--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It isn't God who's evil-it's us…Everyone…" description: "\"“It isn't God who's evil-it's us…Everyone wants to know where evil comes from and why the world is riddle with it. Why doesn't anyone ask where goodnes..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e0/sylvain-reynard-765_evil_it-isn-t-god-who-s-evil-it-s-us-everyone_3001694.jpg" --- # It isn't God who's evil-it's us…Everyone wants to know… ![“It isn't God who's evil-it's us…Everyone wants to know where evil comes from and why the world is riddle with it. Why doesn't anyone ask where goodness comes from? Human beings have a tremendous capacity for cruelty. Why is there any goodness at all? Why are people like Grace and Richard so kind?…” quote by Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e0/sylvain-reynard-765_evil_it-isn-t-god-who-s-evil-it-s-us-everyone_3001694.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e0/sylvain-reynard-765_evil_it-isn-t-god-who-s-evil-it-s-us-everyone_3001694.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e0/sylvain-reynard-765_evil_it-isn-t-god-who-s-evil-it-s-us-everyone_3001694.jpg) > ““It isn't God who's evil-it's us…Everyone wants to know where evil comes from and why the world is riddle with it. Why doesn't anyone ask where goodness comes from? Human beings have a tremendous capacity for cruelty. Why is there any goodness at all? Why are people like Grace and Richard so kind? Because there's a God, and he hasn't allowed the earth to be entirely corrupted. There are sticky like leaves, if you look for them. And when you recognize them, you can feel his presence.”” [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Evil originates in humanity, while goodness is a divine spark that persists despite corruption. **In simple terms:** Human cruelty vs. divine goodness. Key Takeaway Seek divine goodness amid human flaws. Themes evil goodness human nature divine presence cruelty Mood contemplative thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal reflection - ethical discussions - community service - spiritual practice - reading scripture Key Concepts philosophy theodicy spirituality human capacity Questions to Reflect On - Where have you seen unexpected kindness? - How can we nurture goodness in a flawed world? A Different Perspective Goodness may be overlooked when focusing on evil. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gabriel/) [God Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-evil-730510/) [Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness/) [Goodness Comes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness-comes-984499/) [Goodness People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness-people-323209/) [Julia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/julia/) ## Related quotes > [“Everyone wants to know where evil comes from and why the world is riddled with it. Why doesn't anyone ask where goodness comes from?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/everyone-wants-to-know-where-evil-comes-from-and-why-the-world-is/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“Everyone thinks that my goodness comes easily to me, that it hardly counts because I do not struggle with it, but I do .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-lafevers/everyone-thinks-that-my-goodness-comes-easily-to-me-that-it-hardly/) [Robin LaFevers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-lafevers/) > [Goodness comes out of people who bask in the sun, as it does out of a sweet apple roasted before the fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dudley-warner/goodness-comes-out-of-people-who-bask-in-the-sun-as-it-does-out-of-a/) [Charles Dudley Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dudley-warner/) > [“You toyed with her heart. I know what that’s like. I can have compassion for her because of that.” “I met you first,” he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/you-toyed-with-her-heart-i-know-what-that-s-like-i-can-have/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“Gabriel caught her hand in his and pressed his open mouth to her palm. “Julianne, you were never just my student. You’re my soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/gabriel-caught-her-hand-in-his-and-pressed-his-open-mouth-to-her-palm/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“My dad is here," She hissed, hoping to give Gabriel enough of a head start so he could make it to the elevators before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/my-dad-is-here-she-hissed-hoping-to-give-gabriel-enough-of-a-head/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“The Angelfucker strikes again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/the-angelfucker-strikes-again/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“Why do we allow people to abuse their children? Why don't we defend the sick and the weak? Why do we let soldiers round…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/why-do-we-allow-people-to-abuse-their-children-why-don-t-we-defend/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [Goodness in other people and what they contribute inspire me. I love it when someone is gifted and shares it in some way so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-zellweger/goodness-in-other-people-and-what-they-contribute-inspire-me-i-love/) [Renee Zellweger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-zellweger/) > [I am inspired when I see goodness in other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricia-helfer/i-am-inspired-when-i-see-goodness-in-other-people/) [Tricia Helfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricia-helfer/) > [Listen to people and treat people as you find them. There's an inherent goodness in most people. Don't pre-judge people - that was me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-bean/listen-to-people-and-treat-people-as-you-find-them-there-s-an/) [Sean Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-bean/) > [“At the end of the day, developing goodness comes down to a simple question: Will this emotion, thought or action, increase or decrease my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gudjon-bergmann/at-the-end-of-the-day-developing-goodness-comes-down-to-a-simple/) [Gudjon Bergmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gudjon-bergmann/) > [“She would have done anything for Gabriel, the man shh spent the night with in the woods, if he' d give her even a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/she-would-have-done-anything-for-gabriel-the-man-shh-spent-the-night/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“He was a consuming fire. His passion, his desires, all seemed to overtake the desires of those around him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/he-was-a-consuming-fire-his-passion-his-desires-all-seemed-to/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“You