A few months ago, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops reissued the document called “Faithful Citizenship.” It elaborates the moral principles to be used in deciding how to vote. Unfortunately, people are often impatient with principles and they look for quick answers. Even more unfortunately, some Catholics are more devoted to their political party, no matter what it is, than to the church, more moved by particular interests than by the common good or the faith itself. The document won’t be of much use to them, but everyone else should look for it on the USCCB website at www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/faithful-citizenship/.whole article at Catholic New World
Besides presenting moral principles, the recently reissued document lists in an introductory note some key moral issues that ought to be considered if one wants to be faithful to the common good today. Abortion and threats to other vulnerable people remain the basic concern for those who desire a society based on universal love. Preserving a legal system that respects the nature of marriage as a union of one man and one woman for the sake of family is also key today. Love for everyone mandates a reexamination of our flawed immigration system. The widespread use of violence to make one’s way in the world, including the use of torture by government, destroys the ability to love our neighbor.
Again, it does a disservice to the pro-life community to put abortion on the same level as immigration reform. It allows pro-abortion leaders to be elected because they are "pro-immigration." Allowing Mexicans to stay in the US to provide them with taxpayer funded abortion and contraception is not solving a problem, it's creating several new ones.
Photo
HT Madison Diocese
7 comments:
It is also a disservice to humanity and oneself to vote for the Pro-Life candidate and refuse to challenge their positions on issues such as immigration, the death penalty and many other issues. Voting Pro-Life is very important; accepting and even adopting un-Catholic positions because they are held by Pro-Life candidates is also unacceptable.
Yes, but there is a hierarchy of importance. The evil of abortion is not comparable to immigration injustices (and I am the first to admit the current immigration policy is not perfect and is in need of change.) As Catholics, we can have differing views on immigration and the death penalty -- part of a healthy discussion through which problems are solved -- but we can never have differing views on the value and sacredness of each human life.
Agreed, but abortion is not a negotiable issue. Immigration for example could have many different charitable approaches. (Wisconsin doesn't have the death penalty)
"... the value and sacredness of each human life." Doesn't this also extend to the death penalty?
Wisconsin doesn't have the death penalty. Neither does Illinois. Mind you, 5,000 abortions are committed in this country every day...
U. S. EXECUTIONS SINCE 1976: 1,099 (as of April 1, 2008)
http://www.clarkprosecutor.org/html/death/dpusa.htm
Utterly ridiculous comparison.
Are executions less of a destruction of human life just because they happen out of the state? Last time I checked this was the UNITED States of America. Isn't valuing human life at all stages the foundation of the Catholic Church? Utterly ridiculous that you can't see the connection. If we are to value human life at all stages that means providing assistance to our fellow human beings at all stages. Not just insisting that they are not to be aborted and then walking away when they take their first breath.
Is there some particular legislation that you are referring to that I should be supporting that outlaws the death penalty?
For the record,
Since 1976:
Death penalty = 1,099 deaths
Abortion = 55,000,000 deaths
That is .002% deaths of the total deaths. We haven't even added the number of assisted suicide, which I'm sure you oppose as well. I have found that the death penalty issue is what left leaning Catholics use to justify voting for pro-abortion politicians. I reject that idea.
Post a Comment