--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have no respect for the right-to-life…" description: "\"I have no respect for the right-to-life position. But when you legislate personal belief, you're in violation of freedom of religion. The Catholic Chur..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/329/john-irving-337_abortion_i-have-no-respect-for-the-right-to-life_2301251.png" --- # I have no respect for the right-to-life position. But when… ![“I have no respect for the right-to-life position. But when you legislate personal belief, you're in violation of freedom of religion. The Catholic Church may espouse its opinion on abortion to the members of its congregation. But they are in violation of separation of church and state when they…” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/329/john-irving-337_abortion_i-have-no-respect-for-the-right-to-life_2301251.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/329/john-irving-337_abortion_i-have-no-respect-for-the-right-to-life_2301251.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/329/john-irving-337_abortion_i-have-no-respect-for-the-right-to-life_2301251.png) > “I have no respect for the right-to-life position. But when you legislate personal belief, you're in violation of freedom of religion. The Catholic Church may espouse its opinion on abortion to the members of its congregation. But they are in violation of separation of church and state when they try to proselytize their abortion politics on people who are not Catholics.” [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Legislating personal belief infringes religious freedom; church should not impose political views on non‑members. **In simple terms:** Religion and politics should stay separate. Key Takeaway Separate belief from law. Themes religion politics freedom ethics Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical debate When to use this quote - abortion debates - public policy - faith communities - educational settings Key Concepts separation of church and state legislative limits Questions to Reflect On - Should religious groups influence public policy? - How to protect both freedom and moral discourse? A Different Perspective Balancing moral convictions with pluralistic law is complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abortion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abortion/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Catholic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic/) [Catholic church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic-church/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Church and state](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-and-state/) [Congregation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congregation/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom of religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-of-religion/) [No respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/no-respect/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Personal beliefs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-beliefs/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Right to life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-to-life/) [Separation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separation/) [Separation of church and state](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separation-of-church-and-state/) [Violation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violation/) ## Related quotes > [When you legislate personal belief, you're in violation of freedom of religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/when-you-legislate-personal-belief-you-re-in-violation-of-freedom-of/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“If unconventional ideas = sperm, then public opinion = abortion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/if-unconventional-ideas-sperm-then-public-opinion-abortion/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“the political scientist Roger Pielke, Jr. has called the transformation of “abortion politics” into “tornado politics.” The debate preceding a collective decision about abortion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-political-scientist-roger-pielke-jr-has-called-the-transformation/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For millions of women, health centers that provide reproductive healthcare are the only place they ever see a doctor or nurse. 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Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [I have no respect for the right-to-life position, though I have every respect for an individual who says, "I could never have that procedure,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-have-no-respect-for-the-right-to-life-position-though-i-have-every/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“If there was only one solitary being on this planet or only a few who would never meet, then freedom would be unquestionably absolute,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-wethington/if-there-was-only-one-solitary-being-on-this-planet-or-only-a-few-who/) Ethan Wethington > [The Shari'a itself - this is possibly a kind of verbal debate - is understood to be something different from the Fiqh, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadakat-kadri/the-shari-a-itself-this-is-possibly-a-kind-of-verbal-debate-is/) [Sadakat Kadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadakat-kadri/) > [We all have faith in something: usually a mixture of some personal beliefs with modern science. I am not like that. Mostly I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/we-all-have-faith-in-something-usually-a-mixture-of-some-personal/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“ CONVERSATION GUIDELINES What is the secret to good conversation? Shared interest in the subject; easy, natural flow from topic to topic; humor, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-berent/conversation-guidelines-what-is-the-secret-to-good-conversation/) [Jonathan Berent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-berent/) > [“Do you believe in an afterlife? Do your personal beliefs include a life after death?—no matter how they phrase their snotty test, do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/do-you-believe-in-an-afterlife-do-your-personal-beliefs-include-a/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“Friends could be more influential than spouses. 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With my personal beliefs as a Baha'i, we believe that birth and death are very similar and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-baldoni/i-ve-always-been-so-curious-about-death-with-my-personal-beliefs-as-a/) [Justin Baldoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-baldoni/) > [“What is held real is based upon personal beliefs that drive perception.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/what-is-held-real-is-based-upon-personal-beliefs-that-drive-perception/) [Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) ## More by John Irving > [Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/your-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-doesn-t-it-simply-files-things/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Our memory is a monster; you forget it - it does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/our-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-it-does-not/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean––make sure they know what they mean!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/watch-out-for-people-who-call-themselves-religious-make-sure-you-know/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [The desire to never leave your side, the desire to never see you again. The desire to see your face asleep on the pillow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/the-desire-to-never-leave-your-side-the-desire-to-never-see-you-again/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I had been a student in Vienna, and one of the neat little things I had found out was about that zoo. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-had-been-a-student-in-vienna-and-one-of-the-neat-little-things-i/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“God, I think I just hit a high E-flat - and I really held it!" Esmeralda said, after one of her more prolonged orgasms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/god-i-think-i-just-hit-a-high-e-flat-and-i-really-held-it-esmeralda/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Nostalgia!" Miss Frost cried. "You´re nostalgic!" She repeated. "Just how old are you, William?" She asked. "Seventeen, " I told her. "Seventeen!" Miss Frost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/nostalgia-miss-frost-cried-you-re-nostalgic-she-repeated-just-how-old/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [ “JUST BECAUSE A BUNCH OF ATHEISTS ARE BETTER WRITERS THAN THE GUYS WHO WROTE THE BIBLE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE THEM RIGHT!" \[Owen Meany\] said… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/just-because-a-bunch-of-atheists-are-better-writers-than-the-guys-who/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [It is much easier to be flexible about where a story begins than it ever was for me to change my mind about where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/it-is-much-easier-to-be-flexible-about-where-a-story-begins-than-it/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Only the chicken-lover will understand me. He will give me a kindly look, maybe mildly desirous. His eyes will tell me: You might look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/only-the-chicken-lover-will-understand-me-he-will-give-me-a-kindly/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [You're nice,' Cushie told him, squeezing his hand. 'And you're my oldest friend.' 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From the time that an ovum is fertilized a new life begins that is neither that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/conception-is-the-beginning-of-human-life-from-the-time-that-an-ovum/) Declaration on Procured Abortion Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 1974 > [Hey everyone, in case y'all didn't hear, I'm pregnat, and after discussing it w/ my family, I've decided to get an abortion, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-badesheim/hey-everyone-in-case-y-all-didn-t-hear-i-m-pregnat-and-after/) Madison Badesheim > [There was no mistake in us making abortion legal and available on demand. That was what we call progress. 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Many base that claim on China's strict population laws, which allow them to have only one child.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/the-chinese-describe-themselves-as-political-refugees-many-base-that/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [I'm a pro-life candidate because I believe that science is proving us right every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/i-m-a-pro-life-candidate-because-i-believe-that-science-is-proving-us/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [I've noticed that everyone who is for abortion…has been born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-noticed-that-everyone-who-is-for-abortion-has-been-born/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [We talk a lot about how abortion is a medical procedure, but actually if you look at what the other side is doing, they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-northup/we-talk-a-lot-about-how-abortion-is-a-medical-procedure-but-actually/) [Nancy Northup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-northup/) > [“The Vatican won't prosecute pedophile priests but I decide I'm not ready for motherhood and it's condemnation for me? 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Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-w-lynn/) [Browse all 1,629 Abortion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abortion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have no respect for the right-to-life position. But when you legislate personal belief, you're in violation of freedom of religion. The Catholic Church may espouse its opinion on abortion to the members of its congregation. 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