--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A State, in idea, is the opposite of a…" description: "\"A State, in idea, is the opposite of a Church. A State regards classes, and not individuals; and it estimates classes, not by internal merit, but exter..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45b/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_accidents_a-state-in-idea-is-the-opposite-of-a-chu_175906.jpg" --- # A State, in idea, is the opposite of a Church. A State… ![“A State, in idea, is the opposite of a Church. A State regards classes, and not individuals; and it estimates classes, not by internal merit, but external accidents, as property, birth, etc. But a church does the reverse of this, and disregards all external accidents, and looks at men as…” quote by Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45b/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_accidents_a-state-in-idea-is-the-opposite-of-a-chu_175906.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45b/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_accidents_a-state-in-idea-is-the-opposite-of-a-chu_175906.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45b/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_accidents_a-state-in-idea-is-the-opposite-of-a-chu_175906.jpg) > “A State, in idea, is the opposite of a Church. A State regards classes, and not individuals; and it estimates classes, not by internal merit, but external accidents, as property, birth, etc. But a church does the reverse of this, and disregards all external accidents, and looks at men as individual persons, allowing no gradations of ranks, but such as greater or less wisdom, learning, and holiness ought to confer. A Church is, therefore, in idea, the only pure democracy.” [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The state judges people by inherited status, while a church values individuals by personal virtues, making the church a pure democracy. **In simple terms:** State values birth, church values wisdom. Key Takeaway Recognize personal merit over inherited status. Themes politics religion equality democracy meritocracy Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - political analysis - moral philosophy - personal development - community building Key Concepts social hierarchy individual worth spiritual democracy Questions to Reflect On - How can societies prioritize individual merit? - What structures support true democratic equality? A Different Perspective State systems can still perpetuate inequities despite ideals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidents/) [Allowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allowing/) [Birth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birth/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Church Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-idea-727728/) [Church State](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-state/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Disregard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disregard/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Etc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/etc/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Greater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greater/) [Holiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holiness/) [Idea Opposite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea-opposite-1892157/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Internals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internals/) [Look at me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look-at-me/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Merit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merit/) [Opposite Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposite-church-1892155/) [Opposites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposites/) [Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/) [Pure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pure/) [Regard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regard/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Reverse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reverse/) [State Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/state-idea-1892156/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) ## Related quotes > [I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. 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I cannot understand why it is needed. It is connected with narrow-minded and economic obstacles.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-state-idea-is-not-according-to-my-heart-i-cannot-understand-why/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Do not allow the Church or State to govern your thought or dictate your judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/do-not-allow-the-church-or-state-to-govern-your-thought-or-dictate/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [I believe in a wall between church and state so high that no one can climb over it. When religion controls government, political liberty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/i-believe-in-a-wall-between-church-and-state-so-high-that-no-one-can/) [Sam Ervin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/) > [I questioned the faithful of all communions; I particularly sought the society of clergymen, who are the depositories of the various creeds and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-questioned-the-faithful-of-all-communions-i-particularly-sought-the/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [“We establish no religion in this country, we command no worship, we mandate no belief. Nor will we ever. 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Security to possessors; 2.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/the-three-great-ends-which-a-statesman-ought-to-propose-to-himself-in/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [“We in ourselves rejoice! 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