--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I do not think I could myself, be brought…" description: "\"I do not think I could myself, be brought to support a man for office, whom I knew to be an open enemy of, and scoffer at, religion. Leaving the higher..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cff/abraham-lincoln-88_church_i-do-not-think-i-could-myself-be-brought_1867397.png" --- # I do not think I could myself, be brought to support a man… ![“I do not think I could myself, be brought to support a man for office, whom I knew to be an open enemy of, and scoffer at, religion. Leaving the higher matter of eternal consequences, between him and his Maker, I still do not think any man has the right thus to insult the feelings, and injure the…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cff/abraham-lincoln-88_church_i-do-not-think-i-could-myself-be-brought_1867397.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cff/abraham-lincoln-88_church_i-do-not-think-i-could-myself-be-brought_1867397.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cff/abraham-lincoln-88_church_i-do-not-think-i-could-myself-be-brought_1867397.png) > “I do not think I could myself, be brought to support a man for office, whom I knew to be an open enemy of, and scoffer at, religion. Leaving the higher matter of eternal consequences, between him and his Maker, I still do not think any man has the right thus to insult the feelings, and injure the morals, of the community in which he may live.” [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Lincoln argues that supporting a political candidate who opposes one's core religious and moral values is unacceptable, even when considering broader societal consequences. **In simple terms:** Do not support leaders who betray your core values. Key Takeaway Prioritize moral integrity over political convenience. Themes ethics politics religion integrity Mood reflective serious Type ethical political When to use this quote - voting decisions - community leadership - public discourse - political endorsement Key Concepts moral absolutism civic responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal ethics with civic duties? - Can one be effective in politics without compromising beliefs? A Different Perspective Political realities may force compromise, challenging pure moral stances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Church and state](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-and-state/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Consequence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consequence/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Eternal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Morals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morals/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Scoffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scoffers/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I still do not think any man has the right thus to insult the feelings and injure the morals of the community in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-still-do-not-think-any-man-has-the-right-thus-to-insult-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I do not think I could myself, be brought to support a man for office, whom I knew to be an open enemy of,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-do-not-think-i-could-myself-be-brought-to-support-a-man-for-office-2/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Taxes do not insult anyone's feelings: otherwise no one will understand you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/taxes-do-not-insult-anyone-s-feelings-otherwise-no-one-will/) Mak\_786 > [The habits of study in which I have been brought up have done much to support me. I never allow myself to be one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-welsh-carlyle/the-habits-of-study-in-which-i-have-been-brought-up-have-done-much-to/) [Jane Welsh Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-welsh-carlyle/) > [Books, of which the principles are diseased or deformed, must be kept on the shelf of the scholar, as the man of science preserves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/books-of-which-the-principles-are-diseased-or-deformed-must-be-kept/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [“What good is praying in public if you as an individual do not follow The Teachings of GOD'S Prophets in The Holy Bible ? Repent !”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-anthony-smythe/what-good-is-praying-in-public-if-you-as-an-individual-do-not-follow/) Errol Anthony Smythe > [Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-peter/knowing-this-first-that-there-shall-come-in-the-last-days-scoffers/) [Saint Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-peter/) > [The tears that you spill, the sorrowful, are sweeter than the laughter of snobs and the guffaws of scoffers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-tears-that-you-spill-the-sorrowful-are-sweeter-than-the-laughter/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The soul is the perceiver and revealer of truth. We know truth when we see it, let skeptic and scoffer say what they choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-soul-is-the-perceiver-and-revealer-of-truth-we-know-truth-when-we-2/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The abstractionist and the materialist thus mutually exasperating each other, and the scoffer expressing the worst of materialism, there arises a third party to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsilio-ficino/the-abstractionist-and-the-materialist-thus-mutually-exasperating/) [Marsilio Ficino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsilio-ficino/) > [At such times, the heart of man turns instictively towards his Maker. In prosperity, and whenever there is nothing to injure or make him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-northup/at-such-times-the-heart-of-man-turns-instictively-towards-his-maker/) [Solomon Northup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-northup/) > [When we free ourselves from the constraints of ordinary goals and uninformed scoffers we will find ourselves roaring off the face of the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/when-we-free-ourselves-from-the-constraints-of-ordinary-goals-and/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [Science is dangerous. There is no question but that poison gas, genetic engineering, and nuclear weapons and power stations are terrifying. It may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/science-is-dangerous-there-is-no-question-but-that-poison-gas-genetic/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [The soul is the perceiver and revealer of truth. We know truth when we see it, let skeptic and scoffer say what they choose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-soul-is-the-perceiver-and-revealer-of-truth-we-know-truth-when-we/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon/the-fear-of-the-lord-is-the-beginning-of-wisdom/) [Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon/) ## More by Abraham Lincoln > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-that-i-am-or-ever-hope-to-be-i-owe-to-my-angel-mother/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Let