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.
I got to say for a Dem. Raymond Flynn is a pretty impressive guy. Wish he was on our side of the aisle.
Whining has become John Kerry's stock in trade, and will come to define him.
Which means he'll never be president.
I predict horseface's farrier will find a tumor at the back of his throat while floating his teeth with a rasp.
I'd call it a schizophrenic "morality."
Could it be that Kerry is in the closet ?
...and I bet that it will NOT be: "STFU, John."
But it might be close!
Why? Clearly Mr. Kerry's places some kind of ideology above the teachings of Christ's Church.
``President Kennedy drew that line very clearly in 1960 and I believe we need to stand up for that line today.''
It was a bad idea then, and it's a bad idea now.
The Democrat said political concerns are secondary to his moral outrage over Thursday's Vatican statement on gay marriage.
Moral outrage? What morality would that be? The "right to sodomy?"
``Our founding fathers separated church and state in America..."
Find it in the Constitution, dude. Many states had established churches. Only the federal government was prohibited from establishing a church.
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.''
Ray's had his share of problems, but overall he seems to be a good guy. He's the classic, old-school, Boston Irish Catholic Democrat.
I agree. I don't see how this could possibly be politically advantageous for Sen. Kerrey. He's distancing himself from the electorate...and the Church. Not good.
Yes. O'Malley should issue a statement and clear the air, otherwise the uncatechized flock may learn from a bad example.
Pope Leo XIII bump
That would give the State the same mission as the Church, and would thus make it indistinguishable from the Church. I think he taught that the object of the state is the promotion of the Common Good, which falls slightly lower than "the salvation of souls." Certainly, he would have held that the State should not do anything that would hinder the salvation of souls entrusted to it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.