Kerry Seeks to Close Democrats' 'Religion Gap'

Reuters ^ | Sun Aug 8, 2004 | Rolando Garcia

[Lonely Bull]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry has begun speaking more openly about his faith, a move political experts say is crucial to chipping away at President Bush's advantage among churchgoers.

Kerry, a Roman Catholic, rarely addressed his faith during the primary season, but from his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention last month to regular visits to black and non-denominational churches, he is talking in more detail about God's role in his life.

At the Greater Grace Temple in Springfield, Ohio, last Sunday, Kerry told hundreds of worshipers he was running as a "lay leader" but added: "There isn't any way that you're not affected by your fundamental values, the faith that brings you to the table."

And he said his faith in God had helped him through personal tragedy.

"I was at war, lost some of my best friends, those I grew up with and those I fought with," the decorated Vietnam War veteran said. "And I sort of questioned, why does this happen, why did this happen, what's going on?

"We all question. And we learn that even though suffering, through loss, we get in touch with power, with the being, with the almighty."

[Brad's Gramma]

Careful there sKerry....you're gonna offend Ron Reagan, the younger.

[Malesherbes]

Catholics who "struggle" with the issue of abortion are "moderate" according to Reuters. If that is "moderate" I'm trying to imagine a "liberal" or a "radical" Catholic.

[A Citizen Reporter]

"you're gonna offend Ron Reagan, the younger.

I thought the same thing.....and then when I read the article, I noticed Kerry just lifted his remarks.....

"I don't wear my own faith on my sleeve, but faith has given me values and hope to live by, from Vietnam to this day, from Sunday to Sunday,"

Does this guy have ONE original thought?

[highlander_UW]

The only role religion plays in Kerry's life is the discussions his strategy team has trying to figure out how to chip at Bush's connection with people of faith.

[PhilDragoo]

"I was at war, lost some of my best friends, those I grew up with and those I fought with," the decorated Vietnam War veteran said. "And I sort of questioned, why does this happen, why did this happen, what's going on?

Then I snapped: Hey, there is no God. We can't fight Communism all over the world. In fact, I went to Paris to negotiate with Communists.

I slandered those I fought with to secure victory for the godless Communists.

I've publicly doubted that God is on our side.

I voted against the ban on partial birth abortion--hey, it's just protoplasm, right, there's no soul or anything.

I'm John Kerry, and I can spin my position on this or any other issue faster than Linda Blair spun her head in The Exorcist.

[MJY1288]

John Kerry just had to fire his Faith Based adviser because she submitted an Amicus Brief on behalf of the well known Atheist who is trying to take "Under God" out of the National Anthem. Who will he hire now.... Jimmy Swaggert??

[Merry]

I find Kerry's religious remarks to be offensive. I'm a Catholic and his views are not the views of the Catholic Church that I belong to. If he was smart, he would stop pointing out his Viet Nam days.

[claudiustg]

---At the Greater Grace Temple in Springfield, Ohio, last Sunday, Kerry told hundreds of worshipers he was running as a "lay leader" but added: "There isn't any way that you're not affected by your fundamental values, the faith that brings you to the table."

And he said his faith in God had helped him through personal tragedy.

"I was at war, lost some of my best friends, those I grew up with and those I fought with," the decorated Vietnam War veteran said. "And I sort of questioned, why does this happen, why did this happen, what's going on?---

Yes, when you sort through all the inchoherent babble, it's all about Viet Nam, isn't it?

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

Uhoh, sounds like someone is "wearing his religion on his sleeve."

[Plutarch]

Ron Reagan will have to disappear to that same remote African country Kerry's little honey got off to, lest someone asks him to comment.

[ApplegateRanch]

Q: How do you spell 'hypocrite'?

A: K*E*R*R*Y.

[Arthur McGowan]

Notice how Kerry skips Mass whenever his advance men can't find a pro-abortion priest to give him Communion, or when there's a politically-active pro-abortion Black church he can preach at.

