--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When Reagan was outspoken about his faith…" description: "\"When Reagan was outspoken about his faith it was usually for a purpose, but never for getting votes.\" — Paul Kengor" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e5/paul-kengor-14302_faith_when-reagan-was-outspoken-about-his-fait_3041615.jpg" --- # When Reagan was outspoken about his faith it was usually… ![“When Reagan was outspoken about his faith it was usually for a purpose, but never for getting votes.” quote by Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e5/paul-kengor-14302_faith_when-reagan-was-outspoken-about-his-fait_3041615.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e5/paul-kengor-14302_faith_when-reagan-was-outspoken-about-his-fait_3041615.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e5/paul-kengor-14302_faith_when-reagan-was-outspoken-about-his-fait_3041615.jpg) > “When Reagan was outspoken about his faith it was usually for a purpose, but never for getting votes.” [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Public expressions of faith may serve strategic aims beyond electoral gain. **In simple terms:** Faith used strategically. Key Takeaway Recognize hidden motives. Themes politics religion ethics Mood skeptical analytical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - campaign speeches - policy advocacy - public statements Key Concepts public persuasion authenticity Questions to Reflect On - When does faith become manipulation? - How to discern genuine belief? A Different Perspective Strategic faith can erode trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Outspoken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outspoken/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) ## Related quotes > [We're very open and outspoken about our faith and our beliefs. We also talk about our doubts, our moments of insecurities. We talk about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-kodjoe/we-re-very-open-and-outspoken-about-our-faith-and-our-beliefs-we-also/) [Boris Kodjoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-kodjoe/) > [Being outspoken about my faith isn't just something that I do; it's who I am because my faith isn't just a little piece of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-tebow/being-outspoken-about-my-faith-isn-t-just-something-that-i-do-it-s/) [Tim Tebow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-tebow/) > [It's OK to be outspoken about your faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-tebow/it-s-ok-to-be-outspoken-about-your-faith/) [Tim Tebow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-tebow/) > [We never claimed to be a Christian band; we just were outspoken about our faith. It's not like we knew there was a scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-sandoval/we-never-claimed-to-be-a-christian-band-we-just-were-outspoken-about/) [Sonny Sandoval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-sandoval/) > [“Christian faith is not (not always? not usually?) a call to caution and moderation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/christian-faith-is-not-not-always-not-usually-a-call-to-caution-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You want a woman who shares your belief and your faith because that is usually your core. So, you want a woman whom you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-gaskins/you-want-a-woman-who-shares-your-belief-and-your-faith-because-that/) [Tony Gaskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-gaskins/) > [I fear your faith has been mis- placed—but then, faith usually is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-fear-your-faith-has-been-mis-placed-but-then-faith-usually-is/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [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/) > [Difficulties seldom defeat people; lack of faith in themselves usually does it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/difficulties-seldom-defeat-people-lack-of-faith-in-themselves-usually/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Challenges that tax our faith are usually opportunities to stretch and strengthen our faith by finding out if we really believe the Lord will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-l-dew/challenges-that-tax-our-faith-are-usually-opportunities-to-stretch/) [Sheri L. Dew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-l-dew/) > [ \[Ronald Reagan\] called the image of \[George\] Washington praying on his knees in Valley Forge "the most sublime image in American history." ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/ronald-reagan-called-the-image-of-george-washington-praying-on-his/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [ I was a child or didn't live through those presidents prior to \[Ronald\] Reagan, and thus didn't realize how little attention they had paid… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/i-was-a-child-or-didn-t-live-through-those-presidents-prior-to-ronald/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [ There's the unique case of Ronald Reagan, who cited \[founders\] some 850 times, and in a way that was absolutely fundamental to understanding Reagan's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/there-s-the-unique-case-of-ronald-reagan-who-cited-founders-some-850/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [I grew up in Harare, Zimbabwe. And I had a pretty idyllic childhood. I felt that I was kind of this outspoken girl, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danai-gurira/i-grew-up-in-harare-zimbabwe-and-i-had-a-pretty-idyllic-childhood-i/) [Danai Gurira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danai-gurira/) > [Notoriously outspoken, his sentences always punctuated with profanities, General George S. Patton was the epitome of what a leader should be like - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/notoriously-outspoken-his-sentences-always-punctuated-with/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) ## More by Paul Kengor > [The American founding is not just about a group of people, a group of men. It is about an ideal: Both a vision and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/the-american-founding-is-not-just-about-a-group-of-people-a-group-of/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [Maybe the most interesting find in my research is that it is clear that Ronald Reagan, among all modern presidents, plainly rediscovered the founders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/maybe-the-most-interesting-find-in-my-research-is-that-it-is-clear/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [“Only when people are free to worship, create, and build, only when they can decide their destiny and benefit from their own risks—only then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/only-when-people-are-free-to-worship-create-and-build-only-when-they/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [As has been reported, and is unmistakably evident to all