--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Tobacco . . . is not prohibited in the…" description: "\"Tobacco . . . is not prohibited in the Scriptures, though, as Samuel Butler points out, St. Paul would no doubt have denounced it if he had known of it..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94f/bertrand-russell-69_butlers_tobacco-is-not-prohibited-in-the-scriptu_1856915.jpg" --- # Tobacco . . . is not prohibited in the Scriptures, though… ![“Tobacco . . . is not prohibited in the Scriptures, though, as Samuel Butler points out, St. Paul would no doubt have denounced it if he had known of it.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94f/bertrand-russell-69_butlers_tobacco-is-not-prohibited-in-the-scriptu_1856915.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94f/bertrand-russell-69_butlers_tobacco-is-not-prohibited-in-the-scriptu_1856915.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94f/bertrand-russell-69_butlers_tobacco-is-not-prohibited-in-the-scriptu_1856915.jpg) > “Tobacco . . . is not prohibited in the Scriptures, though, as Samuel Butler points out, St. Paul would no doubt have denounced it if he had known of it.” [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Bible does not forbid tobacco, but Paul would likely have condemned it if he knew its harms. **In simple terms:** Bible silent on tobacco; Paul might oppose it. Key Takeaway Consider health impacts when interpreting ancient texts. Themes health interpretation religion Mood thoughtful critical Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - public health policy - religious counseling - personal choices Key Concepts ethics historical context Questions to Reflect On - How should contemporary knowledge affect ancient moral teachings? - Do we reinterpret texts with new science? A Different Perspective Modern knowledge may change moral judgments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Butlers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/butlers/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Known](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/known/) [No doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/no-doubt/) [Prohibited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prohibited/) [Prohibited Scriptures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prohibited-scriptures-2473536/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/samuel-butler-220234/) [Scripture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scripture/) [Scriptures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scriptures/) [Tobacco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tobacco/) [Tobacco Prohibited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tobacco-prohibited-2473535/) ## Related quotes > [Why does Samuel Butler say, 'Wise men never say what they think of women'? Wise men never say anything else apparently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/why-does-samuel-butler-say-wise-men-never-say-what-they-think-of/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [In the end I came to see that the true prophet of the modern world was Samuel Butler: when he suggested that the machine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aickman/in-the-end-i-came-to-see-that-the-true-prophet-of-the-modern-world/) [Robert Aickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aickman/) > [“Fireflies out on a warm summer's night, seeing the urgent, flashing, yellow-white phosphorescence below them, go crazy with desire; moths cast to the winds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/fireflies-out-on-a-warm-summer-s-night-seeing-the-urgent-flashing/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Life is the art of drawing sufficient conclusions from insufficient premises. Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/life-is-the-art-of-drawing-sufficient-conclusions-from-insufficient-2/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [“Food of Love Eating is touch carried to the bitter end. -Samuel Butler II I'm going to murder you with love; I'm going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-kizer/food-of-love-eating-is-touch-carried-to-the-bitter-end-samuel-butler/) [Carolyn Kizer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-kizer/) > [“I want to be able to do anything with words: handle slashing, flaming descriptions like Wells, and use the paradox with the clarity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-want-to-be-able-to-do-anything-with-words-handle-slashing-flaming/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“Life, said Samuel Butler, is like giving a concert on the violin while learning to play the instrument—that, friends, is real wisdom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/life-said-samuel-butler-is-like-giving-a-concert-on-the-violin-while/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [ “He \[Samuel Butler\] made a practise of doing the forks last when washing up, on the grounds that he might die before he got… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-larkin/he-samuel-butler-made-a-practise-of-doing-the-forks-last-when-washing/) [Philip Larkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-larkin/) > [I went to Salt Lake City and the Mormons tried to convert me, but when I found they forbade tea and tobacco I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-went-to-salt-lake-city-and-the-mormons-tried-to-convert-me-but-when/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [It's very worrying at this time in the world that any point of view should be prohibited, that's banned, there are heretics that should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/it-s-very-worrying-at-this-time-in-the-world-that-any-point-of-view/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [Certain