--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If, it was natural to reason, God…" description: "\"If, it was natural to reason, God punishes men with eternal torment, it is surely lawful for men to use doses of it in a good cause.\" — Joseph McCabe" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a02/joseph-mccabe-26676_causes_if-it-was-natural-to-reason-god-punishes_970183.png" --- # If, it was natural to reason, God punishes men with… ![“If, it was natural to reason, God punishes men with eternal torment, it is surely lawful for men to use doses of it in a good cause.” quote by Joseph McCabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a02/joseph-mccabe-26676_causes_if-it-was-natural-to-reason-god-punishes_970183.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a02/joseph-mccabe-26676_causes_if-it-was-natural-to-reason-god-punishes_970183.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a02/joseph-mccabe-26676_causes_if-it-was-natural-to-reason-god-punishes_970183.png) > “If, it was natural to reason, God punishes men with eternal torment, it is surely lawful for men to use doses of it in a good cause.” [Joseph McCabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mccabe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If God punishes with eternal torment, it may be justified for humans to use suffering for good purposes. **In simple terms:** Using suffering for good may be justified. Key Takeaway Consider ethical use of suffering for greater good. Themes ethics theodicy human agency Mood critical inquisitive Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - humanitarian aid - medical research Key Concepts moral philosophy religious critique Questions to Reflect On - Is it moral to use suffering for good? - What alternatives exist to achieve good without suffering? A Different Perspective Suffering may not be a reliable tool for good. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eternal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal/) [Good causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-causes/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Torment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torment/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes Allah punishes and sometimes men have to do it, and it is a wise man who knows if it's Allah's turn or his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/sometimes-allah-punishes-and-sometimes-men-have-to-do-it-and-it-is-a/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [I see only with deep regret that God punishes so many of His children for their numerous stupidities, for which only He Himself can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-see-only-with-deep-regret-that-god-punishes-so-many-of-his-children/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Have there ever been more submissive slaves? Adoring, even in their irons, the God who punishes them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-racine/have-there-ever-been-more-submissive-slaves-adoring-even-in-their/) [Jean Racine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-racine/) > [“It is necessary to recognize the difference between punishment and discipline. Punishment and discipline may seem the same when measured by the suffering one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/it-is-necessary-to-recognize-the-difference-between-punishment-and/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“A God who punishes disobedience will teach us to obey and endure when it would be holy to protest and righteous to refuse to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-ann-parker/a-god-who-punishes-disobedience-will-teach-us-to-obey-and-endure-when/) [Rebecca Ann Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-ann-parker/) > [“David accepted the consequences of all his shortcomings. He accepted them. He became a man after God’s heart. Not because he stopped sinning -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-vote/david-accepted-the-consequences-of-all-his-shortcomings-he-accepted/) Victor Vote > [God punishes us mildly by ignoring our prayers and severely by answering them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-needham/god-punishes-us-mildly-by-ignoring-our-prayers-and-severely-by/) [Richard J. Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-needham/) > [It's a sort of curious phenomenon that God is somehow not quite as nice as the devil; the devil doesn't punish you for behaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/it-s-a-sort-of-curious-phenomenon-that-god-is-somehow-not-quite-as/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [“God punishes instantly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izak-botha/god-punishes-instantly/) Izak Botha > [“After all, it’s not my fault. I can’t force myself to believe. If there is a God after all and he punishes me because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-somerset-maugham/after-all-it-s-not-my-fault-i-can-t-force-myself-to-believe-if-there/) [William Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-somerset-maugham/) > [God never punishes his children in the sense of avenging justice. He chastens as a father does his child, but he never punishes his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/god-never-punishes-his-children-in-the-sense-of-avenging-justice-he/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [God always punishes us for what we can't imagine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-always-punishes-us-for-what-we-can-t-imagine/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“God punishes sins, but the world I see only punishes lack of foresight and blunders.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilia-pardo-baz-n/god-punishes-sins-but-the-world-i-see-only-punishes-lack-of-foresight/) Emilia Pardo Bazán > [I cannot believe there is a god who punishes and rewards, for I see honest folk unlucky, and rogues unlucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/i-cannot-believe-there-is-a-god-who-punishes-and-rewards-for-i-see/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [I don't think ultimately God punishes. I think we bring about our own destruction or our own creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/i-don-t-think-ultimately-god-punishes-i-think-we-bring-about-our-own/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) ## More by Joseph McCabe > [An idea or institution may arise for one reason and be maintained for quite a different reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mccabe/an-idea-or-institution-may-arise-for-one-reason-and-be-maintained-for/) [Joseph McCabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mccabe/) > [“In his numerous historical and Scriptural works Bauer rejects all supernatural religion, and represents Christianity as a natural product of the mingling of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mccabe/in-his-numerous-historical-and-scriptural-works-bauer-rejects-all/) [Joseph McCabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mccabe/) > [Evolution throws a wonderful light on all the struggles, eccentricities, tortuous developments of the human conscience in the past. It is the only theory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mccabe/evolution-throws-a-wonderful-light-on-all-the-struggles/) [Joseph McCabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mccabe/) > [The Papacy was corrupt for whole centuries: especially from about 880 to 1050 and (with a short decent pontificate at rare intervals) 1290 to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mccabe/the-papacy-was-corrupt-for-whole-centuries-especially-from-about-880/) [Joseph McCabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mccabe/) > [Not material or economic conditions in the ordinary sense, but perverse religious ideas explain the suspension of civilization in Europe from the 5th