--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It may not be easy, in every possible…" description: "\"It may not be easy, in every possible case, to trace the line of separation between the rights of religion and the Civil authority with such distinctne..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/842/james-madison-373_abstinence_it-may-not-be-easy-in-every-possible-cas_3221548.png" --- # It may not be easy, in every possible case, to trace the… ![“It may not be easy, in every possible case, to trace the line of separation between the rights of religion and the Civil authority with such distinctness as to avoid collisions and doubts on unessential points. The tendency to unsurpastion on one side or the other, or to a corrupting coalition or…” quote by James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/842/james-madison-373_abstinence_it-may-not-be-easy-in-every-possible-cas_3221548.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/842/james-madison-373_abstinence_it-may-not-be-easy-in-every-possible-cas_3221548.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/842/james-madison-373_abstinence_it-may-not-be-easy-in-every-possible-cas_3221548.png) > “It may not be easy, in every possible case, to trace the line of separation between the rights of religion and the Civil authority with such distinctness as to avoid collisions and doubts on unessential points. The tendency to unsurpastion on one side or the other, or to a corrupting coalition or alliance between them, will be best guarded agst. by an entire abstinence of the Gov't from interfence in any way whatsoever, beyond the necessity of preserving public order, and protecting each sect agst. trespasses on its legal rights by others.” [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Madison advocates for strict separation of religious rights from civil authority, urging minimal government interference to prevent conflict. **In simple terms:** Keep government out of religious matters to avoid disputes. Key Takeaway Maintain clear boundaries between church and state. Themes politics law religion separation of church and state Mood analytical balanced Type legal philosophical When to use this quote - policy drafting - legal analysis - public administration - community governance Key Concepts civil liberty government restraint conflict avoidance Questions to Reflect On - How can governments protect religious freedom without overreach? - What mechanisms ensure both rights and order? A Different Perspective Absolute separation may ignore practical interdependencies in society. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abstinence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstinence/) [Against religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/against-religion/) [Alliances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alliances/) [American founding fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-founding-fathers/) [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Christian father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-father/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Church and state](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-and-state/) [Collision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collision/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Founding america](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/founding-america/) [Founding fathers of america](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/founding-fathers-of-america/) [Legal rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legal-rights/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious sects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-sects/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Sects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sects/) [Separation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separation/) [Separation between church and state](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separation-between-church-and-state/) [Separation of church and state](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separation-of-church-and-state/) ## Related quotes > [“It may not be easy, in every possible case, to trace the line of separation between the rights of religion and the Civil authority…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/it-may-not-be-easy-in-every-possible-case-to-trace-the-line-of/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [Besides the danger of a direct mixture of religion and civil government, there is an evil which ought to be guarded against in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/besides-the-danger-of-a-direct-mixture-of-religion-and-civil/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [“What influence, in fact, have ecclesiastical establishments had on society? 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It is an explicit recognition that our rights derive not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-should-remember-that-the-declaration-of-independence-is-not-merely/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the US, what passes for Christianity - and it is, to say the least, a highly perverse, possessive individualist and capitalist version of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-critchley/in-the-us-what-passes-for-christianity-and-it-is-to-say-the-least-a/) [Simon Critchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-critchley/) > [Without the restraints of religion and social worship, men become savages much sooner than savages become civilized by means of religion and civil government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-rush/without-the-restraints-of-religion-and-social-worship-men-become/) [Benjamin Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-rush/) > [Among the features peculiar to the political system of the United States, is the perfect equality of rights which it secures to every religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/among-the-features-peculiar-to-the-political-system-of-the-united-2/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [The civil authority, or that part of it which remained faithful to their trust and true to the ends of the covenant, did, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-civil-authority-or-that-part-of-it-which-remained-faithful-to/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [The sovereign power of all civil authority is founded in the consent of the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-williams/the-sovereign-power-of-all-civil-authority-is-founded-in-the-consent/) [Roger Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-williams/) > [Without the intervention of the civil authority what would our percepts become?- Platonic laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-melanchthon/without-the-intervention-of-the-civil-authority-what-would-our/) [Philipp Melanchthon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-melanchthon/) > [The issue is whether the ultimate civil authority of the United States can tolerate actions in contempt of constitutional lines of authority. Any lessening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-russell/the-issue-is-whether-the-ultimate-civil-authority-of-the-united/) [Harold Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-russell/) > [It was seldom that I attended any religious meetings, as my parents had not much faith in and were never so unfortunate as to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-pratt/it-was-seldom-that-i-attended-any-religious-meetings-as-my-parents/) [Orson Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-pratt/) > [A federated structure in Iraq based on ethnicity or religious sects will not be healthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/recep-tayyip-erdogan/a-federated-structure-in-iraq-based-on-ethnicity-or-religious-sects/) [Recep Tayyip Erdogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/recep-tayyip-erdogan/) > [Nostalgia is also a trait of the organizations that I call lodges - everything from corporate cultures to religious sects. Their bonding power often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-james/nostalgia-is-also-a-trait-of-the-organizations-that-i-call-lodges/) [Jennifer James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-james/) ## More by James Madison > [“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/knowledge-will-forever-govern-ignorance-and-a-people-who-mean-to-be/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [Rulers who wished to subvert the public liberty, may have found an established Clergy convenient auxiliaries. 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But besides the danger of a direct mixture of Religion & civil Government , there is an evil which ought to be guarded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/but-besides-the-danger-of-a-direct-mixture-of-religion-civil/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [Although all men are born free, slavery has been the general lot of the human race. Ignorant--they have been cheated; asleep--they have been surprised;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/although-all-men-are-born-free-slavery-has-been-the-general-lot-of/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [“It may be a reflection on human nature, that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government. 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When that force is conserved through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patanjali/sexual-activity-and-the-thoughts-and-fantasies-of-sex-use-up-a-great/) [Patanjali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patanjali/) > [Used with due abstinence, hope acts as a healthful tonic; intemperately indulged, as an enervating opiate. The visions of future triumph, which at first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-fitzjames-stephen/used-with-due-abstinence-hope-acts-as-a-healthful-tonic-intemperately/) [James Fitzjames Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-fitzjames-stephen/) > [“Male masturbation is not a release, it is a squandering. Anyone who begins to no-fap will soon discover this. Like most things, we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-freestone/male-masturbation-is-not-a-release-it-is-a-squandering-anyone-who/) [Jack Freestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-freestone/) > [Atheism is a religion like abstinence is a sex position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/atheism-is-a-religion-like-abstinence-is-a-sex-position/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [When a married person uses pornography, or is unfaithful, it compromises not just his (or her) purity, but also compromises the spouse's purity. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-o-donnell/when-a-married-person-uses-pornography-or-is-unfaithful-it/) [Christine O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-o-donnell/) > [“Look, choosing to wait until marriage makes me feel empowered. 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