William E. Gladstone Quotes

A just laicism allows religious freedom. The state does not impose religion but rather gives space to religions with a responsibility toward civil society, and therefore it allows these religions to be factors in building up society.

Growing up in Britain as a rather loose Jew, the two things that didn't belong together were freedom and religious intensity. In America, they do. The Founding Fathers made a bet that if you didn't force everyone to profess religion in their own particular way, you could protect intellectual freedom, and religion would flourish.

No religious consensus is possible in the United States, and to impose one would be both unconstitutional and unjust.

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

Japanese subjects shall, within limits not prejudicial to peace and order, and not antagonistic to their duties as subjects, enjoy freedom of religious belief. [Article 28, 1889 Constitution] Freedom of religion is guaranteed to all. No religious organization shall receive any privileges from the State, nor exercise any political authority. 2) No person shall be compelled to take part in any religious acts, celebration, rite or practice. 3) The State and its organs shall refrain from religious education or any other religious activity. [Article 20, 1946 Constitution]

What other nations call religious toleration, we call religious rights.

That it is much in their [the Rhode Island colonists'] hearts (if they may be permitted) to hold forth a lively experiment that a most flourishing civil state may stand and be best maintained, and that among our British subjects, with full liberty of religious concernments.

What does religious freedom look like? As America gets more religiously diverse, the concept is getting harder to define …. You can get 10 different groups in the room and they will disagree about what religious liberty is.

With us, the State is undoubtedly on solid ground in refusing to decide what type of religion is best for society. Society is left free to work out the problem. And here is a curious and pertinent matter for remark: that the Stale is the only department of civilization which, by common consent, is denied this privilege.

Nothing is more important to me, and nothing was more important to our founding fathers, than freedom of religion.

Freedom of religion does not entitle your religion to have a privileged position within the public sphere.

I'm very keen on having true freedom of expression. True freedom of faith. And free practice of religious faith.

I believe in a president whose religious views are his own private affair, neither imposed by him upon the nation or imposed by the nation upon him as a condition to holding that office.

Religious liberty should be a bipartisan issue.

Americans should be free to recognize our religious heritage; doing that is not the same as creating a government-sponsored religion.

President Obama understands that, as a nation founded by those who fled religious persecution, freedom of religion is central to who we are as Americans. Our rights are not given to us by government, they are endowed by our Creator.

Religion is extremely important in this democracy - so important that it occupies a prime position in the Bill of Rights.

The restriction of religion to private life therefore does not necessarily threaten the vital interests of the majority religion, if there is one, and it protects minority religions from tyranny of the majority.

The obligation of the state is to guarantee freedom of religion, and that implies dealing with all of them on an equal footing.

By our form of government, the Christian religion is the established religion; and all sects and denominations of Christians are placed upon the same equal footing, and are equally entitled to protection in their religious liberty.

Whether the Sikhs want to worship in Wisconsin or the Christians want to worship in Texas or the Jews want to worship in New York, we're living under the magnificent umbrella of a Constitution that says we can.

The tendency of the spirit of the age is strong toward religious liberty.

My earnest regard to preserve inviolate forever, in our new empire, the great principle of religious freedom ... which is independent of any religious doctrine and not restrained by any.

A free church in a free state.

The United States is a country of no distinct religious denomination, but one of perfect freedom, and of a vast variety of religious opinions; one whose inhabitants have solemnly interdicted to its government any interference, direct or indirect, with the subject of their religion.