--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have used the Bible as if it were a…" description: "\"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 they are overloaded...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7b/charles-kingsley-1896_bible_we-have-used-the-bible-as-if-it-were-a-m_2884853.png" --- # We have used the Bible as if it were a mere special… ![“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 they are overloaded.” quote by Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7b/charles-kingsley-1896_bible_we-have-used-the-bible-as-if-it-were-a-m_2884853.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7b/charles-kingsley-1896_bible_we-have-used-the-bible-as-if-it-were-a-m_2884853.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7b/charles-kingsley-1896_bible_we-have-used-the-bible-as-if-it-were-a-m_2884853.png) > “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 they are overloaded.” [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. Society uses religion as a tool to pacify and control the overburdened masses. **In simple terms:** Religion can be used to suppress and soothe the oppressed. Key Takeaway Question authority and seek true empowerment. Themes religion control social critique Mood critical reflective Type social philosophical When to use this quote - social movements - theology - political activism - historical analysis Key Concepts institutional power oppression psychological coping Questions to Reflect On - How does faith empower marginalized groups? - What alternatives exist for societal control? A Different Perspective Overgeneralization may ignore positive aspects. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beasts Burden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beasts-burden-1365141/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Bible Mere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible-mere-878207/) [Burden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden/) [Handbook Opium](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/handbook-opium-4018645/) [Opium](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opium/) [Patient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patient/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Special](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Used Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used-bible-878209/) ## Related quotes > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/we-have-used-the-bible-as-if-it-was-a-mere-special-constable-s/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [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/) > [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/) > [They are all beasts of burden in a sense, ' Thoreau once remarked of animals, 'made to carry some portion of our thoughts.' Animals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/they-are-all-beasts-of-burden-in-a-sense-thoreau-once-remarked-of/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [“Beasts of burden, we shouldered bundles of what pieces of the past we were allowed to keep as we joined the river of fear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-b-janeczko/beasts-of-burden-we-shouldered-bundles-of-what-pieces-of-the-past-we/) [Paul B. Janeczko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-b-janeczko/) > [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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rikki-rockett/) > [“Niccolo frowned. Why did Viktor, and modern humans for that matter, always speak of beasts of burden? Ass this and ass that. Hungry as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mimi-jean-pamfiloff/niccolo-frowned-why-did-viktor-and-modern-humans-for-that-matter/) [Mimi Jean Pamfiloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mimi-jean-pamfiloff/) > [What opium is instilled into all disaster? It shows formidable as we approach it, but there is at last no rough rasping friction,but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/what-opium-is-instilled-into-all-disaster-it-shows-formidable-as-we/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Marxism is the opium of the Marxists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-robinson/marxism-is-the-opium-of-the-marxists/) [Joan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-robinson/) > [By the time writing was invented, the Greeks and Egyptians had already learned to extract opium from poppies to facilitate sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-duff/by-the-time-writing-was-invented-the-greeks-and-egyptians-had-already/) [Kat Duff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-duff/) > [In order to increase his pleasures, man has intentionally added to the number and pressure of his needs, which in their original state were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/in-order-to-increase-his-pleasures-man-has-intentionally-added-to-the/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [Only the opium eater truly understands the pain of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/only-the-opium-eater-truly-understands-the-pain-of-death/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [“Ô, Wanderess, Wanderess When did you feel your most euphoric kiss? Was I the source of your greatest bliss?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/wanderess-wanderess-when-did-you-feel-your-most-euphoric-kiss-was-i/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [“Religion is opium for the masses”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/religion-is-opium-for-the-masses/) [Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) > [For ten thousand dollars, I'd endorse an opium pipe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fanny-brice/for-ten-thousand-dollars-i-d-endorse-an-opium-pipe/) [Fanny Brice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fanny-brice/) ## 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/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/we-have-used-the-bible-as-if-it-was-a-mere-special-constable-s/) [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/) [Explore all 199 Charles Kingsley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [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/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) [Michael Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arnold/) > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) [Robert A. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-peterson/) > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) [Stephen Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-taylor/) > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) [Walsham How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walsham-how/) > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? 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