50 Freedom of Religion Quotes That Will Make You Think

By Norbert Juma

Master quote curator and editor on a mission to inspire

Published May 5, 2023

Freedom of Religion quotes aren’t that easy to find.

If you are also facing difficulty finding your favorite quote, we have got you covered.

Below, we have created a compilation offering the best Freedom of Religion quotes.

In addition, you can also go through some essential aspects linked with this topic in the section below.

So, let’s dive in without any further delay!

What is meant by Freedom of Religion?

The “Freedom of Religion” refers to a fundamental right awarded to people in the United States of America.

This right seeks power from the “First Amendment,” which was made to the Constitution of the United States on December 15, 1791.

The amendment clearly states that Congress shall make no law that prohibits a person from exercising religious activities.

The clause associated with this amendment is further divided into two sections, including:

Establishment Clause
Free Exercise Clause

The “Establishment Clause” is a prohibition clause prohibiting the government from promoting or establishing a specific religion.

On the other hand, the “Free Exercise Clause” offers freedom to a person to practice his/her religion in the U.S.

Historic Background

The First Amendment became a part of the original U.S. Constitution in 1791.

It was done soon after the original document’s ratification.

The amendment was deemed necessary due to the concerns of various founding fathers.

They were against the role of religion in government and possible restrictions on religious freedom.

Legal Challenges

Just after its adoption in the Constitution, the “Freedom of Religion” faced a variety of legal challenges.

This amendment also remained the subject of various debates.

A few opponents argued that this amendment offers excessive protection to various religions practiced in the country.

On the contrary, some believe this amendment doesn’t offer the required amount of protection to religious minorities.

Contrary to the legal challenges, the “Freedom of Religion” continued to serve as a vital part of American society.

Popular Cases

Engel v. Vitale (1962) is one of the most prominent cases associated with “Freedom of Religion” and the “First Amendment”.

After hearing this case, the Supreme Court ruled that the ‘School-Sponsored’ prayer was unconstitutional.

The Supreme Court further stated that it is a violation of the “Establishment Clause” related to the First Amendment.

After that, various other landmark cases were also heard on the “Freedom of Religion” in the United States.

A few of these cases were associated with the issues including:

Display of religious symbols on public property
Use of religious exemptions in government programs
Rights of minorities to practice their religion without any interference

Top 10 Freedom of Religion Quotes

Given below are the top 10 freedom of religion quotes.

1. “The freedom to convert is fundamental to freedom of religion.” — Bob Inglis

2. “Religious freedom sits at the core of who we are as Americans.” — Mikie Sherrill

3. “Resist this war on God, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech.” — Benjamin Carson

4. “The right to religious freedom is not a gift of the state or a gift of a group.” — Suharto

5. “Freedom to practice one’s own religion doesn’t mean belittling other religions.” — Abhijit Naskar

6. “I am not so much for the freedom of religion as I am for the religion of freedom.” — Robert Green Ingersoll

7. “It’s the duty of everyone to defend religious freedom and promote it for all people.” — Pope Francis

8. “I believe that freedom of speech and freedom of religion go hand-in-hand in America.” — Kirk Cameron

9. “Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant, and the rule of law under God is acknowledged.” — Ronald Reagan

10. “Freedom of religion does not give you the right to physically or verbally assault people.” — Jim C. Hines

Freedom of Religion Quotes on Religious Liberty in the Constitution

Check out these quotes on freedom of religion to better understand the constitution’s stance on religion.

11. “The constitutional freedom of religion is the most inalienable and sacred of all human rights.” — Thomas Jefferson

12. “No power over the freedom of religion [is] delegated to the United States by the Constitution.” — James Madison

13. “The framers of our Constitution meant we were to have freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.” — Billy Graham

14. “Freedom of religion is a fundamental Constitutional principle. It’s a founding principle of this country.” — Paul Ryan

15. “The Americans who framed our Constitution felt that without freedom of religion no other freedom counted.” — Henry Steele Commager

16. “The First Amendment freedom of religion is as important today as when the Bill of Rights was first written.” — Arlen Specter

17. “The Constitution does not guarantee freedom of worship – it guarantees freedom of religion. And this is what I call America’s first freedom…” — Rick Warren

18. “We know that the Constitution wisely separates church from state, but remember: the Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.” — Joe Lieberman

19. “Lately, the First Amendment has been interpreted to deny equal protection of the law to those who believe in God. The Constitution established freedom for religion, not freedom from religion!” — Jack Kemp

20. “As we see thousands of public and private Christmas trees and nativity displays around the country, they remind us again of the powerful American value built into our Constitution: our freedom of religion.” — James Lankford

Freedom of Religion Quotes about Religious Freedom

Check out these quotes about religious liberty to learn more about this topic.