[what's up]

David Dreier confronted Ron Reagan with this the other night.

Ron Reagan merely said sheepishly that Kerry must not have listened to his eulogy. LOL.

[Brad's Gramma]

Ron Reagan merely said sheepishly that Kerry must not have listened to his eulogy.

For REAL???? You're not kidding? Good grief.

[AF68]

When are the feds going to enforce the laws which prohibit electioneering in places of worship?

[Ruth A.]

And I sort of questioned, why does this happen, why did this happen, what's going on?

"Sort of questioned"? That is a phrase that tells me he is making this up as he goes along.

"...we get in touch with power, with the being, with the almighty."

Isn't it interesting that the author uses all lower case instead of Power, Being, the Almighty. He knows that sKerry is just blathering and the words are not titles of reverence.

Couching issues like helping the poor in religious terms ...

This is a play right out of Dean's playbook.

[tallhappy]

Saturday, August 7, 2004
Pledge forces Democrat to resign

---

The Associated Press


LEXINGTON - A former Kentucky minister who signed a document supporting removal of the words "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance has resigned her new post as top religion adviser to the national Democratic Party.

The Catholic League had blasted the Rev. Brenda Bartella Peterson for signing a friend of the court brief earlier this year urging the U.S. Supreme Court to remove the words from the patriotic oath.

Peterson's involvement in the controversial Supreme Court case was not well known when she joined the Democratic National Committee staff as senior adviser for religious outreach on July 22. But officials with the Catholic League repeatedly seized on the brief this week, saying it shows Peterson and the DNC are out-of-touch with America's religious majority.

"The whirlwind was more than I could just about stand. It was amazing," Peterson said Thursday.

Peterson, 56, is a Lexington Theological Seminary graduate and former pastor of Newtown Christian Church in Scott County. She is an ordained Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) minister.

Her appointment had represented an effort by Democrats to bridge the so-called "God gap," or polls indicating that people who attend church more frequently tend to vote Republican.

The friend of the court brief, filed by 32 religious leaders and the Unitarian Universalist Association, argued that the pledge is an unconstitutional "religious creed" that only promotes "the God of the Christians."

The Catholic League portrayed Peterson as a "left-wing activist" who favored taxes and winked at gay marriage and abortion.

The Catholic League faxed anti)Peterson news releases to newsrooms around America on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Blaming "recent negative publicity," Peterson resigned Wednesday, saying, "I feel it is no longer possible for me to do my job effectively."

"I do not want my support of this case to serve as a distraction or ammunition for Republicans and their allies," Peterson said.

[CyberAnt]

Well .. how many flip-flop statements are available from Kerry about Bush "using his religion" and Kerry saying something about him "not wearing his religion on his sleeve". Guess he's decided a sleeve with religion on it is good for him. He has no idea how obviously PHONEY this idea is.

[MeekOneGOP]

I'm John Kerry, and I can spin my position on this or any other issue
faster than Linda Blair spun her head in The Exorcist.

ROFL! I almost spewed my coffee on that one, hahahaha!

[C210N]

has begun speaking more openly about his faith, a move political experts say is crucial to chipping away at President Bush's advantage...

The underlying attitude here is that Kerry and his band of enablers [Reuters] can identify something that has to be, and then snap their fingers and "make it so". "Sort-of" like in Star Trek, when Captain Picard says "Make It So".

[maryz]

When are the feds going to enforce the laws which prohibit electioneering in places of worship?

My impression is that they enforce them all the time -- well, not against Dems, of course . . .

[exhaustedmomma]

And he said his faith in God had helped him through personal tragedy.

YIKES... here we go again. Back to the Catholic problems. Divert from the VN vet problem. Drum roll... enter media spin.

Always on the defense; chipping away. Counterfeiter.

[Recovering_Democrat]

Lead sentence edited for truth:

"Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry has begun speaking lying more openly about his faith, a move political experts say is crucial to chipping away at President Bush's advantage among churchgoers.

