WP: Catholic Kerry Reticent on Faith

[kskiska]

Catholic Kerry Reticent on Faith

John F. Kerry, a lifelong Roman Catholic, carries in his briefcase an unmarked manila folder stuffed full of religion articles, scriptures quotations, personal reflections -- and a sermon the Democrat has been fine-tuning since the early 1980s.

In the latest iteration Kerry borrows the words of James, reputed brother of Jesus, to condemn President Bush's leadership. "It is not enough, my brother, to say that you have faith, when there are no deeds," Kerry told thousands of African American Christians gathered in Indianapolis earlier this month for the annual convention of the AME Church. "We look at what's happening in America today, and if you have a conscience and if your eyes are open, you have to say, 'Where are the deeds?' For the last four years all we have heard is empty words."

(snip)

Kerry has on occasion touched on the complications of running as the first Catholic since John F. Kennedy in 1960 to win the party's nomination. While Kennedy found himself vowing that he would not be controlled by the pope, Kerry has had to explain his differences with the church on abortion and gay issues.

(snip)

"If you listen to Bush and Kerry talk, you would be excused for thinking Bush is an incredibly religious man and Kerry is not at all," said Amy Sullivan, a former aide to Senate Minority Leader Thomas A. Daschle (D-S.D.) and one of growing number of Democrats pressuring party leaders to talk more about religious faith. If Kerry confines his sermon to black churches, "that's a huge problem," she added.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A53105-2004Jul15.html

[asjr]

1. Well excuse me Amy Sullivan. John Kerry

is running for President of the U.S. He is not auditioning for Pastor of the American Church. And I do not think Bush is "incredibly religious." I think Bush is a bigot who uses religion as a means to an end. I am glad Kerry is "reticent" about his religion. He will not try and push it down our throats.

[Triana]

9. well said asjr...

...so the Repigs are gonna try the religion card, eh? What a cheap, hypocritical, disingenuous shot.

Gee, I wonder what God would think of that tactic?

;)

[VolcanoJen]

15. Perfect response, asjr!

Thank you for that. :D

[trag]

2. I've never heard

Kerry say he was for abortion, I've heard him say he was for womens right to chose. I think there is a difference there but repubs take it out of context. Plus, I grew up Cathlic and I do know the Pope is against Capital Punishment in a strong way. Guess who isn't? B-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b*sh

[struggle4progress]

3. John Kerry apparently takes seriously the commandment:

"You shall not use the name of the Lord your G-d for a vain purpose."

[leesa]

4. I hear waaaay more about Kerry's religion than I care to hear because

of media whores such as this.

[DeepModem Mom]

5. The WP front-paged this nonsense? Dear God, so to speak -- n/t

[DemBones DemBones]

6. Hey, If Kerry's talking about his faith wins votes from Bush*

isn't that a good thing?

Some religious people don't trust people who don't say anything about their religion, just as some people want reassurance that a candidate is "like me" in other ways -- that he likes football, say, or is "a regular guy." We saw how Al Gore was hurt by misconceptions about him. If he'd played the religion card a bit, and joked more often, he might have won enough more votes in Florida to keep Bush* from stealing the election.

[BiggJawn]

11. The inverse is true also.

"Some religious people don't trust people who don't say anything about their religion..."

And some Atheist people, like me, don't trust politicians who seem to wear their "faith" on their sleeves. Because if you make a show about how pious you are to the public, what ELSE are you willing to do in the name of your religion to get votes? Take people's rights away?

Wasn't it Jesus who said something about "when you pray, shut yourself in your closet, lest any man should boast" or words to that effect?

I don't give a shit what you do with your Sunday mornings, but if you try to let that colour your policymaking, then we have a problem.

[dolstein]

13. Tough sh*t -- atheists are heavily outnumberd

I'd be more than happy for Kerry to lose the votes of a relative handful of atheists in exchange for boosting his support among religious moderates.

[BiggJawn]

14. Yeah, just round us up and "Re-Educate" us, right?

Whatever it takes for Kerry to win, I agree.
If that includes professing a belief in faerie stories, so be it.

Now, when you start incorporating those tales into LAW.....

