--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that of most leaders in religion…" description: "\"I think that of most leaders in religion as power brokers. They give orders, in a sense, to an audience every week, and that's where the definition of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b8/norman-lear-7597_audience_i-think-that-of-most-leaders-in-religion_1156216.png" --- # I think that of most leaders in religion as power brokers… ![“I think that of most leaders in religion as power brokers. They give orders, in a sense, to an audience every week, and that's where the definition of God starts.” quote by Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b8/norman-lear-7597_audience_i-think-that-of-most-leaders-in-religion_1156216.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b8/norman-lear-7597_audience_i-think-that-of-most-leaders-in-religion_1156216.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b8/norman-lear-7597_audience_i-think-that-of-most-leaders-in-religion_1156216.png) > “I think that of most leaders in religion as power brokers. They give orders, in a sense, to an audience every week, and that's where the definition of God starts.” [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religious leaders often act as power brokers, shaping belief through repeated messaging. **In simple terms:** Religion can function as a power structure. Key Takeaway Question authority and seek personal truth. Themes religion power leadership Mood critical analytical Type sociological philosophical When to use this quote - Sermons - political rallies - media broadcasts Key Concepts sociology media influence theology Questions to Reflect On - How does power affect spiritual practice? - Can faith exist without authority? A Different Perspective Not all religious experiences are hierarchical. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Brokers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brokers/) [Definition God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/definition-god-341765/) [Definitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/definitions/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [God Starts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-starts-916014/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leaders Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaders-religion-870415/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-power-298698/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) ## Related quotes > [We need great prophetic leaders in religion and in spirituality... what we are getting is lacking in vision... not able to engage with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-donohue/we-need-great-prophetic-leaders-in-religion-and-in-spirituality-what/) [John O'Donohue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-donohue/) > [The world is near escalating to World War Three and where are the leaders of each religion? Why aren't they having a conclave; why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/the-world-is-near-escalating-to-world-war-three-and-where-are-the/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [There is only one good definition of God: the freedom that allows other freedoms to exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/there-is-only-one-good-definition-of-god-the-freedom-that-allows/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [My definition of God: God is not only the alpha, the omega, he is friend, he's a confidant, he is a buddy. He is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-franklin/my-definition-of-god-god-is-not-only-the-alpha-the-omega-he-is-friend/) [DeVon Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-franklin/) > [I will say that the God concept is at the heart of 2001 but not any traditional, anthromorphic image of God. I don't believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-kubrick/i-will-say-that-the-god-concept-is-at-the-heart-of-2001-but-not-any/) [Stanley Kubrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-kubrick/) > [“Christianity void of sacrifice and commitment is only a religion without power.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-melton/christianity-void-of-sacrifice-and-commitment-is-only-a-religion/) [Derek Melton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-melton/) > [“You may go over the world and you will find that every form of religion which has breathed upon this earth has degraded woman...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-cady-stanton/you-may-go-over-the-world-and-you-will-find-that-every-form-of-2/) [Elizabeth Cady Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-cady-stanton/) > [Fundamentalism isn't about religion, it's about power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/fundamentalism-isn-t-about-religion-it-s-about-power/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [History makes the point time and time again No greater mischief can be created than to merge the power of religion with the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lowell-p-weicker-jr/history-makes-the-point-time-and-time-again-no-greater-mischief-can/) [Lowell P. Weicker, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lowell-p-weicker-jr/) > [My greatest fear is that the spirit of religion is lurking in so many churches today. Instead of men and women of God preaching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-munroe/my-greatest-fear-is-that-the-spirit-of-religion-is-lurking-in-so-many/) [Myles Munroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-munroe/) > [Religion has no mundane power like nuclear weapons, atom bombs and guns; its dimension is totally different. Religion is not a will to power;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/religion-has-no-mundane-power-like-nuclear-weapons-atom-bombs-and/) [OSHO](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [The world will never believe in a religion in which there is no power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-chadwick/the-world-will-never-believe-in-a-religion-in-which-there-is-no-power/) [Samuel Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-chadwick/) > [The religion of art, like the religion of politics, was born from the ruins of Christianity. Art inherited from the old religion the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/the-religion-of-art-like-the-religion-of-politics-was-born-from-the/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Journey to God starts with one small step at a time. He doesnt expect you to run the mile but HE promises to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azgraybebly-josland/journey-to-god-starts-with-one-small-step-at-a-time-he-doesnt-expect/) [Azgraybebly Josland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azgraybebly-josland/) > [Our awareness of God starts where self-sufficiency ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/our-awareness-of-god-starts-where-self-sufficiency-ends/) [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) ## More by Norman Lear > [When we went on the air, I didn't want to be interrupted for an act-one curtain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/when-we-went-on-the-air-i-didn-t-want-to-be-interrupted-for-an-act/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [In this nation, leadership is dollars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/in-this-nation-leadership-is-dollars/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [The American people may not be the best-educated, but they're very wise at heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/the-american-people-may-not-be-the-best-educated-but-they-re-very/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [Maybe they continued to agree with Archie Bunker - as I said earlier, you can't change people's minds, but you can get them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/maybe-they-continued-to-agree-with-archie-bunker-as-i-said-earlier/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [I think if you're feeling great about where you are, everything that led up to it had to be terrific.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/i-think-if-you-re-feeling-great-about-where-you-are-everything-that/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [Life goes on pretty much the same way. 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For all our alarm, it is clear that the religious right is responding to a real hunger in our society... a deep-seated yearning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/for-all-our-alarm-it-is-clear-that-the-religious-right-is-responding/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [The movies had a slogan at the time, to distinguish themselves from TV, that said 'movies are better than ever.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/the-movies-had-a-slogan-at-the-time-to-distinguish-themselves-from-tv/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [I think Americans have become a - much more a nation of consumers than citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/i-think-americans-have-become-a-much-more-a-nation-of-consumers-than/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [My dad called me meat head dead from the neck up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/my-dad-called-me-meat-head-dead-from-the-neck-up/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) [Explore all 89 Norman Lear quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. 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