John F. Kennedy was the first (and last) Catholic President...?

[kentuck]

It was one of the most controversial issues in his campaign. People were concerned that his Catholicism would over-ride his duty to uphold the Constitution. Many thought of the religion as a cult.

Fast forward 50 years and the questions may be asked again? Notre Dame University protests the President of the United States coming to speak because of their deeply religious views about abortion and stem-cell research.

No doubt, if the religion had shown the same passion in 1960, John F Kennedy would not have been the nominee. Catholics were much more guarded and low-key about their religion at that time. They were not ready to throw it in your face. As some of them seem to be today...

These types of protests only highlight the founders rationale for separation of church and state. Let them in the door and they try to ram their religion down your throat.

But it not just the Catholic religion. It is all religions. Their tax-exemption gives them no pause at all. It took them only fifty years to forget that we are not a country of religion, we are a country of laws.

[onehandle]

1. Notre Dame University did not protest the President. They invited him.

The protests for the most part came from outside.

Sheesh!

[kentuck]

3. I agree that the protests were very small...

and was mostly hyped by certain folks in the media. But some did protest. Not the entire university, for sure.

[imdjh]

7. Yeah, but the opposition could be seen as affirming the fear of Kennedy

As I understand it ( I was a baby) , apart from the whackjobs who thought that Catholics ate babies or somesuch nonsense, there was rational concern that a Catholic, especially a devout one, answers to a foreign power, ie the Holy See. The Vatican hasn't been bashful lately about asserting itself in American politics- almost brazenly so when you consider the political and social hit the Church has taken over the Priest Scandal- perhaps as a calculated response to it.

The Vatican sending orders through the Bishops to the US, to US politicians, including orders to punish Catholic politicians could be seen as verifying the suspicions of those who were concerned about Kennedy's religion.

[MADem]

9. The only people complaining in the hall were fat old guys and one younger dweeb.

A few idiots in cap and gown, under a dozen, left--of two thousand, nine hundred.

There are a few idiots in any crowd of that size. The man was received WARMLY. His speech, and the reaction of the bulk of the people in the hall, kind of flipped the argument of "the intolerants"--made them look pretty stupid, IMO.

[polichick]

2. Went to see Angels & Demons today - a good reminder of how manipulative religion can be...

When I was at the Vatican last year (to see the art with an art student), I was appalled at the riches paid for by the people ~ what an elaborate con job, controlling the people's money by making them fearful.

[soothsayer]

4. Alot of folks still hate us Catholics. Say we pray to dead people (saints) and are annoyed that we

revere Mary.

[MineralMan]

6. But more people don't care how you worship.

Most people don't mind whatever religion others follow, nor how they follow that religion.

We have to stop paying attention to tiny minority voices and focus on the common good. Let the fundamentalcases rave on. Just ignore them and get on with things.

[onehandle]

8. You mean fundies. The true religious core of the GOP.

Yep. They hate Catholics.

[Faygo Kid]

5. My first political memory: Around the dinner table. My uncle had converted; grandmother was pissed

Uncle Bob had converted before I was born to marry Aunt Kay (RIP; loved them dearly), and Grandma (Swedish immigrant; Lutheran, of course) was none too happy (loved her, too). I remember "lively" conversations around the dinner table. First political memories, as I turned 9 in 1960.

Kennedy took on the issue head on, as I recall. And after today's warm welcome to President Obama, I think you can relax. The Reich Wing makes a lot of noise, but they live in a very tiny echo chamber.