--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Evil is an attack against human spiritual…" description: "\"Evil is an attack against human spiritual development and enlightenment. All evil, badness, neurosis - it has one motive and one motive only, which is ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/vernon-howard-2173_badness_evil-is-an-attack-against-human-spiritua_1044554.png" --- # Evil is an attack against human spiritual development and… ![“Evil is an attack against human spiritual development and enlightenment. All evil, badness, neurosis - it has one motive and one motive only, which is to destroy - to destroy your chance of arising above yourself.” quote by Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/vernon-howard-2173_badness_evil-is-an-attack-against-human-spiritua_1044554.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/vernon-howard-2173_badness_evil-is-an-attack-against-human-spiritua_1044554.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/vernon-howard-2173_badness_evil-is-an-attack-against-human-spiritua_1044554.png) > “Evil is an attack against human spiritual development and enlightenment. All evil, badness, neurosis - it has one motive and one motive only, which is to destroy - to destroy your chance of arising above yourself.” [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Evil seeks to impede spiritual growth, aiming solely to destroy personal advancement. **In simple terms:** Evil blocks spiritual progress. Key Takeaway Guard against destructive influences. Themes spirituality morality self‑development Mood somber hopeful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal crises - ethical dilemmas - addiction - negative self‑talk Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - What internal obstacles hinder your enlightenment? - How can you transform perceived evil into learning? A Different Perspective Not all suffering is evil; some challenges foster growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Buddhism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhism/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Enlightenment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightenment/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Spiritual development](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-development/) ## Related quotes > [You don't have to be a good person to be a good writer--history shows it's better if you're not--but you have to understand your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-abrahams/you-don-t-have-to-be-a-good-person-to-be-a-good-writer-history-shows/) [Peter Abrahams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-abrahams/) > [Is this how you repay my goodness--with badness?” cried the boy. “Of course,” said the crocodile out of the corner of his mouth. “That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/is-this-how-you-repay-my-goodness-with-badness-cried-the-boy-of/) [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) > [It is possible that the contemplation of cruelty will not make us humane but cruel; that the reiteration of the badness of our spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-trilling/it-is-possible-that-the-contemplation-of-cruelty-will-not-make-us/) [Lionel Trilling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-trilling/) > [When you've been afraid of something for long enough and it comes to pass, the terrible thing is a release. For in the belly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/when-you-ve-been-afraid-of-something-for-long-enough-and-it-comes-to/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [The Bible is one long story of God meeting our rebellion with His rescue, our sin with His salvation, our guilt with His grace,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/the-bible-is-one-long-story-of-god-meeting-our-rebellion-with-his/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [Before you^say something Bad to^others ask your-self^why are^you the only one saw^the badness and-->](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junior-d-r-l-testament/before-you-say-something-bad-to-others-ask-your-self-why-are-you-the/) Junior Dè Rèál Testament > [All the best of the monsters played for sympathy. That goes for my father, Karloff, myself and all the others. They all won the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lon-chaney-jr/all-the-best-of-the-monsters-played-for-sympathy-that-goes-for-my/) Lon Chaney, Jr > [A bad man can do a million times more harm than a beast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/a-bad-man-can-do-a-million-times-more-harm-than-a-beast/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [“But the greatest cause of verbicide is the fact that most people are obviously far more anxious to express their approval and disapproval of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/but-the-greatest-cause-of-verbicide-is-the-fact-that-most-people-are/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“They don't go into what is the cause of goodness, so why of the other shop? If lewdies are good that's because they like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-burgess/they-don-t-go-into-what-is-the-cause-of-goodness-so-why-of-the-other/) [Anthony Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-burgess/) > [The first link between my soul and Christ is not my goodness but my badness, not my merit but my misery, not my riches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/the-first-link-between-my-soul-and-christ-is-not-my-goodness-but-my/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“If you have had a bad day, remember that tomorrow is a wonderful gift and a new chance to try again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/if-you-have-had-a-bad-day-remember-that-tomorrow-is-a-wonderful-gift/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [A man of bad character punishes his own soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ghazali/a-man-of-bad-character-punishes-his-own-soul/) [Al-Ghazali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ghazali/) > [I think when you don't know where you stand with someone, they can surprise you in their goodness and their badness, and that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-morrissey/i-think-when-you-don-t-know-where-you-stand-with-someone-they-can/) [David Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-morrissey/) > [“I decide a book is bad if I get angrier and angrier as I read it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-t-o-hara/i-decide-a-book-is-bad-if-i-get-angrier-and-angrier-as-i-read-it/) Daniel T. O'Hara ## More by Vernon Howard > [“A self-working individual will be sitting around home one day when the startling thought occurs, “Here I am, sitting around, doing nothing of interest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/a-self-working-individual-will-be-sitting-around-home-one-day-when/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [The terrible immoralities are the cunning ones hiding behind masks of morality, such as exploiting people while pretending to help them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/the-terrible-immoralities-are-the-cunning-ones-hiding-behind-masks-of/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [No one on earth can hurt you, unless you accept the hurt in your own mind. . . The problem is not other people;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/no-one-on-earth-can-hurt-you-unless-you-accept-the-hurt-in-your-own/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [To change what you get you must change who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/to-change-what-you-get-you-must-change-who-you-are/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [Genuine