “creator” and “craftsman”? The one who creates bestows being itself, he brings something out of nothing— ex nihilo sui…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/what-is-the-difference-between-creator-and-craftsman-the-one-who/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [The enemy of the human race...invented a means never before heard of, by which he might hinder the preaching of God's word of Salvation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-enemy-of-the-human-race-invented-a-means-never-before-heard-of-by/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [Jesus Christ has taken the lead on the way of the cross. He has suffered first. He does not drive us toward suffering but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/jesus-christ-has-taken-the-lead-on-the-way-of-the-cross-he-has/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [Do you think that there can be anything greater than to bring Jesus to people and people to Jesus?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/do-you-think-that-there-can-be-anything-greater-than-to-bring-jesus/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [Do not be afraid to be saints. Follow Jesus Christ who is the source of freedom and light. Be open to the Lord so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/do-not-be-afraid-to-be-saints-follow-jesus-christ-who-is-the-source/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [Utilitarianism is a civilization of production and of use, a civilization of "things" and not of "persons," a civilization in which persons are used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/utilitarianism-is-a-civilization-of-production-and-of-use-a/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [ The world \[is\] tired of ideology \[and\] is opening itself to the truth. The time has come when the splendor of this truth has… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-world-is-tired-of-ideology-and-is-opening-itself-to-the-truth-the/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [The only struggle which religions can justify, the only struggle worthy of humans, is the moral struggle against humanity's own disordered passions, against every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-only-struggle-which-religions-can-justify-the-only-struggle/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [The cemetery of the victims of human cruelty in our century is extended to include yet another vast cemetery, that of the unborn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-cemetery-of-the-victims-of-human-cruelty-in-our-century-is/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [The Church counters the culture of death with the culture of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-church-counters-the-culture-of-death-with-the-culture-of-love/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) [Explore all 525 Pope John Paul II quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) ## More Deception quotes > [Fortunately, the mind is restless; when it uncovers a layer of its own deception, gives up an illusion, exposes a lie, it does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-chernin/fortunately-the-mind-is-restless-when-it-uncovers-a-layer-of-its-own/) [Kim Chernin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-chernin/) > [“The fact that I can get away with something is the very reason why I shouldn’t do it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/the-fact-that-i-can-get-away-with-something-is-the-very-reason-why-i/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“And so back to Cassie: who was she? Part of the deception; just a friend or something else…perhaps it was time to find out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-cusick-jones/and-so-back-to-cassie-who-was-she-part-of-the-deception-just-a-friend/) [Melanie Cusick-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-cusick-jones/) > [“Satan wants you to believe that you don't have a choice in the matter. You can't be happy until things go the way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-rietzsch/satan-wants-you-to-believe-that-you-don-t-have-a-choice-in-the-matter/) Lindsey Rietzsch > [No-deal Brexit could be Boris Johnson's biggest deception yet - worse than the Boris bus or the lies that had him sacked as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/no-deal-brexit-could-be-boris-johnson-s-biggest-deception-yet-worse/) [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) > [The public should begin to understand that there's nothing that comes out of this campaign, or this Obama White House, that they can believe.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sununu/the-public-should-begin-to-understand-that-there-s-nothing-that-comes/) [John Sununu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sununu/) > [The history of institutions is often a history of deception and illusions; for their virtue depends on the ideas that produce and on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/the-history-of-institutions-is-often-a-history-of-deception-and/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [Speaking of trust, ever since I wrote this book, 'Liespotting,' no one wants to meet me in person anymore - no, no, no, no,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-meyer/speaking-of-trust-ever-since-i-wrote-this-book-liespotting-no-one/) [Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) > [Jack and Jill ran up the hill, both for a little fun. Jack's plan was deception while Jill sought affection. And Jack wouldn't quit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-faria-stolarz/jack-and-jill-ran-up-the-hill-both-for-a-little-fun-jack-s-plan-was/) [Laurie Faria Stolarz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-faria-stolarz/) > [People with psychopathy are very good at reading the minds of their victims. That's probably most clearly seen in deception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-baron-cohen/people-with-psychopathy-are-very-good-at-reading-the-minds-of-their/) [Simon Baron-Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-baron-cohen/) > [Any seeming deception in a statement is costly, not only in the expense of the advertising but in the detrimental effect produced upon the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wanamaker/any-seeming-deception-in-a-statement-is-costly-not-only-in-the/) [John Wanamaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wanamaker/) > [Knowledge of God's Word is a bulwark against deception, temptation, accusation, even persecution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-louis-cole/knowledge-of-god-s-word-is-a-bulwark-against-deception-temptation/) [Edwin Louis Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-louis-cole/) > [In the last few years, the very idea of telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth is dredged up only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-musto/in-the-last-few-years-the-very-idea-of-telling-the-truth-the-whole/) [Michael Musto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-musto/) > [“To keep myself from harming or calling N and to stave off the rage and despair, I focus on my extraordinary son, drink midrange…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-finnamore/to-keep-myself-from-harming-or-calling-n-and-to-stave-off-the-rage/) [Suzanne Finnamore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-finnamore/) > [“For me, it´s sloth," I say. "Hedonistic sloth and escapism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-finnamore/for-me-it-s-sloth-i-say-hedonistic-sloth-and-escapism/) [Suzanne Finnamore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-finnamore/) [Browse all 1,232 Deception quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deception/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The greatest deception, and the deepest source of unhappiness, is the illusion of finding life by excluding God, of finding freedom by excluding moral truths and personal responsibility.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pope John Paul II" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-greatest-deception-and-the-deepest-source-of-unhappiness-is-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Deception" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-greatest-deception-and-the-deepest-source-of-unhappiness-is-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f06/pope-john-paul-ii-485_deception_the-greatest-deception-and-the-deepest-s_2423399.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f06/pope-john-paul-ii-485_deception_the-greatest-deception-and-the-deepest-s_2423399.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f06/pope-john-paul-ii-485_deception_the-greatest-deception-and-the-deepest-s_2423399.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The greatest deception, and the deepest source of unhappiness, is the illusion of finding life by excluding…” — Pope John Paul II", "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": "Pope John Paul II", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The greatest deception, and the deepest...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-greatest-deception-and-the-deepest-source-of-unhappiness-is-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-greatest-deception-and-the-deepest-source-of-unhappiness-is-the/#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 } } ] } ```