Church and state Quote by Glen Urquhart
““Do you know, where does this phrase "separation of Church and State" come from? It was not in Jefferson's letter to the Danbury Baptists...The exact phrase "separation of Church and State" came out of Adolf Hilter's mouth, that's where it comes from. So the next time your liberal friends talk about the separation of Church and State - ask them why they're Nazis.””
About This Quote
The speaker falsely claims the phrase separation of church and state came from Hitler rather than Jefferson, using the claim to discredit those who cite the phrase.
In simple terms: A false claim ties separation of church and state to Hitler.
Key Takeaway
Verify historical claims before accepting political rhetoric.
Themes
church and state
history
political rhetoric
misinformation
Mood
combative
provocative
Type
political
rhetorical
When to use this quote
- political debates
- fact-checking
- religious freedom discussions
Key Concepts
historical distortion
political mythmaking
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we verify historical phrases attributed to political figures?
- What does this claim reveal about emotional appeals in politics?
A Different Perspective
Historians confirm the phrase appears in Jefferson's 1802 Danbury Baptist letter, making the claim demonstrably false.
![“I do not make decisions [as governor] based on what have I learned through my Bible studies, what have I learned in my religious classes in school. I'm a big believer in separation of church and state, and I think that's what . . . the law is.” quote by Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a18/arnold-schwarzenegger-657_believer_i-do-not-make-decisions-as-governor-base_18031.jpg)
