Posted on 08/19/2008 10:35:30 AM PDT by kellynla
In eight of the last nine presidential elections, the crucial “Catholic vote” has picked the winner. And in what is shaping up to be another close election, America’s 69 million Catholics are again likely to hold the key not only to the White House, but to a great number of other races as well.
However, before we can settle the question “How did Catholics vote in November?” Catholics must decide “How should we vote in November?”
The bishops of the United States recently stated, “The Church’s obligation to participate in shaping the moral character of society is a requirement of our faith.”
“As Catholics,” they said, “we should be guided more by our moral convictions than by our attachment to a political party or interest group.” And at the top of the list of Catholic moral convictions, the bishops put “defending the inviolable sanctity of human life from the moment of conception until natural death.”
Once again the bishops of the United States have provided important guidance through their statement on Faithful Citizenship. This is especially important since Catholics often confront a dilemma in deciding how to vote: Can we support a candidate who may be attractive for many reasons but who supports abortion rights? Some partisan advocates have sought to excuse support for pro-abortion rights candidates through a complex balancing act. They claim other issues are important enough to offset a candidate’s support for abortion rights.
But the right to abortion mandated in the United States by the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision is not just another political issue; it is in reality a legal regime that has resulted in more than 40 million deaths.
(Excerpt) Read more at article.nationalreview.com ...
ping
Good to see the head of the K of C stepping up and taking this position.
If only white Catholics voted like white baptists, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Jersey would be solidly Republican states.
I know 2 Catholics who will be proudly voting republican like always. I could never vote for the party of death and still be able to sleep at night.
Forget the skin color and religion... ALL CHRISTIANS and JEWS have no business voting for abortionists! PERIOD!
Or did I miss something and the Fifth Commandment got tossed while I was out of the office!
“Lets not confuse practicing Catholics with CINO’s.”
Why not? People here castigate Jewish voters all the time without making the parallel distinction.
I only wish this piece was on the op-ed pages of the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, New York Times & Los Angeles Times...being in the National Review is like preaching to the choir.LOL
“People here castigate Jewish voters all the time without making the parallel distinction.”
Not I!
Being a good Catholic also means not voting for McCain if a pro-abort is on the ticket.
“But the right to abortion mandated in the United States by the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision is not just another political issue; it is in reality a legal regime that has resulted in more than 40 million deaths.”
I wish somebody would tell the black church that abortion kills.
In 30 years, I don’t think the congressional black caucus has ever had a member who didn’t love abortion.
I have a sneaking feeling that Obama won't carry Jersey. The union workers I knew and grew up with are the most rascist people I know. I can't see them voting Obama.
The only Obama lawn signs I see are a handful in Lawrenceville/Princeton
Let’s see. On the one hand you have a candidate supporting a right to an abortion. On the other hand you have a candidate divorced and remarried, living in adultery. Not a great choice either way.
I see you've been in my neighborhood.
NJ will be close this time. The south Jersey, disproportionately blue collar counties that face Philly will all go Republican for the first time since 1988. We have been hurting in South Jersey for some two decades now due to the Dems carrying the lunchpail vote in those areas.
Still, that will not be enough to give the state to McCain. He needs to make inroads among the large Korean population in Bergen County, the large Indian American population in Middlesex and Mercer counties, and blue collar Dems throughout the state. Its been said that he who wins Bergen County wins the state, but, these days, they have to win Bergen by at least 5%.
I predict that Obama wins Essex, Hudson, Passaic, Camden (barely, unless the suburban towns come out heavily for McCain), Union, and Mercer counties. The real wild cards in this race are Middlesex (if McCain gets the Indian vote and enough of the blue collar whites, he wins here), Atlantic, and Bergen Counties.
Whoever is president picks the judges. The judges we have at present are starting to mandate doctors (whatever their own religious convictions) perform en-vitro fertilizations for same-sex couples; that pastors not criticize homosexuality (a ‘hate crime’); that schools teach that homosexuality is normal; that the media give equal time to ‘all’ points of view (end of free speech); etc.
The entire culture of America can be changed in one generation; but don’t let that stop anyone who is religious from voting for whoever is going to hand out more federal goodies. . .(sarc/off)
“On the other hand you have a candidate divorced and remarried, living in adultery?”
“living in adultery?”
and who might that be? and how would YOU know? LOL
True but one edorses the killing of 40 million babies and the other does not... In this case, I’ll take the divorced candidate every time.
“Being a good Catholic also means not voting for McCain if a pro-abort is on the ticket”
Well, we’ll just have to hope & pray that McCain chooses a Pro-Life running mate.
There is a good reason why we have McCain rather than Guiliani. Guiliani wouldn’t even pretend to be pro-life.
Is McCain Catholic? If not, I don’t see how the divorce/adultery issue is relevant!
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