Vol. 06 · Misquoted ·Book ·108 of 348
"Hate the sin, love the sinner. — Gandhi"
They never said that.
What people say
"Hate the sin, love the sinner. — Gandhi"
What was actually said
Cum dilectione hominum et odio vitiorum — With love for humanity and hatred of vices. — St. Augustine, Letter 211 (c. AD 424). St. Augustine — Augustine of Hippo, Letter 211
Why it stuck
Gandhi's Autobiography (1929) uses a near-identical phrase and credits "a maxim" — he did not claim it as his own. The Augustinian original predates Gandhi by fifteen centuries.
Know another line by heart?
Play the duel and see how many you can spot. Or browse the whole shelf.