--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That sacred space of conscience where you…" description: "\"That sacred space of conscience where you can exercise your rights in terms of religious freedom and deeply-held, reasonable beliefs is the core of hum..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88d/jeff-fortenberry-11071_conscience_that-sacred-space-of-conscience-where-yo_303733.jpg" --- # That sacred space of conscience where you can exercise… ![“That sacred space of conscience where you can exercise your rights in terms of religious freedom and deeply-held, reasonable beliefs is the core of human dignity. In fact, that's the basis for civilization itself. And when you lose that fundamental principle... you have no basis on which to build.” quote by Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88d/jeff-fortenberry-11071_conscience_that-sacred-space-of-conscience-where-yo_303733.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88d/jeff-fortenberry-11071_conscience_that-sacred-space-of-conscience-where-yo_303733.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88d/jeff-fortenberry-11071_conscience_that-sacred-space-of-conscience-where-yo_303733.jpg) > “That sacred space of conscience where you can exercise your rights in terms of religious freedom and deeply-held, reasonable beliefs is the core of human dignity. In fact, that's the basis for civilization itself. And when you lose that fundamental principle... you have no basis on which to build.” [Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Freedom of conscience underpins human dignity and the foundations of civilization; losing it erodes societal stability. **In simple terms:** Conscience freedom is essential for dignity and civilization. Key Takeaway Protect conscience rights to sustain society. Themes human rights dignity civilization freedom Mood serious hopeful Type philosophical political When to use this quote - legal debates - public policy - education curricula Key Concepts political theory ethical foundations Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards protect conscience freedom? - How does this principle shape civic life? A Different Perspective Rights can be contested and limited by law. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) [Dignity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dignity/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Human dignity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-dignity/) [Principle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principle/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-freedom/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Sacred space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacred-space/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) ## Related quotes > [The market system is the basis of our civilization. Its only alternative is the Führer principle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-market-system-is-the-basis-of-our-civilization-its-only/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Civilization is first of all a moral thing. Without truth, respect for duty, love of neighbor, and virtue, everything is destroyed. The morality of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/civilization-is-first-of-all-a-moral-thing-without-truth-respect-for/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [His Holiness brings a wealth of experience to this exalted office. The United Nations and the Holy See share a strong commitment to peace,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/his-holiness-brings-a-wealth-of-experience-to-this-exalted-office-the/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [Primarily, Warsaw and Brussels share the central basic values of the EU: human dignity, democracy, and the religious freedom of every single human being.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaroslaw-kaczynski/primarily-warsaw-and-brussels-share-the-central-basic-values-of-the/) [Jaroslaw Kaczynski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaroslaw-kaczynski/) > [Nondiscrimination is a great American principle. It's a core American principle, as is religious freedom. When you have two important American principles coming into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haynes/nondiscrimination-is-a-great-american-principle-it-s-a-core-american/) [Charles Haynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haynes/) > [Democracy is the absolute value that makes for human dignity, as well as the only road to sustained economic development and social justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/democracy-is-the-absolute-value-that-makes-for-human-dignity-as-well/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Human dignity should be without borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-rocero/human-dignity-should-be-without-borders/) [Geena Rocero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-rocero/) > [Torture anywhere is an affront to human dignity everywhere... I call on all governments to join with the United States and the community of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/torture-anywhere-is-an-affront-to-human-dignity-everywhere-i-call-on/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [If our free society is to endure, those who govern must recognize human dignity and accept the enforcement of constitutional limitations on their power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/if-our-free-society-is-to-endure-those-who-govern-must-recognize/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [I've come to understand and to believe that each of us is more than the worst thing we've ever done. I believe that for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/i-ve-come-to-understand-and-to-believe-that-each-of-us-is-more-than/) [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) > [Contrary to what certain governments say, human rights are universal. Arbitrary detention, torture and discrimination hurt the human dignity of anybody, whatever his or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/contrary-to-what-certain-governments-say-human-rights-are-universal/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [In an age of interdependence, global citizenship - based on trust and sense of shared responsibility - is a crucial pillar of progress. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/in-an-age-of-interdependence-global-citizenship-based-on-trust-and/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [ “In this confusion we begin to see what lies behind John Paul II's startling warning about democracy "effectively mov\[ing\] towards a form of totalitarianism."… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-cardinal-pell/in-this-confusion-we-begin-to-see-what-lies-behind-john-paul-ii-s/) [George Cardinal Pell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-cardinal-pell/) > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/) Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera ## More by Jeff Fortenberry > [Considering community support and cost-benefit analysis, I have supported earmarks for projects of high public purpose involving such areas as higher education, alternative energy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/considering-community-support-and-cost-benefit-analysis-i-have/) [Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) > [You cannot deny reality: that ISIS is systematically attempting to exterminate Christianity, to exterminate the Yazidi community, to exterminate other religious minorities in vast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/you-cannot-deny-reality-that-isis-is-systematically-attempting-to/) [Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) > [Respect and a gentlemanly character - those are marks of a Nebraskan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/respect-and-a-gentlemanly-character-those-are-marks-of-a-nebraskan/) [Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) > [No one should have to live in fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/no-one-should-have-to-live-in-fear/) [Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) > [Some states like Nebraska have thus