are my sticky little leaf. My beautiful, sad, sticky little leaf, and I want to see you happy and whole. I'm sorry for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/you-are-my-sticky-little-leaf-my-beautiful-sad-sticky-little-leaf-and/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) ## More by Sylvain Reynard > [“She knew that upon closer inspection Gabriel would make a lousy poker player. He had too many tells, too many ways he revealed his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/she-knew-that-upon-closer-inspection-gabriel-would-make-a-lousy-poker/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“Then you’re going to take off your suit and show me just how much you missed your phone cord.” “And the attachment.” “And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/then-you-re-going-to-take-off-your-suit-and-show-me-just-how-much-you/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“Don't wait too long. Life takes unexpected turns, and we don't always have the time we think we have.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/don-t-wait-too-long-life-takes-unexpected-turns-and-we-don-t-always/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“She just wanted to be left alone to lick her wounds, like a puppy that had been kicked repeatedly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/she-just-wanted-to-be-left-alone-to-lick-her-wounds-like-a-puppy-that/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“I'm sorry you don't want to know me anymore. I will spend the rest of my life regretting the fact that I wasted my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/i-m-sorry-you-don-t-want-to-know-me-anymore-i-will-spend-the-rest-of/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“This was the joy that the world sought--sacred and pagan all at once. A union between two dissimilars into a seamless one. A picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/this-was-the-joy-that-the-world-sought-sacred-and-pagan-all-at-once-a/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“He was distressed to learn that the Pottery Barn Kids gift registry did not extend to children's books in Italian or Yiddish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/he-was-distressed-to-learn-that-the-pottery-barn-kids-gift-registry/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“She’d made her choice when he asked for her hand and she’d offered it without question. Once he touched her, she knew she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/she-d-made-her-choice-when-he-asked-for-her-hand-and-she-d-offered-it/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“Like they’d never seen a hot professor before. You made quite an impression in your turtleneck.” “Ah, yes, the turtleneck. Turtles have that effect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/like-they-d-never-seen-a-hot-professor-before-you-made-quite-an/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“I don’t know how to love you any other way, either,” she whispered back. “Then God have mercy on us both.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/i-don-t-know-how-to-love-you-any-other-way-either-she-whispered-back/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“You toyed with her heart. I know what that’s like. I can have compassion for her because of that.” “I met you first,” he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/you-toyed-with-her-heart-i-know-what-that-s-like-i-can-have/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“Apparuit iam beatitudo vestra' That is, "Now your blessedness appears.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/apparuit-iam-beatitudo-vestra-that-is-now-your-blessedness-appears/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“You tell him that — tell him he fucks with the angel at his peril.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/you-tell-him-that-tell-him-he-fucks-with-the-angel-at-his-peril/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“Ever had a beer before?" Gabriel grinned. She shook her head. "Then I'm glad I'm your first." "Have you ever held a boy's hand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/ever-had-a-beer-before-gabriel-grinned-she-shook-her-head-then-i-m/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“Chivalry in academia is dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/chivalry-in-academia-is-dead/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) [Explore all 332 Sylvain Reynard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) ## More Evil quotes > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [What is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-done-out-of-love-always-takes-place-beyond-good-and-evil/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Evil cannot be "treated" -- nor should it be. Evil has to \[be\] confronted and destroyed and it matters not why the evil is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/evil-cannot-be-treated-nor-should-it-be-evil-has-to-be-confronted-and/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [The evil which does me no harm is like the good which in no wise avails me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-evil-which-does-me-no-harm-is-like-the-good-which-in-no-wise/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/) [James Nayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nayler/) > [The politician attempts to remedy the evil by increasing the very thing that caused the evil in the first place: legal plunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-politician-attempts-to-remedy-the-evil-by-increasing-the-very/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [“Water is so friendly when you have it on your palms, but so evil when they have you on theirs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/water-is-so-friendly-when-you-have-it-on-your-palms-but-so-evil-when/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [THE ART OF PEACE is not easy. It is a fight to the finish, the slaying of evil desires and all falsehood within. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/the-art-of-peace-is-not-easy-it-is-a-fight-to-the-finish-the-slaying/) [Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/) [Browse all 11,163 Evil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It isn't God who's evil-it's us…Everyone wants to know where evil comes from and why the world is riddle with it. Why doesn't anyone ask where goodness comes from? Human beings have a tremendous capacity for cruelty. Why is there any goodness at all? Why are people like Grace and Richard so kind? Because there's a God, and he hasn't allowed the earth to be entirely corrupted. There are sticky like leaves, if you look for them. 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