Atheism Quote by Abraham Lincoln
“I am for liberty of conscience in its noblest, broadest, and highest sense. But I cannot give liberty of conscience to the pope and his followers, the papists, so long as they tell me, through all their councils, theologians, and canon laws that their conscience orders them to burn my wife, strangle my children, and cut my throat when they find their opportunity.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Address to the Republican Convention, 1860
He argues that religious liberty cannot extend to doctrines that threaten personal safety; conscience must be protected from harmful commands.
In simple terms: Liberty of conscience stops where it endangers life.
Key Takeaway
Protect personal safety over harmful religious demands.
Themes
freedom
religion
ethics
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- legal debates
- policy making
- human rights advocacy
- family protection
Key Concepts
human rights
law
moral limits
Questions to Reflect On
- When should society limit religious directives?
- How to protect individuals without infringing belief?
A Different Perspective
Balancing religious freedom with public safety is complex.
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
