The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose. — William Shakespeare

The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.

Author: William Shakespeare

Insight: We tend to think bad people are obviously bad—that they wear their intentions on their sleeves. But Shakespeare knew better. The most convincing arguments often come wrapped in perfectly legitimate language. Someone arguing for a terrible idea will grab the parts of the Bible, the constitution, or basic fairness that support them while conveniently ignoring everything else. They're not lying exactly; they're just being strategically incomplete. This matters now because it explains why arguments feel so slippery online and in real life. Two people can both cite "free speech" or "personal responsibility" or "what's best for families" and end up on completely opposite sides. They're not always stupid or malicious—they've just chosen which truths to emphasize. The problem is that selective honesty is harder to spot than an outright lie. It feels legitimate because parts of it actually are. The real takeaway isn't that we should distrust arguments that use good principles. It's that we should get suspicious when someone uses only one principle while completely ignoring others that also matter. The devil isn't shouting; he's quoting selectively. So when you hear a convincing argument—especially one that makes you immediately angry at the other side—it's worth asking: what's this person leaving out?

Source: The Merchant of Venice, Act 1, Scene 3