forms of ammunition have no legitimate sporting, recreational, or self-defense use and thus should be prohibited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/certain-forms-of-ammunition-have-no-legitimate-sporting-recreational/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I was a single parent, and I was prohibited from working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/i-was-a-single-parent-and-i-was-prohibited-from-working/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [We shall say clearly that any symbol conspicuously displaying religious affiliation in school is prohibited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-pierre-raffarin/we-shall-say-clearly-that-any-symbol-conspicuously-displaying/) [Jean-Pierre Raffarin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-pierre-raffarin/) > [God has prohibited despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-swetchine/god-has-prohibited-despair/) [Sophie Swetchine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-swetchine/) > [When I was elected as president, it was prohibited for any American or NATO officer even to enter our Ministry of Defense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petro-poroshenko/when-i-was-elected-as-president-it-was-prohibited-for-any-american-or/) [Petro Poroshenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petro-poroshenko/) ## More by Bertrand Russell > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [That the world is in a bad shape is undeniable, but there is not the faintest reason in history to suppose that Christianity offers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/that-the-world-is-in-a-bad-shape-is-undeniable-but-there-is-not-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [All movements go too far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/all-movements-go-too-far/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Those who advocate common usage in philosophy sometimes speak in a manner that suggests the mystique of the 'common man.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/those-who-advocate-common-usage-in-philosophy-sometimes-speak-in-a/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Such, in outline, but even more purposeless, more void of meaning, is the world which Science presents for our belief. Amid such a world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/such-in-outline-but-even-more-purposeless-more-void-of-meaning-is-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Dr. Arnold . . . the admired reformer of public schools, came across some cranks who thought it a mistake to flog boys. Anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/dr-arnold-the-admired-reformer-of-public-schools-came-across-some/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Of all evils of war the greatest is the purely spiritual evil: the hatred, the injustice, the repudiation of truth, the artificial conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/of-all-evils-of-war-the-greatest-is-the-purely-spiritual-evil-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Aristotle maintained that women have fewer teeth than men; although he was twice married, it never occurred to him to verify this statement by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/aristotle-maintained-that-women-have-fewer-teeth-than-men-although-he/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-an-opinion-contrary-to-your-own-makes-you-angry-that-is-a-sign/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I cannot escape from the conclusion that the great ages of progress have depended upon a small number of individuals of transcendent ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-cannot-escape-from-the-conclusion-that-the-great-ages-of-progress/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I think it would be just to say the most essential characteristic of mind is memory, using this word in its broadest sense to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-think-it-would-be-just-to-say-the-most-essential-characteristic-of/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [The newspapers at one time said that I was dead but after carefully examining the evidence I came to the conclusion that this statement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-newspapers-at-one-time-said-that-i-was-dead-but-after-carefully/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Persecution is used in theology, not in arithmetic, because in arithmetic there is knowledge, but in theology there is only opinion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/persecution-is-used-in-theology-not-in-arithmetic-because-in/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Many orthodox people speak as though it were the business of sceptics to disprove received dogmas rather than of dogmatists to prove them. