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The truthfulness which Jesus demands from his followers is the self-abnegation which does not hide sin. Nothing is then hidden, everything is brought forth to the light of day. In this question of truthfulness, what matters first and last is that a man’s whole being should be exposed, his whole evil laid bare in the sight of God. But sinful men do not like this sort of truthfulness.

— Dietrich Bonhoeffer Discipleship (1937)

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Honesty

More quotes by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church. We are fighting to-day for costly grace.

Costly Grace (1937)

Civil courage, in fact, can grow only out of the free responsibility of free men.

Letters and Papers from Prison (1967)

The great masquerade of evil has played havoc with all our ethical concepts.

Letters and Papers from Prison (1967)

Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock.

Costly Grace (1937)

Before Jesus leads His disciples into suffering, humiliation, disgrace, and disdain, He summons them and shows Himself to them as the Lord in God's glory.

Meditations on the Cross (1996)

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You have to start with the truth. The truth is the only way that we can get anywhere. Because any decision-making that is based upon lies or ignorance can't lead to a good conclusion.

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False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.

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It is better to be poor and walk in integrity than to be stupid and speak lies.

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Who dares think one thing, and another tell,
My heart detests him as the gates of hell.

Homer Iliad (-750)

Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Dietrich Bonhoeffer (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.