[No Surrender No Retreat]

I am a catholic- pro-life. Kerry attempts to use his religion as a mantel hoping to garner the catholic vote. Scary kerry is no Catholic, but a despicable charlatan. I predict there will be a landslide of votes from the catholics for President Bush. Scarykerry may pick up a few from the CINOS like himself, that should be ex-communicated for the church. Bush/Cheney 2004

[sweetliberty]

"rarely addressed his faith during the primary season"

That's because no one had yet told him what it was.

[sweetliberty]

"we get in touch with power, with the being, with the almighty."

For John Kerry to use these words, I have to think he's talking about Bill Clinton.

[sweetliberty]

"I'm trying to imagine a "liberal" or a "radical" Catholic."

In the eyes of their sycophant press, there are no extremists on the left. To them, extremist, by definition, means right-wing.

[Rebelbase]

My faith in a forgiving, compassionate God is renewed everytime I hear of Kerry not bursting into flames when he enters a church.

[The Wizard]

can't be done when you support fag marriage, abortion, fight tort reform, try to remove God from everything

The dem: the party of satan

[Paul_B]

1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.

2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,

3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,

4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;

5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these.

6 For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses,

7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

8 And just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected as regards the faith.

9 But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, as also that of those two came to be.

[Fzob]

When are the feds going to enforce the laws which prohibit electioneering in places of worship?

Right after Republicans start doing it and right after Demorats start howling about it.

[Fzob]

She is an ordained Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) minister.

Here's a tidbit for you. Ronald Reagan was raised in a Disciples of Christ church. Apparently that church has fallen by the wayside.

[sweetliberty]

"When are the feds going to enforce the laws which prohibit electioneering in places of worship?"

When Republicans start doing it.

[randita]

This is deja vu all over again. Al Gore adopted the same strategy a few months before the election in 2000. His faith sharing lasted about 2 days before his liberal base told him to stop. Next thing we know, Kerry will hire Naomi Wolf to coordinate his wardrobe or give Theresa a minute long smooch.

[sweetliberty]

". Guess he's decided a sleeve with religion on it is good for him. He has no idea how obviously PHONEY this idea is."

I'm waiting for him to make campaign stops in the south in a pick up with a Confederate flag on it. Then I'll take him seriously seriesly. < /sarcasm >

[sweetliberty]

[MeekOneGOP]

haha! I smell a Bush Landslide!

My thanks to Traumer, Arrowhead1952 and Conspiracy Guy for the concept of this pic

[sweetliberty]

Have y'all seen this one?

If Kerry Was a Girl

[nicmarlo]

Bump for later review.....thanks for the ping, sweetliberty.

[SAMWolf]

The democrats only religion is the State.

[Hat-Trick]

For John Kerry to use these words, I have to think he's talking about Bill Clinton.

Given Kerry's penchant for worshipping at the alter of the United Nations, I think he's referring to Kofi Annan.

[MeekOneGOP]

If Kerry Was a Girl

LOL! Gotta share that link with the Canteen, I think.

[Hat-Trick]

"Kerry seeks to close Democrat's 'Religion Gap' "

I thought that was supposed to be the job of Jesus.

[sweetliberty]

Hehehe....

[Happy2BMe]

One of the things I cannot comprehend is how so many Christians can with a clear conscience vote Democrat knowing among the first things they will do once they get in office is to legalize queer marriage.

This to be soon followed by passing laws against Christians who call homosexuality a sin and preach out against it in public - making them CRIMINALS for doing so.

God help this nation.

[KC_Conspirator]

What a phony!

[Krodg]

Very appropriate post

[Happy2BMe]

"Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry has begun speaking more openly about his faith, a move political experts say is crucial to chipping away at President Bush's advantage among churchgoers."

___________________________

There's faith in God - then there's faith in Kerry - ping.

(God to Kerry at The Judgement: "And for you, I have reserved a very special reward . ."

[CyberAnt]

LOL! That would be seris .. I mean hugh!