--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If somebody harbours delusions, I think…" description: "\"If somebody harbours delusions, I think that should disqualify them from office, regardless whether the delusions are religious. Letting someone who th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f9/john-f-kennedy-246_bail_if-somebody-harbours-delusions-i-think-t_2104759.jpg" --- # If somebody harbours delusions, I think that should… ![“If somebody harbours delusions, I think that should disqualify them from office, regardless whether the delusions are religious. Letting someone who thinks the god Jehovah will bail him out serve in public office is like letting a man who believes in Santa Claus run a Toys 'R Us. The great enemy…” quote by John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f9/john-f-kennedy-246_bail_if-somebody-harbours-delusions-i-think-t_2104759.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f9/john-f-kennedy-246_bail_if-somebody-harbours-delusions-i-think-t_2104759.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f9/john-f-kennedy-246_bail_if-somebody-harbours-delusions-i-think-t_2104759.jpg) > “If somebody harbours delusions, I think that should disqualify them from office, regardless whether the delusions are religious. Letting someone who thinks the god Jehovah will bail him out serve in public office is like letting a man who believes in Santa Claus run a Toys 'R Us. The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie - deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic. Belief in myths allows the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.” [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Delusional beliefs, especially religious ones, should disqualify individuals from public office because myths replace critical thinking with comforting falsehoods. **In simple terms:** Myths in leaders prevent honest thought and should bar them from office. Key Takeaway Reject leaders who rely on myths. Themes politics truth mythology Mood cautious critical Type political ethical When to use this quote - elections - policy making - public discourse - leadership vetting Key Concepts cognitive bias secular governance critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How can societies identify myth‑driven leaders? - What safeguards protect against myth‑based governance? A Different Perspective Myths can be deeply ingrained and hard to expose. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bail/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe in santa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-in-santa/) [Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfort/) [Deliberate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deliberate/) [Delusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delusion/) [Delusions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delusions/) [Delusions Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delusions-religious-4220773/) [Delusions Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delusions-think-4220772/) [Discomfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discomfort/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Harbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harbour/) [Harbours Delusions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harbours-delusions-4220774/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Jehovah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jehovah/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Persistent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persistent/) [Persuasive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persuasive/) [Public office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-office/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Santa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/santa/) [Santa claus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/santa-claus/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Toys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toys/) [Truth is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-is/) [Unrealistic Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unrealistic-belief-4220775/) ## Related quotes > [I try to deny myself any illusions or delusions, and I think that this perhaps entitles me to try and deny the same to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-try-to-deny-myself-any-illusions-or-delusions-and-i-think-that-this/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Because I am still a little girl who believes in Santa and the tooth fairy and you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/because-i-am-still-a-little-girl-who-believes-in-santa-and-the-tooth/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I'm concerned about my daughter because she will not believe in Santa Claus. No matter what I say to her, she just doesn't buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salma-hayek/i-m-concerned-about-my-daughter-because-she-will-not-believe-in-santa/) [Salma Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salma-hayek/) > [Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oren-arnold/christmas-gift-suggestions-to-your-enemy-forgiveness-to-an-opponent-2/) [Oren Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oren-arnold/) > [I believe in Santa. Cause I believe in the Christmas Spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-believe-in-santa-cause-i-believe-in-the-christmas-spirit/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't really care what people tell children - when you believe in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy, one more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-burchill/i-don-t-really-care-what-people-tell-children-when-you-believe-in/) [Julie Burchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-burchill/) > [Let me tell you something. As we were walking around in the store, Marilyn and I were just really impressed by all the novelties…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-quayle/let-me-tell-you-something-as-we-were-walking-around-in-the-store/) [Dan Quayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-quayle/) > [“I came to understand that belief is a preconception about the way reality should be; faith is the willingness to experience reality as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-hanson-lasater/i-came-to-understand-that-belief-is-a-preconception-about-the-way/) [Judith Hanson Lasater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-hanson-lasater/) > [Christmas is a time when everybody wants his past forgotten and his present remembered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/christmas-is-a-time-when-everybody-wants-his-past-forgotten-and-his/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [I've always said that I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I could make a great movie about him if I set my mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-devlin/i-ve-always-said-that-i-don-t-believe-in-santa-claus-but-i-could-make/) [Dean Devlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-devlin/) > [Grown ups don't believe in Santa Claus. They vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-desproges/grown-ups-don-t-believe-in-santa-claus-they-vote/) [Pierre Desproges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-desproges/) > [I remember being banned from other houses as a younger child during the winter holiday season; I was the only one who didn't believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/i-remember-being-banned-from-other-houses-as-a-younger-child-during/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [Believe in your dreams. If you don't, who will?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/believe-in-your-dreams-if-you-don-t-who-will/) [Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/) > [Not everyone who sells Christmas trees believes in Santa Claus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barr/not-everyone-who-sells-christmas-trees-believes-in-santa-claus/) [Matt Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barr/) > [Stages of life: 1) You believe in Santa Claus. 2) You don't believe in Santa Claus. 3) You are Santa Claus. 