--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's one thing for a person to live his…" description: "\"It's one thing for a person to live his life as a vacuous shell without fully comprehending the extent of his transgressions, but I was guilty of the g..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/tarek-saab-43321_comprehending_it-s-one-thing-for-a-person-to-live-his_27559.jpg" --- # It's one thing for a person to live his life as a vacuous… ![“It's one thing for a person to live his life as a vacuous shell without fully comprehending the extent of his transgressions, but I was guilty of the greater sin; I knew what was right, and I chose to reject it.” quote by Tarek Saab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/tarek-saab-43321_comprehending_it-s-one-thing-for-a-person-to-live-his_27559.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/tarek-saab-43321_comprehending_it-s-one-thing-for-a-person-to-live-his_27559.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/tarek-saab-43321_comprehending_it-s-one-thing-for-a-person-to-live-his_27559.jpg) > “It's one thing for a person to live his life as a vacuous shell without fully comprehending the extent of his transgressions, but I was guilty of the greater sin; I knew what was right, and I chose to reject it.” [Tarek Saab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarek-saab/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker admits conscious moral failure, recognizing that knowing the right path and deliberately ignoring it is a deeper wrongdoing than ignorance or thoughtlessness. **In simple terms:** Deliberate moral neglect Key Takeaway Knowing and rejecting right is a grave sin Themes morality self-awareness guilt ethical responsibility choice Mood regretful somber reflective Type confessional philosophical When to use this quote - personal reflection - confession - ethical dilemma - self-judgment Key Concepts consciousness sin knowledge rejection Practical Applications - moral education - counseling Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to be complicit in wrongdoing? - How can one reconcile knowledge of right with repeated rejection? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Guilty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilty/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Transgression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transgression/) ## Related quotes > [“There's no such thing as life without bloodshed. 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At the sound of someone voluntarily speaking to Sin, Boyd looked over at her;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ais/hi-she-blurted-seeming-surprised-that-she-d-actually-said-it-at-the/) [Ais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ais/) > [“Oh, yes, you can sin with your tongue! David knew this and took special steps to keep himself from that kind of sin. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-morris/oh-yes-you-can-sin-with-your-tongue-david-knew-this-and-took-special/) [Robert Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-morris/) > [“She understood the nature of sin and knew that its most volatile form was the kind that did not recognize itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-conroy/she-understood-the-nature-of-sin-and-knew-that-its-most-volatile-form/) [Pat Conroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-conroy/) > [If we knew exactly what animal life was like before the fall into sin and knew what nature was like before the law of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lang/if-we-knew-exactly-what-animal-life-was-like-before-the-fall-into-sin/) [Walter Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lang/) > [There is no greater sin than desire, No greater curse than discontent, No greater misfortune than wanting something for oneself. Therefore he who knows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/there-is-no-greater-sin-than-desire-no-greater-curse-than-discontent/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [The less the temptation the greater the sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russyb/the-less-the-temptation-the-greater-the-sin/) Russyb > [If it be an evil to judge rashly or untruly any single man, how much a greater sin it is to condemn a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/if-it-be-an-evil-to-judge-rashly-or-untruly-any-single-man-how-much-a/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [“Which is the greater sin? To care too much? Or too little?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-ritz/which-is-the-greater-sin-to-care-too-much-or-too-little/) [K. Ritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-ritz/) > [...Really, there is no greater sin than cowardice; cowards are never saved - that is sure. I can stand everything else but not that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/really-there-is-no-greater-sin-than-cowardice-cowards-are-never-saved/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [The woman I loved died because I did not love her enough - what greater sin is there than that?" (Uncle Chaim and Aunt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/the-woman-i-loved-died-because-i-did-not-love-her-enough-what-greater/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [“There is no greater sin than to hate and kill the Son of God. There was no greater suffering nor any greater innocence than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/there-is-no-greater-sin-than-to-hate-and-kill-the-son-of-god-there/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [To make a vow is a greater sin than to break one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-make-a-vow-is-a-greater-sin-than-to-break-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Tarek Saab > [There is no point when all the material benefits of the world add up to a general state of happiness. It is the Great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarek-saab/there-is-no-point-when-all-the-material-benefits-of-the-world-add-up/) [Tarek Saab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarek-saab/) > [Living out one's faith is either no way to live or the only way to live; it's either imprisonment, or the only path to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarek-saab/living-out-one-s-faith-is-either-no-way-to-live-or-the-only-way-to/) [Tarek Saab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarek-saab/) > [Any goal without salvation as its ultimate end is as pointless as trying to live forever on this earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarek-saab/any-goal-without-salvation-as-its-ultimate-end-is-as-pointless-as/) [Tarek Saab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarek-saab/) > [Some psychologists argue that the idea of God is a response to our emotional needs, but this presumption is backwards. Our emotional fluctuations are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarek-saab/some-psychologists-argue-that-the-idea-of-god-is-a-response-to-our/) [Tarek Saab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarek-saab/) > [To be a real man is to be unattached - not from responsibility or justice - but from those dependencies that inhibit responsibility and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarek-saab/to-be-a-real-man-is-to-be-unattached-not-from-responsibility-or/) [Tarek Saab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarek-saab/) > [Without the necessary humility to worship, I subconsciously desired to be worshiped, not in a crazy Napoleanic manner, but like a modern-day celebrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarek-saab/without-the-necessary-humility-to-worship-i-subconsciously-desired-to/) [Tarek Saab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarek-saab/) > [Power isn't having the world at your fingertips; it is having the world at your fingertips and being able to give it up!