Spreading the Santorum everywhere

Smiling Ted · Mar 15, 2011

In remarks to about 50 members of the group Catholic Citizenship -- which encourages parishioners to speak out on issues of public policy --- Santorum decried what he called the growing secularization of American public life.

He traced the problem to Kennedy's 1960 speech to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association, in which Kennedy – then a candidate for president - sought to allay concerns about his Catholicism by declaring, "I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute."

Santorum, who is Catholic, said he was "frankly appalled" by Kennedy's remark.

"That was a radical statement," Santorum said, and it did "great damage."

"We're seeing how Catholic politicians, following the first Catholic president, have followed his lead, and have divorced faith not just from the public square, but from their own decision-making process," Santorum said.

"Jefferson is spinning in his grave," he added.

Zoombie · Mar 15, 2011

...what?!

WHAT!?

The separation of church and state was radical yeah...

In the 1700s.

Michael Wolfe · Mar 15, 2011

Santorum's right. Jefferson would be appalled by the concept of separation of church and state.

Monkey · Mar 15, 2011

I didn't click on the link for fear I'd be rick-rolled.

On topic, I didn't know Jefferson was a Catholic... 0.o

SPMiller · Mar 15, 2011

Wow, did he really call out Jefferson, out of all the people involved in the US revolution?

amergina · Mar 15, 2011

I'm Catholic, and I'm appalled by Rick Santorum.

ETA: In fact, I was all for a separation of my state and Rick Santorum. Which is why I voted him out of office.

Smiling Ted · Mar 15, 2011

SPMiller said:
Wow, did he really call out Jefferson, out of all the people involved in the US revolution?

Yeah.

It's not so much that I disagree with the position-

-okay, there's that, too-

-but the combination of self-righteousness and sheer, f$#@#$-ing ignorance just astounds me.

Smiling Ted · Mar 15, 2011

Just so that everyone can be completely clear about Thomas Jefferson's opinions, I attach herewith the entire text of his famous (or should-be-famous) Danbury Letter...the one that created the phrase "separation of Church and State."

This letter is available to any one, at the website of the Library of Congress.

To messers. Nehemiah Dodge, Ephraim Robbins, & Stephen S. Nelson, a committee of the Danbury Baptist association in the state of Connecticut.
Gentlemen,

The affectionate sentiments of esteem and approbation which you are so good as to express towards me, on behalf of the Danbury Baptist association, give me the highest satisfaction. my duties dictate a faithful and zealous pursuit of the interests of my constituents, & in proportion as they are persuaded of my fidelity to those duties, the discharge of them becomes more and more pleasing.

Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.

I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection & blessing of the common father and creator of man, and tender you for yourselves & your religious association, assurances of my high respect & esteem.

Th Jefferson
Jan. 1. 1802.

Shadow Dragon · Mar 15, 2011

I wish this guy would just disappear already. His five minutes of fame is long gone. Oh and in case anyone wants to hear that Kennedy quote in context:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAvHHTt2czU

Personally I completely agree with what Kennedy said.

muravyets · Mar 15, 2011

Rick Santorum is just today's example illustrating my argument that it is impossible to hold certain political views in America (the socially conservative ones) unless one is utterly divorced from reality and 100% fact-free.

Jefferson may not be spinning in his grave -- more like facepalming in his grave -- but you know who is likely spinning like an augur? Poor Barry Goldwater.

Ye freakin' gods.

BjornAbust · Mar 15, 2011

To my knowledge, most of the founding fathers shared Kennedy's opinion that separation of church and state was a good thing. Rick Santorum is a douche. Faith ought to be divorced from the decision-making process of politicians because the beliefs of the elected don't necesarily reflect those of the masses. I'm not a Christian and I despise the conventional view that the U.S is a 'Judeo-Christian' nation. Frankly, it isn't.

If there is a God, I imagine He's got much better things to do with his time than give Rick Santorum pointers on how to play politics. Utilizing his faith isn't going to make him a better politician; it'll only make him a bigoted, ignorant one.

William Haskins · Mar 15, 2011

god gets a say in politics when we see his tax return.

and, for that matter, his birth certificate.

BjornAbust · Mar 15, 2011

William Haskins said:
god gets a say in politics when we see his tax return.

and, for that matter, his birth certificate.

LOL!

Don · Mar 15, 2011

Jefferson?? Jefferson???

:Headbang:

Gregg · Mar 15, 2011

The first amendment says, in part:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;"

So, as I read it, everyone can practice their own religion - or no religion at all. AND, Congress cannot establish a State religion .
Seems simple to me.
The concept of "separation of church and state", IMO, has become too complicated.

Simply, citizens can practice religion in their own way, but the federal government can't tell them how to do it.

I'm not a supporter of Rick Santorum.

SPMiller · Mar 15, 2011

Well, he's right: Jefferson would be spinning in his grave if he knew what Santorum said.

blacbird · Mar 16, 2011

Santorum is an imbecile. The very fact that he's considering a run for the Republican nomination for President is prima facie evidence of that. The voters of Pennsylvania kicked his ass out of the Senate by a big margin, for all kinds of good reasons. He has the probability of getting the Presidential nomination that Gilbert Gottfried has of being named Ambassador to Japan.

darkprincealain · Mar 16, 2011

Best thread title so far this month. Just sayin'.

poetinahat · Mar 16, 2011

"Jefferson is spinning in his grave," he added.

[quayle]Almost as fast as Murphy Brown[/quayle]

Smiling Ted · Mar 16, 2011

darkprincealain said:
Best thread title so far this month. Just sayin'.

Well, thanks.
I do what I can.

But I will say this for Senator "Frothy Mix" - if it weren't for him and people like him, I wouldn't have been motivated to go back and review my American history. I had completely forgotten the Danbury Letter until this.

Zoombie · Mar 16, 2011

The fact that this guy is getting his ass kicked in the polls makes me very happy to be an American...

Spreading the Santorum everywhere

Smiling Ted

Ah-HA!

Zoombie

Dragon of the Multiverse

Michael Wolfe

Jambo Bwana

Monkey

Is me.

SPMiller

Prodigiously Hanged

amergina

Pittsburgh Strong

Smiling Ted

Ah-HA!

Smiling Ted

Ah-HA!

Shadow Dragon

muravyets

Old revolutionary

BjornAbust

William Haskins

poet

BjornAbust

Don

All Living is Local

Gregg

Life is good

SPMiller

Prodigiously Hanged

blacbird

darkprincealain

poetinahat

say it loud

Smiling Ted

Ah-HA!

Zoombie

Dragon of the Multiverse