4) You look like Santa Claus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stages-of-life-1-you-believe-in-santa-claus-2-you-don-t-believe-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by John F. Kennedy > [“We shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/we-shall-pay-any-price-bear-any-burden-meet-any-hardship-support-any/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [We stand today on the edge of a new frontier - the frontier of the 1960's - a frontier of unknown opportunities and perils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/we-stand-today-on-the-edge-of-a-new-frontier-the-frontier-of-the-1960/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [We will neglect our cities to our peril, for in neglecting them we neglect the nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/we-will-neglect-our-cities-to-our-peril-for-in-neglecting-them-we/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [We must recognize that every nation determines its policies in terms of its own interests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/we-must-recognize-that-every-nation-determines-its-policies-in-terms/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Someone always needs rescuing, yet there's only one person who ever seems to understand you. It's a lot like being Lassie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/someone-always-needs-rescuing-yet-there-s-only-one-person-who-ever/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Student loans have been helpful to many. But they offer neither incentive nor assistance to those students who, by reason of family or other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/student-loans-have-been-helpful-to-many-but-they-offer-neither/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Great crises produce great men, and great deeds of courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/great-crises-produce-great-men-and-great-deeds-of-courage/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [There comes a point where you see no evidence that the carrot and diplomacy are working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/there-comes-a-point-where-you-see-no-evidence-that-the-carrot-and/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Suspicion on one side breeds suspicion on the other, and new weapons beget counter-weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/suspicion-on-one-side-breeds-suspicion-on-the-other-and-new-weapons/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [We have some of the most influential Members of Congress here today, and I do hope that we can get this appropriation for these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/we-have-some-of-the-most-influential-members-of-congress-here-today/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Disarmament without checks is but a shadow - and a community without law is but a shell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/disarmament-without-checks-is-but-a-shadow-and-a-community-without/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [This is one country. It has become one country because all of us and all the people who came here had an equal chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/this-is-one-country-it-has-become-one-country-because-all-of-us-and/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [“The courage of life is often a less dramatic spectacle than the courage of a final moment; but it is no less a magnificent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/the-courage-of-life-is-often-a-less-dramatic-spectacle-than-the/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Washington is a city of Southern efficiency and Northern charm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/washington-is-a-city-of-southern-efficiency-and-northern-charm/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Peace does not rest in the charters and covenants alone. It lies in the hearts and minds of all people. So let us not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/peace-does-not-rest-in-the-charters-and-covenants-alone-it-lies-in/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) [Explore all 824 John F. Kennedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) ## More Bail quotes > [when times are tough, the weak bail and the tough get creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/when-times-are-tough-the-weak-bail-and-the-tough-get-creative/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [When assumptions were made that I was going to bail out there was a little part of my brain that thought 'I am going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-stevens/when-assumptions-were-made-that-i-was-going-to-bail-out-there-was-a/) [Craig Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-stevens/) > [The person who reads can bail, but the person who doesn't fails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-paulsen/the-person-who-reads-can-bail-but-the-person-who-doesn-t-fails/) [Gary Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-paulsen/) > [Don’t let your thoughts run away with you, don’t start planning to bail out because you’re worried about the future and how much you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-luttrell/don-t-let-your-thoughts-run-away-with-you-don-t-start-planning-to/) [Marcus Luttrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-luttrell/) > [Shortly before my arrest, my girlfriend at the time, who's now my wife of ten years, told me she was quitting drugs and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-hosoi/shortly-before-my-arrest-my-girlfriend-at-the-time-who-s-now-my-wife/) [Christian Hosoi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-hosoi/) > [“Pick a leader who will keep jobs in your country by offering companies incentives to hire only within their borders, not one who allows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/pick-a-leader-who-will-keep-jobs-in-your-country-by-offering/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [The United States can no longer rely upon foreign nations such as China to bail us out of our economic irresponsibility. We must live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/the-united-states-can-no-longer-rely-upon-foreign-nations-such-as/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [You’re going to share a Moon Pie? Now? You know you can’t get any more of those until you go back to the Sates,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/you-re-going-to-share-a-moon-pie-now-you-know-you-can-t-get-any-more/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [When they say all expenses paid, does that include bail?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/when-they-say-all-expenses-paid-does-that-include-bail/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) > [QE and other aspects of Fed policy increased inequality pretty significantly. This is reinforced if you take into account all the other non-standard measures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-epstein/qe-and-other-aspects-of-fed-policy-increased-inequality-pretty/) [Gerald Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-epstein/) > [“It's funny isn't it? People claim to know what love is -- yet the minute they're given the opportunity to prove it -- they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-van-dyken/it-s-funny-isn-t-it-people-claim-to-know-what-love-is-yet-the-minute/) [Rachel Van Dyken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-van-dyken/) > [I could as easily bail out the Potomac River with a teaspoon as attend to all the details of the army.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-as-easily-bail-out-the-potomac-river-with-a-teaspoon-as/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [There are no wealthy people on Rikers Island because if you are wealthy, you go free because you make bail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/there-are-no-wealthy-people-on-rikers-island-because-if-you-are/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [This is the secret I kept from you, Bails, from myself too: I think I liked that Mom was gone, that she could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jandy-nelson/this-is-the-secret-i-kept-from-you-bails-from-myself-too-i-think-i/) [Jandy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jandy-nelson/) > [Hell no / I ain't going to go / Clean out my cell / And take my tail / To jail / Without bail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/hell-no-i-ain-t-going-to-go-clean-out-my-cell-and-take-my-tail-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) [Browse all 139 Bail quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bail/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If somebody harbours delusions, I think that should disqualify them from office, regardless whether the delusions are religious. Letting someone who thinks the god Jehovah will bail him out serve in public office is like letting a man who believes in Santa Claus run a Toys 'R Us. The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie - deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic. Belief in myths allows the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John F. 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