--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Promise this — never to raise your hand…" description: "\"“Promise this — never to raise your hand against a living creature, either to strike, pluck, or eat, without first recollecting its mother, who suffere..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d77/david-lindsay-32518_life_promise-this-never-to-raise-your-hand-ag_1489039.jpg" --- # Promise this — never to raise your hand against a living… ![“Promise this — never to raise your hand against a living creature, either to strike, pluck, or eat, without first recollecting its mother, who suffered for it.” quote by David Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d77/david-lindsay-32518_life_promise-this-never-to-raise-your-hand-ag_1489039.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d77/david-lindsay-32518_life_promise-this-never-to-raise-your-hand-ag_1489039.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d77/david-lindsay-32518_life_promise-this-never-to-raise-your-hand-ag_1489039.jpg) > ““Promise this — never to raise your hand against a living creature, either to strike, pluck, or eat, without first recollecting its mother, who suffered for it.”” [David Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lindsay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. One should consider the suffering of a creature’s mother before harming it, fostering empathy toward all life. **In simple terms:** Think of a mother’s pain before harming a creature. Key Takeaway Practice empathy before causing harm. Themes compassion ethics animal rights empathy responsibility Mood thoughtful serene Type ethical inspirational When to use this quote - dietary choices - hunting - research animal testing - pet ownership Key Concepts moral philosophy environmental ethics sentience Questions to Reflect On - How does remembering a mother’s sacrifice affect your choices? - Can compassion extend to all living beings equally? A Different Perspective Balancing survival needs with compassion can be challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) ## Related quotes > [Every living creature on the earth is special. You want to be the one that puts an end to one of them?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/every-living-creature-on-the-earth-is-special-you-want-to-be-the-one/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [The Bible is no mere book, but a Living Creature, with a power that conquers all that oppose it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-bible-is-no-mere-book-but-a-living-creature-with-a-power-that/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [And there is no living creature, though the whims of eons had put its eyes on boggling stalks and clamped it in a carapace,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/and-there-is-no-living-creature-though-the-whims-of-eons-had-put-its/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [Every living creature commences its existence under a form different from, and simpler than, that which it eventually attains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/every-living-creature-commences-its-existence-under-a-form-different/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [It's sad. That's a living creature. We don't have the right to take their life away for fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-electra/it-s-sad-that-s-a-living-creature-we-don-t-have-the-right-to-take/) [Carmen Electra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-electra/) > [For the first time in four billion years a living creature had contemplated himself and heard with a sudden, unaccountable loneliness, the whisper of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loren-eiseley/for-the-first-time-in-four-billion-years-a-living-creature-had/) [Loren Eiseley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loren-eiseley/) > [Wherever I found a living creature, there I found the will to power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/wherever-i-found-a-living-creature-there-i-found-the-will-to-power/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“A skeleton, even a walking one, is at least human; Death of a sort lurks inside every living creature.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman-terry-pratchett/a-skeleton-even-a-walking-one-is-at-least-human-death-of-a-sort-lurks/) [Neil Gaiman Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman-terry-pratchett/) > [Because my father was often absent on naval duty, my mother suffered me to do much as I pleased](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/because-my-father-was-often-absent-on-naval-duty-my-mother-suffered/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [I have had to contend against the unkindness of his sister, and the insolence of his mother; and have suffered the punishment of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/i-have-had-to-contend-against-the-unkindness-of-his-sister-and-the/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“Eventually my mother suffered a complete breakdown, and the court orders were finally signed. They took her to the State Mental Hospital at Kalamazoo.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/eventually-my-mother-suffered-a-complete-breakdown-and-the-court/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [“The argument had been in full swing when Matthew’s father telephoned with the news that a funny turn Matthew’s mother had suffered the previous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-galbraith/the-argument-had-been-in-full-swing-when-matthew-s-father-telephoned/) [Robert Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-galbraith/) > [I lost my mother, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease, and we had to relocate my dad after 58 years in the family home. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-davidson/i-lost-my-mother-who-suffered-from-alzheimer-s-disease-and-we-had-to/) [Doug Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-davidson/) > [“We heard of this woman who was out of control. We heard that she was led by her feelings. That her emotions were violent.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-griffin/we-heard-of-this-woman-who-was-out-of-control-we-heard-that-she-was/) [Susan Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-griffin/) > [“At the end of the forest the guardian angel pointed to the village and said: ‘There you will find your mother. She is sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/at-the-end-of-the-forest-the-guardian-angel-pointed-to-the-village/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) ## More by David Lindsay > [“It isn't a bad thing to hear voices... but you mustn't for a minute imagine that all is wise that comes to you out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lindsay/it-isn-t-a-bad-thing-to-hear-voices-but-you-mustn-t-for-a-minute/) [David Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lindsay/) > [“You may be sure that a question which requires music for an answer can't be put into words. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lindsay/you-may-be-sure-that-a-question-which-requires-music-for-an-answer/) [David Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lindsay/) > [“Attach yourself to truth, not to me. For I may die before you, but the truth will accompany you to your death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lindsay/attach-yourself-to-truth-not-to-me-for-i-may-die-before-you-but-the/) [David Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lindsay/) > [“Where do you come from?" "From the planet of a distant sun, called Earth." "What for?" "I was tired of vulgarity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lindsay/where-do-you-come-from-from-the-planet-of-a-distant-sun-called-earth/) [David Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lindsay/) > [Imagination without study is the self-indulgence of the intellect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lindsay/imagination-without-study-is-the-self-indulgence-of-the-intellect/) [David Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lindsay/) > [“He who studies himself at all is ignoble. Only by despising soul as well as body can a man enter true life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lindsay/he-who-studies-himself-at-all-is-ignoble-only-by-despising-soul-as/) [David Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lindsay/) > [“Can the memory of love be worth more than its presence and reality?