---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Religion must use law to empower itself…"
description: "\"“Religion must use law to empower itself and control the people who they need in order to survive.”\" — William P. Young"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e31/william-p-young-3038_law_religion-must-use-law-to-empower-itself_15575.jpg"
---

#  Religion must use law to empower itself and control the…

![“Religion must use law to empower itself and control the people who they need in order to survive.” quote by William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e31/william-p-young-3038_law_religion-must-use-law-to-empower-itself_15575.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e31/william-p-young-3038_law_religion-must-use-law-to-empower-itself_15575.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e31/william-p-young-3038_law_religion-must-use-law-to-empower-itself_15575.jpg)

> ““Religion must use law to empower itself and control the people who they need in order to survive.””

[William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Religion seeks legal authority to sustain its influence and manage its followers, treating law as a tool for survival.

**In simple terms:** Religion uses law to maintain power.

Key Takeaway

Legal frameworks can reinforce religious dominance.

Themes

Power Control Institutional Survival Legal Authority Social Order

Mood

Analytical Critical Skeptical

Type

Political Philosophical Sociological

When to use this quote

- Political negotiations
- Church-state negotiations
- Legal reform debates
- Community governance

Key Concepts

Religion Law Power Dynamics Survival Strategy

Practical Applications

- Policy analysis
- Sociopolitical research

Questions to Reflect On

- How does law shape religious authority?
- Can religious institutions thrive without legal support?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Control People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control-people/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Law Empower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-empower-380871/) [Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need/) [People Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-need/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-use-380872/)

## Related quotes

> [“So, the book is not 'anti-religion.' It is against the use of religion as a front for tyranny; which is a different thing altogether.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/so-the-book-is-not-anti-religion-it-is-against-the-use-of-religion-as/)

[Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/)

> [... romance is unsatisfactory as a religion. It is no use looking for the infinite in the eyes of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-stone/romance-is-unsatisfactory-as-a-religion-it-is-no-use-looking-for-the/)

[Jennifer Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-stone/)

> [To do something for other people when they need it most just feels good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bakula/to-do-something-for-other-people-when-they-need-it-most-just-feels/)

[Scott Bakula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bakula/)

> [People need revelation, and then they need resolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/people-need-revelation-and-then-they-need-resolution/)

[Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/)

> [People need to differentiate me from my roles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saqib-saleem/people-need-to-differentiate-me-from-my-roles/)

[Saqib Saleem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saqib-saleem/)

> [Across the troubled maelstrom of time, people always need a beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-kushner/across-the-troubled-maelstrom-of-time-people-always-need-a-beer/)

[Ellen Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-kushner/)

> [Once you have hierarchy you need rules to protect and administer it, and then you need law and the enforcement of the rules, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/once-you-have-hierarchy-you-need-rules-to-protect-and-administer-it/)

[William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/)

> [You acquire more influence with young people when you give up using your power to control them...and the more you use your power to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gordon/you-acquire-more-influence-with-young-people-when-you-give-up-using/)

[Thomas Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gordon/)

> [“control. The people’s character is deliberately debased, their mind is denationalized and perpetually kept in ignorance and fed with stories of England’s greatness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shashi-tharoor/control-the-people-s-character-is-deliberately-debased-their-mind-is/)

[Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/)

> [A public figure cannot control what people say in open meetings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bridenstine/a-public-figure-cannot-control-what-people-say-in-open-meetings/)

[Jim Bridenstine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bridenstine/)

> [It Is Easy To Enclose The Sea In Drop But, It Is Rather Tough To Control The People's Tongue. Don't Bother About People Who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/it-is-easy-to-enclose-the-sea-in-drop-but-it-is-rather-tough-to/)

[Pacifiersucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pacifiersucker/)

> [If you want to control other people, first control yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abu-bakr/if-you-want-to-control-other-people-first-control-yourself/)

[Abu Bakr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abu-bakr/)

> [Over no nation does the press hold a more absolute control than over the people of America, for the universal education of the poorest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/over-no-nation-does-the-press-hold-a-more-absolute-control-than-over/)

[Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/)

> [“Some people are just having a misfire of judgment or control. But other people are letting you see a bit of the rotten person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alessandra-torre/some-people-are-just-having-a-misfire-of-judgment-or-control-but/)

[Alessandra Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alessandra-torre/)

> [I'm in a business where there's complete anarchy. You can't control it - you can only react to it. The control that people traditionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/i-m-in-a-business-where-there-s-complete-anarchy-you-can-t-control-it/)

[Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/)

## More by William P. Young

> [I don't want my kids growing up with the image of God that I had -- Plato's white grandfatherly god -- because that god…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/i-don-t-want-my-kids-growing-up-with-the-image-of-god-that-i-had/)

[William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/)

> [Because you continue to inhabit and believe your metaphors, you cannot see what is true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/because-you-continue-to-inhabit-and-believe-your-metaphors-you-cannot/)

[William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/)

