While the media fawns over Pope Francis during his visit to the United States, the Freedom From Religion Foundation wants to remind everyone that the Pope shouldn’t be preaching to Congress. Even though he’s considered a Head of State, the government shouldn’t be accommodating or promoting his religious activities.

To that end, FFRF is purchasing full page ads in the Washington Post, New York Times, USA Today and Philadelphia Enquirer on Thursday that are sure to get some attention. They highlight the damage the Catholic Church continues to inflict upon the world (with the Pope’s blessings):

The Washington Post ad features the words of candidate John F. Kennedy, affirming an America with an “absolute” separation between church and state, “where no public official either requests or accepts instructions on public policy from the Pope…” FFRF is running a more hard-hitting ad, “Global Warning,” in The New York Times, USA Today and Philadelphia Enquirer, calling it “an affront to our nation’s secular values that Roman Catholic congressional leaders are granting the leader of their religion — the pope — an unprecedented opportunity to address a joint session of Congress.” The ad depicts a graphic with a Ten Commandments-like monument of Catholic dogma and practice which the Vatican seeks to impose via law. It also features a light cartoon by Don Addis showing a priest blessing the marriage between church and state.

I know a lot of people don’t find a lot of this problematic. The media certainly doesn’t. But no other religious group, regardless of size, would be given this sort of access to government officials and the opportunity to deliver a message to a joint session of Congress (not to mention all the perks).

It’s a privilege afforded to no other religious or non-religious group and it’s all on the taxpayers’ dime.



