--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [T]he Bible is neither an eighteenth-nor…" description: "\"“[T]he Bible is neither an eighteenth-nor a twenty-first-century policy textbook. It endorses neither the fiefdom nor the global superpower. America is..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34f/alisa-harris-43994_bible_t-he-bible-is-neither-an-eighteenth-nor_2564209.jpg" --- # \[T\]he Bible is neither an eighteenth-nor a… ![“[T]he Bible is neither an eighteenth-nor a twenty-first-century policy textbook. It endorses neither the fiefdom nor the global superpower. America is not a "uniquely Christian" nation, and it never was.” quote by Alisa Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34f/alisa-harris-43994_bible_t-he-bible-is-neither-an-eighteenth-nor_2564209.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34f/alisa-harris-43994_bible_t-he-bible-is-neither-an-eighteenth-nor_2564209.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34f/alisa-harris-43994_bible_t-he-bible-is-neither-an-eighteenth-nor_2564209.jpg) > ““\[T\]he Bible is neither an eighteenth-nor a twenty-first-century policy textbook. It endorses neither the fiefdom nor the global superpower. America is not a "uniquely Christian" nation, and it never was.”” [Alisa Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alisa-harris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. America's identity is not rooted in a single religion, and policy should not be based on outdated religious frameworks. **In simple terms:** America isn't uniquely Christian; policies shouldn't be religious. Key Takeaway Separate religion from national policy. Themes religion national identity policy secularism Mood analytical critical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - lawmaking - education curriculum - public discourse - international relations Key Concepts political science history Questions to Reflect On - Should religious heritage inform moral law? - Can secular policies respect religious diversity? A Different Perspective Religious texts can still influence culture and values. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christian nation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-nation/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [Even relatively tolerant countries fine and jail people for expressing heterodox views. America uniquely protects speech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-knowles/even-relatively-tolerant-countries-fine-and-jail-people-for/) [Michael J. Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-knowles/) > [The idea that God may be approached and understood through intellectual analysis is uniquely Christian... It is probably not an accident that modern science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/the-idea-that-god-may-be-approached-and-understood-through/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [One of the great strengths of the United States is... we have a very large Christian population - we do not consider ourselves a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/one-of-the-great-strengths-of-the-united-states-is-we-have-a-very/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want you to just let a wave of intolerance wash over you. I want you to let a wave of hatred wash over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-terry/i-want-you-to-just-let-a-wave-of-intolerance-wash-over-you-i-want-you/) [Randall Terry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-terry/) > [“What is meant in Revelation 17 goes beyond the physical act of prostitution and applies to the spiritual aspects of turning away from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-price/what-is-meant-in-revelation-17-goes-beyond-the-physical-act-of/) [John Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-price/) > [We do not consider ourselves a Christian nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-do-not-consider-ourselves-a-christian-nation/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [America was born a Christian nation. 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Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Whatever we once were, we are no longer just a Christian nation; we are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/whatever-we-once-were-we-are-no-longer-just-a-christian-nation-we-are/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [At that time the sons of God will be fully manifested on the earth. Widespread spiritual warfare will result with the Sons of God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hamon/at-that-time-the-sons-of-god-will-be-fully-manifested-on-the-earth/) [Bill Hamon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hamon/) > [In our generation there is no agreed-upon framework. All issues are up for grabs. Morality no longer has any broad-based theology upon which to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-lagard-smith/in-our-generation-there-is-no-agreed-upon-framework-all-issues-are-up/) [F. LaGard Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-lagard-smith/) > [“Religious politics is the bent of those who push "The Myth of the Christian Nation" or "Muslim Supremicism" everywhere! ~ © gfp '42™”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-patton/religious-politics-is-the-bent-of-those-who-push-the-myth-of-the/) [Gary Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-patton/) > [“But for a younger generation of conservative operatives who would soon rise to power... They were true believers who meant what they said, whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/but-for-a-younger-generation-of-conservative-operatives-who-would/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More by Alisa Harris > [ “\[O\]ur primary job as Christians is to love people, and we can't love from behind a barricade. But we have other God-given responsibilities too—to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alisa-harris/o-ur-primary-job-as-christians-is-to-love-people-and-we-can-t-love/) [Alisa Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alisa-harris/) > [“These questions are difficult. The answers are not obvious, and so there should be some pausing, some angst, some honest uncertainty as people struggle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alisa-harris/these-questions-are-difficult-the-answers-are-not-obvious-and-so/) [Alisa Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alisa-harris/) > [ “\[W\]hen injustice, robbery, and inequity are not just individual but institutional, it's time to take a political stand.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alisa-harris/w-hen-injustice-robbery-and-inequity-are-not-just-individual-but/) [Alisa Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alisa-harris/) > [“Conservatives argue that this human tendency toward corruption means that unemployment benefits and government health insurance will make the poor lazy, that they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alisa-harris/conservatives-argue-that-this-human-tendency-toward-corruption-means/) [Alisa Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alisa-harris/) > [“We seek in one another the assurance that there is just one correct interpretation of the world, that everything is so simple that anybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alisa-harris/we-seek-in-one-another-the-assurance-that-there-is-just-one-correct/) [Alisa Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alisa-harris/) > [“The more ardently I see humanity as a glorious abstract that must conform to my ideal of how the world should be, the harder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alisa-harris/the-more-ardently-i-see-humanity-as-a-glorious-abstract-that-must/) [Alisa Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alisa-harris/) > [“I had stopped believing in the perfect leader who could say 'Let there be justice' and by the force of his word change the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alisa-harris/i-had-stopped-believing-in-the-perfect-leader-who-could-say-let-there/) [Alisa Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alisa-harris/) > [“I struggle to let go of the drive to dominate and instead remember that heaven isn't forced on earth through my pursuit of power.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alisa-harris/i-struggle-to-let-go-of-the-drive-to-dominate-and-instead-remember/) [Alisa Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alisa-harris/) [Explore all 9 Alisa Harris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alisa-harris/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. 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The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? 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