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Posted on 04/08/2004 3:53:08 PM PDT by www.catholicsagainstkerry.com
It would be a grave error, on the other hand, to say that Christ has no authority whatever in civil affairs, since, by virtue of the absolute empire over all creatures committed to him by the Father, all things are in his power.
-- Pope Pius XI, Encyclical "Quas Primas"
Its obvious that John Kerry does not vote the Catholic view on many issues. While it is not the only example, abortion is probably the most glaring one, and the one that most clearly illustrates Senator Kerry's duplicity. John Kerry's abortion voting record is 100% pro-abortion. He approves of partial birth abortion, opposes any protections for a fetus in any situation, and has done so since the start of his political career. He claims to be personally against abortion, but he claims to believe he can't legislate religious beliefs.
Is John Kerry being Honest when he claims to be personally against abortion? Is he being honest when he claims he strongly believes that one can't legislate religious beliefs? His history doesn't support those claims.
John Kerry's Excuse:
"There is a third facet of being an American Catholic. To a larger extent than Catholics elsewhere, we have supported and relied upon the constitutional principle of the separation of church and state to guarantee our right to worship and our liberty of conscience. That tradition, strongly advanced by John F. Kennedy in his quest to become our first Catholic president, helped make religious affiliation a nonissue in American politics. It should stay that way." John Kerry, A Call to Service, pp. 23-4.
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"I don't tell church officials what to do, and church officials shouldn't tell American politicians what to do in the context of our public life," Kerry said in an interview with Time
John Kerry offers the standard excuse that all pro-abortion catholic politicians offer. They try to ride President Kennedy's rather tremendous coattails. They argue that under the separation of Church and state, they cannot impose their religious beliefs through legislation. Perhaps there are some politicians who truly believe this, we don't know. We do know that John Kerry does not believe his excuse. His conduct simply does not mesh with his claims.
John Kerry does not Act like a Man Who is Personally Against Abortion:
John Kerry claimed in an interview with the St. Louis Post Dispatch that "he shares the Catholic Church's anti-abortion views as an article of faith. But as a public official, he said, it was not 'appropriate in the United States for a legislator to legislate personal religious beliefs for the rest of the country.'"
His history doesn't support that. His pro-abortion history doesn't just stop with voting to keep abortion legal.
He has taken to touring Planned Parenthood clinics.
He marches with the pro-abortionists in parades.
He and his staff tore up the sign of a woman who merely wanted him to know that she had been hurt by her abortion. It wasn't a political sign, it wasn't a pro-Bush sign. After his actions, now it is.
Why on earth would a man who is "personally against" abortion be so cozy with a group of abortionists? Why wouldn't he be willing to see a sign that says a woman was hurt by an abortion? Why has he NO empathy for this woman? That isn't pro-choice, its pro-abortion. It isn't "personally opposed," its ALL IN FAVOR.
"I don't tell church officials what to do, and church officials shouldn't tell American politicians what to do in the context of our public life," Kerry said in an interview with Time.
Does he mean it? No. John Kerry's Bishop told him: These politicians should know that if they're not voting correctly on these life issues that they shouldn't dare come to Communion."
Similarly, when he went to St. Louis, Archbishop Raymond Burke told him: ""I would have to admonish him not to present himself for communion," said Burke. "I might give him a blessing or something," he said. "If his archbishop has told him he should not present himself for communion, he shouldn't. I agree with Archbishop (Sean P.) O'Malley (of Boston.)"
So, does John Kerry let the Bishops govern the Church? His campaign even admits he should:
The response from the Kerry Campaign team was unapologetic. Kim Molstre, a Kerry campaign spokeswoman, said Friday, "The archbishop has the right to deny Communion to whoever he wants, but Senator Kerry respectfully disagrees with him on the issue of choice."
What does John Kerry say? He told Time magazine:
"I certainly intend to take Communion and continue to go to Mass as a Catholic."
John Kerry's view isn't that Church officials should stay out of Politics. In his view, they should stay entirely out of his way. They have no right to instruct him as to anything, even what he does in their churches. Kerry will say the church should stay out of politics even as he conducts his politics inside a church.
However, if they happen to agree with him, then they should instruct his political opponents, which brings us to section 3:
Last year Senator Kerry made headlines by slamming a Church document that instructed politicians on Gay Marriage issues. Problem is, he had previously used Church documents to argue in favor of Gay Rights. What was the difference? Apparently the Church can instruct politicians if Senator Kerry approves of it first!
First, the article on Senator Kerry's objection to the Church:
Kerry raps Pope: Senator fuming over gay marriage order
By David R. Guarino Saturday, August 2, 2003
Bluntly telling the Vatican to stay out of American politics, U.S. Sen. John F. Kerry yesterday said Pope John Paul II ``crossed the line'' by instructing pols to block legalization of gay marriage.
