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Posted on 08/02/2003 5:01:12 AM PDT by ninonitti
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.''
The Democrat said political concerns are secondary to his moral outrage over Thursday's Vatican statement on gay marriage.
``Our founding fathers separated church and state in America. It is an important separation,'' he said. ``It is part of what makes America different and special, and we need to honor that as we go forward and I'm going to fight to do that.''
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.''
The Vatican injected itself into the simmering gay marriage debate Thursday, firing off a letter issuing instructions to Catholic politicians to oppose any legalization efforts.
``The Catholic lawmaker has a moral duty to express his opposition (to gay marriage laws) clearly and publicly and to vote against it,'' the directive read. ``To vote in favor of a law so harmful to the common good is gravely immoral.''
The statement followed by a day strong comments from President Bush denouncing gay marriage proposals.
Kerry, who supports civil unions but opposes the legalization of same-sex marriage, took pains to say, ``I believe in the church'' and ``care about it enormously'' but said church leaders went too far.
Alone among Democrats in criticizing the church, Kerry said he didn't weigh the political impact of his statement.
``This isn't a matter of political calculation, it's simply a matter of strong personal beliefs,'' Kerry said.
The Democratic senator also railed against Republicans who this week said Democratic efforts to block the judicial nomination of Alabama Attorney General William H. Pryor were anti-Catholic. One group, the Ave Maria List, ran print ads equating Democrats' opposition to Pryor as saying ``Catholics need not apply'' to the federal judiciary.
``That couldn't be further from the truth. This judge is not a good judge,'' Kerry said. ``He should not be appointed to the court, and many of us who are Catholic voted against him without regard to Catholicism.''
Kerry also continued his criticism of Bush's ``faith-based'' programs, saying he would end government funding to any religious group.
The White House and Kerry's opponents declined comment.
But the Republican National Committee blamed the sudden attack on the growing popularity of Kerry opponent, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean.
``It seems like a very odd political strategy to attack the Catholic Church but Howard Dean is forcing Sen. Kerry to take a number of odd positions on a number of odd issues,'' said RNC spokeswoman Christine Iverson.
You mean Flynn the terrorist who supported the out of control United Mine Workers in Southwest Virginia and the bloody IRA in Northern Ireland? That Ray Flynn?
Kerry has choosen his "god" of public office over his Lord
[15] But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." Jos. 24:15
And isn't it 'Heinz' that prides itself in being the slow ketchup?
What a piece of sh_t.
Hey Kerry how about you politicians staying out moral issues.
Oooooooooops, forgot that once elected they take on the air of royalty.
MY SENTIMENTS EXACTLY!!! Here's the sleazy hustler's e-mail address in case you feel like writing:john_kerry@kerry.senate.gov
Best wishes,
Penny
What a great line!
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I respectfully disagree--I think Kerry's actions show that he's serving "his" lord well--the lord of darkness that is. His fire-n-brimstone stump sermons have gone a long way in perverting the useful idiots who worship at the church of the hypocritical donkey.
Seems to me that Bush's strategy of appealing to the Catholic center is paying off. Bush's positioning sets him up nicely for the General Election. Otoh, poor Kerry; he was the fair-haired boy. Now it appears that he's going to lose his ass to Howard Dean. And he's going to lose his ass to Howard Dean because Dean is more convincing as a Lefty.
Primary voters, who are screaming lefties or committed Democrats, are much more likely to vote for someone who approves of Gay unions than a squishy liberal like Kerry. Dean is a committed Liberal who is taking advantage of the Left's hatred of Bush and combining it with the Left's belief in The Radiant Future. Gay Marriage is part of that belief.
Which is fine by me, as Gay Marriage is all set to become a wedge issue, with Bush putting himself squarely in the center of American, and Catholic, understanding of what marriage is supposed to be. Kerry is ticked off because Il Papa has just laid out where Catholics should stand as a matter of faith.
John Kerry, Apostate.
Be Seeing You,
Chris
Despite what this evil leftist pervert liar says now, don't be surprised if he comes out in support of the ammendment if he gets the nomination.
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"Nasty gunshot wound you have here, Senator. How'd this happen?"