--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We look after religion as the butcher did…" description: "\"We look after religion as the butcher did after his knife, when he had it in his mouth.\" — John Selden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/john-selden-7457_butcher_we-look-after-religion-as-the-butcher-di_87134.jpg" --- # We look after religion as the butcher did after his knife… ![“We look after religion as the butcher did after his knife, when he had it in his mouth.” quote by John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/john-selden-7457_butcher_we-look-after-religion-as-the-butcher-di_87134.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/john-selden-7457_butcher_we-look-after-religion-as-the-butcher-di_87134.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/john-selden-7457_butcher_we-look-after-religion-as-the-butcher-di_87134.jpg) > “We look after religion as the butcher did after his knife, when he had it in his mouth.” [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often treat religion as a tool for personal gain, wielding it without reverence. **In simple terms:** Religion can be used instrumentally. Key Takeaway Beware of exploiting faith for self‑interest. Themes religion instrumentalism ethics power Mood critical reflective Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - political rhetoric - media commentary - personal belief systems Key Concepts butcher metaphor faith Practical Applications - ethics seminars - critical theory courses Questions to Reflect On - When does reverence become manipulation? - How can authentic spirituality be distinguished from utilitarian use? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [Put not your Knife to your mouth unless it be to eat an Egge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-woolley/put-not-your-knife-to-your-mouth-unless-it-be-to-eat-an-egge/) Hannah Woolley > [There doesn't seem like there should be an artful way to butcher a cow, but there is, and this is not it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/there-doesn-t-seem-like-there-should-be-an-artful-way-to-butcher-a/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Don't take a butcher's advice on how to cook meat. If he knew, he'd be a chef.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/don-t-take-a-butcher-s-advice-on-how-to-cook-meat-if-he-knew-he-d-be/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [A refined sort of butcher, a woman is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-osborne/a-refined-sort-of-butcher-a-woman-is/) [John Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-osborne/) > [The butcher seldom sees much interest in allowing the herd to be armed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-beale/the-butcher-seldom-sees-much-interest-in-allowing-the-herd-to-be-armed/) [Theodore Beale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-beale/) > [They are most welcome. We will butcher them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/they-are-most-welcome-we-will-butcher-them/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [My grandfather, Harry Ferguson, was a butcher in Hill of Beath; so even though my grandparents lived in some poverty, we got loads of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-cranham/my-grandfather-harry-ferguson-was-a-butcher-in-hill-of-beath-so-even/) [Kenneth Cranham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-cranham/) > [Who finds the heifer dead and bleeding fresh And sees fast-by a butcher with an axe, But will suspect 'twas he that made the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/who-finds-the-heifer-dead-and-bleeding-fresh-and-sees-fast-by-a/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Some maniac butcher is trying to hack away your balls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cooper/some-maniac-butcher-is-trying-to-hack-away-your-balls/) [Alice Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cooper/) > [When a cow lives with the butcher, sooner or later he gets eaten unless he helps the other cows off to their slaughter. (Nick)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/when-a-cow-lives-with-the-butcher-sooner-or-later-he-gets-eaten/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Dr. Warthrop chopped off my finger with a butcher knife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/dr-warthrop-chopped-off-my-finger-with-a-butcher-knife/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [Whoe'er has gone thro' London street, Has seen a butcher gazing at his meat, And how he keeps Gloating upon a sheep's Or bullock's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hood/whoe-er-has-gone-thro-london-street-has-seen-a-butcher-gazing-at-his/) [Thomas Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hood/) > [Only the stupidest calves choose their own butcher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-adenauer/only-the-stupidest-calves-choose-their-own-butcher/) [Konrad Adenauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-adenauer/) > [Sometimes the lambs slaughter the butcher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amarillo-slim/sometimes-the-lambs-slaughter-the-butcher/) [Amarillo Slim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amarillo-slim/) > [I was helping my mom grind meat at our butcher shop, and it just hypnotized me. I don't remember sticking my hand in, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-tester/i-was-helping-my-mom-grind-meat-at-our-butcher-shop-and-it-just/) [Jon Tester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-tester/) ## More by John Selden > [Marriage is a desperate thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/marriage-is-a-desperate-thing/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [They that govern the most make the least noise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/they-that-govern-the-most-make-the-least-noise/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [Those that govern most make least noise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/those-that-govern-most-make-least-noise/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [Idolatry is in a man's own thought, not in the opinion of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/idolatry-is-in-a-man-s-own-thought-not-in-the-opinion-of-another/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [No man is the wiser for his learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/no-man-is-the-wiser-for-his-learning/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [Wise people say nothing in dangerous times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/wise-people-say-nothing-in-dangerous-times/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [Old friends are best. King James used to call for his old shoes; they were the easiest for his feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/old-friends-are-best-king-james-used-to-call-for-his-old-shoes-they/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [Pleasures are all alike simply considered in themselves: he that hunts, or he that governs the commonwealth, they both please themselves alike, only we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/pleasures-are-all-alike-simply-considered-in-themselves-he-that-hunts/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [We pick out a text here and there to make it serve our turn; whereas , if we take it all together, and considered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/we-pick-out-a-text-here-and-there-to-make-it-serve-our-turn-whereas/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [Talk