John Bolton Quotes

From a constitutional standpoint, the religion of a candidate is supposed to make no difference. Even before the founding fathers dreamed up the First Amendment, they inserted a provision in the Constitution expressly prohibiting any religious test for office.

The framers of our Constitution meant we were to have freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.

Any attempt to single out Islam would be a violation of the Constitution.

The first amendment makes it clear that we are free to practice religion without government interference. The Constitution also establishes the separation of church and state so that the laws we live by our never guided by religious zeal.

The First Amendment freedom of religion is as important today as when the Bill of Rights was first written.

I believe that the Framers of the Constitution made their intent clear when they wrote the First Amendment. I believe they wanted to keep the new government from endorsing one religion over another, not erase the public consciousness or common faith.

The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.

The “establishment of religion” clause of the 1st Amendment means at least this: Neither a state nor the Federal Government can set up a church. Neither can pass laws which aid one religion, aid all religions, or prefer one religion over another. Neither can force nor influence a person to go to or to remain away from church against his will or force him to profess a belief or disbelief in any religion. No person can be punished for entertaining or professing religious beliefs or disbeliefs, for church attendance or non-attendance. No tax in any amount, large or small, can be levied to support any religious activities or institutions, whatever they may be called, or whatever form they may adopt to teach or practice religion. Neither a state nor the Federal Government can, openly or secretly, participate in the affairs of any religious organizations or groups and vice versa.

The Government of the United States possesses no power whatever over the question of religion.

Today, the religion clauses of the 1st Amendment do not need to be fixed; they need to be followed.

Probably at the time of the adoption of the constitution, and of the amendment to it, now under consideration [i.e., the First Amendment], the general, if not the universal sentiment in America was, that Christianity ought to receive encouragement from the state, so far as was not incompatible with the private rights of conscience, and the freedom of religious worship.

We do not expect that Congress is acquainted with our religious faith; but ... we do claim the guarantees of the Constitution and immunity from persecution on merely religious grounds.

The First Amendment mandates government neutrality between religion and religion, and between religion and non-religion.

I believe in the Constitution. The Constitution says that government isn't supposed to be infusing religion into our society, and so I asked to have that upheld.

I disagree strongly with the concept of separation of church and state. It was not written into the Constitution.

The Establishment Clause prohibits government from making adherence to a religion relevant in any way to a person's standing in the political community.

The Constitution says that government isn't supposed to be infusing religion into our society, and so I asked to have that upheld.

Our Constitution recognises no other power than that of persuasion, for enforcing religious observances.

The only way to be true to our American tradition is to maintain absolute governmental neutrality regarding religious beliefs and practices.

The courts are using the First Amendment to attack religion, when they should be using it to protect religion.

Neither the wording of the amendment itself nor common practice challenged the widely held belief that government guaranteed freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.

I believe in an America where the separation of Church and State is absolute—where no Catholic prelate would tell the President, should he be a Catholic, how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners how to vote.... I believe in an America that is officially neither Catholic, Protestant or Jewish ... for while this year it may be a Catholic against whom the finger of suspicion is pointed, in other years it has been, and may someday be again, a Jew—or a Quaker—or a Unitarian—or a Baptist.

There is little doubt that religious liberty is best exercised within the setting of the secular state.

State power is no more to be used so as to handicap religions than it is to favor them.

Every American has the constitutional right not to be taxed or have his tax money expended for the establishment of a religion.