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Robert_Sock
Guest
Never a Jewish president either. I find this very odd!
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GloriousOrder
Guest
Are you surprised, friend? The original thirteen colonies were founded by all sorts of Anglicans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Puritans, and other Protestants. Any given Catholic population or Jewish population was ruled over by the Reformers in all walks of life. Part of the reason the Founding Fathers put in a clause forbidding the creation of a State Church was because of all the problems they had with the actually-established Church of England! It harassed them at all turns, but they remained loyal regardless.
Jews and Catholics were the perfidious undermining agents of foreign states, to the early Americans. It set the roots and foundations of the whole attitude of that nation.
Jews and Catholics were the perfidious undermining agents of foreign states, to the early Americans. It set the roots and foundations of the whole attitude of that nation.
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Robert_Sock
Guest
We’re getting too old (and mature) as a nation to let these factors influence who get elected president.
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svid2
Guest
Was Nixon a Methodist?
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mary_bobo
Guest
He was raised in a Quaker home.
meltzerboy
New member
I agree that the times are changing. Witness Obama. We may have a Mormon President next. A woman after that perhaps. I don’t see why we don’t have another Catholic President either, since Kennedy’s election broke the ice, so to speak. Perhaps a Jewish President in the near future, but please not one like Lieberman. Or an Asian, Hispanic, or Native American male or female. It just takes some time to tear down the deeply-ingrained prejudiced attitudes that have for too long formed the bedrock of our nation.
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bcra
Guest
i dont have a real answer to this question. it just happened and now obama is the first black president. there really is no answer. some day maybe a woman president. wh know?
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zjl56
Guest
It is pretty much by chance that we haven’t had a catholic president since Kennedy broke through that barrier such a long time ago… I would certainly welcome another catholic as president, but it is pretty minor when so many of the top politicians in both parties are catholic and we are highly over represented in terms of members of the courts. While there will always be haters of the church, they have been pretty much marginalized in mainstream politics.
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manualman
Guest
The answer is clear once you’ve developed a sense of history and culture. In recent generations, we like to think we are totally independent and unconnected with the things of the past. It is truer than it used to be, but change is slower than most folks think.
The very English language is, in many ways, hostile to a catholic mode of thinking. The entire thrust of English speaking history is STRONGLY influenced (still today) by anti-catholic prejudice. Words like indulgence, magisterial, church (and many others that don’t spring to the front of my leaky mind) have inappropriate definitions in English largely due to misunderstandings or disagreemens Anglos have had with catholicism over the centuries. Once I started to comprehend this, I realized how valuable it is for the church to retain her own sacred language (Latin).
The remaining hostility in this country towards catholicism may be largely based on an explicit conflict of values, but it is fertilized by an underlying legacy in the culture.
The very English language is, in many ways, hostile to a catholic mode of thinking. The entire thrust of English speaking history is STRONGLY influenced (still today) by anti-catholic prejudice. Words like indulgence, magisterial, church (and many others that don’t spring to the front of my leaky mind) have inappropriate definitions in English largely due to misunderstandings or disagreemens Anglos have had with catholicism over the centuries. Once I started to comprehend this, I realized how valuable it is for the church to retain her own sacred language (Latin).
The remaining hostility in this country towards catholicism may be largely based on an explicit conflict of values, but it is fertilized by an underlying legacy in the culture.
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Aboveallbereal
Guest
Interesting post. The workd inquisition inter alia could be added to your list.
You point to two discrete problems.
1 The Black Legend
2. Kulturkamph especially abortion.
Essentially both Protestants and secularists ahve ingrained anti catholic views. Much of the loathing of Michelle Bachmann is anti Catholic
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Erich
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joshrp
Guest
Probably because that President was murdered and most of us are scared. I don’t really know though. Probably because not of us have really been engaging in politics or economics in line with Catholic Social Teaching. If we stuck to Catholic Social Teaching, which has the best philosophy for engaging in social issues, you would see a Catholic Revolution in this country and all over the world. A nonviolent revolution of course. Study up on Catholic teaching. A good place to start would be the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church by the Pontifical Council on Justice and Peace. It can be found for free on the Vatican website, and on online sites such as Amazon for a decent price as well as in most good Catholic bookstores. I have never personally seen it in any Protestant or nonreligious bookstores, but who knows, maybe it will be stocked in the future if it becomes more popular and commonly read. I think this document is a true Classic of Catholic literature.
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Dakota_Roberts
Guest
We are unlikely to get another one in the near future.
When JFK ran there was a bit of anti-Catholic sentiment still around, but he won more than he lost. A serious Catholic can not support either abortion or gay marriage ruining his chance of running as a Democrat and he wouldn’t be anti-government enough for a Republican.
When JFK ran there was a bit of anti-Catholic sentiment still around, but he won more than he lost. A serious Catholic can not support either abortion or gay marriage ruining his chance of running as a Democrat and he wouldn’t be anti-government enough for a Republican.
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joshrp
Guest
Probably because the only thing Catholics talk about are gay marriage and abortion. Where are the real Catholic politicans like Kennedy who talked about ALL social issues that effect us, and not just a couple single issues, which although very important, aren’t all there is to organize around?
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Dakota_Roberts
Guest
Even if the Catholic candidate focuses on social justice he’ll still lose because being in favor of abortion and gay marriage is practically a requirement for nomination
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joshrp
Guest
I know that. But we are not going to get pro life candidates into office unless we start organizing around ALL the issues. Do you really want prolifers in Congress and the Presidency? There is more to Catholic Social Teaching than just these issues.
Catholic politicians should be very vocal about the evil of abortion and gay marriage.
But we should start asking our politicians to start studying Catholic documents like the various popes’ social encyclicals to get a more complete and dynamic political platform. A lot of Catholic politicians economic policies are in direct violation of Catholic social principles. if you want a Catholic president, make sure he is really Catholic and not a fascist for example who wants to start the population with fiscal austerity policies.
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joshrp
Guest
i just want to remind you that gay marriage and abortion ARE social justice issues. You shouldn’t compartmentalize things.
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exnihilo
Guest
There have been quite a few Catholic candidates though none has won. Most would have been, in my opinion, very poor representatives of the faith. Many have excommunicated themselves if my understanding is correct. Pat Buchanan, probably the most consistent candidate with the Catholic faith, tried various attempts at running but never got enough votes. If a candidate is too Catholic Catholics won’t vote for him.
I would say any Catholic should be proud and happy with the fact that no Catholic has won since Kennedy. US presidents are generally degenerate liars, mass murderers and sociopaths. Each current president makes you long for the last one because he is no more than a continuation of the previous president with the worst policies amplified.
I would say any Catholic should be proud and happy with the fact that no Catholic has won since Kennedy. US presidents are generally degenerate liars, mass murderers and sociopaths. Each current president makes you long for the last one because he is no more than a continuation of the previous president with the worst policies amplified.
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catharina
Guest
Why is this odd?
History tells the tale.
Besides there is a Protestant majority in the nation
and anti-Catholic sentiment and antiSemiticism are still present.
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exnihilo
Guest
Yes there are those forces but they are so rare and so utterly lacking in power to be almost meaningless. The 2000 Democrat ticket included a Jewish VP. The 2004 ticket had a Catholic president. The 2000 race was close as we all know and 2004 was close considering they faced an incumbent and the mood of the nation. It is like complaining about the pervasive power of racism after electing a Black president. It starts to be silly.
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