--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Interest in religion is not necessarily…" description: "\"Interest in religion is not necessarily interest in God. Religion in public life means a set of ideas, an ideology that has certain positions. Religion..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fed/francis-george-23460_actors_interest-in-religion-is-not-necessarily_2444193.jpg" --- # Interest in religion is not necessarily interest in God… ![“Interest in religion is not necessarily interest in God. Religion in public life means a set of ideas, an ideology that has certain positions. Religion is then one more ideology among others. Religion is about God. Religion begins with a relationship to God, not a relationship to an idea. It is…” quote by Francis George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fed/francis-george-23460_actors_interest-in-religion-is-not-necessarily_2444193.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fed/francis-george-23460_actors_interest-in-religion-is-not-necessarily_2444193.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fed/francis-george-23460_actors_interest-in-religion-is-not-necessarily_2444193.jpg) > “Interest in religion is not necessarily interest in God. Religion in public life means a set of ideas, an ideology that has certain positions. Religion is then one more ideology among others. Religion is about God. Religion begins with a relationship to God, not a relationship to an idea. It is God who is an actor, not just individuals who have certain beliefs who are actors. God is an actor.” [Francis George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-george/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religion is a personal relationship with God, not merely an ideology; public religion is an ideology among many. **In simple terms:** Religion is about a personal relationship with God, not just ideas. Key Takeaway Focus on personal faith over ideological labels. Themes theology public discourse ideology spirituality Mood contemplative respectful Type theological social When to use this quote - personal prayer - public policy debates - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts philosophy of religion sociology ethics Questions to Reflect On - How does personal faith influence public actions? - What role should religion play in public life? A Different Perspective Risk of ignoring social impact of religious institutions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Ideology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideology/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Public life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-life/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [“Are you really surprised by the endurance of religion? What ideology is likely to be more durable than one that conforms, at every turn,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/are-you-really-surprised-by-the-endurance-of-religion-what-ideology/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [Islam is not a religion, it's an ideology, the ideology of a retarded culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/islam-is-not-a-religion-it-s-an-ideology-the-ideology-of-a-retarded-2/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [When a religion or ideology becomes dominant, the lack of controls will result in widening spirals of license leading to degradation and corruption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/when-a-religion-or-ideology-becomes-dominant-the-lack-of-controls/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [If you don't like the word 'religion,' you can replace it with 'ideology' - it's largely the same thing. At the heart of both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/if-you-don-t-like-the-word-religion-you-can-replace-it-with-ideology/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [“The wars of religion that followed the Protestant Reformation caused many people to view religion as nothing more than an ideology with the potential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-vallery/the-wars-of-religion-that-followed-the-protestant-reformation-caused/) Jeremiah Vallery > [Real democracy means that no group or faction or leader can impose their will, their ideology, their religion, their desires on anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/real-democracy-means-that-no-group-or-faction-or-leader-can-impose/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Besides justifying the transfer of wealth to kleptocrats, institutionalized religion brings two other important benefits to centralized societies. First, shared ideology or religion helps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/besides-justifying-the-transfer-of-wealth-to-kleptocrats/) [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) > [“In times of extremes, extremists win. Their ideology becomes a religion, anyone who doesn't puppet their views is seen as an apostate, a heretic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/in-times-of-extremes-extremists-win-their-ideology-becomes-a-religion/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Ideology and religion are contraindicated for fanatics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/ideology-and-religion-are-contraindicated-for-fanatics/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“Terrorism is not an ideology of any religion; it is a business policy of weapon-selling countries like America,israel and france.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-zaki-ansari/terrorism-is-not-an-ideology-of-any-religion-it-is-a-business-policy/) [Mohammed Zaki Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-zaki-ansari/) > [If there is no silence beyond and within the many words of doctrine, there is no religion, only a religious ideology. For religion goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-there-is-no-silence-beyond-and-within-the-many-words-of-doctrine/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“An act of terrorism is not an ideology, nor religion. It is the lack of hope, of opportunity and of love. When there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahima-martel/an-act-of-terrorism-is-not-an-ideology-nor-religion-it-is-the-lack-of/) Mahima Martel > [In the name of religious freedom, relativists have banished religion from the public square. They say they have to destroy public displays of religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-knight/in-the-name-of-religious-freedom-relativists-have-banished-religion/) Robert H. Knight > [It is the inevitable effect of religion on public policy that makes it a matter of public concern. Advocates of religiosity extol the virtues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-kaminer/it-is-the-inevitable-effect-of-religion-on-public-policy-that-makes/) [Wendy Kaminer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-kaminer/) > [In our day, you can mock religion in public and even get funds for doing it. But you can't show respect for religion in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/in-our-day-you-can-mock-religion-in-public-and-even-get-funds-for/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) ## More by Francis George > [God's is the causality at the level of our being, and therefore the roots of our freedom. Ours in causality is determinative of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-george/god-s-is-the-causality-at-the-level-of-our-being-and-therefore-the/) [Francis George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-george/) > [The fact that God knows everything does not mean that He is directly causing everything. He respects our freedom at our level. He makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-george/the-fact-that-god-knows-everything-does-not-mean-that-he-is-directly/) [Francis George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-george/) > [If you're going to say you're Catholic, you inform your conscience so that you're activities will conform to what God is telling us through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-george/if-you-re-going-to-say-you-re-catholic-you-inform-your-conscience-so/) [Francis George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-george/) > [So, in every case if you really love someone there is an element of submission to them because you want what's best for them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-george/so-in-every-case-if-you-really-love-someone-there-is-an-element-of/) [Francis George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-george/) > [That question in marriage is mutual submission, really - the next verse goes on: "husbands love your wife as Christ loves the Church."