--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wish to Christ I could make up a really…" description: "\"I wish to Christ I could make up a really great lie. Sometimes, after an interview, I say to myself, 'Man, you were so honest - can't you have some fun..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0da/willem-dafoe-4486_christ_i-wish-to-christ-i-could-make-up-a-reall_2010688.jpg" --- # I wish to Christ I could make up a really great lie… ![“I wish to Christ I could make up a really great lie. Sometimes, after an interview, I say to myself, 'Man, you were so honest - can't you have some fun? Can't you do some really down and dirty lying?' But the puritan in me thinks that if I tell a lie, I'll be punished.” quote by Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0da/willem-dafoe-4486_christ_i-wish-to-christ-i-could-make-up-a-reall_2010688.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0da/willem-dafoe-4486_christ_i-wish-to-christ-i-could-make-up-a-reall_2010688.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0da/willem-dafoe-4486_christ_i-wish-to-christ-i-could-make-up-a-reall_2010688.jpg) > “I wish to Christ I could make up a really great lie. Sometimes, after an interview, I say to myself, 'Man, you were so honest - can't you have some fun? Can't you do some really down and dirty lying?' But the puritan in me thinks that if I tell a lie, I'll be punished.” [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) ## 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 feels torn between honesty and the temptation to lie for entertainment, fearing moral punishment. **In simple terms:** Conflict between honesty and playful lying. Key Takeaway Balance truth with humor responsibly. Themes honesty temptation morality Mood conflicted reflective Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - interview debrief - creative writing - personal reflection Key Concepts self‑control guilt inner critic Questions to Reflect On - Do you ever justify small lies? - How can humor replace deceit? A Different Perspective Lying may erode trust and self‑esteem. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Dirty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dirty/) [Down and](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/down-and/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Great Lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-lie-868036/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Interviews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interviews/) [Lie Interview](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lie-interview-1143254/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Lying Puritan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying-puritan-3590117/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Puritan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puritan/) [Really great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-great/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Tell Lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell-lie-271653/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [I try to tell one lie in every interview. It keeps people I know amused when they read the article.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-blunt/i-try-to-tell-one-lie-in-every-interview-it-keeps-people-i-know/) [James Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-blunt/) > [It is harder to lie in an interview. A good interview - and it can be polite - is not a one way street…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-van-susteren/it-is-harder-to-lie-in-an-interview-a-good-interview-and-it-can-be/) [Greta Van Susteren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-van-susteren/) > [A great lie is like a great fish on dry land; it may fret and fling and make a frightful bother, but it cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-crabbe/a-great-lie-is-like-a-great-fish-on-dry-land-it-may-fret-and-fling/) [George Crabbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-crabbe/) > [Half a truth is often a great lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/half-a-truth-is-often-a-great-lie/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The great lie of the news media: I am the public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azgraybebly-josland/the-great-lie-of-the-news-media-i-am-the-public/) [Azgraybebly Josland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azgraybebly-josland/) > [Half the truth is often a great lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/half-the-truth-is-often-a-great-lie/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [fiction is the great lie that tells the truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/fiction-is-the-great-lie-that-tells-the-truth/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [Socrates said the perfect society would be based on a great lie. People would be told that lie from the cradle, and they would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frasier/socrates-said-the-perfect-society-would-be-based-on-a-great-lie/) [Anne Frasier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frasier/) > [How great the lie right to the top: We don't torture people in America and people who say we do simply know nothing about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/how-great-the-lie-right-to-the-top-we-don-t-torture-people-in-america/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Parliaments are the great lie of our time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konstantin-pobedonostsev/parliaments-are-the-great-lie-of-our-time/) [Konstantin Pobedonostsev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konstantin-pobedonostsev/) > [if you tell yourself the great lie of bad art-that you are in charge-your chance at the truth will be lost. The truth isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/if-you-tell-yourself-the-great-lie-of-bad-art-that-you-are-in-charge/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Science is the only truth and it is the great lie. It knows nothing, and people think it knows everything. It is misrepresented. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/remy-de-gourmont/science-is-the-only-truth-and-it-is-the-great-lie-it-knows-nothing/) [Remy de Gourmont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/remy-de-gourmont/) > [“TONGUE CAN TELL LIE…. HANDS CAN DO WRONG…. EARS CAN HEAR BAD…… EYES ARE ALWAYS TELLS TRUE…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shany-mathew/tongue-can-tell-lie-hands-can-do-wrong-ears-can-hear-bad-eyes-are/) [SHANY MATHEW](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shany-mathew/) > [“Believe me when I tell you that there is no lie quite so obvious as the one where you try to protest that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-slater/believe-me-when-i-tell-you-that-there-is-no-lie-quite-so-obvious-as/) [nigel slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-slater/) > [There is only one sin. and that is theft... when you tell a lie, you steal someones right to the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-only-one-sin-and-that-is-theft-when-you-tell-a-lie-you-steal/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Willem Dafoe > [I was doing community theater, and I was always interested in acting, but I was also interested in sports. I was interested in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/i-was-doing-community-theater-and-i-was-always-interested-in-acting/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [I knew very little about 'Spider-Man'. I grew up more in the 'Superman' generation. 