--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We hear our legislators proclaim…" description: "\"“We hear our legislators proclaim unceasingly their respect for the individual conscience, though it be a religious conscience, and themselves anticler..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdf/antonin-sertillanges-24329_conscience_we-hear-our-legislators-proclaim-unceasi_2446752.png" --- # We hear our legislators proclaim unceasingly their respect… ![“We hear our legislators proclaim unceasingly their respect for the individual conscience, though it be a religious conscience, and themselves anticlericals. All the same, all their efforts tend to, dissociate us, and to reduce us to the state of amorphous dust. They can bear no organised society…” quote by Antonin Sertillanges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdf/antonin-sertillanges-24329_conscience_we-hear-our-legislators-proclaim-unceasi_2446752.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdf/antonin-sertillanges-24329_conscience_we-hear-our-legislators-proclaim-unceasi_2446752.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdf/antonin-sertillanges-24329_conscience_we-hear-our-legislators-proclaim-unceasi_2446752.png) > ““We hear our legislators proclaim unceasingly their respect for the individual conscience, though it be a religious conscience, and themselves anticlericals. All the same, all their efforts tend to, dissociate us, and to reduce us to the state of amorphous dust. They can bear no organised society other than what they call a lay society no government other than their government and no social finality other than their temporal aspirations.”” [Antonin Sertillanges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-sertillanges/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leaders claim to respect individual conscience yet their actions dissolve personal identity into vague collectivity. **In simple terms:** People say they value personal belief, but their policies erase individuality. Key Takeaway Beware rhetoric that masks loss of personal autonomy. Themes politics individualism authority Mood skeptical thoughtful Type political critical When to use this quote - legislation - public discourse - civil rights Key Concepts liberalism collectivism Questions to Reflect On - What balance should exist between individual conscience and societal order? - How can we protect personal identity in governance? A Different Perspective The quote may generalize all legislators, ignoring nuanced positions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) [Conscience Anticlericals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience-anticlericals-535546/) [Conscience Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience-religious-535548/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Individual Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual-conscience-398666/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Religious Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-conscience-535547/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Secularism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secularism/) ## Related quotes > [The point I wish plainly to bring before you on this occasion is the individuality of each human soul--our Protestant idea, the right of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-cady-stanton/the-point-i-wish-plainly-to-bring-before-you-on-this-occasion-is-the/) [Elizabeth Cady Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-cady-stanton/) > [The question of religion was a matter for each individual's conscience, and in a great many cases was the outcome of birth or residence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-larkin/the-question-of-religion-was-a-matter-for-each-individual-s/) [James Larkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-larkin/) > [Perhaps religious conscience upsets the designs of those who feel that the highest wisdom and authority comes from government. But from the beginning, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/perhaps-religious-conscience-upsets-the-designs-of-those-who-feel/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [Perhaps religious conscience upsets the designs of those who feel that the highest wisdom and authority comes from government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/perhaps-religious-conscience-upsets-the-designs-of-those-who-feel-2/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [“But the more familiar one becomes with any religious system, while yet the conscience and will are unawakened and obedience has not begun, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/but-the-more-familiar-one-becomes-with-any-religious-system-while-yet/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [It is the duty of all men in society, publicly, and at stated seasons, to worship the SUPREME BEING, the great Creator and Preserver…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/it-is-the-duty-of-all-men-in-society-publicly-and-at-stated-seasons/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [As compacts, charters of government are superior in obligation to all others, because they give effect to all others. As truths, none can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/as-compacts-charters-of-government-are-superior-in-obligation-to-all/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [American business needs more conscience, not less, whether from religious motivation like Hobby Lobby or from secular intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-hawley/american-business-needs-more-conscience-not-less-whether-from/) [Josh Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-hawley/) > [But I have a conscience and a religious faith, and I know that our liberties were not won without suffering, and may be lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/upton-sinclair/but-i-have-a-conscience-and-a-religious-faith-and-i-know-that-our/) [Upton Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/upton-sinclair/) > [“Is it not strange that it should be precisely our century—a century of social science and of solidarity if ever there was one, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-sertillanges/is-it-not-strange-that-it-should-be-precisely-our-century-a-century/) [Antonin Sertillanges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-sertillanges/) > [“Any individual whose conscience is pure and clear, who can think for himself or herself, is a musalman or muslim, regardless of socio-religious background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/any-individual-whose-conscience-is-pure-and-clear-who-can-think-for/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Society itself is an accident to the spirit, and if society in any of its forms is to be justified morally it must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/society-itself-is-an-accident-to-the-spirit-and-if-society-in-any-of/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [Above all we should not forget that government is an evil, a usurpation upon the private judgement and individual conscience of mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/above-all-we-should-not-forget-that-government-is-an-evil-a/) [William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) > [The word 'truth' itself ceases to have its old meaning. It describes no longer something to be found, with the individual conscience as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/the-word-truth-itself-ceases-to-have-its-old-meaning-it-describes-no/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [Above all we should not forget, that government is an evil, an usurpation upon the private judgment and individual conscience of mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/above-all-we-should-not-forget-that-government-is-an-evil-an/) [William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) ## More by Antonin Sertillanges > [“The more a man departs from lawful authority, that is, authority normally constituted, whether by God or by the nature of things, the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-sertillanges/the-more-a-man-departs-from-lawful-authority-that-is-authority/) [Antonin Sertillanges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-sertillanges/) > [“Just as no particular branch of knowledge is self-sufficing so all branches together are not self-sufficing without the queen of knowledge, philosophy, nor the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-sertillanges/just-as-no-particular-branch-of-knowledge-is-self-sufficing-so-all/) [Antonin Sertillanges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-sertillanges/) > [One finds one's way only by taking it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-sertillanges/one-finds-one-s-way-only-by-taking-it/) [Antonin Sertillanges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-sertillanges/) > [“Do you want to have a humble share in perpetuating wisdom among men, in gathering up the inheritance of the ages, in formulating the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-sertillanges/do-you-want-to-have-a-humble-share-in-perpetuating-wisdom-among-men/) [Antonin Sertillanges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-sertillanges/) > [“To upset the order of nature, and even more the order of God, who, for us, is more natural than nature itself, is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-sertillanges/to-upset-the-order-of-nature-and-even-more-the-order-of-god-who-for/) [Antonin Sertillanges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-sertillanges/) > [“Whoever expresses truth expresses God, the Word, and utters therefore a word of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-sertillanges/whoever-expresses-truth-expresses-god-the-word-and-utters-therefore-a/) [Antonin Sertillanges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-sertillanges/) > [Friendship is an obstetric art; it draws out our richest and deepest resources; it unfolds the wings of our dreams and hidden indeterminate thoughts;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-sertillanges/friendship-is-an-obstetric-art-it-draws-out-our-richest-and-deepest/) [Antonin Sertillanges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-sertillanges/) > [“The good is the brother of the true; it will help its brother.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-sertillanges/the-good-is-the-brother-of-the-true-it-will-help-its-brother/) [Antonin Sertillanges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-sertillanges/) > [“Inspiration is incompatible with selfish desire. Whoever wants something for himself sets truth aside. Such aims can only degrade work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-sertillanges/inspiration-is-incompatible-with-selfish-desire-whoever-wants/) [Antonin Sertillanges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-sertillanges/) > [“There are antecedent passion and consequent passion, that is, passion which precedes the use of reason or faith, and so hinders it; and passion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-sertillanges/there-are-antecedent-passion-and-consequent-passion-that-is-passion/) [Antonin Sertillanges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-sertillanges/) > [Very often, gleams of light come in a few minutes' sleeplessness, in a second perhaps; you must fix them. To entrust them to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-sertillanges/very-often-gleams-of-light-come-in-a-few-minutes-sleeplessness-in-a/) [Antonin Sertillanges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-sertillanges/) > [“Variety is precious when it expresses nature more richly by developing various aspects of it; but the variety that consists in producing cripples and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-sertillanges/variety-is-precious-when-it-expresses-nature-more-richly-by/) [Antonin Sertillanges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-sertillanges/) > [ “She \[the Church\] proclaims that we owe love, honour and service to God in the first place, and after God not to humanity immediately,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-sertillanges/she-the-church-proclaims-that-we-owe-love-honour-and-service-to-god/) [Antonin Sertillanges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-sertillanges/) > [“The man who is too isolated grows timid, abstracted, a little odd: He stumbles along amid realities like a sailor who has just come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-sertillanges/the-man-who-is-too-isolated-grows-timid-abstracted-a-little-odd-he/) [Antonin Sertillanges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-sertillanges/) > [“Is it not strange that it should be precisely our century—a century of social science and of solidarity if ever there was one, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-sertillanges/is-it-not-strange-that-it-should-be-precisely-our-century-a-century/) [Antonin Sertillanges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-sertillanges/) [Explore all 24 Antonin Sertillanges quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-sertillanges/) ## More Conscience quotes > [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [“Knowledge without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabelaise/knowledge-without-conscience-is-but-the-ruin-of-the-soul/) [Rabelaise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabelaise/) > [Writing adds up to the conscience of our times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/writing-adds-up-to-the-conscience-of-our-times/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) > [Let us be thankful for health and competence, and, above all, for a quiet conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/let-us-be-thankful-for-health-and-competence-and-above-all-for-a/) [Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/) > [Making money doesn't oblige people to forfeit their honor or their conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-rothschild/making-money-doesn-t-oblige-people-to-forfeit-their-honor-or-their/) [Guy de Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-rothschild/) > [“If we cannot be happy and powerful and prey on others, we invent conscience and prey on ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/if-we-cannot-be-happy-and-powerful-and-prey-on-others-we-invent/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [The God in whose hands are all our days and ways, did cast into my hand one day a book of Martin Luthers; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/the-god-in-whose-hands-are-all-our-days-and-ways-did-cast-into-my/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [My morals are important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-parrish/my-morals-are-important-to-me/) [Hunter Parrish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-parrish/) > [Being tolerant does not mean that I share another ones belief. But it does mean that I acknowledge another ones right to believe, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-frankl/being-tolerant-does-not-mean-that-i-share-another-ones-belief-but-it/) [Viktor Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-frankl/) > [Never can true courage dwell with them, Who, playing tricks with conscience, dare not look At their own vices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/never-can-true-courage-dwell-with-them-who-playing-tricks-with/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [I've worked with people who are much further to the left than I am and much further to the right than I am. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/i-ve-worked-with-people-who-are-much-further-to-the-left-than-i-am/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [If all the world hated you and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved of you and absolved you from guilt, you would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/if-all-the-world-hated-you-and-believed-you-wicked-while-your-own/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [ \[D\]on't grow old. With age comes caution, which is another name for cowardice… Whatever else you do in life, don't cultivate a conscience. Without… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hesketh-pearson/d-on-t-grow-old-with-age-comes-caution-which-is-another-name-for/) [Hesketh Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hesketh-pearson/) [Browse all 3,490 Conscience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We hear our legislators proclaim unceasingly their respect for the individual conscience, though it be a religious conscience, and themselves anticlericals. All the same, all their efforts tend to, dissociate us, and to reduce us to the state of amorphous dust. 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