21. “I believe in democracy. I also believe in religious freedom.” — Danny K. Davis

22. “Protection of religious freedom means considering the faiths and beliefs of everyone involved.” — Mike Quigley

23. “Religion is like a pair of shoes…..Find one that fits for you, but don’t make me wear your shoes.” — George Carlin

24. “I am known for a life spent in the struggle for freedom, and freedom includes the freedom of religion.” — Oriana Fallaci

25. “No man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever.” — Thomas Jefferson

26. “Freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of religion all have a double aspect – freedom of thought and freedom of action.” — Frank Murphy

27. “I believe in freedom of religion and freedom of choice and everybody do what they want to do. I don’t wish to bring my beliefs onto other people.” — Jim

28. “Religious liberty might be supposed to mean that everybody is free to discuss religion. In practice, it means that hardly anybody is allowed to mention it.” — Gilbert K. Chesterton

29. “I have often expressed my sentiments that every man, conducting himself as a good citizen, and being accountable to God alone for his religious opinions, ought to be protected in worshipping the Deity according to the dictates of his own conscience.” — George Washington

30. “Freedom of religion means the right of the individual to choose and to adhere to whichever religious beliefs he may prefer, to join with others in religious associations to express these beliefs, and to incur no civil disabilities because of his choice.” — Joseph Leon Blau

Freedom of Religion Quotes about Freedom from Religion

Read quotes that express the right to follow or reject any religion and to be free from religious coercion.

31. “Downplay religion, get yourself free from religion.” — Sunday Adelaja

32. “Religious freedom does not mean freedom from religion.” — Rick Perry

33. “Freedom of religion has been replaced by freedom from religion.” — Ralph E. Reed, Jr.

34. “The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.” — Lamar S. Smith

35. “When you legislate personal belief, you’re in violation of freedom of religion.” — John Irving

36. “To the ACLU, the First Amendment speaks more directly to freedom from religion than it does to freedom of religion.” — William Anthony Donohue

37. “I strongly believe in the separation of church and state. But freedom of religion does not mean freedom from religion; there is a better way.” — Al Gore

38. “The attitude is we live and let live. This is actually an amazing change in values in a rather short time, and it’s an example of freedom from religion.” — Tom Wolfe

39. “Neither the wording of the amendment itself nor common practice challenged the widely held belief that government guaranteed freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.” — Linda Chavez

40. “Sometimes I think the environment in which we operate is entirely too secular. The fact that we have freedom of religion doesn’t mean we need to try to have freedom from religion.” — William J. Clinton

Powerful Freedom of Religion Quotes

Take a look at these freedom of religion quotes to get a glimpse into the perspectives of different individuals on religious liberty.

41. “The right to religious freedom and the right to vote are both fundamental to our democracy.” — Lois Frankel

42. “I have ever regarded the freedom of religious opinions and worship as equally belonging to every sect.” — James Madison

43. “With America’s role in the world, we have the ability to help protect the freedom of religion around the globe.” — Steve Daines

44. “I am for freedom of religion, and against all maneuvers to bring about a legal ascendency of one sect over another.” — Thomas Jefferson

45. “Religious fundamentalists are unaware that freedom of religion necessarily brings with it the freedom to mock religion.” — Sherman Alexie

46. “The obligation of the state is to guarantee freedom of religion, and that implies dealing with all of them on an equal footing.” — Ricardo Alarcon

47. “Those who accept freedom of religion as a right are obligated by this acceptance to take the maintenance of freedom of religion as a duty.” — Joseph Leon Blau

48. “There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.” — Anne Nicol Gaylor

49. “There’s a difference between freedom of worship and freedom of religion. Worship is an event that happens inside the house of worship. Religion is a lifestyle. It is a way of living.” — Rick Warren

50. “Freedom of religion is one of the greatest gifts of God to man, without distinction of race and color. He is the author and lord of the conscience, and no power on earth has a right to stand between God and the conscience.” — Philip Schaff