--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Freedom of conscience is a natural right…" description: "\"Freedom of conscience is a natural right, both antecedent and superior to all human laws and institutions whatever; a right which laws never gave and a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c36/john-goodwin-86335_conscience_freedom-of-conscience-is-a-natural-right_2862033.jpg" --- # Freedom of conscience is a natural right, both antecedent… ![“Freedom of conscience is a natural right, both antecedent and superior to all human laws and institutions whatever; a right which laws never gave and a right which laws can never take away.” quote by John Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c36/john-goodwin-86335_conscience_freedom-of-conscience-is-a-natural-right_2862033.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c36/john-goodwin-86335_conscience_freedom-of-conscience-is-a-natural-right_2862033.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c36/john-goodwin-86335_conscience_freedom-of-conscience-is-a-natural-right_2862033.jpg) > “Freedom of conscience is a natural right, both antecedent and superior to all human laws and institutions whatever; a right which laws never gave and a right which laws can never take away.” John Goodwin ## 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 is an inherent right that supersedes any law or institution **In simple terms:** Conscience rights outrank laws Key Takeaway Defend personal conscience against legal constraints Themes human rights law morality Mood serious determined Type political philosophical When to use this quote - legal advocacy - policy reform - ethical debates Key Concepts natural rights ethical autonomy Questions to Reflect On - How can societies protect conscience rights? - What limits should laws have on personal belief? A Different Perspective Legal systems may still suppress dissent despite moral arguments ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Free thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-thought/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Independence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independence/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Individual rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual-rights/) [Institutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/institutions/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) ## Related quotes > [“The great museums may harbour the conscience for the natural world, not merely provide its catalogue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-fortey/the-great-museums-may-harbour-the-conscience-for-the-natural-world/) [Richard Fortey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-fortey/) > [“Just as junk food and lack of exercise can ruin an athlete’s condition, those things that are obscene, crude, or pornographic can breed an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/just-as-junk-food-and-lack-of-exercise-can-ruin-an-athlete-s/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [Free inquiry entails recognition of civil liberties as integral to its pursuit, that is, a free press, freedom of communication, the right to organize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/free-inquiry-entails-recognition-of-civil-liberties-as-integral-to/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [“The humanitarian philosophies that have been developed (sometimes under some religious banner and invariably in the face of religious opposition) are human inventions, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-kroto/the-humanitarian-philosophies-that-have-been-developed-sometimes/) Harry Kroto > [To speak his thoughts is every freeman's right, in peace and war, in council and in fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/to-speak-his-thoughts-is-every-freeman-s-right-in-peace-and-war-in/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [All of our effort should be focused on protecting the religious liberties and freedom of conscience for those Americans that profoundly disagree with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/all-of-our-effort-should-be-focused-on-protecting-the-religious/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [I wore a uniform to stand up for all rights and that means I don't pick or choose which I defend, whether it's for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-o-toole/i-wore-a-uniform-to-stand-up-for-all-rights-and-that-means-i-don-t/) [Erin O'Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-o-toole/) > [We should foster a culture in which people's private religious beliefs, including atheists and agnostics, are respected. And that's the kind of culture that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-should-foster-a-culture-in-which-people-s-private-religious/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The individual cannot exist on his/her own and the collectivism should respect freedom of conscience. My struggle is about the freedom of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asghar-ali-engineer/the-individual-cannot-exist-on-his-her-own-and-the-collectivism/) [Asghar Ali Engineer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asghar-ali-engineer/) > [The great ideas of the West - rationalism, self-criticism, the disinterested search for truth, the separation of church and state, the rule of law,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-warraq/the-great-ideas-of-the-west-rationalism-self-criticism-the/) [Ibn Warraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-warraq/) > [“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/) > [“Do you have a truth of your own, Anton ? Tell me, do you? Are you certain of it? Then believe it, not in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lukyanenko/do-you-have-a-truth-of-your-own-anton-tell-me-do-you-are-you-certain/) [Sergei Lukyanenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lukyanenko/) > [Nothing is more seductive for a man than his freedom of conscience, but nothing is a greater cause of suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-is-more-seductive-for-a-man-than-his-freedom-of-conscience/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I believe in absolute freedom of conscience for all men and equality of all churches, all sects and all beliefs before the law as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-smith/i-believe-in-absolute-freedom-of-conscience-for-all-men-and-equality/) [Al Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-smith/) > [“Once the Lutheran churches were secure, Luther, like most other leaders of the Reformations, believed in freedom of conscience only for those who agreed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-stark/once-the-lutheran-churches-were-secure-luther-like-most-other-leaders/) [Rodney Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-stark/) ## More by John Goodwin > [Theater people work by instinct. I've never known a really calculated artistic decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goodwin/theater-people-work-by-instinct-i-ve-never-known-a-really-calculated/) John Goodwin > [The internet is the most powerful mechanism we can imagine to match perfectly individuals who needs something, and people with something to offer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goodwin/the-internet-is-the-most-powerful-mechanism-we-can-imagine-to-match/) John Goodwin Explore all 3 John Goodwin quotes ## 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": "Freedom of conscience is a natural right, both antecedent and superior to all human laws and institutions whatever; a right which laws never gave and a right which laws can never take away.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Goodwin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goodwin/freedom-of-conscience-is-a-natural-right-both-antecedent-and-superior/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Conscience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goodwin/freedom-of-conscience-is-a-natural-right-both-antecedent-and-superior/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c36/john-goodwin-86335_conscience_freedom-of-conscience-is-a-natural-right_2862033.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c36/john-goodwin-86335_conscience_freedom-of-conscience-is-a-natural-right_2862033.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c36/john-goodwin-86335_conscience_freedom-of-conscience-is-a-natural-right_2862033.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Freedom of conscience is a natural right, both antecedent and superior to all human laws and institutions…” — John Goodwin", "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 Goodwin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-goodwin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Freedom of conscience is a natural...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goodwin/freedom-of-conscience-is-a-natural-right-both-antecedent-and-superior/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goodwin/freedom-of-conscience-is-a-natural-right-both-antecedent-and-superior/#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 } } ] } ```