but the most naïve, federal employees have been ordered to exploit this crisis, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/as-has-been-reported-and-is-unmistakably-evident-to-all-but-the-most/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [ It is quite sad, to me, that that ideal, that vision and understanding \[of American founding \], doesn't seem to be a part of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/it-is-quite-sad-to-me-that-that-ideal-that-vision-and-understanding/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [ The presidents varied in the degree to which they cited the founders. Some, like JFK, LBJ, \[Richard\] Nixon, and \[Bill\] Clinton, cited them somewhat… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/the-presidents-varied-in-the-degree-to-which-they-cited-the-founders/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [ I was a child or didn't live through those presidents prior to \[Ronald\] Reagan, and thus didn't realize how little attention they had paid… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/i-was-a-child-or-didn-t-live-through-those-presidents-prior-to-ronald/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [In the middle of Hillary Clinton's push for national healthcare in 1993, Bill Clinton cited Thomas Jefferson's concern for health issues as, somehow, apparently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/in-the-middle-of-hillary-clinton-s-push-for-national-healthcare-in/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [ If our presidents, or potential presidents, don't know this or don't articulate \[an America ideal\], that's a blown opportunity. The president can teach as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/if-our-presidents-or-potential-presidents-don-t-know-this-or-don-t/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [“Only in the detached from reality world of goofy Hollywood and modern academia could a mass murderer like Che Guevara be turned into something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/only-in-the-detached-from-reality-world-of-goofy-hollywood-and-modern/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [Throughout American history our presidents have invoked our nation's founding fathers. This is particularly true of recent presidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/throughout-american-history-our-presidents-have-invoked-our-nation-s/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [ Which founders have these presidents cited - and why? What did, say, President \[Ronald\] Reagan's view of George Washington, or President \[Bill\] Clinton's view… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/which-founders-have-these-presidents-cited-and-why-what-did-say/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [Learning is a good thing, but unless it's tempered by faith and a love of freedom, it can be very dangerous indeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/learning-is-a-good-thing-but-unless-it-s-tempered-by-faith-and-a-love/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [“Ultimately, Reagan presided over the largest tax cut in American history, and accomplished it working in tandem with (rather than against) a huge Democratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/ultimately-reagan-presided-over-the-largest-tax-cut-in-american/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [ Ronald Reagan \[ cite the founders\] on behalf of emphasizing the faith of our founders, of limited government, of the uniqueness and exceptionalism of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/ronald-reagan-cite-the-founders-on-behalf-of-emphasizing-the-faith-of/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) [Explore all 47 Paul Kengor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) ## More Faith quotes > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) Riffat Hassan > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [“No man is prejudiced in favour of a thing, knowing it to be wrong. He is attached to it on the belief of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/no-man-is-prejudiced-in-favour-of-a-thing-knowing-it-to-be-wrong-he/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Holiness sincerity, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/holiness-sincerity-and-faith/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“The only limitations for your life are the limiting beliefs in your mind. —Matt Morris”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-morris-1/the-only-limitations-for-your-life-are-the-limiting-beliefs-in-your/) Matt Morris (1 > [“Just because your faith is shaken doesn’t mean the faith is shaken. The eternal truths of the Kingdom aren’t altered or affected by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/just-because-your-faith-is-shaken-doesn-t-mean-the-faith-is-shaken/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [Grit, determination, the right amount of crazy, self belief - everything it takes to be a champion. I have that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-poirier/grit-determination-the-right-amount-of-crazy-self-belief-everything/) [Dustin Poirier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-poirier/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Once you pull the trigger, you've got to throw balls aggressively and with conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/once-you-pull-the-trigger-you-ve-got-to-throw-balls-aggressively-and/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) [Browse all 37,796 Faith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When Reagan was outspoken about his faith it was usually for a purpose, but never for getting votes.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Kengor" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/when-reagan-was-outspoken-about-his-faith-it-was-usually-for-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Faith" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/when-reagan-was-outspoken-about-his-faith-it-was-usually-for-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e5/paul-kengor-14302_faith_when-reagan-was-outspoken-about-his-fait_3041615.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e5/paul-kengor-14302_faith_when-reagan-was-outspoken-about-his-fait_3041615.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e5/paul-kengor-14302_faith_when-reagan-was-outspoken-about-his-fait_3041615.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When Reagan was outspoken about his faith it was usually for a purpose, but never for getting votes.” — Paul Kengor", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Paul Kengor", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When Reagan was outspoken about his...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/when-reagan-was-outspoken-about-his-faith-it-was-usually-for-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/when-reagan-was-outspoken-about-his-faith-it-was-usually-for-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```