I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute - where no Catholic prelate would tell the President (should he be Catholic) how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote - where no church or church school is granted any public funds or political preference - and where no man is denied public office merely because his religion differs from the President who might appoint him or the people who might elect him. I believe in an America that is officially neither Catholic, Protestant nor Jewish - where no public official either requests or accepts instructions on public policy from the Pope, the National Council of Churches or any other ecclesiastical source - where no religious body seeks to impose its will directly or indirectly upon the general populace or the public acts of its officials - and where religious liberty is so indivisible that an act against one church is treated as an act against all. John F. Kennedy
About This Quote

First, I will say that the quote is taken out of context. It has been taken out of context because it is a very powerful quote and people want to use it to support their own beliefs. I believe that the separation of church and state is absolute. I believe that no one should be able to dictate how another person lives his or her life.

However, I also believe that churches and religious organizations play an important role in our communities and in society at large. They provide a service and help to those who need it. They help people find the will and strength to overcome many challenges they face in life.

Many members of some churches come from backgrounds where they did not have a lot of support or guidance from their families or other institutions. Some of these people end up in prison and some end up on drugs because there was no one there to guide them through their journey in life.

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More Quotes By John F. Kennedy
  1. The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word 'crisis.' One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger--but recognize the opportunity.
  2. The rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened.
  3. A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on. Ideas have endurance without death.
  4. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.
  5. Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men.
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