The Menace Of A Roman Catholic President
For the past few months, much has been spoken and written upon the subject of the religion of Mr. John F. Kennedy, candidate for President of the United States. An old issue is once again under investigation by American citizens who love the freedoms of speech, worship, press, and thought. The issue is the menace of a Roman Catholic serving as President of this great land of ours. The Campaign of 1960 is more than a political issue It is a moral issue!
When the subject of religion is raised, the supporters of the Catholic for President will exclaim, "Why, Jack Kennedy will not permit his religion to interfere with his serving as President!" And these most energetic workers will point to the television address of Mr. Kennedy before the Greater Houston Ministerial Association where he said:
"Whatever issue may come before me as president-on birth control, divorce, censorship, gambling or any other subject — I will make my decision in accordance ....with what my conscience tells me to be in the national interest and without regard to outside religious pressures or dictates." (UPI, Lufkin News, Sept. 13, 1960)
Such a statement certainly sounds convincing and no doubt many will be led to believe that a Roman Catholic could serve in such a way. But, one's investigation in Roman Catholic law will tell him otherwise.
What does the Roman Catholic Church claim TODAY? We are not talking about some "out-dated," "medieval" religious body. We are talking about the accepted doctrines and claims of the 20th century Roman Catholic Church. These are the "never-changing" doctrines of the Catholic Church embraced by Mr. Kennedy doctrines which he has not repudiated. Don't be deceived by the double-talk of an ambitious politician, but rather closely compare his speech with the official claims of the Roman Catholic hierarchy.
Let us examine some of the claims of the Catholic Church as recorded in the recognized works of that religious body. These claims involve not only Catholics, but all citizens where the Catholic Church is able to function through the appointed officers of State.
I. State Owned And Operated Schools Sinful
For many years in this country, the Roman Catholic Church has urged federal and state financial aid be given to the schools operated by religious bodies. Of course, the Catholic Church operates grade, high school and colleges over the country in addition to the special schools for the training of the priests and nuns. To have complete control over the minds of Roman Catholics, she has done all that she possibly can to destroy the public school system. In Canon 1374 of Catholic Law we read:
"Catholic children must not attend non-Catholic, neutral, or mixed schools, that is, such as are open to non-Catholics. It is for the bishop of the place alone to decide, according to the instructions of the Apostolic See, in what circumstances and with what pre- cautions attendance at such schools may be tolerated, without danger of perversion to the pupils."
With a Catholic serving as President of the United States, he would naturally favor and lend his influence to the Federal-aid for schools operated by the Roman Catholic Church.
II. Union Of Church And State
When a Roman Catholic is questioned about the union of Church and State, most frequently "mental reservation" is employed to keep the querist from knowing the truth. Does the hierarchy of Rome desire a union of Church and State in the United States? Hear the answer as we read from the Encyclical Letters of Pope Leo XIII and reprinted as late as 1955 in "The Church Speaks to the Modern World."
"Nor can we hope for happier results either for religion or for the civil government from the wishes of those who desire that the Church be separated from the State, and the concord between the secular and ecclesiastical authority be dissolved. It is clear that these men, who yearn for a shameless liberty, live in dread of an agreement which has always been fraught with good, and advantageous alike to sacred and civil interests."
Well, why is the Roman Catholic Church so concerned about the union of Church and State? Because she claims to be the head over CIVIL as well as SPIRITUAL matters and she will exercise this power through the Catholics who serve as civil authorities. We are informed:
"(1) Under the control of the Church are two swords that is two powers, the expression referring to the medieval theory of the two swords, the spiritual and the secular.... (2) Both swords are in the power of the Church; the spiritual is wielded in the Church by the hand of the clergy; the secular is to be employed for the Church by the hand of the civil authority, but under the direction of the spiritual power. (3) The one sword must be subordinate to the other: the earthly power must submit to the spiritual authority, as this has precedence of the secular on account of its greatness and sublimity; for the spiritual power has the right to establish and guide the secular power, and also to judge it when it does not act rightly....' (Cath. Ency., Vol. IX, page 126, copyright 1912).
To accomplish her aims of complete control of the secular power, she unblushingly advocates the violent over throw of governments. Listen closely to what she says:
"There is nothing strange in attributing to the Roman Pontiff, as the Vicar of Him whose is the earth and the fullness thereof, the world and all that dwell therein, the fullest authority to lay bare, a just cause moving him not only the spiritual but also the material sword, and so to transfer sovereignties, break scepters and remove crowns?' (Cath. Dict., page 258, emphasis mine, R. L. McD.)
History testifies to the length this religio-political organization will go in order to force the civil authorities to submit to the dictates of the clergy. "The Civil authorities, therefore, were enjoined by the popes, under pain of excommunication to execute the legal sentences that condemned impenitent heretics to the stake." (Cath. Ency., Vol. VIII, page 34.)
And, when a Catholic President or any other civil authority acts contrary to the dictum of the Roman Pontiff, he will find himself being purged as the rulers of long ago.
III. Catholicism Opposed To Freedoms In America
The freedoms which have been taken for granted in this country - freedoms which we proudly hail as "Americanism," is denied by the Roman Catholic Church. Listen to a Pope of Rome:
"Hence from all that we have hitherto said, it is clear, beloved son, that we cannot approve the opinions which some comprise under the head of Americanism." (Encyclical Letters of Leo XIII.)
She has opposed these freedoms in the past and is still standing in opposition to the freedoms of speech, worship and thought. Look at the countries in the world today who are dominated by the Roman Catholic Church. Columbia, in South America, for example, has permitted church buildings belonging to non-Catholic groups to be destroyed and denominational preachers to be persecuted. In the Time Magazine, dated October 5, 1953, it was reported: "The News Bulletin of the Evangelical Confederation of Columbia published a summary of the persecution of Protestants there during the past five years. Items: 42 school buildings destroyed by fire and dynamite, 31 damaged, ten confiscated; 110 Protestant primary schools closed, 54 of them by government order, the rest by violence; 51 Protestant men, women and children killed, $148,000 lost in buildings destroyed, damaged, or confiscated." Much of the same opposition can be found in almost every country in the world where the Roman Catholic Church has captured such power, the non-Catholics have experienced persecution from the hands of Roman Catholics. Dear friend, don't think that it can not happen in these United States - for it has already happened in the last few years.
IV. Mental Reservation Permitted By Catholicism
Now then, did Mr. Kennedy really mean what he said as he stood before the Greater Houston Ministerial Association and stated: "If my church attempted to influence me in a way I considered improper....I would reply to them that this was an improper action on their part one to which I could not subscribe...."? Or, did he use "mental reservation" to keep the world from knowing his endorsement of Roman Catholic Law? How can the American people have confidence in one serving as an official of State who has embraced a system of religion which authorizes one to lie?
"However, we are also under an obligation to keep secrets faithfully, and sometimes the easiest way of fulfilling that duty is to say what is false, or to tell a lie." (Cath. Ency., Vol. X, page 195.) "So that a false statement knowingly made to one who has not a right to the truth will not be a lie." (Cath. Ency., Vol. IX, page 471.)
My friends, let us not be deluded into thinking the Roman Catholic Church does not include the domination of the United States in her plans for complete control of the world. For, when the Roman Catholic Church feels she has sufficient control in the places of State in this country, she will manifest her power. Until then, she will be satisfied to "tolerate" the freedoms of "Americanism:"
"Although in the extraordinary conditions of these times the Church usually acquiesces in certain modern liberties, not because she prefers them in themselves but because she judges it expedient to permit them, she would in happier times exercise her own liberty." (Encyclical Letters of Leo XIII.)