--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fear is such a powerful emotion for…" description: "\"Fear is such a powerful emotion for humans that when we allow it to take us over, it drives compassion right out of our hearts.\" — Thomas Aquinas" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/thomas-aquinas-837_compassion_fear-is-such-a-powerful-emotion-for-huma_1851808.jpg" --- # Fear is such a powerful emotion for humans that when we… ![“Fear is such a powerful emotion for humans that when we allow it to take us over, it drives compassion right out of our hearts.” quote by Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/thomas-aquinas-837_compassion_fear-is-such-a-powerful-emotion-for-huma_1851808.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/thomas-aquinas-837_compassion_fear-is-such-a-powerful-emotion-for-huma_1851808.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/thomas-aquinas-837_compassion_fear-is-such-a-powerful-emotion-for-huma_1851808.jpg) > “Fear is such a powerful emotion for humans that when we allow it to take us over, it drives compassion right out of our hearts.” [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fear can suppress compassion, leading to coldness rather than empathy. **In simple terms:** Fear blocks compassion. Key Takeaway Cultivate courage and empathy. Themes emotion compassion human nature Mood reflective serene Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - personal crises - conflict zones - healthcare settings Key Concepts psychology theology Questions to Reflect On - How does fear affect your ability to care? - What practices nurture compassion despite fear? A Different Perspective Courage alone may not resolve systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Emotion Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion-humans-2434387/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fear Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-powerful-351998/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Over it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/over-it/) [Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful/) [Powerful Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful-emotion-334897/) ## Related quotes > [Fear is a negative thought in your mind. Supplant it with a constructive thought. Fear has killed millions. Confidence is greater than fear. Nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/fear-is-a-negative-thought-in-your-mind-supplant-it-with-a/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our Light, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/our-deepest-fear-is-not-that-we-are-inadequate-our-deepest-fear-is/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Maggie Smith has a unique sense of comedy, based on a somewhat ironic view of real life, making it both funnier and more sad.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-fellowes/maggie-smith-has-a-unique-sense-of-comedy-based-on-a-somewhat-ironic/) [Julian Fellowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-fellowes/) > [There are significant things will be sacrifies because of love it brings. 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It also can go awfully wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-campion/i-think-this-is-interesting-us-human-creatures-are-capable-of-love/) [Jane Campion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-campion/) > [Have you ever been anyone's?" I ask, a feathery whisper in the quiet bedroom. He lifts his head to mine, and I want him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-evans/have-you-ever-been-anyone-s-i-ask-a-feathery-whisper-in-the-quiet/) [Katy Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-evans/) > [People need love. It’s the most powerful emotion in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/people-need-love-it-s-the-most-powerful-emotion-in-the-world/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [We often use strong language not to express a powerful emotion but to evoke it in us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/we-often-use-strong-language-not-to-express-a-powerful-emotion-but-to/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) ## More by Thomas Aquinas > [Grace does not destroy nature, it perfects it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/grace-does-not-destroy-nature-it-perfects-it/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [Justice is in subjects as well as in rulers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/justice-is-in-subjects-as-well-as-in-rulers/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [“A capacity as such is directed to an act. Wherefore we seek to know the nature of a capacity from the act to which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/a-capacity-as-such-is-directed-to-an-act-wherefore-we-seek-to-know/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [“Yet no-one can say that God has not a Word, for it would follow that God is most foolish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/yet-no-one-can-say-that-god-has-not-a-word-for-it-would-follow-that/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [Unbelief is the greatest of sins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/unbelief-is-the-greatest-of-sins/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [If forgers and malefactors are put to death by the secular power, there is much more reason for excommunicating and even putting to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/if-forgers-and-malefactors-are-put-to-death-by-the-secular-power/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [When fear is excessive it can make many a man despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/when-fear-is-excessive-it-can-make-many-a-man-despair/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [Now, nothing can be brought from potentiality to actual existence except through something actually existing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/now-nothing-can-be-brought-from-potentiality-to-actual-existence/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [To convert somebody go and take them by the hand and guide them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/to-convert-somebody-go-and-take-them-by-the-hand-and-guide-them/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [ By the divine providence \[animals\] are intended for man's use... Hence it is not wrong for man to make use of them, either by… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/by-the-divine-providence-animals-are-intended-for-man-s-use-hence-it/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [“What causes love, since it is a passion, is its object; and since it is a sort of affinity or agreement with the object,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/what-causes-love-since-it-is-a-passion-is-its-object-and-since-it-is/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [The image of God always abides in the soul, whether this image be obsolete and clouded over as to amount to almost nothing; or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/the-image-of-god-always-abides-in-the-soul-whether-this-image-be/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [Charity, by which God and neighbor are loved, is the most perfect friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/charity-by-which-god-and-neighbor-are-loved-is-the-most-perfect/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [Beauty adds to goodness a relation to the cognitive faculty: so that "good" means that which simply pleases the appetite; while the "beautiful" is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/beauty-adds-to-goodness-a-relation-to-the-cognitive-faculty-so-that/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [“God is not, like creatures, made up of parts. God is spirit, without bodily dimensions. Firstly, no body can cause change without itself being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/god-is-not-like-creatures-made-up-of-parts-god-is-spirit-without/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) [Explore all 357 Thomas Aquinas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) ## More Compassion quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. 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If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Helpers in every corner, helpers in every hood. 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