kindness is not what we do, it is what we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/genuine-kindness-is-not-what-we-do-it-is-what-we-are/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [When told that man lives in delusion everyone thinks of himself as the exception; hence his delusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/when-told-that-man-lives-in-delusion-everyone-thinks-of-himself-as/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [It is against the law to permit weak people to steal your strength. Never permit it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/it-is-against-the-law-to-permit-weak-people-to-steal-your-strength/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [Men have the illusion of having a duty to make the world spin properly, which is precisely what makes it wobble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/men-have-the-illusion-of-having-a-duty-to-make-the-world-spin/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [Just as surely as distress must follow self-deceit, healing must follow self-honesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/just-as-surely-as-distress-must-follow-self-deceit-healing-must/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [Quit thinking that you must halt before the barrier of inner negativity. You need not. You can crash through... whatever we see a negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/quit-thinking-that-you-must-halt-before-the-barrier-of-inner/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [One false idea is that anyone can hurt you. Events can ruin your reputation, take your money, mistreat you, revenge itself upon you, deceive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/one-false-idea-is-that-anyone-can-hurt-you-events-can-ruin-your/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [Don't try to be unafraid. That is impossible. Rather, go ahead while being afraid. That is the entire secret for abolishing fear. The Supermind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/don-t-try-to-be-unafraid-that-is-impossible-rather-go-ahead-while/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [The only way to do something truly important every day is to seek to understand yourself every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/the-only-way-to-do-something-truly-important-every-day-is-to-seek-to/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [Make it absolutely clear to yourself what you want from other people. That is really half the secret for drawing your desire to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/make-it-absolutely-clear-to-yourself-what-you-want-from-other-people/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [The only reason you do not do great things is because you timidly cling to small things. Will you let loose of small things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/the-only-reason-you-do-not-do-great-things-is-because-you-timidly/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) [Explore all 181 Vernon Howard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) ## More Badness quotes > [You don't have to be a good person to be a good writer--history shows it's better if you're not--but you have to understand your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-abrahams/you-don-t-have-to-be-a-good-person-to-be-a-good-writer-history-shows/) [Peter Abrahams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-abrahams/) > [I think when you don't know where you stand with someone, they can surprise you in their goodness and their badness, and that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-morrissey/i-think-when-you-don-t-know-where-you-stand-with-someone-they-can/) [David Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-morrissey/) > [A man of bad character punishes his own soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ghazali/a-man-of-bad-character-punishes-his-own-soul/) [Al-Ghazali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ghazali/) > [“If you have had a bad day, remember that tomorrow is a wonderful gift and a new chance to try again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/if-you-have-had-a-bad-day-remember-that-tomorrow-is-a-wonderful-gift/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [The first link between my soul and Christ is not my goodness but my badness, not my merit but my misery, not my riches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/the-first-link-between-my-soul-and-christ-is-not-my-goodness-but-my/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“They don't go into what is the cause of goodness, so why of the other shop? If lewdies are good that's because they like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-burgess/they-don-t-go-into-what-is-the-cause-of-goodness-so-why-of-the-other/) [Anthony Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-burgess/) > [“But the greatest cause of verbicide is the fact that most people are obviously far more anxious to express their approval and disapproval of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/but-the-greatest-cause-of-verbicide-is-the-fact-that-most-people-are/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [A bad man can do a million times more harm than a beast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/a-bad-man-can-do-a-million-times-more-harm-than-a-beast/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [All the best of the monsters played for sympathy. That goes for my father, Karloff, myself and all the others. They all won the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lon-chaney-jr/all-the-best-of-the-monsters-played-for-sympathy-that-goes-for-my/) Lon Chaney, Jr > [Before you^say something Bad to^others ask your-self^why are^you the only one saw^the badness and-->](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junior-d-r-l-testament/before-you-say-something-bad-to-others-ask-your-self-why-are-you-the/) Junior Dè Rèál Testament > [The Bible is one long story of God meeting our rebellion with His rescue, our sin with His salvation, our guilt with His grace,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/the-bible-is-one-long-story-of-god-meeting-our-rebellion-with-his/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [When you've been afraid of something for long enough and it comes to pass, the terrible thing is a release. For in the belly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/when-you-ve-been-afraid-of-something-for-long-enough-and-it-comes-to/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [It is possible that the contemplation of cruelty will not make us humane but cruel; that the reiteration of the badness of our spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-trilling/it-is-possible-that-the-contemplation-of-cruelty-will-not-make-us/) [Lionel Trilling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-trilling/) > [Is this how you repay my goodness--with badness?” cried the boy. “Of course,” said the crocodile out of the corner of his mouth. “That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/is-this-how-you-repay-my-goodness-with-badness-cried-the-boy-of/) [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) > [“I decide a book is bad if I get angrier and angrier as I read it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-t-o-hara/i-decide-a-book-is-bad-if-i-get-angrier-and-angrier-as-i-read-it/) Daniel T. O'Hara Browse all 124 Badness quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Evil is an attack against human spiritual development and enlightenment. 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