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In reply to the discussion: Santorum says he ‘almost threw up’ after reading JFK speech on separation of church and state [View all]Brettongarcia
(2,262 posts)The earlier, only successful Catholic candidate for present, JF Kennedy, was deeply aware of Protestant, Jewish, and other objections, to a very throroughly Catholic candidate. For that reason Kennedy, throughout his Sept. 12, 1960 speech, firmly declared his mostly secular values:
"The separation of church and state is absolute.... I believe in an America that is officially neither Catholic, Protestant, nor Jewish. Where no public official either requests or accepts instructions on pubic policy from the Pope, the National Council of Churches, or any other ecclesiastical source. Where no religious body seeks to impose its will, directly or indictely, upon the general populace."
No doubt Santorum would be sick; the "conservative" "Catholicism" he has followed all his life, was lways an attack on and attempted refutation, of what Kennedy said here.
But? Santorum should have known better, and looked a little more deeply into History.
By the way? Kennedy made this remark mostly to calm and court Protestant voters; noting that "no Catholic has ever been elected president" before Kennedy. No Catholic had ever been elected president ... because Protestant voters were worried that such a candidate would not listen to America, but would listen instead to the Pope.
So that? Kennedy, to get elected, and in order to be consistent with his own principle, clearly said he would not by thinking primarily of the Pop, when he governed America. Instead, he would be thinking of America itself.
By the way finally? If Santorum does not do the same? The problem that Kennedy thus evaded, might well bring Santorum down: the problem being that so long as he is adamantly Catholic, eventually Protestant and Jewish and other voters, will find that Santorum discriminates against their own religion, and does not speak for them.
And? There are many key differences between Protestantism and Catholicism.
For one, most Protestant churches allow abortion and contraception.
Finally therefore? One major new objection that should be raised to Santorum in the election: if he is all THAT loyal to Catholicism, then after all, HE IS DISCRIMINATING AGAINST OTHER RELIGIONS. Like Protestantism, and Judaism.
So that? Santorum (and the Church's) anti-contraception, or anti-abortion position, discriminates against Protestant beliefs.