far responsibly managed their budgets, even in tough times, and I could not ask Nebraskans to pay for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/some-states-like-nebraska-have-thus-far-responsibly-managed-their/) [Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) > [Simply looking at the status quo and suggesting that the tax code is sacrosanct and can never change, and that decisions made in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/simply-looking-at-the-status-quo-and-suggesting-that-the-tax-code-is/) [Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) > [My responsibility is to make judgments about hard, complex issues that I believe to be right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/my-responsibility-is-to-make-judgments-about-hard-complex-issues-that/) [Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) > [If it comes out of Congress, I think it has traction in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/if-it-comes-out-of-congress-i-think-it-has-traction-in-america/) [Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) > [I used to be on the Lincoln City Council. You learn that there's never enough money for all of the police officers and fire-fighting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/i-used-to-be-on-the-lincoln-city-council-you-learn-that-there-s-never/) [Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) > [People need to make their voices heard in an orderly fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/people-need-to-make-their-voices-heard-in-an-orderly-fashion/) [Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) > [I would like to see Donald Trump lay out specifics on an economic agenda that are realistic, that are small-business focused.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/i-would-like-to-see-donald-trump-lay-out-specifics-on-an-economic/) [Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) > [Donald Trump has not yet earned my vote. And I'm not simply going to say 'never,' because I do not want to empower Hillary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/donald-trump-has-not-yet-earned-my-vote-and-i-m-not-simply-going-to/) [Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) > [For Nebraska and for America, I will continue my commitment to our national security, economic security, and family security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/for-nebraska-and-for-america-i-will-continue-my-commitment-to-our/) [Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) > [The promise of peace seems very far away, but you keep working steadily with good and uplifting attitudes, and that's sometimes tough in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/the-promise-of-peace-seems-very-far-away-but-you-keep-working/) [Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) > [When you're just focused on nutrition and hunger, that's a harder, harder lift in isolation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/when-you-re-just-focused-on-nutrition-and-hunger-that-s-a-harder/) [Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) [Explore all 62 Jeff Fortenberry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) ## More Conscience quotes > [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [“Knowledge without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabelaise/knowledge-without-conscience-is-but-the-ruin-of-the-soul/) Rabelaise > [Writing adds up to the conscience of our times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/writing-adds-up-to-the-conscience-of-our-times/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) > [Let us be thankful for health and competence, and, above all, for a quiet conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/let-us-be-thankful-for-health-and-competence-and-above-all-for-a/) [Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/) > [Making money doesn't oblige people to forfeit their honor or their conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-rothschild/making-money-doesn-t-oblige-people-to-forfeit-their-honor-or-their/) [Guy de Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-rothschild/) > [“If we cannot be happy and powerful and prey on others, we invent conscience and prey on ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/if-we-cannot-be-happy-and-powerful-and-prey-on-others-we-invent/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [The God in whose hands are all our days and ways, did cast into my hand one day a book of Martin Luthers; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/the-god-in-whose-hands-are-all-our-days-and-ways-did-cast-into-my/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [My morals are important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-parrish/my-morals-are-important-to-me/) [Hunter Parrish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-parrish/) > [Being tolerant does not mean that I share another ones belief. But it does mean that I acknowledge another ones right to believe, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-frankl/being-tolerant-does-not-mean-that-i-share-another-ones-belief-but-it/) [Viktor Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-frankl/) > [Never can true courage dwell with them, Who, playing tricks with conscience, dare not look At their own vices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/never-can-true-courage-dwell-with-them-who-playing-tricks-with/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [I've worked with people who are much further to the left than I am and much further to the right than I am. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/i-ve-worked-with-people-who-are-much-further-to-the-left-than-i-am/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [If all the world hated you and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved of you and absolved you from guilt, you would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/if-all-the-world-hated-you-and-believed-you-wicked-while-your-own/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [ \[D\]on't grow old. With age comes caution, which is another name for cowardice… Whatever else you do in life, don't cultivate a conscience. Without… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hesketh-pearson/d-on-t-grow-old-with-age-comes-caution-which-is-another-name-for/) [Hesketh Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hesketh-pearson/) [Browse all 3,490 Conscience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "That sacred space of conscience where you can exercise your rights in terms of religious freedom and deeply-held, reasonable beliefs is the core of human dignity. In fact, that's the basis for civilization itself. And when you lose that fundamental principle... you have no basis on which to build.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeff Fortenberry" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/that-sacred-space-of-conscience-where-you-can-exercise-your-rights-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Conscience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/that-sacred-space-of-conscience-where-you-can-exercise-your-rights-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88d/jeff-fortenberry-11071_conscience_that-sacred-space-of-conscience-where-yo_303733.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88d/jeff-fortenberry-11071_conscience_that-sacred-space-of-conscience-where-yo_303733.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88d/jeff-fortenberry-11071_conscience_that-sacred-space-of-conscience-where-yo_303733.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That sacred space of conscience where you can exercise your rights in terms of religious freedom and…” — Jeff Fortenberry", "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": "Jeff Fortenberry", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "That sacred space of conscience where...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/that-sacred-space-of-conscience-where-you-can-exercise-your-rights-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/that-sacred-space-of-conscience-where-you-can-exercise-your-rights-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 } } ] } ```