---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Justice Scalia in Smith, citing Reynolds…"
description: "\"“Justice Scalia in Smith, citing Reynolds: If the law’s authority were to vary based on the diverse moral and religious commitments of citizens, then a..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1e/john-corvino-15517_justice-scalia_justice-scalia-in-smith-citing-reynolds_3035517.png"
---

#  Justice Scalia in Smith, citing Reynolds: If the law’s…

![“Justice Scalia in Smith, citing Reynolds: If the law’s authority were to vary based on the diverse moral and religious commitments of citizens, then all persons could become a law unto themselves.” quote by John Corvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1e/john-corvino-15517_justice-scalia_justice-scalia-in-smith-citing-reynolds_3035517.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1e/john-corvino-15517_justice-scalia_justice-scalia-in-smith-citing-reynolds_3035517.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1e/john-corvino-15517_justice-scalia_justice-scalia-in-smith-citing-reynolds_3035517.png)

> ““Justice Scalia in Smith, citing Reynolds: If the law’s authority were to vary based on the diverse moral and religious commitments of citizens, then all persons could become a law unto themselves.””

[John Corvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corvino/)

## About This Quote

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

If laws changed with each individual's morals, society would lack shared rules, leading to chaos where everyone follows personal belief.

**In simple terms:** Law must be common, not personal.

Key Takeaway

Uphold universal legal standards.

Themes

justice law morality society individualism

Mood

critical analytical

Type

philosophical legal

When to use this quote

- courtroom
- policy making
- community governance
- civil discourse

Key Concepts

legal theory ethics social contract

Questions to Reflect On

- Should personal beliefs influence law?
- How to balance diversity with uniformity?

A Different Perspective

Personal morality alone cannot sustain a functional legal system.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Justice scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice-scalia/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/)

## Related quotes

> [No law can give power to private persons; every law transfers power from private persons to government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-paterson/no-law-can-give-power-to-private-persons-every-law-transfers-power/)

[Isabel Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-paterson/)

> [We have one authority and one law and everyone has the responsibility to follow that law and that authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-abbas/we-have-one-authority-and-one-law-and-everyone-has-the-responsibility/)

[Mahmoud Abbas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-abbas/)

> [I beseech you, Wrest once the law to your authority: To do a great right, do a little wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-beseech-you-wrest-once-the-law-to-your-authority-to-do-a-great/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [A good judge should never boast of his power, because he can do nothing but what he can do justly: he is not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-f-wilson/a-good-judge-should-never-boast-of-his-power-because-he-can-do/)

[Thomas F. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-f-wilson/)

> [The Scalia seat is defense. We're not going to get any better than Justice Scalia. The best we can do is preserve constitutional victories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-scalia-seat-is-defense-we-re-not-going-to-get-any-better-than/)

[Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/)

> [I think justice Scalia is really the gold standard of what a justice should be. Somebody, regardless of how he feels on an issue,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/i-think-justice-scalia-is-really-the-gold-standard-of-what-a-justice/)

[Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/)

> [In 2015, an opera opened about me and Justice Antonin Scalia. It's called 'Scalia/Ginsburg.' The composer, Derrick Wang, has degrees in music from Harvard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/in-2015-an-opera-opened-about-me-and-justice-antonin-scalia-it-s/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

> [Justice Scalia is predictable. He can be counted on to come down with a conservative opinion, and generally, to bring Justice Clarence Thomas with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-lee-bailey/justice-scalia-is-predictable-he-can-be-counted-on-to-come-down-with/)

[F. Lee Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-lee-bailey/)

> [There are just a host of problems born by the electronic age. Things we couldn't even conceive of. I was amused by the analogy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/there-are-just-a-host-of-problems-born-by-the-electronic-age-things/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

> [ He \[Louis Brandeis\] would have not had any patience with that great debate which you're right to kind of signal between Justice Scalia and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-rosen/he-louis-brandeis-would-have-not-had-any-patience-with-that-great/)