[drmom]

17. As a fellow atheist, I disagree...

...I think a smart politician in our society must "play along". This is particularly true for Democrats since they need to appeal to a wider range of people. I think most atheists understand this game. Even those politicians who are not terribly religious, play up their faith.
Look at W. He claims to be highly religious, and falls back on religious platitudes in pretty much every speech he gives. His actions, however, are totally contrary to a those of a spiritual person.

Even Democrats, who tend to be more compassionate anyway, benefit from going along with the majority in this area. We are totally programed as a society to thing that “good” people go to church with their families. (I wish I could add “go to temple” here, but I don’t think this is as accepted in the mainstream yet.) It comforts many, many voters to see their candidate coming out of church on Sunday. Luckily, most atheists are pretty decent thinkers, and can choose the best candidate based on other issues of importance to them. Since virtually all candidates claim to be religious, it pretty much evens the playing field in this regard.

[BiggJawn]

19. I'm uncomfrotable with any "playing" period.

And why would anyone have to "play along" in the first place, unless it was to avoid losing ground to an opponent who was hitting the bible extra-hard?

Boy, I'd be in a pickle if I was running for office, wouldn't I?

"We are totally programed as a society to thing that “good” people go to church with their families."

Yes, and "bad" people don't. so it follows that a "good Christian" like Bush can't be a "bad" person, and a good man like BiggJawn can't be "good" because he doesn't go to church. And he doesn't have a "family", either. No wife, no kids at home, Hmmmmmm...No WONDER he's for Homos gettin' married...<sarcasm>

What a fucked-up culture. I STILL think Sagan's "The Demon-Haunted World" should be required reading. This culture gets more and more superstitious every season. How long before they start selling magical 9-11 teddy bears that look like Dumbya to "help" him get re-elected?

[drmom]

22. You make excellent points...

..but, I still think that given THIS time and THIS place, the best thing is to do what is "required" to get into positions of power and slowly try and open minds from the top.

You're right, though...our culture is a mess. We just have to realize how things are changed, and work within that framework.

[shockingelk]

7. I think a president should have faith

Faith to me means knowing I know what's right and what's wrong. I can't fully verbalize why without thinking about it. Most Americans call that ability God - I just think what others call God is something inside me. I don't care where it's from, but I think a president should have it.

[Hekate]

8. Damned if he does and damned if he doesn't

aaaaarrrrrrgh
:argh:

Whatever happened to a proper respect or modesty concerning personal religious practices? As in, say, the Sermon on the Mount?

"Be careful not to make a show of your religion before men; if you do, no reward awaits you in your Father's house in heaven. Thus, when you do some act of charity, do not announce it with a flourish of trumpets, as the hypocrites do ... to win admiration from men. I tell you this: they have their reward already."
"Again, when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; they love to say their prayers standing up in synagogue and at the street-corners, for everyone to see them. I tell you this: they have their reward already. But when you pray, go into a room by yourself, shut the door, and pray to your Father who is there in the secret place; and your Father who sees what is secret will reward you."

What a world, what a world.

Hekate

[FightinNewDem]

10. More from Amy Sullivan

I think she hits it right on the money with this statement:

"Disaffected evangelical and Catholic moderates could find a natural home in the Democratic Party, which shares their values of social justice, concern for the earth, and economic equality. They're not looking for a tent revival at the Democratic Convention. They're just looking for a little respect".


Her Washington Monthly article should be required reading for active Democrats. It's online at:

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2003/0306.sullivan.html

[dolstein]

12. Translation: Kerry is an atheist

Kerry's profound discomfort with discussing his own religious faith will no doubt be construed by many voters as an attempt to conceal an absence of religious faith.

I don't know whether this is sheer stupidity on Kerry's part, or a more innocent, though no less excusable, blind spot on the values issue.

Frankly, I don't give a rat's ass about whether or not Kerry personally thinks it's appropriate for politicians to discuss their private religious beliefs. He's a politician, and he's been playing this game far too long not to know what the rules are.

[dand]

16. I think Kerry is too intelligent to believe in invisible cloud beings

but it would be suicidal to admit it in this primitive society.

[dolstein]

21. So you think religious people are idiots

Thanks for sharing.

[truthspeaker]

18. Good! He should be reticent.

Without exception, the people who talk the most about Jesus act the least like him.

[Geo55]

20. Yep...

I GOT FAITH !