Richard Paul Evans Quotes

I don't believe in stereotypes. Most of the time, stereotypes are just that.

When people rely on surface appearances and false racial stereotypes, rather than in-depth knowledge of others at the level of the heart, mind and spirit, their ability to assess and understand people accurately is compromised.

It is sometimes hard to grasp the difference between identifying with one's own roots, understanding people with other roots, and judging what is good or bad.

Everybody is the way they are because of certain events that have happened in their life. Oftentimes you'll meet somebody who seems a certain way, and then you realize, 'Oh, that guy's actually the sweetest man I know. But I wouldn't have known that from the outset because that's hidden.'

When you label somebody and put them in a box, then you put the lid on the box, and you just never look inside again. I think it's much more interesting for human beings to look at each other's stories and see each other. Really see each other and then see themselves through other people's stories. That's where you start to break down stereotypes.

You meet people, and you realize that you can never judge a book by its cover.

A lot of people judge others too quickly without actually knowing the full facts or the actual real person.

The ultimate lesson from my entire experience is you cannot prejudge human beings. You just can't. I don't care who they are, what their behavior, or what you've heard about. You have to be able to meet the person and talk with them, and even then, that's not even enough to prejudge them.

How then did it work out, all this? How did one judge people, think of them? How did one add up this and that and conclude that it is liking one felt, or disliking?

I mean, I don't think I'm alone when I look at the homeless person or the bum or the psychotic or the drunk or the drug addict or the criminal and see their baby pictures in my mind's eye. You don't think they were cute like every other baby?

It is difficult to judge one's contemporaries; perhaps it is impossible to understand them.

They judge me like a picture book, by the colors, like they forgot to read.

People hasten to judge in order not to be judged themselves.

Too often we judge people based on our own backgrounds and experiences, but when you understand people's stories, it's easier to understand their demeanor.

Everybody had to be thoroughly understood before being accepted.

Judging others makes us blind, whereas love is illuminating.

This business of really knowing people, deep down, including your own self, it is not something you can learn in school or from a book. It takes your whole being to do it—your eyes and your ears, your brain and your heart. Maybe your heart most of all. —Bobby Goodspeed

We spend our lives guessing at what's going on inside everybody else, and when we happen to get lucky and guess right, we think we 'understand.' Such nonsense. Even a monkey at a computer will type a word now and then.

O prejudice, prejudice, prejudice, how many hast thou destroyed! Men who might have been wise have remained fools because they thought they were wise. Many judge what the gospel ought to be, but do not actually enquire as to what it is. They do not come to the Bible to obtain their views of religion, but they open that Book to find texts to suit the opinions which they bring to it. They are not open to the honest force of truth, and therefore are not saved by it.

First impression is unfair, because a first impression of somebody is guarded, and you don't know the person.

I want people to know there are infinite possibilities in life to be grateful for. I love that people feel comfortable coming up to me and telling me stories about things they have gone through.

Take time to get to know people. Understand where they are coming from, what is important to them. Make sure they are with you.

I met an American lady many years ago, much distant. Then I told her about my own difficult experiences and I showed some genuine concern. She responded, "Why are you so concerned about me?" We need more patience. At a fundamental level, we are the same human brothers and sisters. Then forget it. The human mind is very strange. Like that.

The average man believes a thing first, and then searches for proof to bolster his opinion

My whole work drive has been aimed at making people understand each other. . .