> [Once you have hierarchy you need rules to protect and administer it, and then you need law and the enforcement of the rules, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/once-you-have-hierarchy-you-need-rules-to-protect-and-administer-it/)

[William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/)

> [“(Jesus speaking) "An awful lot of what is done in my name has nothing to do with me and is often, even if unintentional,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/jesus-speaking-an-awful-lot-of-what-is-done-in-my-name-has-nothing-to/)

[William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/)

> [This life is only the anteroom of a greater reality to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/this-life-is-only-the-anteroom-of-a-greater-reality-to-come/)

[William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/)

> [I often find that getting head issues out of the way first makes the heart stuff easier to work on later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/i-often-find-that-getting-head-issues-out-of-the-way-first-makes-the/)

[William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/)

> [For me, everything is about Jesus and Father and the Holy Spirit, and relationships, and life is an adventure of faith lived one day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/for-me-everything-is-about-jesus-and-father-and-the-holy-spirit-and/)

[William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/)

> [Relationships are never about power, and one way to avoid the will to hold power over another is to chose to limit to onself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/relationships-are-never-about-power-and-one-way-to-avoid-the-will-to/)

[William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/)

> [It is my desire and intent to trust the multi-layered good purposes of God than in what humans fabricate out of their need and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/it-is-my-desire-and-intent-to-trust-the-multi-layered-good-purposes/)

[William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/)

> [Jesus was always challenging the dogma of religion. So, you know, it's not like I'm out there by myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/jesus-was-always-challenging-the-dogma-of-religion-so-you-know-it-s/)

[William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/)

> [If anything matters, then everything matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/if-anything-matters-then-everything-matters/)

[William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/)

> [I don't just want a piece of you and a piece of your life. Even if you were able, which you are not, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/i-don-t-just-want-a-piece-of-you-and-a-piece-of-your-life-even-if-you/)

[William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/)

> [Trust is the fruit of a relationship in which you know you are loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/trust-is-the-fruit-of-a-relationship-in-which-you-know-you-are-loved/)

[William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/)

> [Something in the heart of most human beings simply cannot abide pain inflicted on the innocent, especially children. Even broken men serving in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/something-in-the-heart-of-most-human-beings-simply-cannot-abide-pain/)

[William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/)

> [Look at us human beings: it's so much easier to be right than to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/look-at-us-human-beings-it-s-so-much-easier-to-be-right-than-to-love/)

[William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/)

[Explore all 138 William P. Young quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/)

## More Law quotes

> [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/)

[Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/)

> [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/)

[Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/)

> [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [ \[Islam\] Leaves no room of human legislation in an Islamic state, because herein all legislative functions vest in God and the only function left… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abul-a-la-maududi/islam-leaves-no-room-of-human-legislation-in-an-islamic-state-because/)

[Abul A'la Maududi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abul-a-la-maududi/)

> [The law is like apparel, which alters with the time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dodderidge/the-law-is-like-apparel-which-alters-with-the-time/)

[John Dodderidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dodderidge/)

> [I am convinced that we will never build a democratic state based on rule of law if we do not at the same time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/i-am-convinced-that-we-will-never-build-a-democratic-state-based-on/)

[Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/)

> [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/)

[Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/)

> [Dictatorship is rule based directly upon force and unrestricted by any laws. The revolutionary dictatorship of the proletariat is rule won and maintained by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-lenin/dictatorship-is-rule-based-directly-upon-force-and-unrestricted-by/)

[Vladimir Lenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-lenin/)

> [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/)

[Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/)

> [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/)

[Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/)

> [Laws undertake to punish only overt acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/laws-undertake-to-punish-only-overt-acts/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [A man has a right to use a saw, an axe, a plane, separately; may he not combine their uses on the same piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-man-has-a-right-to-use-a-saw-an-axe-a-plane-separately-may-he-not/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [In relations between the rich and the strong, between the rich and the poor, between the master and the servant, it's liberty that grinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-relations-between-the-rich-and-the-strong-between-the-rich-and-the/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“The laws of every country must be analogous to some common principle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-laws-of-every-country-must-be-analogous-to-some-common-principle/)

[Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/)

> [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/)

[Browse all 16,973 Law quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Religion must use law to empower itself and control the people who they need in order to survive.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "William P. Young"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/religion-must-use-law-to-empower-itself-and-control-the-people-who/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Law"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/religion-must-use-law-to-empower-itself-and-control-the-people-who/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e31/william-p-young-3038_law_religion-must-use-law-to-empower-itself_15575.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e31/william-p-young-3038_law_religion-must-use-law-to-empower-itself_15575.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e31/william-p-young-3038_law_religion-must-use-law-to-empower-itself_15575.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Religion must use law to empower itself and control the people who they need in order to survive.” — William P. Young",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "William P. Young",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Religion must use law to empower...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/religion-must-use-law-to-empower-itself-and-control-the-people-who/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/religion-must-use-law-to-empower-itself-and-control-the-people-who/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
