---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do you know, where does this phrase…"
description: "\"“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 p..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a05/glen-urquhart-240180_church-and-state_do-you-know-where-does-this-phrase-separ_268869.jpg"
---

#  Do you know, where does this phrase "separation of Church…

![“Do you know, where does this phrase &quot;separation of Church and State&quot; come from? It was not in Jefferson's letter to the Danbury Baptists...The exact phrase &quot;separation of Church and State&quot; came out of Adolf Hilter's mouth, that's where it comes from. So the next time your liberal friends talk…” quote by Glen Urquhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a05/glen-urquhart-240180_church-and-state_do-you-know-where-does-this-phrase-separ_268869.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a05/glen-urquhart-240180_church-and-state_do-you-know-where-does-this-phrase-separ_268869.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a05/glen-urquhart-240180_church-and-state_do-you-know-where-does-this-phrase-separ_268869.jpg)

> ““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.””

[Glen Urquhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-urquhart/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The phrase “separation of church and state” is misattributed to Jefferson; its misuse can be weaponized politically.

**In simple terms:** The phrase is often misquoted and politicized.

Key Takeaway

Check sources before using political slogans.

Themes

politics history misinformation religion language

Mood

critical skeptical

Type

Church and state:0 Hitler:0 Nazi:0 Next time:0 Religion:0 Separation of church and state:0 Separation Church:0 Church State:0 Jefferson Letter:0 Ask Nazis:0 Come Jefferson:0

When to use this quote

- debates
- education
- media analysis

Key Concepts

political rhetoric historical context critical thinking

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do people cling to inaccurate historical claims?
- How does misattribution affect public discourse?

A Different Perspective

Over‑simplification may ignore nuanced legal history.

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[Ask Nazis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-nazis-2632449/) [Church and state](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-and-state/) [Church State](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-state-261074/) [Come Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come-jefferson-2632450/) [Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hitler/) [Jefferson Letter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jefferson-letter-1517930/) [Nazi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nazi/) [Next time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-time/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Separation Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separation-church-261073/) [Separation of church and state](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separation-of-church-and-state/)

## Related quotes

> [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [The civil Government, though bereft of every thing like an associated hierarchy, possesses the requisite stability, and performs its functions with complete success; whilst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-civil-government-though-bereft-of-every-thing-like-an-associated/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [The separation of church and state is a misnomer. People misunderstand it. Of course, it comes from a phrase that was in a letter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-johnson/the-separation-of-church-and-state-is-a-misnomer-people-misunderstand/)

[Mike Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-johnson/)

> [US is a very religious country. Separation of church and state is part of our credo, but that it is hard to understand since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/us-is-a-very-religious-country-separation-of-church-and-state-is-part/)

[Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/)

> [The separation of Church and State in everything relating to taxation should be absolute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/the-separation-of-church-and-state-in-everything-relating-to-taxation/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [Quite often you hear people say, 'What about separation of church and state?' There is no such thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-severson/quite-often-you-hear-people-say-what-about-separation-of-church-and/)

[Dan Severson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-severson/)

> [They have kept us in submission because they have talked about separation of church and state. There is no such thing in the Constitution.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/they-have-kept-us-in-submission-because-they-have-talked-about/)

[Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/)

> [The fact that religion plays such a part in how people vote troubles me, troubles me as a minister's daughter. Because I always felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/the-fact-that-religion-plays-such-a-part-in-how-people-vote-troubles/)

[Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/)

> [The separation of church and state is a suburban, not an urban, issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-evans/the-separation-of-church-and-state-is-a-suburban-not-an-urban-issue/)

[Tony Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-evans/)

> [I disagree strongly with the concept of separation of church and state. It was not written into the Constitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-buck/i-disagree-strongly-with-the-concept-of-separation-of-church-and/)

[Ken Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-buck/)

> [I questioned the faithful of all communions; I particularly sought the society of clergymen, who are the depositories of the various creeds and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-questioned-the-faithful-of-all-communions-i-particularly-sought-the/)

[Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/)

> [ I do not make decisions \[as governor\] based on what have I learned through my Bible studies, what have I learned in my religious… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/i-do-not-make-decisions-as-governor-based-on-what-have-i-learned/)

[Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/)

> [Where in the Constitution is the separation of church and state?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-o-donnell/where-in-the-constitution-is-the-separation-of-church-and-state/)

[Christine O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-o-donnell/)

> [“I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. ... These two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-m-completely-in-favor-of-the-separation-of-church-and-state-these/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [We have this idea in our minds that there's this separation of church and state in America, which I think is a good thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/we-have-this-idea-in-our-minds-that-there-s-this-separation-of-church/)

[Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/)

## More Church and state quotes

> [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [“I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. ... These two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-m-completely-in-favor-of-the-separation-of-church-and-state-these/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [Blasphemy and sedition (meaning the truth about Church and State).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/blasphemy-and-sedition-meaning-the-truth-about-church-and-state/)

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

> [“The next time believers tell you that 'separation of church and state' does not appear in our founding document, tell them to stop using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barker/the-next-time-believers-tell-you-that-separation-of-church-and-state/)

[Dan Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barker/)

> [Rulers who wished to subvert the public liberty, may have found an established Clergy convenient auxiliaries. A just Government instituted to secure &amp; perpetuate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/rulers-who-wished-to-subvert-the-public-liberty-may-have-found-an/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [Where in the Constitution is the separation of church and state?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-o-donnell/where-in-the-constitution-is-the-separation-of-church-and-state/)

[Christine O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-o-donnell/)

> [ I do not make decisions \[as governor\] based on what have I learned through my Bible studies, what have I learned in my religious… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/i-do-not-make-decisions-as-governor-based-on-what-have-i-learned/)

[Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/)

> [Church and state are, and must remain, separate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/church-and-state-are-and-must-remain-separate/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [... happily the Government of the United States... gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/happily-the-government-of-the-united-states-gives-to-bigotry-no/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

> [“We establish no religion in this country, we command no worship, we mandate no belief. Nor will we ever. Church and state are, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/we-establish-no-religion-in-this-country-we-command-no-worship-we/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [I questioned the faithful of all communions; I particularly sought the society of clergymen, who are the depositories of the various creeds and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-questioned-the-faithful-of-all-communions-i-particularly-sought-the/)

[Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/)

> [I believe in a wall between church and state so high that no one can climb over it. When religion controls government, political liberty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/i-believe-in-a-wall-between-church-and-state-so-high-that-no-one-can/)

[Sam Ervin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/)

> [I disagree strongly with the concept of separation of church and state. It was not written into the Constitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-buck/i-disagree-strongly-with-the-concept-of-separation-of-church-and/)

[Ken Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-buck/)

> [“Liberalism is a creation of the seventeenth century, fathered by British philosopher John Locke (1632–1704). For Locke, liberalism means limited government, the rule of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boghossian/liberalism-is-a-creation-of-the-seventeenth-century-fathered-by/)

[Peter Boghossian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boghossian/)

> [The Constitution does not require complete separation of church and state; it affirmatively mandates accommodation, not merely tolerance, of all religions, and forbids hostility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-e-burger/the-constitution-does-not-require-complete-separation-of-church-and/)

[Warren E. Burger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-e-burger/)

[Browse all 439 Church and state quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-and-state/)

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