--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The founders proscribed the establishment…" description: "\"The founders proscribed the establishment of a state religion, but they did not countenance the elimination of religion from the public square. We are ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf5/mitt-romney-268_countenance_the-founders-proscribed-the-establishmen_1349909.png" --- # The founders proscribed the establishment of a state… ![“The founders proscribed the establishment of a state religion, but they did not countenance the elimination of religion from the public square. We are a nation 'Under God' and in God, we do indeed trust.” quote by Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf5/mitt-romney-268_countenance_the-founders-proscribed-the-establishmen_1349909.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf5/mitt-romney-268_countenance_the-founders-proscribed-the-establishmen_1349909.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf5/mitt-romney-268_countenance_the-founders-proscribed-the-establishmen_1349909.png) > “The founders proscribed the establishment of a state religion, but they did not countenance the elimination of religion from the public square. We are a nation 'Under God' and in God, we do indeed trust.” [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Founders opposed a state religion but not the removal of religion from public life, highlighting a tension between secular governance and religious identity. **In simple terms:** Founders wanted religion separate from government but not absent. Key Takeaway Balance secular law with cultural faith. Themes religion government secularism Mood analytical critical Type political historical When to use this quote - public policy - education - public discourse - community events Key Concepts political theory constitutional law Questions to Reflect On - How should public spaces reflect religious diversity? - What limits exist on religious expression? A Different Perspective Interpretations of founders' intent vary widely. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Establishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/establishment/) [Founders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/founders/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [Do you think that God will punish them for not practicing a religion which he did not reveal to them?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-you-think-that-god-will-punish-them-for-not-practicing-a-religion/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I saw what religion did to people when I grew up, and I certainly didn't want any part of it. That turned me off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristian-nairn/i-saw-what-religion-did-to-people-when-i-grew-up-and-i-certainly-didn/) [Kristian Nairn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristian-nairn/) > [One form of religion perpetually gives way to another; if religion did not change it would be dead. ... Each time the new ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-hamilton/one-form-of-religion-perpetually-gives-way-to-another-if-religion-did/) [Edith Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-hamilton/) > [Religion did not exist for the saving of souls but for the preservation and welfare of society, and in all that was necessary to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-robertson-smith/religion-did-not-exist-for-the-saving-of-souls-but-for-the/) [William Robertson Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-robertson-smith/) > [She was a good Christian woman with a large respect for religion, though she did not, of course, believe any of it was true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/she-was-a-good-christian-woman-with-a-large-respect-for-religion/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [“In the camp we saw our own people kill each other over a crust of bread. In the old days I used to think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilda-van-stockum/in-the-camp-we-saw-our-own-people-kill-each-other-over-a-crust-of/) [Hilda Van Stockum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilda-van-stockum/) > [“From time to time he consulted books about Islamic jurisprudence, the fikh, in his own collection when confronted with thorny problems in his marriage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-hammer/from-time-to-time-he-consulted-books-about-islamic-jurisprudence-the/) Joshua Hammer > [“Religion had nothing to do with why they did what they did; it was simply something they latched on to and used as justification.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-wright/religion-had-nothing-to-do-with-why-they-did-what-they-did-it-was/) [Suzanne Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-wright/) > [It happened very providentially, to the honor of the Christian religion, that it did not take its rise in the dark illiterate ages of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/it-happened-very-providentially-to-the-honor-of-the-christian/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [I don't profess to have any religion, but if I did, my God would be Fidel Castro. 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They say they have to destroy public displays of religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-knight/in-the-name-of-religious-freedom-relativists-have-banished-religion/) Robert H. Knight > [It is the inevitable effect of religion on public policy that makes it a matter of public concern. Advocates of religiosity extol the virtues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-kaminer/it-is-the-inevitable-effect-of-religion-on-public-policy-that-makes/) [Wendy Kaminer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-kaminer/) > [In our day, you can mock religion in public and even get funds for doing it. But you can't show respect for religion in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/in-our-day-you-can-mock-religion-in-public-and-even-get-funds-for/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) ## More by Mitt Romney > [I look at what's happening around the world and I see Iran four years closer to a bomb. I see the Middle East with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-look-at-what-s-happening-around-the-world-and-i-see-iran-four-years/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [I would like to have campaign spending limits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-would-like-to-have-campaign-spending-limits/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [I believe in my Mormon faith, and I endeavor to live by it. My faith is the faith of my fathers - I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-believe-in-my-mormon-faith-and-i-endeavor-to-live-by-it-my-faith-is/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [America's military is second to none in the world. We're blessed with terrific soldiers, and extraordinary technology and intelligence. But the idea of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/america-s-military-is-second-to-none-in-the-world-we-re-blessed-with/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [And a special thank you to the citizens of Massachusetts: You are paying all the taxes, creating all the jobs, raising all the children.