A fuming Kerry, taking on his own Catholic Church in the midst of a campaign for president, said Rome should have more respect for America's long-held separation of church and state.
``It is important not to have the church instructing politicians. That is an inappropriate crossing of the line in this country,'' Kerry said. ``President Kennedy drew that line very clearly in 1960 and I believe we need to stand up for that line today.''
* * * *
Catholics were stunned at the broadside from Kerry, saying he's sure to draw the ire of some 65 million voting Catholics.
``What one often calls separation of church and state guarantees the religion the right to express its convictions,'' said Monsignor Francis Maniscalco of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. ``To object to religious people's deep moral convictions . . . would also create a problem because it would also (fail to) recognize something the First Amendment guarantees.'' Former Vatican Ambassador Raymond Flynn said Kerry was just wrong. ``I don't see it as crossing any line at all,'' Flynn said. ``Too many Catholic politicians want to have it both ways, they want the Catholic vote but then they go ahead and ignore Catholic teaching.''
Whatever one thinks of Kerry's claim that the Church should stay out of Politics, the fact is that Senator Kerry does not believe it. On the very issue of homosexuality, Senator Kerry has previously tried to use Catholic clergy to instruct politicians:
When Kerry sponsored the federal Gay & Lesbian Civil Rights Bill in the 1980s, he noted that the "National Federation of Priests' Councils" supported the "inclusion of the term 'sexual orientation' in existing civil rights laws."
Similarly, in the 1980s Senator Kerry inserted into the Congressional Record the American Catholic bishops' pastoral letter against Reaganomics. Kerry called the U.S. bishops' pastoral letter on the economy "an important document which should be read by Catholics and non-Catholics alike."
It's clear. It isn't Church instruction that Kerry objects to. It's when the Church tries to instruct Kerry, that Kerry objects. His "deep-seated" belief against the church instructing politicians is just political opportunism.
So long as they Kow-Tow to his beliefs, John Kerry is all for involving bishops and priests in political debates. Welcome to the Gospel according to John Kerry.
Not only does Senator Kerry ask the Bishops to instruct politicians when it suits him, he himself opens up the Bible. He uses it to instruct his fellow politicians about Biblical tenants from the pulpit!!! While attending a Baptist Church in St. Louis, Kerry took what was widely understood as a jab at President Bush from the lectern:
Kerry, D-Mass., departed from his prepared text when he took to the lectern. He praised the worshippers: "Thank you for telling the truth here. And as the Bible also tells us, the truth shall set you free."
* * * * *
"The Scriptures say, 'What does it profit my brother if someone says he has faith, but does not have works,'" Kerry continued. "When we look at what is happening in America today, 'Where are the works?' For it is also written, 'The doers of the word are no hearers only.'"So John Kerry has no hesitation to use personal religious beliefs to score political points, including pushing Christian Scripture into the political debate. What happened to his so called belief that you can't push personal faith in politics? That religious affiliation should stay a "nonissue" in American politics? What happened? He didn't mean it when he said it.
Kerry: "What I believe personally as a Catholic as an article of faith is an article of faith. And if it's not shared by a Jew or an Episcopalian or a Muslim or an agnostic or an atheist or someone else, it's not appropriate in the United States for a legislator to legislate your personal religious belief for the rest of the country."
Senator Kerry is well aware that the Jews and Muslims don't share Christian Scriptures, including the verse he read, James 2:14? One should note that this very verse is at the center of a fundamental theological dispute between Catholics and Protestants.
But somehow John Kerry wants to interject it into the political debate.
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John Kerry doesn't mean it when he says he is personally opposed to abortion.
He doesn't mean it when he says the clergy should stay out of Politics.
He doesn't mean it when he says that religious affiliation should be a non-issue in American politics.
What he means is that he is personally opposed to being judged a hypocrite due to abortion
What he means is that clergy should stay out of politics IF they disagree with him.
What he means is that Catholics should shut up, ignore their faith, and vote for him because of his religious affiliation.
We disagree.
Vote Catholic, Not Kerry
Catholics against Kerry, john, john kerry, 2004, election, presidential, Catholic, Catholics, Catholicism, Catholics for Kerry, Kery, F., senate, senator, President, Presidential Race, how to vote, Hypocrisy, Votes, vote, communion, abortion, homosexual, agenda, photo, position, positions, argument, policy, policies,
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I heard he had gone to the Baptist church for Sunday, but I had not heard that he took communion. I thought we aren't allowed to take theirs, nor they ours. What could he have been thinking? Photo op vs. matter of faith? Why doesn't he just admit that he is Protestant? His actions absolutely show it.
Thanks
This is very well done. Clear, concise, and to the point.
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