[Jeffrey Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-rosen/)

> [Justice Scalia and I served together on the D.C. Circuit. So his votes are not surprising to me. What I like about him is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/justice-scalia-and-i-served-together-on-the-d-c-circuit-so-his-votes/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

> [Justice Scalia was a person who effectively bludgeoned the life out of the living Constitution, the Constitution that gave us desegregation, that gave us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/justice-scalia-was-a-person-who-effectively-bludgeoned-the-life-out/)

[Kimberle Williams Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/)

> [None of us were prepared to hear what Justice Scalia said, because in essence what he was saying is let's go back to pre-Board…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/none-of-us-were-prepared-to-hear-what-justice-scalia-said-because-in/)

[Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/)

> [Justice Scalia was usually particularly challenging to me at oral argument, but I so respected his intellect and commitment to the pursuit of truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-katyal/justice-scalia-was-usually-particularly-challenging-to-me-at-oral/)

[Neal Katyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-katyal/)

> [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/)

[Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/)

## More by John Corvino

> [“twenty-three years of RFRAs to produce anarchy,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/twenty-three-years-of-rfras-to-produce-anarchy/)

[John Corvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corvino/)

> [“In short, when it comes to colonial America, religious persecution—in the sense of persecution both based in religion and aimed at religion—was as American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/in-short-when-it-comes-to-colonial-america-religious-persecution-in/)

[John Corvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corvino/)

> [“bigotry to consist in stubborn and unjustified animus toward people, typically (though not always) in the context of a larger system of subordination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/bigotry-to-consist-in-stubborn-and-unjustified-animus-toward-people/)

[John Corvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corvino/)

> [“Why the double standard of counting dignitary harm (in addition to material harms) against conscience claims, but not at all against speech? This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/why-the-double-standard-of-counting-dignitary-harm-in-addition-to/)

[John Corvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corvino/)

> [“but that they would be forced to participate in or help celebrate”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/but-that-they-would-be-forced-to-participate-in-or-help-celebrate/)

[John Corvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corvino/)

> [“No one doubts that relocating a growing congregation is inconvenient. So is relocating a growing shoe store, supermarket, or household. But it doesn’t follow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/no-one-doubts-that-relocating-a-growing-congregation-is-inconvenient/)

[John Corvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corvino/)

> [“As philosophy professor Dale Miller asks, “if the business owner is willing to accept less responsibility for her decisions, then why should she expect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/as-philosophy-professor-dale-miller-asks-if-the-business-owner-is/)

[John Corvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corvino/)

> [“Do not let the focus on bakers and florists obscure this point: It is currently legal in most states to fire people for being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/do-not-let-the-focus-on-bakers-and-florists-obscure-this-point-it-is/)

[John Corvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corvino/)

> [“Sacred cows don’t tip easily.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/sacred-cows-don-t-tip-easily/)

[John Corvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corvino/)

> [“the law cannot respect the conscience of flesh-and-blood human beings unless it also recognizes conscience claims brought by the corporations they form.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/the-law-cannot-respect-the-conscience-of-flesh-and-blood-human-beings/)

[John Corvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corvino/)

> [“By treating blacks as inferior, such policies were an affront to their dignity. This would be true even if these policies had not been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/by-treating-blacks-as-inferior-such-policies-were-an-affront-to-their/)

[John Corvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corvino/)

> [“The plain fact is that Kim Davis wanted to hold gay people to a different standard than her fellow divorcees: For gays, she would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/the-plain-fact-is-that-kim-davis-wanted-to-hold-gay-people-to-a/)

[John Corvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corvino/)

> [“Yet it is the dissenters seeking a peaceful settlement”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/yet-it-is-the-dissenters-seeking-a-peaceful-settlement/)

[John Corvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corvino/)

> [ “The Nobel Prize-winning physicist Steven Weinberg has put the point sharply: “With or without \[religion\], you would have good people doing good things and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/the-nobel-prize-winning-physicist-steven-weinberg-has-put-the-point/)

