--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have this idea in our minds that…" description: "\"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.\" — Stephen Colbert" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/stephen-colbert-503_a-good-thing_we-have-this-idea-in-our-minds-that-ther_405731.png" --- # We have this idea in our minds that there's this… ![“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.” quote by Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/stephen-colbert-503_a-good-thing_we-have-this-idea-in-our-minds-that-ther_405731.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/stephen-colbert-503_a-good-thing_we-have-this-idea-in-our-minds-that-ther_405731.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/stephen-colbert-503_a-good-thing_we-have-this-idea-in-our-minds-that-ther_405731.png) > “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.” [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. The separation of church and state is viewed as a protective principle for both institutions. **In simple terms:** Church‑state split protects freedoms. Key Takeaway Support and defend the separation. Themes freedom separation government religion Mood critical analytical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - policy debate - public education - media commentary Key Concepts constitutional law civil liberty Questions to Reflect On - Is the separation truly neutral? - How does it affect public life? A Different Perspective Some argue it can create cultural tension. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 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/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Separation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separation/) [Separation of church and state](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separation-of-church-and-state/) ## 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/) > [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.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/we-have-this-idea-in-our-mind-that-there-s-a-separation-of-church-and/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [US is a very religious country. Separation of church and state is part of our credo, but that it is hard to understand since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/us-is-a-very-religious-country-separation-of-church-and-state-is-part/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [“Do you know, where does this phrase "separation of Church and State" come from? It was not in Jefferson's letter to the Danbury Baptists...The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-urquhart/do-you-know-where-does-this-phrase-separation-of-church-and-state/) Glen Urquhart > [The separation of Church and State in everything relating to taxation should be absolute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/the-separation-of-church-and-state-in-everything-relating-to-taxation/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [Quite often you hear people say, 'What about separation of church and state?' There is no such thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-severson/quite-often-you-hear-people-say-what-about-separation-of-church-and/) Dan Severson > [They have kept us in submission because they have talked about separation of church and state. There is no such thing in the Constitution.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/they-have-kept-us-in-submission-because-they-have-talked-about/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) > [The fact that religion plays such a part in how people vote troubles me, troubles me as a minister's daughter. 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It was not written into the Constitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-buck/i-disagree-strongly-with-the-concept-of-separation-of-church-and/) [Ken Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-buck/) > [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/) > [ I do not make decisions \[as governor\] based on what have I learned through my Bible studies, what have I learned in my religious… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/i-do-not-make-decisions-as-governor-based-on-what-have-i-learned/) [Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/) > [Where in the Constitution is the separation of church and state?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-o-donnell/where-in-the-constitution-is-the-separation-of-church-and-state/) [Christine O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-o-donnell/) > [“I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. ... These two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-m-completely-in-favor-of-the-separation-of-church-and-state-these/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) ## 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. 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Love is blind. Stevie Wonder is blind. Therefore, Stevie Wonder is God. I don't know what I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/i-live-by-syllogisms-god-is-love-love-is-blind-stevie-wonder-is-blind/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [“Unlike Paul Newman, who seems to think that salad dressing is the cure-all for America's ills, I'm a man of action.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/unlike-paul-newman-who-seems-to-think-that-salad-dressing-is-the-cure/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [Now, for my younger viewers out there, a book is something we used to have before the internet. 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