to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mccabe/not-material-or-economic-conditions-in-the-ordinary-sense-but/) [Joseph McCabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mccabe/) > [Today we know not only that there is a terrible amount of disorder in the heavens - great catastrophes or conflagrations occur frequently -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mccabe/today-we-know-not-only-that-there-is-a-terrible-amount-of-disorder-in/) [Joseph McCabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mccabe/) > [I took a sheet of paper, divided it into debt and credit columns on the arguments for and against God and immortality. On Christmas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mccabe/i-took-a-sheet-of-paper-divided-it-into-debt-and-credit-columns-on/) [Joseph McCabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mccabe/) > [The sentiments attributed to Christ are in the Old Testament. They were familiar in the Jewish schools and to all the Pharisees, long before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mccabe/the-sentiments-attributed-to-christ-are-in-the-old-testament-they/) [Joseph McCabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mccabe/) > [“{ McCabe on the influential scientist Luther Burbank } His magnificent work, which added an incalculable sum to the wealth of America and left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mccabe/mccabe-on-the-influential-scientist-luther-burbank-his-magnificent/) [Joseph McCabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mccabe/) > [“The absence of theistic belief... { Defining the word 'atheism' }”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mccabe/the-absence-of-theistic-belief-defining-the-word-atheism/) [Joseph McCabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mccabe/) > [No pope ever condemned slavery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mccabe/no-pope-ever-condemned-slavery/) [Joseph McCabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mccabe/) > [The absence of theistic belief...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mccabe/the-absence-of-theistic-belief/) [Joseph McCabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mccabe/) > [The making of an Atheist implies a mental stimulation and training which brings into play the primary factors of social progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mccabe/the-making-of-an-atheist-implies-a-mental-stimulation-and-training/) [Joseph McCabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mccabe/) > [The Rationalist case needs no straining of evidence and always gains by the severest self-criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mccabe/the-rationalist-case-needs-no-straining-of-evidence-and-always-gains/) [Joseph McCabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mccabe/) > [If a single one of these gentlemen is correct, if a believer of any type is right, the essential truth for man, the real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mccabe/if-a-single-one-of-these-gentlemen-is-correct-if-a-believer-of-any/) [Joseph McCabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mccabe/) [Explore all 21 Joseph McCabe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mccabe/) ## More Causes quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [Many patients imagine that they have tried everything. True, they have used many remedies, but they have never had the cause of their infirmity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-palmer/many-patients-imagine-that-they-have-tried-everything-true-they-have/) [Daniel D. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-d-palmer/) > [Get out from that kitchen and rattle those pots and pans. Well, roll my breakfast cause I'm a hungry man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-joe-turner/get-out-from-that-kitchen-and-rattle-those-pots-and-pans-well-roll-my/) [Big Joe Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-joe-turner/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [Jobs and money are never the primary cause of stress. Thinking, negative thinking causes stress. The real cause of all problems lie in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/jobs-and-money-are-never-the-primary-cause-of-stress-thinking/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [God hides Himself behind causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rollin/god-hides-himself-behind-causes/) [Charles Rollin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rollin/) > [Guns have little or nothing to do with juvenile violence. The causes of youth violence are working parents who put their kids into daycare,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delay/guns-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-juvenile-violence-the-causes/) [Tom DeLay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delay/) > [I don't wear rubbers cause you can't catch it twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-norton/i-don-t-wear-rubbers-cause-you-can-t-catch-it-twice/) [Jim Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-norton/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Well the first time I performed, my mom was like how she is now when sees me on stage – all red, smiling from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/well-the-first-time-i-performed-my-mom-was-like-how-she-is-now-when/) [Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/) > [I love a lot of things, a whole lot of things / Like / My cousin comes to visit and you know he's from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eloise-greenfield/i-love-a-lot-of-things-a-whole-lot-of-things-like-my-cousin-comes-to/) Eloise Greenfield > [Many companies have long contended that stress in the home causes productivity loss in the market place.. and it does. But research now reveals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/many-companies-have-long-contended-that-stress-in-the-home-causes/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [The miracle drugs (neuroleptics) cause the worst plague of brain damage in medical history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-breggin/the-miracle-drugs-neuroleptics-cause-the-worst-plague-of-brain-damage/) [Peter Breggin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-breggin/) Browse all 9,070 Causes quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If, it was natural to reason, God punishes men with eternal torment, it is surely lawful for men to use doses of it in a good cause.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joseph McCabe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mccabe/if-it-was-natural-to-reason-god-punishes-men-with-eternal-torment-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Causes" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mccabe/if-it-was-natural-to-reason-god-punishes-men-with-eternal-torment-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a02/joseph-mccabe-26676_causes_if-it-was-natural-to-reason-god-punishes_970183.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a02/joseph-mccabe-26676_causes_if-it-was-natural-to-reason-god-punishes_970183.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a02/joseph-mccabe-26676_causes_if-it-was-natural-to-reason-god-punishes_970183.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If, it was natural to reason, God punishes men with eternal torment, it is surely lawful for men to use…” — Joseph McCabe", "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": "Joseph McCabe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mccabe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If, it was natural to reason,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mccabe/if-it-was-natural-to-reason-god-punishes-men-with-eternal-torment-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mccabe/if-it-was-natural-to-reason-god-punishes-men-with-eternal-torment-it/#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 } } ] } ```