--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When the Forbidden Fruit was handed to…" description: "\"When the Forbidden Fruit was handed to Adam and Eve, they were allowed the moral choice to accept or decline. I know people who have refused to feast o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cf/cal-thomas-9453_accepting_when-the-forbidden-fruit-was-handed-to-a_2351096.jpg" --- # When the Forbidden Fruit was handed to Adam and Eve, they… ![“When the Forbidden Fruit was handed to Adam and Eve, they were allowed the moral choice to accept or decline. I know people who have refused to feast on the money tree. They live simply, within their means, and seem far more content than those who are trying to horde their wealth while clinging to…” quote by Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cf/cal-thomas-9453_accepting_when-the-forbidden-fruit-was-handed-to-a_2351096.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cf/cal-thomas-9453_accepting_when-the-forbidden-fruit-was-handed-to-a_2351096.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cf/cal-thomas-9453_accepting_when-the-forbidden-fruit-was-handed-to-a_2351096.jpg) > “When the Forbidden Fruit was handed to Adam and Eve, they were allowed the moral choice to accept or decline. I know people who have refused to feast on the money tree. They live simply, within their means, and seem far more content than those who are trying to horde their wealth while clinging to the ladder of 'success,' terrified to let go. That isn't real living. The Puritans rightly saw that as covetousness.” [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing modest living over wealth pursuit leads to contentment; rejecting greed aligns with moral values and true fulfillment. **In simple terms:** Simple life brings more happiness than chasing wealth. Key Takeaway Prioritize simplicity and ethical choices over material gain. Themes simplicity contentment materialism ethical living spiritual fulfillment Mood calm hopeful Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - financial planning - lifestyle redesign - ethical decision making - spiritual practice Key Concepts minimalism value-based living moral choice wealth critique personal fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - How does simplicity affect personal happiness? - What steps can reduce materialistic drives? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adam and eve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adam-and-eve/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Covetousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/covetousness/) [Decline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decline/) [Forbidden fruit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forbidden-fruit/) [Fruit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fruit/) [Ladder of success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ladder-of-success/) [Letting go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letting-go/) [Live simply](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-simply/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Moral choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-choices/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Puritan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puritan/) [Terrified](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrified/) [Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tree/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [Evil has to exist along with good, in order that moral choice may operate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-burgess/evil-has-to-exist-along-with-good-in-order-that-moral-choice-may/) [Anthony Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-burgess/) > [There can be no truly moral choice unless that choice is made in freedom; similarly, there can be no really firmly grounded and consistent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/there-can-be-no-truly-moral-choice-unless-that-choice-is-made-in-2/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [When you're working on development issues, optimism is not always based on rational analysis, often it is a moral choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-yong-kim/when-you-re-working-on-development-issues-optimism-is-not-always/) [Jim Yong Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-yong-kim/) > [It’s not a requirement to eat animals, we just choose to do it, so it becomes a moral choice and one that is having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cameron/it-s-not-a-requirement-to-eat-animals-we-just-choose-to-do-it-so-it/) [James Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cameron/) > [Whether you do something or decide to do nothing, either way, you are making a moral choice. And I hope people make the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/whether-you-do-something-or-decide-to-do-nothing-either-way-you-are/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [There can be no truly moral choice unless that choice is made in freedom; similarly, there can be no really firmly grounded and consistent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/there-can-be-no-truly-moral-choice-unless-that-choice-is-made-in/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Assembled in a crowd, people lose their powers of reasoning and their capacity for moral choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/assembled-in-a-crowd-people-lose-their-powers-of-reasoning-and-their/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [A moral choice in its basic terms appears to be a choice that favors survival: a choice made in favor of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/a-moral-choice-in-its-basic-terms-appears-to-be-a-choice-that-favors/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“Morality means choice. Choice means priorities. Priorities mean a hierarchy. A hierarchy means something at the top, a standard. That is the greatest good.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/morality-means-choice-choice-means-priorities-priorities-mean-a/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [Being an atheist is a matter not of moral choice, but of human obligation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/being-an-atheist-is-a-matter-not-of-moral-choice-but-of-human/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [“You who won’t allow one per cent of impurity into an alloy of metal,” the unforgotten voice was saying to him, “what have you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/you-who-won-t-allow-one-per-cent-of-impurity-into-an-alloy-of-metal/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“You take pride in setting no limit to your endurance, Mr. Rearden, because you think that you are doing right. What if you aren’t?