--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have used the Bible as if it was a…" description: "\"We have used the Bible as if it was a mere special constable's handbook — an opium-dose for keeping beasts of burden patient while they were being over..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c31/charles-kingsley-1896_beast_we-have-used-the-bible-as-if-it-was-a-me_65845.png" --- # We have used the Bible as if it was a mere special… ![“We have used the Bible as if it was a mere special constable's handbook — an opium-dose for keeping beasts of burden patient while they were being overloaded — a mere book to keep the poor in order.” quote by Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c31/charles-kingsley-1896_beast_we-have-used-the-bible-as-if-it-was-a-me_65845.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c31/charles-kingsley-1896_beast_we-have-used-the-bible-as-if-it-was-a-me_65845.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c31/charles-kingsley-1896_beast_we-have-used-the-bible-as-if-it-was-a-me_65845.png) > “We have used the Bible as if it was a mere special constable's handbook — an opium-dose for keeping beasts of burden patient while they were being overloaded — a mere book to keep the poor in order.” [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques the instrumental use of scripture to pacify and control the oppressed, treating it as a tool for social order rather than a spiritual guide. **In simple terms:** Religion as a means of control Key Takeaway Faith can be weaponized Themes Power Control Religion Social Order Manipulation Mood Skeptical Reflective Type Political Philosophical When to use this quote - Political regimes using religion to legitimize oppression - Leaders pacifying dissent with moral rhetoric - Institutions imposing doctrinal conformity Key Concepts Authority Ideology Practical Applications - Critical analysis of religious rhetoric - Designing secular policies that respect autonomy Questions to Reflect On - How does framing faith as a tool affect its moral authority? - What alternatives exist to prevent doctrine from becoming a means of control? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beast/) [Beast of burden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beast-of-burden/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Biblical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biblical/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Burden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden/) [Opium](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opium/) [Overloaded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overloaded/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [We have used the Bible as if it were a mere special constable's handbook, an opium dose for keeping beasts of burden patient while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/we-have-used-the-bible-as-if-it-were-a-mere-special-constable-s/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [Give me a used Bible and I will, I think, be able to tell you about a man by the places that are edged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/give-me-a-used-bible-and-i-will-i-think-be-able-to-tell-you-about-a/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Living as he now lived was like reading a good book in a poor translation...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/living-as-he-now-lived-was-like-reading-a-good-book-in-a-poor-2/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [When you find that a book is poor ... waste no more time upon it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bryce/when-you-find-that-a-book-is-poor-waste-no-more-time-upon-it/) [James Bryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bryce/) > [There is no book so poor that it would not be a prodigy if wholly made by a single man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/there-is-no-book-so-poor-that-it-would-not-be-a-prodigy-if-wholly/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The leopard does not change his spots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-leopard-does-not-change-his-spots/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The rich are like beasts of burden, carrying treasure all day, and at the night of death unladen; they carry to their grave only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/the-rich-are-like-beasts-of-burden-carrying-treasure-all-day-and-at/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [I think that the internet is a beast of burden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-healy/i-think-that-the-internet-is-a-beast-of-burden/) [Matthew Healy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-healy/) > [Racism, xenophobia and unfair discrimination have spawned slavery, when human beings have bought and sold and owned and branded fellow human beings as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/racism-xenophobia-and-unfair-discrimination-have-spawned-slavery-when/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Some persons hold that, while it is proper for the lawgiver to encourage and exhort men to virtue on moral grounds, in the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/some-persons-hold-that-while-it-is-proper-for-the-lawgiver-to/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [I have reached zero tolerance for the cruelty against our animal brothers. If we are to nuture our culture, let's begin with the animals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rikki-rockett/i-have-reached-zero-tolerance-for-the-cruelty-against-our-animal/) Rikki Rockett > [He, who learns and makes no use of his learning, is a beast of burden, with a load of books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saadi/he-who-learns-and-makes-no-use-of-his-learning-is-a-beast-of-burden-2/) [Saadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saadi/) > [He who learns, and makes no use of his learning, is a beast of burden with a load of books. Does the ass comprehend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saadi/he-who-learns-and-makes-no-use-of-his-learning-is-a-beast-of-burden/) [Saadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saadi/) > [The tide of history is turning women from beasts of burden and sexual playthings into full-fledged human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/the-tide-of-history-is-turning-women-from-beasts-of-burden-and-sexual/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [Wherever I am, I see the yoke on women in some form or another. On some it sits easy for they are but beasts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-may-alcott/wherever-i-am-i-see-the-yoke-on-women-in-some-form-or-another-on-some/) [Abby May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-may-alcott/) ## More by Charles Kingsley > [A fine lady; by which term I wish to express the result of that perfect education in taste and manner, down to every gesture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/a-fine-lady-by-which-term-i-wish-to-express-the-result-of-that/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [If I am ever obscure in my expressions, do not fancy that therefore I am deep. If I were really deep, all the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/if-i-am-ever-obscure-in-my-expressions-do-not-fancy-that-therefore-i/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [Those clouds are angels' robes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/those-clouds-are-angels-robes/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [He was one of those men who possess almost every gift, except the gift of the power to use them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/he-was-one-of-those-men-who-possess-almost-every-gift-except-the-gift/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [Do you feel that you have lost your way in life? Then God Himself will show you your way. Are you utterly helpless, worn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/do-you-feel-that-you-have-lost-your-way-in-life-then-god-himself-will/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [My friends, let us try to follow the Saviour's steps; let us remember all day long what it is to be men; that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/my-friends-let-us-try-to-follow-the-saviour-s-steps-let-us-remember/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [He was not only, I soon discovered, a water drinker, but a strict