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lindsay/can-the-memory-of-love-be-worth-more-than-its-presence-and-reality/) [David Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lindsay/) > [“Who knows what any man can do?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lindsay/who-knows-what-any-man-can-do/) [David Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lindsay/) > [“I dream with open eyes,' he answered, looking around at the door, 'and others see my dreams. That is all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lindsay/i-dream-with-open-eyes-he-answered-looking-around-at-the-door-and/) [David Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lindsay/) > [“He who is always anxious to teach will learn nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lindsay/he-who-is-always-anxious-to-teach-will-learn-nothing/) [David Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lindsay/) > [“A natural man lives for himself; a lover lives for others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lindsay/a-natural-man-lives-for-himself-a-lover-lives-for-others/) [David Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lindsay/) > [“His forehead, however, was disfigured by what looked like a haphazard assortment of eyes, eight in number, of different sizes and shapes. They went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lindsay/his-forehead-however-was-disfigured-by-what-looked-like-a-haphazard/) [David Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lindsay/) > [“Leave the past alone, it cannot be reshaped. The future alone is ours. It starts fresh and clean from this very minute.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lindsay/leave-the-past-alone-it-cannot-be-reshaped-the-future-alone-is-ours/) [David Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lindsay/) > [“He was travel stained, unkempt, and very tired, but his soul was at peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lindsay/he-was-travel-stained-unkempt-and-very-tired-but-his-soul-was-at-peace/) [David Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lindsay/) [Explore all 15 David Lindsay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lindsay/) ## More Creature quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [“If they can worship a weird creature, which is even not existed; why I must not worship a beautiful one who is already here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/if-they-can-worship-a-weird-creature-which-is-even-not-existed-why-i/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability To lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/repugnant-is-a-creature-who-would-squander-the-ability-to-lift-an-eye/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [“What came to mind was a dinosaur. A tiny velociraptor, no bigger than her thumb. Relatively small, bur surprisingly ferocious. When the hasty drawing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-meyer/what-came-to-mind-was-a-dinosaur-a-tiny-velociraptor-no-bigger-than/) [Marissa Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-meyer/) > [“Remember who you are. This creature wants to take it from you. Do not let him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/remember-who-you-are-this-creature-wants-to-take-it-from-you-do-not/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“What a strange creature man is! He does not believe in God, but he does believe that if the bridge of is nose itches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/what-a-strange-creature-man-is-he-does-not-believe-in-god-but-he-does/) [Nikolai Gogol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-gogol/) > [“If you're in middle of the hell you have to be a creature sometimes...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-saravana-kumar/if-you-re-in-middle-of-the-hell-you-have-to-be-a-creature-sometimes/) M Saravana Kumar > [How could you deal with a creature as devious as woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/how-could-you-deal-with-a-creature-as-devious-as-woman/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“The smaller the creature, the bolder its spirit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-smaller-the-creature-the-bolder-its-spirit/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [My mother was known as the 'bird lady' of the neighborhood. Anything injured, or any unusual creature somebody found, they would always come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/my-mother-was-known-as-the-bird-lady-of-the-neighborhood-anything/) [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) > [What makes us different? We're the creature that can decide not to do something that we are capable of doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/what-makes-us-different-we-re-the-creature-that-can-decide-not-to-do/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [She was the only creature in the world who would really care if something happened to me, even if it was only because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-clement-moore/she-was-the-only-creature-in-the-world-who-would-really-care-if/) [Rosemary Clement-Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-clement-moore/) > [“That creature which we idolize God justly removes from us, or embitters to us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/that-creature-which-we-idolize-god-justly-removes-from-us-or/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [In a word, man in London is not quite so good a creature as he is out of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-galt/in-a-word-man-in-london-is-not-quite-so-good-a-creature-as-he-is-out/) [John Galt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-galt/) > [Motherhood is tough. If you just want a wonderful little creature to love, you can get a puppy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-walters/motherhood-is-tough-if-you-just-want-a-wonderful-little-creature-to/) [Barbara Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-walters/) Browse all 424 Creature quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Promise this — never to raise your hand against a living creature, either to strike, pluck, or eat, without first recollecting its mother, who suffered for it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Lindsay" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lindsay/promise-this-never-to-raise-your-hand-against-a-living-creature/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Creature" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lindsay/promise-this-never-to-raise-your-hand-against-a-living-creature/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d77/david-lindsay-32518_life_promise-this-never-to-raise-your-hand-ag_1489039.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d77/david-lindsay-32518_life_promise-this-never-to-raise-your-hand-ag_1489039.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d77/david-lindsay-32518_life_promise-this-never-to-raise-your-hand-ag_1489039.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Promise this — never to raise your hand against a living creature, either to strike, pluck, or eat, without…” — David Lindsay", "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": "David Lindsay", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lindsay/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Promise this — never to raise...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lindsay/promise-this-never-to-raise-your-hand-against-a-living-creature/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lindsay/promise-this-never-to-raise-your-hand-against-a-living-creature/#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 } } ] } ```