Arrogant Quote by Sherwin Wine
“Two hundred years ago the forces of freedom challenged this idea. The children of the new enlightenment rose up to defy the tyranny of arrogant clergy and the censorship of pious bureaucrats. They boldly proclaimed that the state must be free from religious coercion and that religion must be free from state control. All individuals have the right to pursue the dictates of their own conscience. All citizens even have the right not to be religious at all.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Secular Humanist Declaration, 1990s
Advocates separation of church and state, emphasizing individual conscience and freedom from religious coercion.
In simple terms: Freedom from religious control is essential.
Key Takeaway
Support secular governance.
Themes
separation of church and state
individual liberty
humanism
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- education curricula
- legal reforms
- public discourse
Key Concepts
secularism
conscience
freedom of belief
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies balance religious freedom with secular law?
- What role should conscience play in public policy?
A Different Perspective
May conflict with cultural traditions valuing religion.
![“What has been the effect of [religious] coercion? To make one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites. To support roguery and error all over the earth.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e73/thomas-jefferson-43_american-founding-fa_what-has-been-the-effect-of-religious-co_3189614.jpg)
![“There exists indeed an opposition to it [ building of UVA, Jefferson's secular college ] by the friends of William and Mary, which is not strong. The most restive is that of the priests of the different religious sects, who dread the advance of science as witches do the approach of day-light; and…” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/74e/thomas-jefferson-43_clergy_there-exists-indeed-an-opposition-to-it_137072.jpg)
![“The law for religious freedom... [has]put down the aristocracy of the clergy and restored to the citizen the freedom of the mind.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/895/thomas-jefferson-43_aristocracy_the-law-for-religious-freedom-has-put-do_60865.jpg)
![“[T]he tax code has been piling up, year after year, a symbol of everything gone wrong in America, of arrogant rulers and lost freedom, just waiting for us to pick the whole thing up and heave it away. It has to happen. Free people can put up with such laws only for so long.” quote by Dick Armey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/aed/dick-armey-16265_america_t-he-tax-code-has-been-piling-up-year-af_12886.jpg)