[John Corvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corvino/)

> [“Whether a distinction is invidious—rooted in harmful attitudes or ideas about a group and so likely to spread contempt—depends not on whether it’s conduct-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/whether-a-distinction-is-invidious-rooted-in-harmful-attitudes-or/)

[John Corvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corvino/)

[Explore all 43 John Corvino quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corvino/)

## More Justice scalia quotes

> [Justice Scalia was usually particularly challenging to me at oral argument, but I so respected his intellect and commitment to the pursuit of truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-katyal/justice-scalia-was-usually-particularly-challenging-to-me-at-oral/)

[Neal Katyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-katyal/)

> [None of us were prepared to hear what Justice Scalia said, because in essence what he was saying is let's go back to pre-Board…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/none-of-us-were-prepared-to-hear-what-justice-scalia-said-because-in/)

[Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/)

> [Justice Scalia was a person who effectively bludgeoned the life out of the living Constitution, the Constitution that gave us desegregation, that gave us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/justice-scalia-was-a-person-who-effectively-bludgeoned-the-life-out/)

[Kimberle Williams Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/)

> [Justice Scalia and I served together on the D.C. Circuit. So his votes are not surprising to me. What I like about him is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/justice-scalia-and-i-served-together-on-the-d-c-circuit-so-his-votes/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

> [ He \[Louis Brandeis\] would have not had any patience with that great debate which you're right to kind of signal between Justice Scalia and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-rosen/he-louis-brandeis-would-have-not-had-any-patience-with-that-great/)

[Jeffrey Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-rosen/)

> [Justice Scalia is predictable. He can be counted on to come down with a conservative opinion, and generally, to bring Justice Clarence Thomas with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-lee-bailey/justice-scalia-is-predictable-he-can-be-counted-on-to-come-down-with/)

[F. Lee Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-lee-bailey/)

> [In 2015, an opera opened about me and Justice Antonin Scalia. It's called 'Scalia/Ginsburg.' The composer, Derrick Wang, has degrees in music from Harvard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/in-2015-an-opera-opened-about-me-and-justice-antonin-scalia-it-s/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

> [I think justice Scalia is really the gold standard of what a justice should be. Somebody, regardless of how he feels on an issue,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/i-think-justice-scalia-is-really-the-gold-standard-of-what-a-justice/)

[Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/)

> [The Scalia seat is defense. We're not going to get any better than Justice Scalia. The best we can do is preserve constitutional victories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-scalia-seat-is-defense-we-re-not-going-to-get-any-better-than/)

[Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/)

> [There are just a host of problems born by the electronic age. Things we couldn't even conceive of. I was amused by the analogy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/there-are-just-a-host-of-problems-born-by-the-electronic-age-things/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

[Browse all 11 Justice scalia quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice-scalia/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Justice Scalia in Smith, citing Reynolds: If the law’s authority were to vary based on the diverse moral and religious commitments of citizens, then all persons could become a law unto themselves.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Corvino"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/justice-scalia-in-smith-citing-reynolds-if-the-law-s-authority-were/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Justice scalia"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/justice-scalia-in-smith-citing-reynolds-if-the-law-s-authority-were/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1e/john-corvino-15517_justice-scalia_justice-scalia-in-smith-citing-reynolds_3035517.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1e/john-corvino-15517_justice-scalia_justice-scalia-in-smith-citing-reynolds_3035517.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1e/john-corvino-15517_justice-scalia_justice-scalia-in-smith-citing-reynolds_3035517.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Justice Scalia in Smith, citing Reynolds: If the law’s authority were to vary based on the diverse moral and…” — John Corvino",
                "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": "John Corvino",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corvino/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Justice Scalia in Smith, citing Reynolds:...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/justice-scalia-in-smith-citing-reynolds-if-the-law-s-authority-were/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/justice-scalia-in-smith-citing-reynolds-if-the-law-s-authority-were/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```