Listening to NPR this morning, I found it ironic that on this day in 1960, John F. Kennedy, working towards a presidential election, said in a speech, “I do not speak for my church on public matters–and the church does not speak for me.”
He was answering those critics who were alleging that the election of a Catholic President would mean forced submission to the Pope and the Vatican of all American citizens.
He disputed those allegations, excellently, I might add, in a speech now known as his “Address to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association”.
Reading the progressive and idealistic thoughts of this man really made me lament how much we have devolved in political and religious views since. It seems that forty-six years later we still have the same issues, the same plights and problems, and the same ignorant hang-ups.
Then again, I probably only feel this way, because I wasn’t allowed to pray in school!
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