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/you-take-pride-in-setting-no-limit-to-your-endurance-mr-rearden/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“By definition, a human being is endowed with free will. He can use this to choose between good and evil. If he can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-burgess/by-definition-a-human-being-is-endowed-with-free-will-he-can-use-this/) [Anthony Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-burgess/) > [The important thing is moral choice. Evil has to exist along with good, in order that moral choice may operate. Life is sustained by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-burgess/the-important-thing-is-moral-choice-evil-has-to-exist-along-with-good/) [Anthony Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-burgess/) > [All too often arrogance accompanies strength, and we must never assume that justice is on the side of the strong. The use of power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-bikel/all-too-often-arrogance-accompanies-strength-and-we-must-never-assume/) [Theodore Bikel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-bikel/) ## More by Cal Thomas > [One of the reasons people hate politics is that truth is rarely a politician's objective. Election and power are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/one-of-the-reasons-people-hate-politics-is-that-truth-is-rarely-a/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [The measure of a great writer is not how many weeks his books spend on the best-seller lists, but how many years his books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/the-measure-of-a-great-writer-is-not-how-many-weeks-his-books-spend/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [The worst thing the federal government could do is to increase the size, reach and cost of government. If government failed in its response…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/the-worst-thing-the-federal-government-could-do-is-to-increase-the/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [No nation can survive without passing its heritage, language and, yes, faith to the next generation. A country must be built on something substantial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/no-nation-can-survive-without-passing-its-heritage-language-and-yes/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [It is now possible to live a "christian life" without doing the things that Jesus commanded us to do. We have hired people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/it-is-now-possible-to-live-a-christian-life-without-doing-the-things/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [As pressure grows to ease the financial burden on social security, pressure will also grow to eliminate the elderly and infirm to 'free up'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/as-pressure-grows-to-ease-the-financial-burden-on-social-security/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [Once a federal law or policy is in place it is more difficult to kill than a vampire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/once-a-federal-law-or-policy-is-in-place-it-is-more-difficult-to-kill/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [Does the U.S. Constitution stand for anything in an era of government excess? Can that founding document, which is supposed to restrain the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/does-the-u-s-constitution-stand-for-anything-in-an-era-of-government/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [Republicans should save the clip of Jonathan Gruber and run it over and over again in the run-up to the 2016 election. This attitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/republicans-should-save-the-clip-of-jonathan-gruber-and-run-it-over/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [In a free society, government reflects the soul of its people. If people want change at the top, they will have to live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/in-a-free-society-government-reflects-the-soul-of-its-people-if/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [As with most things governmental, failure does not mean having to try something else. It means spending more money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/as-with-most-things-governmental-failure-does-not-mean-having-to-try/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [All we are asking for is balance. I would like to think that I could walk into a public library and find not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/all-we-are-asking-for-is-balance-i-would-like-to-think-that-i-could/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [The Obama 'stimulus' plan is a $1 trillion dollar gamble more suited to Las Vegas than Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/the-obama-stimulus-plan-is-a-1-trillion-dollar-gamble-more-suited-to/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [The difference between the more traditional sports clubs and Congress is that Congress doesn't really compete against another team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/the-difference-between-the-more-traditional-sports-clubs-and-congress/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [The courts demand that every religious person must accommodate a single atheist who might be 'offended' at the favorable mention of God's name. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/the-courts-demand-that-every-religious-person-must-accommodate-a/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) [Explore all 72 Cal Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) ## More Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/) [Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When the Forbidden Fruit was handed to Adam and Eve, they were allowed the moral choice to accept or decline. I know people who have refused to feast on the money tree. They live simply, within their means, and seem far more content than those who are trying to horde their wealth while clinging to the ladder of 'success,' terrified to let go. That isn't real living. 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