--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The American people need no course in…" description: "\"The American people need no course in philosophy or political science or church history to know that God should not be made into a celestial party chai..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24e/mario-cuomo-4807_american-people_the-american-people-need-no-course-in-ph_2606059.png" --- # The American people need no course in philosophy or… ![“The American people need no course in philosophy or political science or church history to know that God should not be made into a celestial party chairman. To most of us, the manipulative invoking of religion to advance a politician or a party is frightening and divisive. The American people will…” quote by Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24e/mario-cuomo-4807_american-people_the-american-people-need-no-course-in-ph_2606059.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24e/mario-cuomo-4807_american-people_the-american-people-need-no-course-in-ph_2606059.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24e/mario-cuomo-4807_american-people_the-american-people-need-no-course-in-ph_2606059.png) > “The American people need no course in philosophy or political science or church history to know that God should not be made into a celestial party chairman. To most of us, the manipulative invoking of religion to advance a politician or a party is frightening and divisive. The American people will tolerate religious leaders taking positions for or against candidates.” [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The public should reject using religion as a political tool, as it creates fear and division, while tolerating leaders’ moral stances. **In simple terms:** Religion should not be politicized. Key Takeaway Guard against religious manipulation. Themes politics religion ethics public discourse Mood critical thoughtful Type political ethical When to use this quote - elections - policy debates - media coverage - community meetings Key Concepts constitutional law political theory Questions to Reflect On - How to balance faith and politics? - What safeguards protect secular governance? A Different Perspective Some voters seek moral guidance from religion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-people/) [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Celestial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/celestial/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Church history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-history/) [Frightening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frightening/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-science/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Religious leaders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-leaders/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [The American people need no course in philosophy or political science of church history to know that God should not be made into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/the-american-people-need-no-course-in-philosophy-or-political-science/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [I think we atheists should tolerate the religious not because their views are just as valid as ours, but because experience has shown that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-crane/i-think-we-atheists-should-tolerate-the-religious-not-because-their/) [Tim Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-crane/) > [Jerusalem should not tolerate any religious war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reuven-rivlin/jerusalem-should-not-tolerate-any-religious-war/) [Reuven Rivlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reuven-rivlin/) > [History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/history-i-believe-furnishes-no-example-of-a-priest-ridden-people-4/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Confession frees, but power reduces one to silence; truth does not belong to the order of power, but shares an origincal affinity with freedom:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-foucault/confession-frees-but-power-reduces-one-to-silence-truth-does-not/) [Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-foucault/) > [The adjective "political" in "political philosophy" designates not so much the subject matter as a manner of treatment; from this point of view, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-strauss/the-adjective-political-in-political-philosophy-designates-not-so/) [Leo Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-strauss/) > [We've got communism. We have Bushism. We have Clintonism. But there isn't a Trumpism. Bullet-point for me what the Trump political philosophy is and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-ve-got-communism-we-have-bushism-we-have-clintonism-but-there-isn/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Until philosophers are kings, or the kings and princes of this world have the spirit and power of philosophy, and political greatness and wisdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/until-philosophers-are-kings-or-the-kings-and-princes-of-this-world/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Scientific theories never dictate human values, but they can often cast new light on ethical issues. From a sexual selection viewpoint, moral philosophy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-miller/scientific-theories-never-dictate-human-values-but-they-can-often/) [Geoffrey Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-miller/) > [...there are some who are naturally fitted for philosophy and political leadership, while the rest should follow their lead and let philosophy alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/there-are-some-who-are-naturally-fitted-for-philosophy-and-political/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [I have a social philosophy; you have political opinions; he has an ideology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-geertz/i-have-a-social-philosophy-you-have-political-opinions-he-has-an/) [Clifford Geertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-geertz/) > [“Jürgen Habermas currently ranks as one of the most influential philosophers in the world. Bridging continental and Anglo-American traditions of thought, he has engaged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/jurgen-habermas-currently-ranks-as-one-of-the-most-influential/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I thought I would go into philosophy and political science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-isaac-chung/i-thought-i-would-go-into-philosophy-and-political-science/) [Lee Isaac Chung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-isaac-chung/) > [“However intrinsically loony an idea may be, when people believe it, and act on that belief, it attains a power that can shape reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-b-spence/however-intrinsically-loony-an-idea-may-be-when-people-believe-it-and/) [Richard B. Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-b-spence/) > [“days of the earliest Church? I ask you: Do you want things to go on as usual, or do you want to see God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/days-of-the-earliest-church-i-ask-you-do-you-want-things-to-go-on-as/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) ## More by Mario Cuomo > [There is a respectable body of economic thought that holds that casino gambling is actually economically regressive to a state and a community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/there-is-a-respectable-body-of-economic-thought-that-holds-that/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [We believe in a government that is characterized by fairness and reasonableness, a reasonableness that goes beyond labels, that doesn't distort or promise to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/we-believe-in-a-government-that-is-characterized-by-fairness-and/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [America was born in outrageous ambition, so bold as to be improbable. The deprived, the oppressed, the powerless from all over the globe came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/america-was-born-in-outrageous-ambition-so-bold-as-to-be-improbable/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [The biggest aggravation in the Arab world, the biggest reason for their anger toward us and the creation of those suicide terrorists, is Israel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/the-biggest-aggravation-in-the-arab-world-the-biggest-reason-for/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [Nobody has ever gotten a bigger push than Bill Clinton gave to Obama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/nobody-has-ever-gotten-a-bigger-push-than-bill-clinton-gave-to-obama/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [It is not a government's obligation to provide services, but to see that they are provided.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/it-is-not-a-government-s-obligation-to-provide-services-but-to-see/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [My favorite thought about Abraham Lincoln is he believed in two things: loving one another and working together to make this world better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/my-favorite-thought-about-abraham-lincoln-is-he-believed-in-two/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [9/11 occurs, and you're going to rebuild, and after awhile, the memory will be there, but there will be something new there, and different,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/9-11-occurs-and-you-re-going-to-rebuild-and-after-awhile-the-memory/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [The Mafia is a question every time an Italian raises his head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/the-mafia-is-a-question-every-time-an-italian-raises-his-head/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [People asked me what I want as an epitaph: 'He tried'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/people-asked-me-what-i-want-as-an-epitaph-he-tried/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [I had not even thought of running for president until one day in 1991, at a small fund-raiser, completely unanticipated, someone stood up and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/i-had-not-even-thought-of-running-for-president-until-one-day-in-1991/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [I protect my right to be a Catholic by preserving your right to believe as a Jew, a Protestant, or non-believer, or as anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/i-protect-my-right-to-be-a-catholic-by-preserving-your-right-to/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [I love immigrants. Legal, illegal - they're not to be despised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/i-love-immigrants-legal-illegal-they-re-not-to-be-despised/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [Barack Obama is probably one of the brightest in terms of sheer intelligence... also probably the best orator we've ever had as a president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/barack-obama-is-probably-one-of-the-brightest-in-terms-of-sheer/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [The American people need no course in philosophy or political science of church history to know that God should not be made into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/the-american-people-need-no-course-in-philosophy-or-political-science/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) [Explore all 105 Mario Cuomo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) ## More American people quotes > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-as-much-as-government-can-do-and-must-do-it-is-ultimately-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Given a choice between two bald political candidates, the American people will vote for the less bald of the two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-gold/given-a-choice-between-two-bald-political-candidates-the-american/) Victor Gold > [When the American people saw the LA riots and crowds of Blacks cheering O.J. Simpson (who was acquitted by the almost all Black jury),…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duke/when-the-american-people-saw-the-la-riots-and-crowds-of-blacks/) [David Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duke/) > [In any event, it is one thing to assert, then or now, that the Iraq war was ill-advised. It is quite another to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-silberman/in-any-event-it-is-one-thing-to-assert-then-or-now-that-the-iraq-war/) [Laurence Silberman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-silberman/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [I don't know a politician who enjoys fundraising. The system is such that the American people have lost faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-don-t-know-a-politician-who-enjoys-fundraising-the-system-is-such/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Probably the greatest single obstacle to the progress and happiness of the American people lies in the willingness of so many men to invest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/probably-the-greatest-single-obstacle-to-the-progress-and-happiness/) [John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/) > [If a financial institution has business operations in the United States, hires people in the United States, if they are clogged with illiquid assets,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-paulson/if-a-financial-institution-has-business-operations-in-the-united/) [Henry Paulson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-paulson/) > [The American people reject the idea of giving Washington a blank check to increase the debt limit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-roby/the-american-people-reject-the-idea-of-giving-washington-a-blank/) [Martha Roby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-roby/) > [The coronavirus has yet again exposed the strong contrast between President Trump - who is working ardently for the American people - and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayleigh-mcenany/the-coronavirus-has-yet-again-exposed-the-strong-contrast-between/) [Kayleigh McEnany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayleigh-mcenany/) > [The American people demand results, not rhetoric, especially when it comes to national security issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-hayworth/the-american-people-demand-results-not-rhetoric-especially-when-it/) [J. D. Hayworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-hayworth/) > [Hillary Clinton truly is sincere, but she has to connect more with the American people in terms of what she believes in and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/hillary-clinton-truly-is-sincere-but-she-has-to-connect-more-with-the/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [The American people are incredibly generous and even playful when you open yourself up and feed the media beast until it goes away satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/the-american-people-are-incredibly-generous-and-even-playful-when-you/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) [Browse all 2,233 American people quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-people/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The American people need no course in philosophy or political science or church history to know that God should not be made into a celestial party chairman. 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