---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If, instead of saying that thieves will…"
description: "\"“If, instead of saying that thieves will go to prison or liars will go to hell, we could make people think that stealing is as bad as going to a funera..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38f/fitzroy-somerset-raglan-237615_quote_if-instead-of-saying-that-thieves-will-g_2198117.jpg"
---

#  If, instead of saying that thieves will go to prison or…

![“If, instead of saying that thieves will go to prison or liars will go to hell, we could make people think that stealing is as bad as going to a funeral in a coloured tie, or lying as bad as frying a sausage on the parlour fire, we should achieve a colossal reformation.” quote by Fitzroy Somerset Raglan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38f/fitzroy-somerset-raglan-237615_quote_if-instead-of-saying-that-thieves-will-g_2198117.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38f/fitzroy-somerset-raglan-237615_quote_if-instead-of-saying-that-thieves-will-g_2198117.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38f/fitzroy-somerset-raglan-237615_quote_if-instead-of-saying-that-thieves-will-g_2198117.jpg)

> ““If, instead of saying that thieves will go to prison or liars will go to hell, we could make people think that stealing is as bad as going to a funeral in a coloured tie, or lying as bad as frying a sausage on the parlour fire, we should achieve a colossal reformation.””

[Fitzroy Somerset Raglan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fitzroy-somerset-raglan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Reframing moral judgments with vivid analogies could spark a massive shift in societal values.

**In simple terms:** Use striking images to reshape moral views.

Key Takeaway

Create memorable moral metaphors.

Themes

ethics reformation communication social change language

Mood

thought‑provoking critical

Type

Reformation:1 Think Stealing:0 Stealing Bad:0 Saying Thieves:0 Colossal Reformation:1

When to use this quote

- education curricula
- public campaigns
- media messaging
- policy debates

Key Concepts

moral psychology metaphorical persuasion cultural critique

Questions to Reflect On

- Which analogies effectively change behavior?
- What are limits of metaphorical persuasion?

A Different Perspective

Analogies risk oversimplifying complex ethics.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Colossal Reformation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colossal-reformation-4817401/) [Reformation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reformation/) [Saying Thieves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying-thieves-4817400/) [Stealing Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stealing-bad-863701/) [Think Stealing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-stealing-604660/)

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> [I saw dad with mommy last night, I think he's stealing my milk.. .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-saw-dad-with-mommy-last-night-i-think-he-s-stealing-my-milk/)

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[Bill Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-murray/)

> [From the beginning of my Reformation I have asked God to send me neither dreams, nor visions, nor angels, but to give me the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/from-the-beginning-of-my-reformation-i-have-asked-god-to-send-me/)

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> [If we are to live with our feet on the ground, in touch with reality, we must help one another accept the fact that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-heyward/if-we-are-to-live-with-our-feet-on-the-ground-in-touch-with-reality/)

[Carter Heyward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-heyward/)

> [I believe that it is truly important for everyone to confront in dialogue the historical reality of the Reformation, its consequences and the responses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-believe-that-it-is-truly-important-for-everyone-to-confront-in/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [“The medieval period based its scriptural exegesis upon the Vulgate translation of the Bible. There was no authorized version of this text, despite the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alister-e-mcgrath/the-medieval-period-based-its-scriptural-exegesis-upon-the-vulgate/)

[Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/)

> [Had there been any existent vital and energetic institution left in Society after the Reformation for the use of small property in coordinated form-that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/had-there-been-any-existent-vital-and-energetic-institution-left-in/)

[Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/)

> [The things of this world take up too much of my time, of which indeed I have too little left, to undertake anything like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/the-things-of-this-world-take-up-too-much-of-my-time-of-which-indeed/)

[Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/)

> [All reformations seem formidable before they are attempted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/all-reformations-seem-formidable-before-they-are-attempted/)

[Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/)

> [“Beating yourself up over every perceived mistake is the work of an internal abuser who must be restrained and reformed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/beating-yourself-up-over-every-perceived-mistake-is-the-work-of-an/)

[Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/)

> [Any change of government which has to be introduced should be one which men, starting from their existing constitutions, will be both willing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/any-change-of-government-which-has-to-be-introduced-should-be-one/)

[Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/)

> [“That little shit. If we pull through this I’ll nail his dick to the wall with those logs so hard I’ll make the Reformation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-warren/that-little-shit-if-we-pull-through-this-i-ll-nail-his-dick-to-the/)

[Scott Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-warren/)

> [People who have reformed themselves has contributed their full share towards the reformation of their neighbor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-douglas/people-who-have-reformed-themselves-has-contributed-their-full-share/)

[Norman Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-douglas/)

## More Reformation quotes

> [People who have reformed themselves has contributed their full share towards the reformation of their neighbor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-douglas/people-who-have-reformed-themselves-has-contributed-their-full-share/)

[Norman Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-douglas/)

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[Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/)

> [“Beating yourself up over every perceived mistake is the work of an internal abuser who must be restrained and reformed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/beating-yourself-up-over-every-perceived-mistake-is-the-work-of-an/)

[Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/)

> [All reformations seem formidable before they are attempted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/all-reformations-seem-formidable-before-they-are-attempted/)

[Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/)

> [The things of this world take up too much of my time, of which indeed I have too little left, to undertake anything like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/the-things-of-this-world-take-up-too-much-of-my-time-of-which-indeed/)

[Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/)

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[Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/)

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[Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/)

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[Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/)

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[William Wilberforce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wilberforce/)

[Browse all 278 Reformation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reformation/)

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