Atheism Quote by Noam Chomsky
“Since Jimmy Carter, religious fundamentalists play a major role in elections. He was the first president who made a point of exhibiting himself as a born again Christian. That sparked a little light in the minds of political campaign managers: Pretend to be a religious fanatic and you can pick up a third of the vote right away. Nobody asked whether Lyndon Johnson went to church every day. Bill Clinton is probably about as religious as I am, meaning zero, but his managers made a point of making sure that every Sunday morning he was in the Baptist church singing hymns.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview on US politics, 2000s
Political strategists have used overt religiosity to attract voters, treating faith as a campaign tool
In simple terms: Religious image is used to win votes
Beware of exploiting faith for political gain
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- campaign strategy
- media analysis
- voter outreach
- public perception
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- Is authenticity possible in faith‑based campaigning?
- What are the long‑term effects of such tactics?
Faith can be genuine, not merely a political façade