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John F Kennedy Faith Of President Jfk Essay

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Faith of President John F. Kennedy I have watched several documentaries on the life and death of John F. Kennedy, but I never knew anything about his religious background. JFK was raised in the Catholic faith during a time there was still much prejudice towards the Catholic Church. Kennedy was the first and to this day, the only Catholic president of the United States. Unlike, other presidents before and after Kennedy, he did not want his catholic background to alter is presidential campaign. Because I am a Catholic, and no Catholic has ever been elected president, the real issues in this campaign have been obscured perhaps deliberately, in some quarters less responsible than this. So it is apparently necessary for me to state once again not what kind of church I believe in for that should be important only to me but what kind of America I believe in (Hammond). Kennedy’s views on faith and politics were that religion provided the base …show more content…

Because there was so much energy on his faith, and not what he would do for the country as a president he addressed the issue by giving a speech saying “I believe In an America where the separation of church and state is absolute, where no Catholic prelate would tell the president how to act…and where no man is denied public office because his religion differs from the president who might appoint him or the people who might elect him” (McKenzie). He hoped people would realize that he would do what was best for the people of the United States regardless of his religious background. Many people questioned if that was even possible. He wanted for there to be a time in America where all men and churches were created equal. Kennedy believed that the Government of America should not be based on one religion or another, but to be equal towards all religious

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(Week 8, Doc. 25) Then he added later that American’s must “ask what you can do for your country, not what your country can do for you”. (Week 8, Doc. 25) He believed by working together, we could begin to solve the Nations social problems. Kennedy was trying to show American’s that it’s necessary to fight for what’s fair in society, and to help others help themselves in order to prosper. The public felt Kennedy, with his idealism and vigor, would be a good fit for Presidential leadership, and would be effective in reducing the many of America’s domestic problems. After failing to keep some of his campaign promises such as, expanding the welfare state, and health care programs, he acted, after much pressure from civil right activists and pushed Congress by calling for a comprehensive Civil Rights bill.

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In his speech Kennedy uses different rhetorical devices to unify the citizens of both the United States and the world. Kennedy was giving this speech after winning by a very small margin of votes so he was trying to unite the people of the United States and show he was the correct choice for the president. This speech was given during the Cold War so he was trying to connect the people around the whole world and establish peace. Kennedy was able to unify the people and try to establish peace while at the same time making himself seem like a very competent leader. In his speech Kennedy tries to build his credibility as a personable leader by creating ethos.

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Kennedy goes on to talk about how people came and still come to America from all over the world to practice whatever religion they see fit, how America is able to separate church from state, how America does not force any religious or cultural beliefs on anyone, and if we did any of these things it would be un-American (Kennedy 1960). Kennedy goes on to drive his identity and his views of what America represents to the audience when he mentions how he fought in the military for the same freedom that our founding fathers left England for and the Constitution was established on. Clearly listing what he believes America is and showing this shared value of being able to practice any religion freely is what made the protestant identify with

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Kennedy’s speech also talks about the balance of personal integrity and professional responsibility. JFK’s ability to balance his responsibility as president and his personal integrity as catholic has allowed him to be a successful leader. “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 these views, in accordance with what my conscience tells me to be the national interest, and without regard to outside religious pressures or dictates. And no power or threat of punishment could cause me to decide otherwise”(JFK). JFK made decisions based on what is best for the nation and not on his personal opinions on the matter.

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