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarek-saab/power-isn-t-having-the-world-at-your-fingertips-it-is-having-the/) [Tarek Saab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarek-saab/) > [For much of my life I floundered under the excuse of "nobody's perfect," the liberating and over-used phrase that affords guys like me the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarek-saab/for-much-of-my-life-i-floundered-under-the-excuse-of-nobody-s-perfect/) [Tarek Saab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarek-saab/) [Explore all 9 Tarek Saab quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarek-saab/) ## More Comprehending quotes > [Science has to be understood in its broadest sense, as a method for apprehending all observable reality, and not merely as an instrument for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-carrel/science-has-to-be-understood-in-its-broadest-sense-as-a-method-for/) [Alexis Carrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-carrel/) > [And immediately Rather than words comes the thought of high windows: The sun-comprehending glass, And beyond it, the deep blue air, that shows Nothing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-larkin/and-immediately-rather-than-words-comes-the-thought-of-high-windows/) [Philip Larkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-larkin/) > [The goodness of God is infinitely more wonderful than we will ever be able to comprehend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/the-goodness-of-god-is-infinitely-more-wonderful-than-we-will-ever-be/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [ \[Albert Camus\] positions are sensed. So, naturally, those intellectuals who don't have that experience have difficulty in comprehending it. But I think it made… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-camus/albert-camus-positions-are-sensed-so-naturally-those-intellectuals/) [Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) > [The laws of thermodynamics may be regarded as particular cases of more general laws, applicable to all such states of matter as constitute Energy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-john-macquorn-rankine/the-laws-of-thermodynamics-may-be-regarded-as-particular-cases-of/) [William John Macquorn Rankine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-john-macquorn-rankine/) > [Not being able to understand God is frustrating, but it is ridiculous for us to think we have the right to limit God to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/not-being-able-to-understand-god-is-frustrating-but-it-is-ridiculous/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [The utilitarian behaves sensibly in all that is required for preservation but never takes account of the fact that he must die...His whole life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-bloom/the-utilitarian-behaves-sensibly-in-all-that-is-required-for/) [Allan Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-bloom/) > [Listening and hearing are two different things, and acting is comprehending what the person is saying, thinking how it makes you feel and responding.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wenham/listening-and-hearing-are-two-different-things-and-acting-is/) [David Wenham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wenham/) > [“Don't do it, Eleanor told the little girl; insist on your cup of stars; once they have trapped you into being like everyone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-jackson/don-t-do-it-eleanor-told-the-little-girl-insist-on-your-cup-of-stars/) [Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/) > [Victory is the thought transformation resulting from comprehending that physical immortality...perpetual longevity, sans illness and aging...eternal, healthy, youthful life in your living flesh... is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-goodman/victory-is-the-thought-transformation-resulting-from-comprehending/) [Linda Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-goodman/) > [Not being able to fully understand God is frustrating but it is ridiculous for us to think we have the right to limit God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/not-being-able-to-fully-understand-god-is-frustrating-but-it-is/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Many there are who, not comprehending, not being affected with, that divine, spiritual description of the person of Christ which is given us by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/many-there-are-who-not-comprehending-not-being-affected-with-that/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [Genuine Christianity is more than a relationship with Jesus, as expressed in personal piety, church attendance, Bible study, and works of charity. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/genuine-christianity-is-more-than-a-relationship-with-jesus-as/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [Fools usually know best that which the wise despair of ever comprehending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/fools-usually-know-best-that-which-the-wise-despair-of-ever/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Looking for the essence of beauty is comprehending and appreciating that quality in an object which is fairer and better than only what our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luci-swindoll/looking-for-the-essence-of-beauty-is-comprehending-and-appreciating/) [Luci Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luci-swindoll/) Browse all 74 Comprehending quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's one thing for a person to live his life as a vacuous shell without fully comprehending the extent of his transgressions, but I was guilty of the greater sin; I knew what was right, and I chose to reject it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tarek Saab" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarek-saab/it-s-one-thing-for-a-person-to-live-his-life-as-a-vacuous-shell/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comprehending" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarek-saab/it-s-one-thing-for-a-person-to-live-his-life-as-a-vacuous-shell/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/tarek-saab-43321_comprehending_it-s-one-thing-for-a-person-to-live-his_27559.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/tarek-saab-43321_comprehending_it-s-one-thing-for-a-person-to-live-his_27559.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/tarek-saab-43321_comprehending_it-s-one-thing-for-a-person-to-live-his_27559.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's one thing for a person to live his life as a vacuous shell without fully comprehending the extent of…” — Tarek Saab", "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": "Tarek Saab", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarek-saab/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's one thing for a person...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarek-saab/it-s-one-thing-for-a-person-to-live-his-life-as-a-vacuous-shell/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarek-saab/it-s-one-thing-for-a-person-to-live-his-life-as-a-vacuous-shell/#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 } } ] } ```