It is impossible to calculate the moral mischief, if I may so express it, that mental lying has produced in society. When a man has so far corrupted and prostituted the chastity of his mind as to subscribe his professional belief to things he does not believe he has prepared himself for the commission of every other crime.
—Thomas Paine (1737–1809) American Nationalist, Author, Pamphleteer, Radical, Inventor
The essence of immorality is the tendency to make an exception of myself.
—Jane Addams (1860–1935) American Social Activist, Political Activist, Author, Lecturer
In all ages, hypocrites, called priests, have put crowns upon the heads of thieves, called kings.
—Robert G. Ingersoll (1833–99) American Atheist Politician, Orator, Social Critic, Essayist
It is always easier to fight for one’s principles than to live up to them.
—Alfred Adler (1870–1937) Austrian Psychologist, Psychiatrist
When we abolish the slavery of half of humanity, together with the whole system of hypocrisy it implies, then the “division” of humanity will reveal its genuine significance and the human couple will find its true form.
—Simone de Beauvoir (1908–86) French Philosopher, Writer, Feminist
Loud indignation against vice often stands for virtue in the eyes of bigots.
—Jean Antoine Petit-Senn (1792–1870) Swiss Poet
The world is full of fools and faint hearts; and yet everyone has courage enough to bear the misfortunes, and wisdom enough to manage the affairs, of his neighbor.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political leader, Inventor, Diplomat, Author
We are companions in hypocrisy.
—William Dean Howells (1837–1920) American Novelist, Short story Author, Editor
Live truth instead of professing it.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856-1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
Be not intimidated, therefore, by any terrors, from publishing with the utmost freedom whatever can be warranted by the laws of your country; nor suffer yourselves to be wheedled out of your liberty by any pretenses of politeness, delicacy, or decency. These, as they are often used, are but three different names for hypocrisy, chicanery, and cowardice.
—John Adams (1735-1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
Most of us are aware of and pretend to detest the barefaced instances of that hypocrisy by which men deceive others, but few of us are upon our guard or see that more fatal hypocrisy by which we deceive and over-reach our own hearts.
—Laurence Sterne (1713-68) Irish Anglican Novelist, Clergyman
Hypocrite reader – my fellow – my brother.
—Jerome (347–420) Greek Priest, Apologist, Saint
An ounce of hypocrisy is worth a pound of ambition.
—Michael Korda
Hypocrisy is oftenest clothed in the garb of religion.
—Hosea Ballou (1771–1852) American Universalist Clergyman, Writer
If we divine a discrepancy between a man’s words and his character, the whole impression of him becomes broken and painful; he revolts the imagination by his lack of unity, and even the good in him is hardly accepted.
—Charles Cooley (1864–1929) American Sociologist
He rightly reads scripture who turns words into deeds.
—Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153) French Catholic Religious Leader
If I’m a cruel satirist at least I’m not a hyprocrite: I never judge what other people do. Neither a politician nor a priest, I never censor what others do. Neither a philospher nor a psychiatrist, I never bother trying to analyze or resolve my fears and neuroses
—Federico Fellini (1920–93) Italian Film Director
The shortest and best way to live with honor in the world is to be in reality what we would appear to be.
—Socrates (469BCE- 399BCE) Anceient Greek Philosopher
No habit or quality is more easily acquired than hypocrisy, nor any thing sooner learned than to deny the sentiments of our hearts and the principle we act from: but the seeds of every passion are innate to us, and nobody comes into the world without them.
—Bernard Mandeville
Saint abroad and devil at home.
—John Bunyan (1628–88) English Christian Writer, Preacher
When you say that you agree to a thing in principle you mean that you have not the slightest intention of carrying it out in practice.
—Otto von Bismarck (1815–98) Prussian-German Political leader, Nationalist
The value of an idea has nothing whatever to do with the sincerity of the man who expresses it.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet