--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think there has been an unfortunate…" description: "\"I think there has been an unfortunate tendency for a lot of different groups to forget that distinction between natural law and revealed truth and to s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9da/bruce-babbitt-14803_authority_i-think-there-has-been-an-unfortunate-te_2006632.jpg" --- # I think there has been an unfortunate tendency for a lot… ![“I think there has been an unfortunate tendency for a lot of different groups to forget that distinction between natural law and revealed truth and to say: Our complete agenda is to be enacted into laws governing the entire society. Many different religious groups claim that authority, not only…” quote by Bruce Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9da/bruce-babbitt-14803_authority_i-think-there-has-been-an-unfortunate-te_2006632.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9da/bruce-babbitt-14803_authority_i-think-there-has-been-an-unfortunate-te_2006632.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9da/bruce-babbitt-14803_authority_i-think-there-has-been-an-unfortunate-te_2006632.jpg) > “I think there has been an unfortunate tendency for a lot of different groups to forget that distinction between natural law and revealed truth and to say: Our complete agenda is to be enacted into laws governing the entire society. Many different religious groups claim that authority, not only Catholics. A lot of different Protestant groups as well are stepping forward to say: Here is our agenda, it is a moral agenda, ergo it must be enacted into law. I think that the distinction between natural law and more ultimate kinds of doctrine is being lost.” [Bruce Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-babbitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religious groups blur lines between natural law and doctrinal agendas, pushing moral views into law. **In simple terms:** Faith groups mix natural law with political goals. Key Takeaway Separate moral doctrine from legal legislation. Themes religion law ethics politics Mood reflective concerned Type analytical critical When to use this quote - legislative drafting - public debates - faith‑based advocacy - education curricula Key Concepts Natural law secularism policy influence Questions to Reflect On - Should moral beliefs shape public law? - How to protect pluralism in legislation? A Different Perspective Legal systems may resist religiously driven moral mandates. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Catholic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic/) [Doctrine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctrine/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Natural law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-law/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [“Our responsibility has never been to moralize the unconverted; it's to convert the immoral. Our responsibility is redemptive, not political. We do not have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/our-responsibility-has-never-been-to-moralize-the-unconverted-it-s-to/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [A bold reform agenda is our moral obligation. If we make the case effectively and win this November, then we will have the moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/a-bold-reform-agenda-is-our-moral-obligation-if-we-make-the-case/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [One of the most annoying habits of liberals is their tendency to confuse their political agenda with moral virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-stacy-mccain/one-of-the-most-annoying-habits-of-liberals-is-their-tendency-to/) [Robert Stacy McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-stacy-mccain/) > [Broadly speaking, it is my conclusion that a pretty good guide to most issues of natural law is to look at those areas where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-babbitt/broadly-speaking-it-is-my-conclusion-that-a-pretty-good-guide-to-most/) [Bruce Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-babbitt/) > [I think it is important that religious leaders of all kinds consciously attempt to distinguish between issues of natural law on which there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-babbitt/i-think-it-is-important-that-religious-leaders-of-all-kinds/) [Bruce Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-babbitt/) > [When I was at Notre Dame studying under Joe Evans, Frank O'Malley, and others, there was a very lively debate about the distinction between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-babbitt/when-i-was-at-notre-dame-studying-under-joe-evans-frank-o-malley-and/) [Bruce Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-babbitt/) > [We see in the 20th Century an unfortunate trench warfare, in which psychoanalysis, in a struggle against the internalized compulsion and superstition of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugen-drewermann/we-see-in-the-20th-century-an-unfortunate-trench-warfare-in-which/) [Eugen Drewermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugen-drewermann/) > [“And just what is the nature of things?” “It’s beyond us. 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Budziszewski is perhaps the clearest and most eloquent natural lawyer writing today. When reading his works I often find myself amazed by his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-j-beckwith/j-budziszewski-is-perhaps-the-clearest-and-most-eloquent-natural/) [Francis J. Beckwith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-j-beckwith/) > [“they (rules) will always apply, even if you don't agree with them”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-coelho/they-rules-will-always-apply-even-if-you-don-t-agree-with-them/) [Paolo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-coelho/) > [I think one of the most important directions to be pursued in the 'sciences of human action' is to develop a natural-law ethics based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/i-think-one-of-the-most-important-directions-to-be-pursued-in-the/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Slavery, if it can be legalized at all, can be legalized only by positive legislation. Natural law gives it no aid. Custom imparts to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/slavery-if-it-can-be-legalized-at-all-can-be-legalized-only-by/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [“Locke said, as have others, that natural law is forever and enduring, and man-made law, which may vary from place to place and time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-r-levin/locke-said-as-have-others-that-natural-law-is-forever-and-enduring/) [Mark R. Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-r-levin/) ## More by Bruce Babbitt > [We do not put enough emphasis on early childhood years. We neglect children in this society; as a society we're guilty of child neglect.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-babbitt/we-do-not-put-enough-emphasis-on-early-childhood-years-we-neglect/) [Bruce Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-babbitt/) > [The notion that big business and big labor and big government can sit down around a table somewhere and work out the direction of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-babbitt/the-notion-that-big-business-and-big-labor-and-big-government-can-sit/) [Bruce Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-babbitt/) > [Look, I think by the time my case was over and other ones, everybody on both sides of the aisle in Congress said we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-babbitt/look-i-think-by-the-time-my-case-was-over-and-other-ones-everybody-on/) [Bruce Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-babbitt/) > [What we've proven is that you can protect the environment, use it wisely and grow the economy and that there is no conflict between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-babbitt/what-we-ve-proven-is-that-you-can-protect-the-environment-use-it/) [Bruce Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-babbitt/) > [I have no question that the Roman Catholic Church teaches that abortion in virtually all circumstances is wrong. I think the church's position at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-babbitt/i-have-no-question-that-the-roman-catholic-church-teaches-that/) [Bruce Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-babbitt/) > [I'm going to go out and get everybody together and say I think we ought to protect this for generations to come. Now, let's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-babbitt/i-m-going-to-go-out-and-get-everybody-together-and-say-i-think-we/) [Bruce Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-babbitt/) > [Obviously I wouldn't have said that three or four years ago in the midst of it. But I really believe that. It's been a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-babbitt/obviously-i-wouldn-t-have-said-that-three-or-four-years-ago-in-the/) [Bruce Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-babbitt/) > [I'm a product of a Notre Dame education; those professors taught me a lot about how you separate the city of God from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-babbitt/i-m-a-product-of-a-notre-dame-education-those-professors-taught-me-a/) [Bruce Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-babbitt/) > [What I finally did in 1995 was I said, I'm going to get out of this town and I'm going to go out West.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-babbitt/what-i-finally-did-in-1995-was-i-said-i-m-going-to-get-out-of-this/) [Bruce Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-babbitt/) > [Look, this job has always been a crucible of conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-babbitt/look-this-job-has-always-been-a-crucible-of-conflict/) [Bruce Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-babbitt/) > [The Northwest is in better shape than it was eight years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-babbitt/the-northwest-is-in-better-shape-than-it-was-eight-years-ago/) [Bruce Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-babbitt/) > [On areas like abortion where there is major disagreement among the mainstream religious groups in the Judeo-Christian tradition, I believe that requires a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-babbitt/on-areas-like-abortion-where-there-is-major-disagreement-among-the/) [Bruce Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-babbitt/) > [We have an obligation to live in harmony with creation, with our capital... with God's creation. And we need to administer and work that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-babbitt/we-have-an-obligation-to-live-in-harmony-with-creation-with-our/) [Bruce Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-babbitt/) > [We have to preserve it and use it sustainably. And the short-term use of resources at the destruction of the long-term heritage of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-babbitt/we-have-to-preserve-it-and-use-it-sustainably-and-the-short-term-use/) [Bruce Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-babbitt/) > [Well, I actually wrote her a letter a couple of days ago congratulating her. The tone I tried to convey in the letter is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-babbitt/well-i-actually-wrote-her-a-letter-a-couple-of-days-ago/) [Bruce Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-babbitt/) [Explore all 45 Bruce Babbitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-babbitt/) ## More Authority quotes > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. 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Hamas has a vision and a program, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ismail-haniyeh/the-victory-of-hamas-is-not-only-based-on-the-corruption-of-the/) [Ismail Haniyeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ismail-haniyeh/) [Browse all 4,003 Authority quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think there has been an unfortunate tendency for a lot of different groups to forget that distinction between natural law and revealed truth and to say: Our complete agenda is to be enacted into laws governing the entire society. Many different religious groups claim that authority, not only Catholics. A lot of different Protestant groups as well are stepping forward to say: Here is our agenda, it is a moral agenda, ergo it must be enacted into law. 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