Posted on 03/20/2012 3:05:01 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
U.S. Sen. John Kerry made the inaugural address at the Richard L. Gross Distinguished Lecture Series at Gordon College in Wenham on Monday.
Kerry, just off the airplane from a meeting with Muslim leaders in Dubai, told the students at Gordon College on Monday that there is more in all religions worldwide that unites rather than divides people of faith.
Kerry, a Democrat, said there are lots of pitfalls to debating faith issues during a presidential year, in a direct reference to the conservative Christian agenda that has dominated the last few Republican presidential primaries.
“The more I learn, the more I know that all religions live by universal values,” Kerry told students who packed the A.J. Gordon Memorial Chapel at the Christian college.
But that does not play well on television or in debates, he said. Kerry, who lived for several years as a child in Hamilton and Ipswich, was invited to deliver the inaugural address at the college's Richard F. Gross Distinguished Lecture Series.
“I've always wanted to deliver an inaugural address,” the former Democratic nominee for President joked.
Speaking to the students of a college that declares it is a community where “faith in Christ matters,” the four-term senator said he believes that his career and his legislative agenda has been shaped by his Catholic upbringing.
He said the world faces problems of Biblical proportion. Among the most important issue is bringing the world's populations out of poverty. One of out every 16 verses in the Bible, he said, deals with caring for the poor. Yet too many Christians forget that helping the poor was such an important focus of Jesus' message, he said.
He said Christians should be very concerned about environmental abuses. Speaking on a warm afternoon one day before the end of winter, he said there is no question that the Earth is suffering from global warming.
He also said Christians should support universal health care.
“Jesus did not help just the sick who could afford to pay for it,” he said.
'Faith Not Worth Killing For'
Kerry, the decorated Navy veteran who opposed the Vietnam War, quoted St. Augustine in saying that war should never be waged except as a last resort and then with restraint.
“Faith may be worth dying for, but it is not worth killing for,” he said.
He reminded the students that the principal tenet of Christianity is to love their neighbor.
“We are more than the sum of our differences. We have an obligation to treat one another with respect,” he said.
The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said he is hopeful that social media and globalization is forcing tyrannical leaders in many countries to be more accountable. He said he is pleased with the Arab Awakening.
“The days of the despots are numbered,” he said.
He answered several questions sent via Twitter from the audience. Some dealt with foreign issues. Another asked which team he thought would win the NCAA basketball tournament. He predicted that the University of Kentucky would win.
He got his only spontaneous applause from the students when asked about his stance on abortion. He said he believes that life begins at conception, but does not think that anyone has the right to tell a woman she cannot have an abortion.
He said it is clear from medical records that the number of abortions rises when the government tries to suppress them or withdraws financial support for abortion and education about abortions.
When asked for his advice to the students, he urged them to “ask a lot of questions, listen and trust your gut.”
Did he mention that he was “in Vietnam”?
Thank you, Father Kerry.
Note to self ~ NEVER use Kerry as a spiritual counselor.
Did he mention that he’s exempt?
Why do they look at “right”? No one has a “right” to kill another human being...self defense excepted.
I bet he didn’t mention Hanoi Jane Fonda either.They met at least once.
Kind of hard to help the poor when the government is stealing your money to pay for stoners on welfare, Obama voters, and studies on the mating habits of the Ecuadoran Spotted Rat.
You know, I think Longface really believes he knows what he’s talking about. It’s truly sad.
By his stripes ye are healed...Seem to recall reading that somewhere. And I can’t recall anyplace where Jesus called for the government to provide health care? Nor legislation to require everyone to purchase health insurance—especially insurance that requires a Church (did he say he was Catholic?) whose teaching is opposed to the shedding of innocent blood -one that celebrates LIFE as a gift of God.Hope the students had smarts enough to laugh him off stage.
He didn’t mention his Christian thinking when he shot that wounded defenseless Viet Cong soldier and killed him did he?
How did he tie in killing off the fetus’s of poor people with God’s message?
He didn’t mention his being a traitor and dealing with the Viet Cong in Paris while we were at war with them did he?
Didn’t think so. By the way how many poor could live well off what it cost’s him to keep his 4 houses?
The unknowing kids he speaks to today don’t know what a POS John Kerry is.
RAot in hell, Kerry
“Did he mention that he was “in Vietnam”?”
No! You mean it’s true?
Wow.
Dude.
I thought I saw that on the Sci-Fi channel. Or was it the old movie channel?
Let this story be a warning to any parents or people foolish enough to send their students to Gordon. They are not getting an Evangelical, Christian education... they are getting "christianity light", if christianity at all. But hey, they are getting "indoctrinated." And yes as a native New England, evangelical Christian, I have every right to pass judgment on Gordon. When I was serving in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War the base commanders at both Long Beach and San Diego Naval bases had standing orders prohibiting ALL naval personnel from wearing their uniforms off base because of the heinous, LIES and baseless accusations John Kerry the communist Anti-American was saying about U.S. military personnel before the U.S. Congress. We were spit upon, beaten and attacked because of this worthless piece of human excrement. And for Gordon to invite him to speak to the faculty and student body is unconscionable!
Leftist Democrats keep confusing Christianity with their own cult of Moloch.
Jesus did NOT tell me to “take StonyBurk’s money and help the poor,” He told me to take my OWN money and help the poor.
A plutocratic, know-nothing, tax-evading, lying-about-his-military-service, axe-to-grind, lying-before-congress politician "explaining" christian principles to me.
Dear Senator JFnK: You might be able to fool the mush-headed, college student sheeple, but you don't and won't fool me.
Go soak your head.
Regards,
bkopto
REally? then YOU JOHN should SHUT UP. There...how do you like being told what to do? SHUT UP!!!
Well Mr. Kerry why dont you support Obamacare By cancelling all you Healthcare plans and Join an Obama local Clinic?
We stand together ,brother.May we stand strong a nation of freemen —or die like Patriots as free men.
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