From another Hawaii resident on JFK's speech on religion and Rep Tulsi Gabbard
He writes, “I STRONGLY recommend people read JFK’s speech about his Catholic faith and what role it might play (or not play) in his duties as President.
This speech is often cited by people who have not bothered to read it closely nor to delve into the historical and political circumstances surrounding it. Tulsi Gabbard has recently cited it in an effort to get everyone to agree we should not be permitted to talk about her upbringing and CONTINUED involvement in the religious-political network run by her guru, Chris Butler.
But a close reading of the speech does not support her interpretation.
It is crucial to understand some Protestants feared that Kennedy would be operating under the influence of the Pope, would be “instructed” on how to behave as President. Kennedy replied that he would not be. But there were many conservative Catholics who were unhappy with Kennedy’s declaration of separation between his religious and political beliefs. So his speech was not just telling Protestants he would be independent, he was also telling many in the Catholic hierarchy this. That second aspect of his position is too often overlooked.
JFK:
“So it is apparently necessary for me to state once again not what kind of church I believe in — for that should be important only to me — but what kind of America I believe in.
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.
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.”
JFK did not have a relationship with the Pope at all similar to the relationship Tulsi has with Chris Butler. Catholic doctrine did not teach that the Pope is infallible on all issues, but only on certain, narrowly defined doctrinal matters. JFK did not believe it would have been proper for the Pope to tell him what to do and would have pushed back.
But devotees to Chris Butler are OBLIGATED to believe his opinions come directly from God and if they want to serve God, they are OBLIGED to follow his instructions. Tulsi is not just one follower among many. Chris Butler has played a major role in advising her on each major decision in her political career. Their relationship is exactly the sort of relationship that JFK pledged would NOT be the case if he were elected President.
So, yes, let’s learn from JFK’s speech about the relationship between a politician and the leader of their religion and let’s agree with his rejection of attempts by religious authorities to direct their political decisions.
I do not believe the Tulsi-Butler relationship meets the standard JFK set.”
For me, this is actually the least of her problems as a candidate and as a US Representative.
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