--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have this idea in our mind that…" description: "\"We have this idea in our mind that there's a separation of church and state in America, which I think is a good thing. And we extend that to our politi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62c/stephen-colbert-503_america_we-have-this-idea-in-our-mind-that-there_2539835.jpg" --- # We have this idea in our mind that there's a separation of… ![“We have this idea in our mind that there's a separation of church and state in America, which I think is a good thing. And we extend that to our politics. Like it's not just church and state, but it's also there's a separation of religion and politics. But of course, there - there isn't.” quote by Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62c/stephen-colbert-503_america_we-have-this-idea-in-our-mind-that-there_2539835.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62c/stephen-colbert-503_america_we-have-this-idea-in-our-mind-that-there_2539835.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62c/stephen-colbert-503_america_we-have-this-idea-in-our-mind-that-there_2539835.jpg) > “We have this idea in our mind that there's a separation of church and state in America, which I think is a good thing. And we extend that to our politics. Like it's not just church and state, but it's also there's a separation of religion and politics. But of course, there - there isn't.” [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Colbert satirically notes that while we claim a separation of church and state, in practice religion often intertwines with politics. **In simple terms:** We claim separation, but religion still influences politics. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge hidden religious influences in policy. Themes politics religion separation hypocrisy Mood witty critical Type satirical political When to use this quote - election campaigns - legislative debates - media analysis - civic education Key Concepts Secularism public policy Questions to Reflect On - How does religious belief shape political decisions? - Can true neutrality ever be achieved? A Different Perspective Complete separation may be unrealistic in a pluralistic society. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Church and state](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-and-state/) [Good things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-things/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion and politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-and-politics/) [Separation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separation/) [Separation of church and state](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separation-of-church-and-state/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [We have this idea in our minds that there's this separation of church and state in America, which I think is a good thing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/we-have-this-idea-in-our-minds-that-there-s-this-separation-of-church-2/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [I had been taught that the separation between religion and politics happened in the Enlightenment. But there were people who tried to create a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-pagels/i-had-been-taught-that-the-separation-between-religion-and-politics/) [Elaine Pagels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-pagels/) > [We have this idea in our minds that there's this separation of church and state in America, which I think is a good thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/we-have-this-idea-in-our-minds-that-there-s-this-separation-of-church/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [I am tolerant of all creeds. Yet if any sect suffered itself to be used for political objects I would meet it by political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millard-fillmore/i-am-tolerant-of-all-creeds-yet-if-any-sect-suffered-itself-to-be/) [Millard Fillmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millard-fillmore/) > [Church and state should be separate, not only in form, but fact - religion and politics should not be mingled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millard-fillmore/church-and-state-should-be-separate-not-only-in-form-but-fact/) [Millard Fillmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millard-fillmore/) > [Question with boldness even the existence of a god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/question-with-boldness-even-the-existence-of-a-god/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [In religion and politics people's beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second-hand, and without examination, from authorities who have not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/in-religion-and-politics-people-s-beliefs-and-convictions-are-in-2/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Naturally, the common people don't want war ... but after all it is the leaders of a country who determine the policy, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-goring/naturally-the-common-people-don-t-want-war-but-after-all-it-is-the/) [Hermann Goring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-goring/) > [“There are two things in life I never discuss, Religion and Politics. That is the only way one can have a serene life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdulazeez-henry-musa/there-are-two-things-in-life-i-never-discuss-religion-and-politics/) [Abdulazeez Henry Musa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdulazeez-henry-musa/) > [The political tactics of division and slander are not our values. They are corrupting influences on religion and politics, and those who practice them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/the-political-tactics-of-division-and-slander-are-not-our-values-they/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [In Islam religion and politics cannot be separated. Unlike other religions, Islam is political by its very nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-sina/in-islam-religion-and-politics-cannot-be-separated-unlike-other/) [Ali Sina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-sina/) > [When religion and politics ride in the same cart, the whirlwind follows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/when-religion-and-politics-ride-in-the-same-cart-the-whirlwind-follows/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Politics and morality are inseparable. And as morality's foundation is religion, religion and politics are necessarily related. We need religion as a guide. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/politics-and-morality-are-inseparable-and-as-morality-s-foundation-is/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Religion has been raising human consciousness for centuries. Whatever man is now, whatever little consciousness he has, the whole credit goes to religion. Politics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/religion-has-been-raising-human-consciousness-for-centuries-whatever/) [OSHO](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [In religion and politics, people's beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second-hand, and without examination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/in-religion-and-politics-people-s-beliefs-and-convictions-are-in/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) ## More by Stephen Colbert > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [Cynicism masquerades as wisdom, but it is the farthest thing from it. Because cynics don’t learn anything. 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It's just couples asking society to bail them out because they didn't do enough research before they got married.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/divorce-is-a-marital-welfare-it-s-just-couples-asking-society-to-bail/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) [Explore all 514 Stephen Colbert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? 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