Sixty-five years ago today President John Kennedy said about the Wall of Separation, “I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute, where no Catholic prelate would tell the president (should he be Catholic) how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote; where no church or church school is granted any public funds or political preference; and where no man is denied public office merely because his religion differs from the president who might appoint him or the people who might elect him.”
Senator Kennedy was running for president and his Catholicism was causing concerns among Protestant voters. They wondered if his allegiance was ultimately to the nation or to the Pope, should a direct conflict arise. In a speech to Protestant leaders in Houston, Senator Kennedy said what I wish every candidate for office would say about the separation of religion and government. He continued:
“I believe in an America that is officially neither Catholic, Protestant nor Jewish; where no public official either requests or accepts instructions on public policy from the Pope, the National Council of Churches or any other ecclesiastical source; where no religious body seeks to impose its will directly or indirectly upon the general populace or the public acts of its officials; and where religious liberty is so indivisible that an act against one church is treated as an act against all.” They don’t write speeches like that anymore.
Last May President Trump gave us his thoughts on the same topic in mentioning that his White House Faith Office was located in the White House instead of in the office building next door, as it was in his first term: “They say separation between church and state … I said, ‘All right, let’s forget about that for one time.’ They said, ‘Really, there’s separation.’ I don’t know. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I’m not sure, but whether there’s separation or not, you guys (the Faith Office) are in the White House where you should be, and you’re representing our country, and we’re bringing religion back to our country, and it’s a big deal.”
The President’s Religious Liberty Commission is full of people who will make recommendations, "instructions on public policy” in the words of President Kennedy” to him next year about ways to lower the wall of separation. “Instructions” that Kennedy had no interest in.
In good news, members of the Congressional Freethought Caucus are about to introduce a strong House resolution in support of the separation of church and state. I’ll let you know when you can help promote it.
An outspoken supporter of church-state separation is running for Senator in Texas. James Talarico has been standing up to legislation in the State Senate about posting the Ten Commandments in classrooms and other pro-Christian proposals. He is also a devout Christian but he knows where to draw the line on that. It will be an interesting campaign.
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The murder of Charlie Kirk isn’t in our lane here but I am going to say that political violence is a growing threat to democracy itself. Fewer good people will run for office at a time when they are increasingly needed. People now in office are less and less inclined to meet with their constituents. House members couldn’t get through a half-minute moment of silence/prayer for Kirk without a shouting match ensuing. Blame is extrapolated all around.
The validity of elections is already (inaccurately) being questioned more and more. When democracy doesn’t seem to be working people start looking for an alternative or at least become more accepting of one. Every assasination, or attempt at one, normalizes the idea for the next assasin. We have to find some answers.
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