--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If people with the very best intentions…" description: "\"If people with the very best intentions carry on prosecutions that are oppressive, the end may not always perhaps sanctify the means.\" — Sherrilyn Kenyon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f4/sherrilyn-kenyon-25_best-intentions_if-people-with-the-very-best-intentions_3091767.jpg" --- # If people with the very best intentions carry on… ![“If people with the very best intentions carry on prosecutions that are oppressive, the end may not always perhaps sanctify the means.” quote by Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f4/sherrilyn-kenyon-25_best-intentions_if-people-with-the-very-best-intentions_3091767.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f4/sherrilyn-kenyon-25_best-intentions_if-people-with-the-very-best-intentions_3091767.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f4/sherrilyn-kenyon-25_best-intentions_if-people-with-the-very-best-intentions_3091767.jpg) > “If people with the very best intentions carry on prosecutions that are oppressive, the end may not always perhaps sanctify the means.” [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Good intentions can lead to oppressive actions, making the means questionable despite the goals. **In simple terms:** Good intentions can still be oppressive. Key Takeaway Beware of means, not just ends. Themes ethics justice means vs ends Mood thoughtful cautious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - legal reform - activism - policy making Key Concepts moral philosophy power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - When do good intentions become harmful? - Can means be redeemed? A Different Perspective Ends may not justify harmful methods. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best intentions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-intentions/) [Intention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intention/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Prosecution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosecution/) ## Related quotes > [We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God will not do what we can do. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/we-are-in-danger-of-forgetting-that-we-cannot-do-what-god-does-and/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [One murder makes a villain. Millions a hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-chaplin/one-murder-makes-a-villain-millions-a-hero/) [Charlie Chaplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-chaplin/) > [“But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-holy-spirit/but-sanctify-christ-as-lord-in-your-hearts-always-being-ready-to-make/) The Holy Spirit > [People should not worry so much about what they do but rather about what they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/people-should-not-worry-so-much-about-what-they-do-but-rather-about/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [The ethical life... is maintained in being by a common culture, which also upholds the togetherness of society... 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We must do so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-erskine-stuart/we-can-sanctify-ourselves-in-common-things-we-must-do-so/) [Janet Erskine Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-erskine-stuart/) > [I assure you, my children, that when a Christian carries out with love the most insignificant everyday action, that action overflows with the transcendence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josemaria-escriva/i-assure-you-my-children-that-when-a-christian-carries-out-with-love/) [Josemaria Escriva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josemaria-escriva/) ## More by Sherrilyn Kenyon > [Grandma, please. It’s okay. Dad’s doing a great job. I give him kudos for at least being calm and rational, and not losing his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/grandma-please-it-s-okay-dad-s-doing-a-great-job-i-give-him-kudos-for/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [I just can’t, Nick, okay? Now, please give me a second to lie here in silence and bleed.” – Caleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-just-can-t-nick-okay-now-please-give-me-a-second-to-lie-here-in/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“You are my life.” -Maris”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/you-are-my-life-maris/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [It's easy to make mistakes. It's living with the consequences of them that's the hardest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/it-s-easy-to-make-mistakes-it-s-living-with-the-consequences-of-them/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“I don't know," Valerius said. " I hear some godawful kind of music from outside, horns blaring, and I'm in a house with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-don-t-know-valerius-said-i-hear-some-godawful-kind-of-music-from/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Got to say, dying would really wreck my best day. Been there, done that, and now that I think about it, Artemis forgot to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/got-to-say-dying-would-really-wreck-my-best-day-been-there-done-that/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [May the gods have mercy on whoever pisses them off, because Zarek and Jericho will have none for them. (Madoc) You’d better be glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/may-the-gods-have-mercy-on-whoever-pisses-them-off-because-zarek-and/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“Careful, human,” Hauk warned, showing Darling his fangs. “I might get hungry one of these nights and decide we no longer need a weaptech.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/careful-human-hauk-warned-showing-darling-his-fangs-i-might-get/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“Be that as it may, we do need you in particular to complete this assignment. (Syd) What is it with you government assholes that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/be-that-as-it-may-we-do-need-you-in-particular-to-complete-this/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [The only way to have eternal love is to never let your heart forget what it’s like to live without it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/the-only-way-to-have-eternal-love-is-to-never-let-your-heart-forget/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“I'm only one kill away from Command Assassin. Be a damn shame for that kill to be you" (Darion)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-m-only-one-kill-away-from-command-assassin-be-a-damn-shame-for-that/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [I’m getting all warm and fuzzy inside at the prospect of these demon things roaming the street, preying on