Alliances Quote by Richard M. Nixon
“The Soviet Union began by banishing God. The United States began as a community of people who wanted to worship God as they chose. . . Man does not live by bread alone. Those in the United States whose desire to create a strictly secular society is as strong as Lenin's was should study this Cold War lesson closely. Communism was defeated by an alliance spearheaded by 'one nation under God.'”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Address to the American People, 1960
The quote contrasts the Soviet Union's atheistic foundation with America's religious roots, warning against imposing strict secularism.
In simple terms: US began religiously, USSR atheistic; warning against secularism.
Key Takeaway
Guard religious freedom and avoid extreme secularism.
Themes
religion
politics
history
freedom
Mood
reflective
cautious
Type
political
historical
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- education curricula
- public speeches
- constitutional discussions
Key Concepts
secularism
theocracy
Cold War
national identity
Questions to Reflect On
- How does religious identity shape national policy?
- Can secularism coexist with religious freedom?
A Different Perspective
Extremes on either side can alienate citizens.
![“In [Ronald] Reagan's view, the American Founders had anchored their experiment in Judeo-Christian beliefs; the Bolsheviks deliberately established an antithetical model. Those founders of communism divorced their "faith" from God.” quote by Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/038/paul-kengor-14302_belief_in-ronald-reagan-s-view-the-american-fou_1817663.jpg)
![“[U]nless oppressed groups stick together, and on alliances of self interest rather than do-goodism; nothing can be accomplished in the long run to dismantle the apparatus of oppression.” quote by Shulamith Firestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d7b/shulamith-firestone-12980_accomplished_u-nless-oppressed-groups-stick-together_5485.jpg)