what you will of the Jews,--that they are cursed: they thrive wherever they come; they are able to oblige the prince of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/talk-what-you-will-of-the-jews-that-they-are-cursed-they-thrive/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [They that are against superstition oftentimes run into it of the wrong side. If I wear all colors but black, then I am superstitious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/they-that-are-against-superstition-oftentimes-run-into-it-of-the/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [The world cannot be governed without juggling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/the-world-cannot-be-governed-without-juggling/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [Preaching, in the first sense of the word, ceased as soon as ever the gospel was written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/preaching-in-the-first-sense-of-the-word-ceased-as-soon-as-ever-the/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [Preachers say, "Do as I say, not as I do." But if a physician had the same disease upon him that I have, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/preachers-say-do-as-i-say-not-as-i-do-but-if-a-physician-had-the-same/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [Tis not seasonable to call a man traitor, that has an army at his heels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/tis-not-seasonable-to-call-a-man-traitor-that-has-an-army-at-his-heels/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) [Explore all 91 John Selden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) ## More Butcher quotes > [“How can a butcher's son be filthy rich?" Annabelle asked. "Unless the population of London is consuming far more beef and bacon than I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/how-can-a-butcher-s-son-be-filthy-rich-annabelle-asked-unless-the/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [“The same meat, at the same time, from the same butcher. Who always says the same things, unless I say something different. I’ll admit,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-same-meat-at-the-same-time-from-the-same-butcher-who-always-says/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Since I was 14, I worked more than 13 hours a day as a kitchen runner for a butcher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salt-bae/since-i-was-14-i-worked-more-than-13-hours-a-day-as-a-kitchen-runner/) [Salt Bae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salt-bae/) > [“The Butcher of Babylon featured in over 500 porn films between 1974 and 1982, and was best known for his motto: Come for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackman/the-butcher-of-babylon-featured-in-over-500-porn-films-between-1974/) [Mark Jackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackman/) > [William Ewart Gladstone is credited with the credo that a prime minister must be a "good butcher." The metaphor is apt insofar as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-strock/william-ewart-gladstone-is-credited-with-the-credo-that-a-prime/) [James M Strock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-strock/) > [Eating from the butcher's slab becoming what they meet. Restrained and roasted while they gorge strapped into the seat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelspit/eating-from-the-butcher-s-slab-becoming-what-they-meet-restrained-and/) [Angelspit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelspit/) > [I once hosted the Butcher Shop of the Year Awards. There's nothing like performing to the personification of the phrase a 'sausage fest' to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-taylor/i-once-hosted-the-butcher-shop-of-the-year-awards-there-s-nothing/) [Ellie Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-taylor/) > [“He decided to cut it up (using his butcher skills) and deposit the parts all over Brooklyn, apparently thinking police wouldn’t figure out that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-heos/he-decided-to-cut-it-up-using-his-butcher-skills-and-deposit-the/) Bridget Heos > [Ill cut you outta my life like a butcher with a knife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/2much4you2touch/ill-cut-you-outta-my-life-like-a-butcher-with-a-knife/) @2much4you2touch > [I was helping my mom grind meat at our butcher shop, and it just hypnotized me. I don't remember sticking my hand in, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-tester/i-was-helping-my-mom-grind-meat-at-our-butcher-shop-and-it-just/) [Jon Tester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-tester/) > [Why did the butcher divorce his wife? He caught her eating his competitor's meat!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/why-did-the-butcher-divorce-his-wife-he-caught-her-eating-his/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) > [“The bad news is the butcher’s dead. The good news is there’ll be no need for a funeral, and I’ve got enough meat to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/the-bad-news-is-the-butcher-s-dead-the-good-news-is-there-ll-be-no/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“I know that everyone in this room, Bernie Fain included, thinks I'm some kind of a nut with my so-called fixation on this vampire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-rice/i-know-that-everyone-in-this-room-bernie-fain-included-thinks-i-m/) [Jeff Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-rice/) > [From the point of view of art, the butcher and the victim are equal as people. You need to see the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/from-the-point-of-view-of-art-the-butcher-and-the-victim-are-equal-as/) [Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/) > [To butcher a pork shoulder is to be forcibly reminded that this is the shoulder of a large mammal, made up of distinct groups…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/to-butcher-a-pork-shoulder-is-to-be-forcibly-reminded-that-this-is/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) Browse all 111 Butcher quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We look after religion as the butcher did after his knife, when he had it in his mouth.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Selden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/we-look-after-religion-as-the-butcher-did-after-his-knife-when-he-had/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Butcher" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/we-look-after-religion-as-the-butcher-did-after-his-knife-when-he-had/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/john-selden-7457_butcher_we-look-after-religion-as-the-butcher-di_87134.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/john-selden-7457_butcher_we-look-after-religion-as-the-butcher-di_87134.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/john-selden-7457_butcher_we-look-after-religion-as-the-butcher-di_87134.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We look after religion as the butcher did after his knife, when he had it in his mouth.” — John Selden", "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": "John Selden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We look after religion as the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/we-look-after-religion-as-the-butcher-did-after-his-knife-when-he-had/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/we-look-after-religion-as-the-butcher-did-after-his-knife-when-he-had/#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 } } ] } ```