Religion In Politics: Why Is This Even A Thing?
“I am not the Catholic candidate for President. I am the Democratic Party candidate for President who also happens to be a Catholic. I do not speak for my Church on public matters – and the Church does not speak for me…No one asked me my religion [serving the Navy] in the South Pacific.” President John F. Kennedy addressing fears that his being Catholic would impact his decision-making to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association on September 12, 1960
More than fifty years ago, during a very memorable presidential election campaign, the American people were concerned about the religion of their possible president. Though many people regarded Catholicism as another sect of Christianity, many people believed that the leadership of the church would take over control and ruin everyone’s lives. The problem with this assumption is that it heavily influenced the opinion by the American people of then presidential candidate John F. Kennedy. The belief was that if Kennedy was elected then the Pope, or the Bishop of Rome and the spiritual head of the worldwide Catholic Church, would then become a partial ruler of the United States by influencing Kennedy’s decisions. (more…)
