Santorum: JFK Was 'Radical' For Believing In Separation Of Church & State

[RandySF]

Rick Santorum told about 50 members of the group Catholic Citizenship that he was "frankly appalled" that America's first Catholic president, John F. Kennedy, once said "I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute."

"That was a radical statement," Santorum said, and did "great damage."

The Boston Globe reports that Santorum, who is Catholic, criticized the increased secularization of politicians, which he related back to a speech Kennedy gave at the Greater Houston Ministerial Association in 1960. Kennedy had made the speech to a group of Protestant clergy as a presidential candidate, in order to allay fears that the Catholic church would influence his decisions if elected.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/03/santorum-kennedy-was-radical-for-believing-in-church-vs-state.php

[RelativelyJones]

1. He needs a good Catholic ass-kicking

[cliffordu]

2. Yep, I wish Jack was here to give it to him.

[Aerows]

6. Can I get in that line?

[Jacobin]

3. heh. Here's another 'radical' for Santorum to have a fit over

They believe that any portion of power confided to me, will be exerted in opposition to their schemes. And they believe rightly; for I have sworn upon the altar of god, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man. But this is all they have to fear from me: and enough, too, in their opinion.

-Thomas Jefferson to Dr. Benjamin Rush, Sept. 23, 1800

Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between church and State.

-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Danbury Baptist Association, CT., Jan. 1, 1802

History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance of which their civil as well as religious leaders will always avail themselves for their own purposes.

-Thomas Jefferson to Alexander von Humboldt, Dec. 6, 1813.

[hobbit709]

4. +100

And this too.

[calimary]

14. Wonderful quotes!

santorum won't appreciate these. They surely must be from a DIFFERENT Thomas Jefferson!

[gratuitous]

5. So Santorum would rather see Pope Benedict running things?

Thank you for your concern, Mr. Santorum.

[Swede Atlanta]

7. Yes indeed Mr. Santorum.........

I'm sure you think it would be wonderful for Pope Benie to be running a young boy male brothel out of the White House. That is probably your idea of no separation of Church and State or Man and Boy. Sick!!!

[musette_sf]

8. (1) Santorum is an idiot.

(2) Santorum is too young to remember all the negative commentary about a Kennedy win meaning that the Vatican would be running the nation.

I was only 7, but I remember it well. Little Ricky was prolly still not toilet trained at the time.

Makes me LONG for a time when religious creds for politicians were anathema, not an endorsement.

[surrealAmerican]

13. You made me look it up ...

... He's 52, but since I'm younger than that, and I was well aware of the controversy about Kennedy's religion by the time I was a voter, I'm not willing to concede his age as an excuse.

I also kind of doubt that he's actually that stupid. He's pandering to his wingnut base. They love this kind of thing.

[Loki]

9. Rick Santorum = Michele Bachmann in drag

:puke:

[wilt the stilt]

10. This is typical of what I call the age of ignorance

Kennedy said this because he had to "stop" what would have been a brutal assault on him by the "Christan's" who were saying that Kennedy would be taking his orders from the Vatican. How about reading some history you dumbshit.

[Octafish]

11. Santorum doesn't know a damn thing.

Kennedy gave his life for his country.

Details from James Douglass here: JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters

[Blue-Jay]

12. Quite a "frothy" statement coming from Santorum.

[fascisthunter]

15. You Feel that Way because you are a Religious FANATIC!

[mod mom]

16. The frothy mixture of lube and fecal matter that is sometimes the by-product of anal sex.

santorum (san-TOR-um) n.
1. The frothy mixture of lube and fecal matter
that is sometimes the by-product of anal sex.

http://www.spreadingsantorum.com/

go ahead & click it to keep it at the top of the google search! ;)

[RagAss]

17. Dog on Man !

[Skidmore]

18. Santorum is an abomination.