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/and-a-special-thank-you-to-the-citizens-of-massachusetts-you-are/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [When I was elected governor of my state, I had a legislature 87 percent Democrat. It was not lost on me that to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/when-i-was-elected-governor-of-my-state-i-had-a-legislature-87/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [I saw the young man over there with eggs Benedict, with hollandaise sauce. And I was going to suggest to you that you serve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-saw-the-young-man-over-there-with-eggs-benedict-with-hollandaise/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [I've been a hunter pretty much all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-ve-been-a-hunter-pretty-much-all-my-life/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [I think Mitt Romney has demonstrated repeatedly he has a penchant for - for secrecy, doesn't seem to have any interest in actually showing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-think-mitt-romney-has-demonstrated-repeatedly-he-has-a-penchant-for/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [If I were to offer advice to any president of the United States, it would be this: do whatever you can do to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/if-i-were-to-offer-advice-to-any-president-of-the-united-states-it/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [I was too important to go to Vietnam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-was-too-important-to-go-to-vietnam/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [America has not dictated to other nations. We have freed other nations from dictators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/america-has-not-dictated-to-other-nations-we-have-freed-other-nations/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [The right course is for the Palestinians and the Israelis to sit down at the table together. The Palestinians need to recognize that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/the-right-course-is-for-the-palestinians-and-the-israelis-to-sit-down/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [If I'm President of the United States, when I'm President of the United States, we will stand with Israel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/if-i-m-president-of-the-united-states-when-i-m-president-of-the/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [President Obama instituted the most anti-growth, anti-investment, anti-jobs measures that we have seen in our lifetime. Now he called his agenda ambitious, I call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/president-obama-instituted-the-most-anti-growth-anti-investment-anti/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) [Explore all 781 Mitt Romney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) ## More Countenance quotes > [We can see nothing whatever of the soul unless it is visible in the expression of the countenance; one might call the faces at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/we-can-see-nothing-whatever-of-the-soul-unless-it-is-visible-in-the/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [First impressions are often the truest, as we find (not infrequently) to our cost, when we have been wheedled out of them by plausible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/first-impressions-are-often-the-truest-as-we-find-not-infrequently-to/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Our communications reflect in our countenance. Therefore, we must be careful not only what we communicate, but also how we do so. Souls can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-lionel-kendrick/our-communications-reflect-in-our-countenance-therefore-we-must-be/) [L. Lionel Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-lionel-kendrick/) > [At this point in history when all things which concern man and the structure and elements of history itself are suddenly revealed to us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-mannheim/at-this-point-in-history-when-all-things-which-concern-man-and-the/) [Karl Mannheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-mannheim/) > [Nothing to me is more distasteful than that entire complacency and satisfaction which beam in the countenances of a new married couple; in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/nothing-to-me-is-more-distasteful-than-that-entire-complacency-and/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [And these two elements are at odds with one another because Freud is utterly adversary to almost all the ways of structuring the human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/and-these-two-elements-are-at-odds-with-one-another-because-freud-is/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [It is a hard matter for a man to lie all over, nature having provided king's evidence in almost every member. The hand will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-allston/it-is-a-hard-matter-for-a-man-to-lie-all-over-nature-having-provided/) [Washington Allston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-allston/) > [The two maxims of any great man at court are, always to keep his countenance, and never to keep his word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/the-two-maxims-of-any-great-man-at-court-are-always-to-keep-his/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [The countenance is the portrait of the soul, and the eyes mark its intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-countenance-is-the-portrait-of-the-soul-and-the-eyes-mark-its/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Not only do they offend thee, O Lady, who outrage thee, but thou art also offended by those who neglect to ask thy favors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonaventure/not-only-do-they-offend-thee-o-lady-who-outrage-thee-but-thou-art/) [Bonaventure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonaventure/) > [Custom is a violent and treacherous school mistress. She, by little and lithe, slyly and unperceived, slips in the foot of her authority; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/custom-is-a-violent-and-treacherous-school-mistress-she-by-little-and/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The life of Christ was a life charged with a divine message of the love of God, and He longed intensely to impart this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/the-life-of-christ-was-a-life-charged-with-a-divine-message-of-the/) [Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/) > [“The countenance is the portrait of the soul, and the eyes mark its intention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cicero/the-countenance-is-the-portrait-of-the-soul-and-the-eyes-mark-its-2/) [Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cicero/) > [“In the faces of humanity, the countenances that shine brightest are those whose minds are powered by wisdom's Divine supplier of enlightment...selah.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracey-bond/in-the-faces-of-humanity-the-countenances-that-shine-brightest-are/) [Tracey Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracey-bond/) > [This life in us; however low it flickers or fiercely burns, is still a divine flame which no man dare presume to put out,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/this-life-in-us-however-low-it-flickers-or-fiercely-burns-is-still-a/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) Browse all 251 Countenance quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The founders proscribed the establishment of a state religion, but they did not countenance the elimination of religion from the public square. 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