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/many-orthodox-people-speak-as-though-it-were-the-business-of-sceptics/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [There is no greater reason for children to honour parents than for parents to honour children except, that while the children are young, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/there-is-no-greater-reason-for-children-to-honour-parents-than-for/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Explore all 1,620 Bertrand Russell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## More Butlers quotes > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [If I could be anyone, I'd choose the lead singer of Arcade Fire, Win Butler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-kardashian/if-i-could-be-anyone-i-d-choose-the-lead-singer-of-arcade-fire-win/) [Rob Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-kardashian/) > [Why does Samuel Butler say, 'Wise men never say what they think of women'? Wise men never say anything else apparently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/why-does-samuel-butler-say-wise-men-never-say-what-they-think-of/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [It is doubtful whether mankind are most indebted to those who like Bacon and Butler dig the gold from the mine of literature, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/it-is-doubtful-whether-mankind-are-most-indebted-to-those-who-like/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Tea? At the beach? No time for luxuries, Holly. There is important work to be done.” He winked at Butler. “Are you sure you’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/tea-at-the-beach-no-time-for-luxuries-holly-there-is-important-work/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [Wait," said Butler. "Just wait, Holly. Artemis has a plan." He squinted through the green dome. "What is your plan, Artemis?" All Artemis could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/wait-said-butler-just-wait-holly-artemis-has-a-plan-he-squinted/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [Perriwickturned to Penelope as he set the tray down on a table. "If I might be so bold, my lady-" "Perriwick!" Blake roared. "If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/perriwickturned-to-penelope-as-he-set-the-tray-down-on-a-table-if-i/) [Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/) > [During a mock battle attended by President Warren Harding in 1921, Marine Corps General Smedley D. Butler exhumed the arm \[of Stonewall Jackson; he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-horwitz/during-a-mock-battle-attended-by-president-warren-harding-in-1921/) [Tony Horwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-horwitz/) > [Butler is branded a felon, an outlaw, an enemy of Mankind, and so ordered that in the event of his capture, the officer in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/butler-is-branded-a-felon-an-outlaw-an-enemy-of-mankind-and-so/) [Jefferson Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-davis/) > [over protective? a butler in a grade- B movie? someones jewish mother? you got it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-weis/over-protective-a-butler-in-a-grade-b-movie-someones-jewish-mother/) [Margaret Weis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-weis/) > [In the end I came to see that the true prophet of the modern world was Samuel Butler: when he suggested that the machine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aickman/in-the-end-i-came-to-see-that-the-true-prophet-of-the-modern-world/) [Robert Aickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aickman/) > [As far as I'm concerned, 'whom' is a word that was invented to make everyone sound like a butler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-trillin/as-far-as-i-m-concerned-whom-is-a-word-that-was-invented-to-make/) [Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-trillin/) > [Scarlett O'Hara is going to be a thankless and difficult role. The part I'd like to play is Rhett Butler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norma-shearer/scarlett-o-hara-is-going-to-be-a-thankless-and-difficult-role-the/) [Norma Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norma-shearer/) > [Butler was seeing the world as it was, complete with L.E.P retrival team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/butler-was-seeing-the-world-as-it-was-complete-with-l-e-p-retrival/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [ I was surprised to learn that doing household chores qualifies as romantic for most of you \[women\]. That's exactly why you should never hire… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/i-was-surprised-to-learn-that-doing-household-chores-qualifies-as/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) [Browse all 123 Butlers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/butlers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Tobacco . . . is not prohibited in the Scriptures, though, as Samuel Butler points out, St. Paul would no doubt have denounced it if he had known of it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bertrand Russell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/tobacco-is-not-prohibited-in-the-scriptures-though-as-samuel-butler/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Butlers" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/tobacco-is-not-prohibited-in-the-scriptures-though-as-samuel-butler/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94f/bertrand-russell-69_butlers_tobacco-is-not-prohibited-in-the-scriptu_1856915.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94f/bertrand-russell-69_butlers_tobacco-is-not-prohibited-in-the-scriptu_1856915.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94f/bertrand-russell-69_butlers_tobacco-is-not-prohibited-in-the-scriptu_1856915.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Tobacco . . . is not prohibited in the Scriptures, though, as Samuel Butler points out, St. Paul would no…” — Bertrand Russell", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bertrand Russell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Tobacco . . . is not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/tobacco-is-not-prohibited-in-the-scriptures-though-as-samuel-butler/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/tobacco-is-not-prohibited-in-the-scriptures-though-as-samuel-butler/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```