vegetarian, to which, perhaps, he owed a great deal of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/he-was-not-only-i-soon-discovered-a-water-drinker-but-a-strict/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [Look at the bow in the cloud, in the very rain itself. That is a sign that the sun, though you cannot see it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/look-at-the-bow-in-the-cloud-in-the-very-rain-itself-that-is-a-sign/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [Beauty is God's handwriting — a wayside sacrament; welcome it in every fair face, every fair sky, every fair flower, and thank for it Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/beauty-is-god-s-handwriting-a-wayside-sacrament-welcome-it-in-every/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [Men must work, and women must weep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/men-must-work-and-women-must-weep/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [... the heroism of the average mother. Ah! When I think of that broad fact, I gather hope again for poor humanity; and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/the-heroism-of-the-average-mother-ah-when-i-think-of-that-broad-fact/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [“Except a living man there is nothing more wonderful than a book. A message to us from the dead - from human souls we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/except-a-living-man-there-is-nothing-more-wonderful-than-a-book-a/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/be-good-sweet-maid-and-let-who-will-be-clever/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [Music has been called the speech of the angels; I will go farther and call it the speech of God Himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/music-has-been-called-the-speech-of-the-angels-i-will-go-farther-and/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [It has been said that true religion will make a man a more thorough gentleman than all the courts in Europe. And it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/it-has-been-said-that-true-religion-will-make-a-man-a-more-thorough/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) [Explore all 199 Charles Kingsley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) ## More Beast quotes > [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. We've done all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/we-became-homo-sapiens-not-that-long-ago-from-the-scientific/) [Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/) > [“Once upon a time, there was a naïve and innocent girl who thought she could tame the beast and live happily ever after. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-na-ve-and-innocent-girl-who-thought-she/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [Is man no more than this? Consider him well. Thou ow'st the worm no silk, the beast no hide, the sheep no wool, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/is-man-no-more-than-this-consider-him-well-thou-ow-st-the-worm-no/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [In giving us dominion over the animal kingdom God has signified His will that we subdue the beast within ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lancaster-spalding/in-giving-us-dominion-over-the-animal-kingdom-god-has-signified-his/) [John Lancaster Spalding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lancaster-spalding/) > [ No visiting angel, or explorer from another planet, could have guessed that this bland orb \[Earth\] teemed with vermin, with world-mastering, self-torturing, incipiently angelic… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/no-visiting-angel-or-explorer-from-another-planet-could-have-guessed/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [As a beast of toil an ox is fixed capital. If he is eaten, he no longer functions as an instrument of labour, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/as-a-beast-of-toil-an-ox-is-fixed-capital-if-he-is-eaten-he-no-longer/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [« He squeezed his hands into fists. I picked up a grapefruit-sized rock and handed it to him. It went flying. Home run, Beast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/he-squeezed-his-hands-into-fists-i-picked-up-a-grapefruit-sized-rock/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [Was man made stupid to see his own stupidity? Is God by definition indifferent, beyond us all? Is the eternal truth man's fighting soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-eberhart/was-man-made-stupid-to-see-his-own-stupidity-is-god-by-definition/) [Richard Eberhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-eberhart/) > [When a man is treated like a beast, he says, 'After all, I'm human.' When he behaves like a beast, he says 'After all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/when-a-man-is-treated-like-a-beast-he-says-after-all-i-m-human-when/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [The American people are incredibly generous and even playful when you open yourself up and feed the media beast until it goes away satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/the-american-people-are-incredibly-generous-and-even-playful-when-you/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [Wherever I am, I see the yoke on women in some form or another. On some it sits easy for they are but beasts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-may-alcott/wherever-i-am-i-see-the-yoke-on-women-in-some-form-or-another-on-some/) [Abby May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-may-alcott/) > [“He's a beast. A monster. And he looks like he wants to devour me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/he-s-a-beast-a-monster-and-he-looks-like-he-wants-to-devour-me/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [ Antichrist is the pope and the Turk \[Muslim\] together. A beast full of life must have a body and soul. The spirit or soul… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/antichrist-is-the-pope-and-the-turk-muslim-together-a-beast-full-of/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [My hero among heroes is my grandmother, she's the epitome of strength and I try to mock that strength all the time. She's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeriel-miranda/my-hero-among-heroes-is-my-grandmother-she-s-the-epitome-of-strength/) [Aeriel Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeriel-miranda/) > [You've heard tales of beauty and the beast. How a fair maid falls in love with a monster and sees the beauty of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-maitland/you-ve-heard-tales-of-beauty-and-the-beast-how-a-fair-maid-falls-in/) [Karen Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-maitland/) [Browse all 1,640 Beast quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beast/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We have used the Bible as if it was a mere special constable's handbook — an opium-dose for keeping beasts of burden patient while they were being overloaded — a mere book to keep the poor in order.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Kingsley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/we-have-used-the-bible-as-if-it-was-a-mere-special-constable-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beast" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/we-have-used-the-bible-as-if-it-was-a-mere-special-constable-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c31/charles-kingsley-1896_beast_we-have-used-the-bible-as-if-it-was-a-me_65845.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c31/charles-kingsley-1896_beast_we-have-used-the-bible-as-if-it-was-a-me_65845.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c31/charles-kingsley-1896_beast_we-have-used-the-bible-as-if-it-was-a-me_65845.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We have used the Bible as if it was a mere special constable's handbook — an opium-dose for keeping beasts…” — Charles Kingsley", "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": "Charles Kingsley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We have used the Bible as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/we-have-used-the-bible-as-if-it-was-a-mere-special-constable-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/we-have-used-the-bible-as-if-it-was-a-mere-special-constable-s/#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 } } ] } ```