--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Better have men reproach you for being…" description: "\"Better have men reproach you for being good, than have God damn you for being wicked. Be not laughed out of your religion. If a lame man laugh at you f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/thomas-watson-4209_be-good_better-have-men-reproach-you-for-being-g_1242380.png" --- # Better have men reproach you for being good, than have God… ![“Better have men reproach you for being good, than have God damn you for being wicked. Be not laughed out of your religion. If a lame man laugh at you for walking upright, will you therefore limp?” quote by Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/thomas-watson-4209_be-good_better-have-men-reproach-you-for-being-g_1242380.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/thomas-watson-4209_be-good_better-have-men-reproach-you-for-being-g_1242380.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/thomas-watson-4209_be-good_better-have-men-reproach-you-for-being-g_1242380.png) > “Better have men reproach you for being good, than have God damn you for being wicked. Be not laughed out of your religion. If a lame man laugh at you for walking upright, will you therefore limp?” [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It is better to be criticized for virtue than condemned for vice; endure ridicule for integrity. **In simple terms:** Prefer criticism for goodness over condemnation for wickedness. Key Takeaway Choose integrity despite mockery. Themes integrity criticism virtue Mood determined defiant Type ethical motivational When to use this quote - public speaking - religious leadership - personal ethics Key Concepts moral courage social pressure Questions to Reflect On - Will you stand firm when others mock your values? - How does societal pressure affect moral choices? A Different Perspective Criticism can still damage reputation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Damn you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/damn-you/) [Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [But my favorite of Einstein's words on religion is "Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind." I like this because both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/but-my-favorite-of-einstein-s-words-on-religion-is-science-without/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/science-without-religion-is-lame-religion-without-science-is-blind/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“I cannot conceive of a great scientist without this profound faith: Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-cannot-conceive-of-a-great-scientist-without-this-profound-faith/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Some black people want to get in touch with their African roots. But then you got some black people that just don't give a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wanda-sykes/some-black-people-want-to-get-in-touch-with-their-african-roots-but/) [Wanda Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wanda-sykes/) > [Sometimes, if you ask people to "go downstairs and get me this or that," they'll say, "It's rainin" or "It might rain," or "There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/sometimes-if-you-ask-people-to-go-downstairs-and-get-me-this-or-that/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [Damn you!" Dagenham raged, "Don't you realize that you can't trust people? They don't know enough for their own good." "Then let them learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-bester/damn-you-dagenham-raged-don-t-you-realize-that-you-can-t-trust-people/) [Alfred Bester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-bester/) > [You thought I was that type: that you could forget me, and that I'd plead and weep and throw myself under the hooves of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-akhmatova/you-thought-i-was-that-type-that-you-could-forget-me-and-that-i-d/) [Anna Akhmatova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-akhmatova/) > [See, because I played behind the scenes so much I already knew what to expect. So I started getting myself ready. I was creating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yung-joc/see-because-i-played-behind-the-scenes-so-much-i-already-knew-what-to/) [Yung Joc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yung-joc/) > [If your religion does not make you holy, it will damn you. It is simply painted pageantry to go to hell in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/if-your-religion-does-not-make-you-holy-it-will-damn-you-it-is-simply/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Saying you love something out loud with the wrong intonation in your face can damn you and destroy what you're working on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-white/saying-you-love-something-out-loud-with-the-wrong-intonation-in-your/) [Jack White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-white/) > [You have delivered up our holy German Fatherland to one of the greatest demagogues of all time. I solemnly prophesy that this accursed man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-have-delivered-up-our-holy-german-fatherland-to-one-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The point of women's liberation is not to stand at the door of the male world, beating our fists, and crying, 'Let me in,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivian-gornick/the-point-of-women-s-liberation-is-not-to-stand-at-the-door-of-the/) [Vivian Gornick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivian-gornick/) > [If the producer doesn't like you, consequently he reads the script with a very negative view. But I wouldn't preoccupy myself with that, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-serling/if-the-producer-doesn-t-like-you-consequently-he-reads-the-script/) [Rod Serling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-serling/) > [The indications are that swearing preceded the development of cursing. That is, expletives, maledictions, exclamations, and imprecations of the immediately explosive or vituperative kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-montagu/the-indications-are-that-swearing-preceded-the-development-of-cursing/) [Ashley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-montagu/) > [No tears to damn you when jealousy burns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/no-tears-to-damn-you-when-jealousy-burns/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) ## More by Thomas Watson > [“Oh, Christian, if you are overspread with this fretting leprosy, you carry the man of sin about you, for you set yourself above God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/oh-christian-if-you-are-overspread-with-this-fretting-leprosy-you/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [A wicked man in prayer may lift up his hands, but he cannot lift up his face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/a-wicked-man-in-prayer-may-lift-up-his-hands-but-he-cannot-lift-up/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [Joining a company is an act that calls for absolute loyalty in big matters and little ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/joining-a-company-is-an-act-that-calls-for-absolute-loyalty-in-big/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [It is our work to cast care, and it is God's work to take care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/it-is-our-work-to-cast-care-and-it-is-god-s-work-to-take-care/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [“It is easy to catch a disease from another, but not to catch health. The bad will sooner corrupt the good, than the good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/it-is-easy-to-catch-a-disease-from-another-but-not-to-catch-health/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [“The world is but a great inn, where we are to stay a night or two, and be gone; what madness is it so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/the-world-is-but-a-great-inn-where-we-are-to-stay-a-night-or-two-and/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [The Ediles among the Romans had their doors always standing open, that all who had petitions might have free access to them. The door…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/the-ediles-among-the-romans-had-their-doors-always-standing-open-that/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [“This judgment is on many, the earth swallows up their time, and thoughts, and discourse, they are buried twice; their hearts are buried in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/this-judgment-is-on-many-the-earth-swallows-up-their-time-and/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [“Upon our turning to God, we have more restored to us in Christ—than ever was lost in Adam. God says to the repenting soul,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/upon-our-turning-to-god-we-have-more-restored-to-us-in-christ-than/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [Christ went more willingly to the cross than we do to the throne of grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/christ-went-more-willingly-to-the-cross-than-we-do-to-the-throne-of/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [The more we enjoy of God, the more we are ravished with delight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/the-more-we-enjoy-of-god-the-more-we-are-ravished-with-delight/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [“To obey God, is not so much our duty—as our privilege; his commands carry food in the mouth of them. He bids us repent—and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/to-obey-god-is-not-so-much-our-duty-as-our-privilege-his-commands/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [Prayer is the offering up of our desires to God in the name of Christ, for such things as are agreeable to his will.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/prayer-is-the-offering-up-of-our-desires-to-god-in-the-name-of-christ/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [Affliction may be lasting, but it is not everlasting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/affliction-may-be-lasting-but-it-is-not-everlasting/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [Prayer delights God's ear; it melts His heart; and opens His hand. God cannot deny a praying soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/prayer-delights-god-s-ear-it-melts-his-heart-and-opens-his-hand-god/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) [Explore all 113 Thomas Watson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) ## More Be good quotes > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [Peace is the result of love, and if love were easy we'd all be good at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colman-mccarthy/peace-is-the-result-of-love-and-if-love-were-easy-we-d-all-be-good-at/) [Colman McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colman-mccarthy/) > [Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Most of us want to live in harmony and peace and be good to others. Right now, however, the world is in a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hany-abu-assad/most-of-us-want-to-live-in-harmony-and-peace-and-be-good-to-others/) [Hany Abu-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hany-abu-assad/) > [I've never had any desire to be good. I don't like goodness particularly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-ve-never-had-any-desire-to-be-good-i-don-t-like-goodness/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [To become a classical ballerina, you have to move to New York when you're 12 or 11 and that becomes your life. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-garner/to-become-a-classical-ballerina-you-have-to-move-to-new-york-when-you/) [Jennifer Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-garner/) > [The producers felt that 24 would be good for the audience, to really get to know who these 12 and 12 are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-abdul/the-producers-felt-that-24-would-be-good-for-the-audience-to-really/) [Paula Abdul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-abdul/) > [All will concede that in order to have good neighbors, we must also be good neighbors. That applies in every field of human endeavor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/all-will-concede-that-in-order-to-have-good-neighbors-we-must-also-be/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [Everybody wants to be good, but not many are prepared to make the sacrifices it takes to be great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-arden/everybody-wants-to-be-good-but-not-many-are-prepared-to-make-the/) [Paul Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-arden/) > [There's such cultural rot taking place, such a disintegration throughout our culture. Values, morality, you name it. Standards have been relaxed, and people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-s-such-cultural-rot-taking-place-such-a-disintegration/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The difference in being good at some thing and being great at something is usually found in the little things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-anderson/the-difference-in-being-good-at-some-thing-and-being-great-at/) Randy Anderson > [It doesn't matter if your lead character is good or bad. He just has to be interesting, and he has to be good at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-chase/it-doesn-t-matter-if-your-lead-character-is-good-or-bad-he-just-has/) [David Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-chase/) > [What's good for the very rich might not be good for anybody but them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/what-s-good-for-the-very-rich-might-not-be-good-for-anybody-but-them/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [“Living in the middle of beauty like this, we've no call to have puny ideas about God. Why do you suppose His world is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/living-in-the-middle-of-beauty-like-this-we-ve-no-call-to-have-puny/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) Browse all 1,747 Be good quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Better have men reproach you for being good, than have God damn you for being wicked. Be not laughed out of your religion. 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