'Spider-Man' - I didn't know so much. But it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/i-knew-very-little-about-spider-man-i-grew-up-more-in-the-superman/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [When you have something to work with, then you fly with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/when-you-have-something-to-work-with-then-you-fly-with-it/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [When I was a kid I was very interested in the idea of the will, finding out what you're capable of. I liked those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/when-i-was-a-kid-i-was-very-interested-in-the-idea-of-the-will/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [Film is an editor's medium. You can create very good raw material and they can make it horrible, or you can do not so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/film-is-an-editor-s-medium-you-can-create-very-good-raw-material-and/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [I'm more interested in talking about what I do. And I don't think people are interested in my personal life. I've never had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/i-m-more-interested-in-talking-about-what-i-do-and-i-don-t-think/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [ Mounting those red stairs \[in Cannes\] is something I've done with a very different intention many times. So it's interesting any time you witness… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/mounting-those-red-stairs-in-cannes-is-something-i-ve-done-with-a/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [In films you do a scene, you play around with it and unless you're doing a lot of reshooting, which no one has the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/in-films-you-do-a-scene-you-play-around-with-it-and-unless-you-re/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [For every role, you have to always find a different way to approach it, one that's specific and suits what the key is. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/for-every-role-you-have-to-always-find-a-different-way-to-approach-it/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [Celebrity is okay as long as you know it's not about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/celebrity-is-okay-as-long-as-you-know-it-s-not-about-you/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [All the time, as an actor, you want to be asking what's next and where things are going. If you're not asking those questions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/all-the-time-as-an-actor-you-want-to-be-asking-what-s-next-and-where/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [I'm learning in my old age that the only thing you can do to keep your sanity is to stay in the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/i-m-learning-in-my-old-age-that-the-only-thing-you-can-do-to-keep/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [I was watching 'Wild at Heart,' and I can honestly say I did nothing for that apart from show up!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/i-was-watching-wild-at-heart-and-i-can-honestly-say-i-did-nothing-for/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [Truth is, generally I like film festivals; somewhere at some level there's an exchange of ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/truth-is-generally-i-like-film-festivals-somewhere-at-some-level/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [I don't think people are interested in my personal life. I've never had a Hollywood life. I've always been a worker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/i-don-t-think-people-are-interested-in-my-personal-life-i-ve-never/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) [Explore all 110 Willem Dafoe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) ## More Christ quotes > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [“I would even go so far as to say that the mythical character of a life is just what expresses its universal human validity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-jung/i-would-even-go-so-far-as-to-say-that-the-mythical-character-of-a/) [C.G. Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-jung/) > [Set NOT your hearts on the flowers of this world. They shall fade and die. Prize the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/set-not-your-hearts-on-the-flowers-of-this-world-they-shall-fade-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When the Lord Jesus Christ became my surety . . . He went to Calvary's cross, and all my guilt was charged against Him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-allen-ironside/when-the-lord-jesus-christ-became-my-surety-he-went-to-calvary-s/) [Henry Allen Ironside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-allen-ironside/) > [It's going to be used in the last days to get people to come against Christ, and that's the issue: they come against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-s-going-to-be-used-in-the-last-days-to-get-people-to-come-against/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [May nothing entice me till I happily make my way to Jesus Christ! 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It was the Lord speaking to us all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/it-was-no-accident-no-coincidence-that-the-seasons-came-round-and/) [Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/) > [Christ never preached any funeral sermons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/christ-never-preached-any-funeral-sermons/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [The emerging church movement has come to believe that the ultimate context of the spiritual aspirations of a follower of Jesus Christ is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samir-selmanovic/the-emerging-church-movement-has-come-to-believe-that-the-ultimate/) [Samir Selmanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samir-selmanovic/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. 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Visit Your church; restore sound doctrine and holy, earnest living. Take away from professing Christians their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/lord-send-your-life-throughout-the-entire-church-visit-your-church/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) [Browse all 9,006 Christ quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I wish to Christ I could make up a really great lie. Sometimes, after an interview, I say to myself, 'Man, you were so honest - can't you have some fun? Can't you do some really down and dirty lying?' 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