us. (Tate)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-m-getting-all-warm-and-fuzzy-inside-at-the-prospect-of-these-demon/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“Then Olympus it is. But do try to behave. I know it’s hard for you, but… (Delphine) I won’t piss on the floor. (Jericho)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/then-olympus-it-is-but-do-try-to-behave-i-know-it-s-hard-for-you-but/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Funny how internal scars never healed. They were the souvenirs of the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/funny-how-internal-scars-never-healed-they-were-the-souvenirs-of-the/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“Hear me Isis as I pray. See her pain and take it all away. Let the heaven's light shine bright from above. And wrap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/hear-me-isis-as-i-pray-see-her-pain-and-take-it-all-away-let-the/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) [Explore all 3,050 Sherrilyn Kenyon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) ## More Best intentions quotes > [Where the sky begins, the horizon ends, despite the best intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/where-the-sky-begins-the-horizon-ends-despite-the-best-intentions/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [“Our best intentions are the most impactful when they are formed by the actual needs and desires of our community.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-docusen/our-best-intentions-are-the-most-impactful-when-they-are-formed-by/) David Docusen > [Time and distance have a way of playing tricks with your best intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kiedis/time-and-distance-have-a-way-of-playing-tricks-with-your-best/) [Anthony Kiedis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kiedis/) > [I can only think seriously of trying to live up to an ideal, to improve myself, if I am split in two pieces. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/i-can-only-think-seriously-of-trying-to-live-up-to-an-ideal-to/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [Even with the best intentions, growing apart might just be an inevitable part of growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/even-with-the-best-intentions-growing-apart-might-just-be-an/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [“The greatest harm can result from the best intentions - Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/the-greatest-harm-can-result-from-the-best-intentions-zeddicus-zu-l/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [In terms of how the music developed, it was my normal process, which I would say is really a hybrid process of sketching on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-richter/in-terms-of-how-the-music-developed-it-was-my-normal-process-which-i/) [Max Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-richter/) > [Even if you have the best intentions, there may sometimes be a price or a cost or a pushback against what you're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-russo/even-if-you-have-the-best-intentions-there-may-sometimes-be-a-price/) [Anthony Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-russo/) > [“Only a foolish soul would love the stars. As beautiful as they are, they will burn you. Regardless of your best intentions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendal-rob/only-a-foolish-soul-would-love-the-stars-as-beautiful-as-they-are/) [Kendal Rob](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendal-rob/) > [“Sometimes our best intentions are not enough, but always remain genuine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-michelle-carithers/sometimes-our-best-intentions-are-not-enough-but-always-remain-genuine/) M (Michelle) Carithers > [“So I found myself asking the question: what is the opposite of a mistake? And I realised there wasn’t a word, in fact, precisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-boyd/so-i-found-myself-asking-the-question-what-is-the-opposite-of-a/) [William Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-boyd/) > [“I'm still of the same mind. For many years I've been ashamed, mortally ashamed, of having been, even with the best intentions, even at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-m-still-of-the-same-mind-for-many-years-i-ve-been-ashamed-mortally/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“...I feel like a traitor, a phony, a fake. But I am a hypocrite with the best intentions, and I need kissing desperately.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-j-ginger/i-feel-like-a-traitor-a-phony-a-fake-but-i-am-a-hypocrite-with-the/) Coco J. Ginger > [“Maybe you will never be able to forgive me, but I wanted you to know I had the best intentions-and I still love you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-quick/maybe-you-will-never-be-able-to-forgive-me-but-i-wanted-you-to-know-i/) [Matthew Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-quick/) > [“The maxim, by which we commonly conduct ourselves in our reasonings, is, that the objects, of which we have no experience, resemble those, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-maxim-by-which-we-commonly-conduct-ourselves-in-our-reasonings-is/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) [Browse all 158 Best intentions quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-intentions/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If people with the very best intentions carry on prosecutions that are oppressive, the end may not always perhaps sanctify the means.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sherrilyn Kenyon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/if-people-with-the-very-best-intentions-carry-on-prosecutions-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Best intentions" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/if-people-with-the-very-best-intentions-carry-on-prosecutions-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f4/sherrilyn-kenyon-25_best-intentions_if-people-with-the-very-best-intentions_3091767.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f4/sherrilyn-kenyon-25_best-intentions_if-people-with-the-very-best-intentions_3091767.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f4/sherrilyn-kenyon-25_best-intentions_if-people-with-the-very-best-intentions_3091767.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If people with the very best intentions carry on prosecutions that are oppressive, the end may not always…” — Sherrilyn Kenyon", "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": "Sherrilyn Kenyon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If people with the very best...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/if-people-with-the-very-best-intentions-carry-on-prosecutions-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/if-people-with-the-very-best-intentions-carry-on-prosecutions-that/#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 } } ] } ```