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-george/that-question-in-marriage-is-mutual-submission-really-the-next-verse/) [Francis George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-george/) > [Equality, therefore, becomes the criterion because we can handle all that in process, but we can't handle that as principle without infringing on freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-george/equality-therefore-becomes-the-criterion-because-we-can-handle-all/) [Francis George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-george/) > [Law is a process. If there is equality of process for everybody, then that's our definition of justice. Whether or not what is done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-george/law-is-a-process-if-there-is-equality-of-process-for-everybody-then/) [Francis George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-george/) > [ He \[God\] made us free, and He respects that. It is two different spheres of causality. Interdependent, though. It is not two boxes looking… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-george/he-god-made-us-free-and-he-respects-that-it-is-two-different-spheres/) [Francis George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-george/) > [Christ didn't leave us a book of instructions; He left us a body, a family - a Church. If it were perfectly clear, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-george/christ-didn-t-leave-us-a-book-of-instructions-he-left-us-a-body-a/) [Francis George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-george/) > [From a Christian perspective, the answer to all of that is not power, as it is in the modern perspective. It's love. It's self-sacrifice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-george/from-a-christian-perspective-the-answer-to-all-of-that-is-not-power/) [Francis George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-george/) > [The presumption that the law can tell us what natural institution is supposed to be is a formula for totalitarianism. There's not equality in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-george/the-presumption-that-the-law-can-tell-us-what-natural-institution-is/) [Francis George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-george/) > [The trust is a matter of love and faith is a matter of truth. The two together give you the guidance that you look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-george/the-trust-is-a-matter-of-love-and-faith-is-a-matter-of-truth-the-two/) [Francis George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-george/) > [Faith is not a contract. Faith is surrender. If no other relationship in our experience is one of self-surrender, if it's all contractual, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-george/faith-is-not-a-contract-faith-is-surrender-if-no-other-relationship/) [Francis George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-george/) > [If you, however, separate reason and faith so that it's purely a rationalistic scheme, it will end in violence. If a pure faith scheme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-george/if-you-however-separate-reason-and-faith-so-that-it-s-purely-a/) [Francis George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-george/) > [There is the enormous corpus of Islamic law that is very rich. However, law is one rational exercise of reason. Philosophy is very different.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-george/there-is-the-enormous-corpus-of-islamic-law-that-is-very-rich-however/) [Francis George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-george/) [Explore all 26 Francis George quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-george/) ## More Actors quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Forget the credit, they (male actors) take all the money as well. We don't get paid even one-third of what male actors get. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/) [Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [When we watch a film as actors, you have to understand that we always see much more than what's on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/when-we-watch-a-film-as-actors-you-have-to-understand-that-we-always/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) > [As actors, you become an expert at starting over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/as-actors-you-become-an-expert-at-starting-over/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [A rapper is about being completely true to yourself. Being an actor is about changing who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/a-rapper-is-about-being-completely-true-to-yourself-being-an-actor-is/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I've been a professional actor for almost 40 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-perlman/i-ve-been-a-professional-actor-for-almost-40-years/) [Ron Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-perlman/) > [American actors are coy. We all have pricks and cunts, or are you different from the rest of us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/american-actors-are-coy-we-all-have-pricks-and-cunts-or-are-you/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) [Browse all 11,394 Actors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Interest in religion is not necessarily interest in God. Religion in public life means a set of ideas, an ideology that has certain positions. Religion is then one more ideology among others. Religion is about God. Religion begins with a relationship to God, not a relationship to an idea. It is God who is an actor, not just individuals who have certain beliefs who are actors. God is an actor.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francis George" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-george/interest-in-religion-is-not-necessarily-interest-in-god-religion-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actors" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-george/interest-in-religion-is-not-necessarily-interest-in-god-religion-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fed/francis-george-23460_actors_interest-in-religion-is-not-necessarily_2444193.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fed/francis-george-23460_actors_interest-in-religion-is-not-necessarily_2444193.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fed/francis-george-23460_actors_interest-in-religion-is-not-necessarily_2444193.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Interest in religion is not necessarily interest in God. Religion in public life means a set of ideas, an…” — Francis George", "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": "Francis George", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-george/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Interest in religion is not necessarily...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-george/interest-in-religion-is-not-necessarily-interest-in-god-religion-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-george/interest-in-religion-is-not-necessarily-interest-in-god-religion-in/#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 } } ] } ```