us at all times remember that all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in bonds of fraternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/let-us-at-all-times-remember-that-all-american-citizens-are-brothers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If you wish to be a lawyer, attach no consequence to the place you are in, or the person you are with; but get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-you-wish-to-be-a-lawyer-attach-no-consequence-to-the-place-you-are/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [As we keep or break the Sabbath Day we nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope by which man rises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/as-we-keep-or-break-the-sabbath-day-we-nobly-save-or-meanly-lose-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Tell the truth and you won't have so much to remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/tell-the-truth-and-you-won-t-have-so-much-to-remember/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [With high hope for the future, no prediction is ventured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/with-high-hope-for-the-future-no-prediction-is-ventured/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I am glad to see that a system of labor prevails under which laborers can strike when they want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-am-glad-to-see-that-a-system-of-labor-prevails-under-which-laborers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't like that man. I must get to know him better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-don-t-like-that-man-i-must-get-to-know-him-better/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [In this sad world of ours, sorrow comes to all; and to the young, it comes with bitterest agony because it takes them unawares.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/in-this-sad-world-of-ours-sorrow-comes-to-all-and-to-the-young-it/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The man does not live who is more devoted to peace than I am. None who would do more to preserve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-man-does-not-live-who-is-more-devoted-to-peace-than-i-am-none-who/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) [Explore all 1,437 Abraham Lincoln quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## More Church quotes > [While the 1963 Birmingham church bombing is the most historic, there also was a series of church burnings in the 1990s. Recognition of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthea-butler/while-the-1963-birmingham-church-bombing-is-the-most-historic-there/) [Anthea Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthea-butler/) > [If I had my brothers I think with just a little bit of the correct marketing, I'd like to be almost exclusively in small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/if-i-had-my-brothers-i-think-with-just-a-little-bit-of-the-correct/) [Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/) > [Turn over the pages of history and read the damning record of the church's opposition to every advance in every field of science. . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/upton-sinclair/turn-over-the-pages-of-history-and-read-the-damning-record-of-the/) [Upton Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/upton-sinclair/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [God is not calling us to go to church; he is calling us to be his church, the hope of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/god-is-not-calling-us-to-go-to-church-he-is-calling-us-to-be-his/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [The emerging church movement has come to believe that the ultimate context of the spiritual aspirations of a follower of Jesus Christ is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samir-selmanovic/the-emerging-church-movement-has-come-to-believe-that-the-ultimate/) [Samir Selmanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samir-selmanovic/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [Worship is not about personality, temperament, personal limitations, church background, or comfort. It is about God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wimber/worship-is-not-about-personality-temperament-personal-limitations/) [John Wimber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wimber/) > [A beggarly people, A church and no steeple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/a-beggarly-people-a-church-and-no-steeple/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The religion of art, like the religion of politics, was born from the ruins of Christianity. Art inherited from the old religion the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/the-religion-of-art-like-the-religion-of-politics-was-born-from-the/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [The minute you walk outside of your church on Sunday you're in mission territory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barron/the-minute-you-walk-outside-of-your-church-on-sunday-you-re-in/) [Robert Barron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barron/) > [I'm not ashamed of the things I believe and why I believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/i-m-not-ashamed-of-the-things-i-believe-and-why-i-believe-them/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) [Browse all 9,430 Church quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I do not think I could myself, be brought to support a man for office, whom I knew to be an open enemy of, and scoffer at, religion. Leaving the higher matter of eternal consequences, between him and his Maker, I still do not think any man has the right thus to insult the feelings, and injure the morals, of the community in which he may live.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Abraham Lincoln" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-do-not-think-i-could-myself-be-brought-to-support-a-man-for-office/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Church" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-do-not-think-i-could-myself-be-brought-to-support-a-man-for-office/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cff/abraham-lincoln-88_church_i-do-not-think-i-could-myself-be-brought_1867397.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cff/abraham-lincoln-88_church_i-do-not-think-i-could-myself-be-brought_1867397.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cff/abraham-lincoln-88_church_i-do-not-think-i-could-myself-be-brought_1867397.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I do not think I could myself, be brought to support a man for office, whom I knew to be an open enemy of…” — Abraham Lincoln", "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": "Abraham Lincoln", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I do not think I could...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-do-not-think-i-could-myself-be-brought-to-support-a-man-for-office/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-do-not-think-i-could-myself-be-brought-to-support-a-man-for-office/#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 } } ] } ```