Are Traditional Catholics (TLM) politically conservative?

[Mrs_Sally]

I have found that when trying to follow the Church closely in what temporal advice she gives, that I end up in a place between the US polictical parties. Obviously life issues are indeed primary, but in local or state races that isn’t always a dividing issue.

My expectation is that traditional Catholics would try to steer as closely as possible to the Church’s teachings. My real life experience is that most folks I know who attend the EF exclusively or almost exclusively also adhere to the republican party no matter what a candidate’s stance on any issue except abortion.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

I don’t think it’s quite that cut and dry. For the most part I would agree that many (most?) those that attend the TLM lean “conservative,” but many are also completely disgusted with both parties.

I often think that the liberal wing of the Democratic party has driven most traditional Catholics out by embracing positions on social issues that are anathema to Catholic teaching. Like many Catholics I side with conservatives on life and family issues, but with liberals on things like war and capital punishment. Because both paties uphold things I find disgusting I cannot vote for either and don’t accept liberal or conservative monikers.

Yep, this is how I feel also. But locally, I see more traditional Catholics voting a straight republican ticket then being thoughtful about some of these issues. I also realize that because we have prominent Catholic and republican officials in this state that the waters are a bit more mingled here than I think ideal.

 

[Stylites]

How many Catholics are aware of this voter’s guide?

I remember when Bush the Father was running for President, receiving in the email a Protestant Christian’s voter’s guide which was very helpful.

Do most Catholics know this guide exists?

TL, check out this wiki on Catholic Answers 2004 voter’s guide: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Answers

It’s hard for me to say how many Catholics are aware of the guide; I hear about in every recent election cycle on Catholic radio in various programs and broadcast homilies.

 

[Brooklyn]

I have found that when trying to follow the Church closely in what temporal advice she gives, that I end up in a place between the US polictical parties. Obviously life issues are indeed primary, but in local or state races that isn’t always a dividing issue.

My expectation is that traditional Catholics would try to steer as closely as possible to the Church’s teachings. My real life experience is that most folks I know who attend the EF exclusively or almost exclusively also adhere to the republican party no matter what a candidate’s stance on any issue except abortion.

“Adhere to the Republican party no matter what?” I sure hope that isn’t true. Many in the Republican party, for instance, while not supporting same sex marriage, do support “civil unions” for homosexuals. Then there are “closet liberals” within the party, like Laura Bush, who admitted, after her husband left office, that she supports abortion and same sex marriage. Her husband, who is the actual politican in the family, says he doesn’t support these things, but who knows?

 

[Brooklyn]

Yep, this is how I feel also. But locally, I see more traditional Catholics voting a straight republican ticket then being thoughtful about some of these issues. I also realize that because we have prominent Catholic and republican officials in this state that the waters are a bit more mingled here than I think ideal.

Why are you putting such a blanket judgment on “traditional Catholics”, as if they never think for themselves but operate from a “knee jerk” reaction? Do you have some sort of inside information about “traditional Catholics?” From someone who is “traditionally” Catholic, I find that insulting.

 

[Stylites]

I could not agree with you more. I see the two parties - Republicans and Democrats - as basically two sides of the same coin. Nothing ever changes whichever party gets in. The Republicans keep claiming they are pro life and for smaller government, but abortion remains the law of the land. More than one trillion dollars has been added to the national debt since the “tea party” Republicans came to office in January 2011, those same Republicans who were going to stop all the big spending in Washington. We keep getting into more and more wars, and I don’t see either Republicans or Democrats standing up against that.

I have completely given up on politics. It is a false messiah. I don’t trust those who call themselves “conservatives” and I certainly want nothing to do with “liberals” who for the most part are pro abortion and anti traditional morality.

The only thing I can do is get down on my knees before the throne of God - that is the only place of real hope and change.

Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t vote in elections. The Catholic Church, though, teaches stewardship, civic responsiblily and patriotism.

Regarding the issue of abortion, just because a legislature may not be able to vote to outlaw what the Supreme Court currently allows is no reason to shun one’s own civic responsibilities in placing into offices of trust those who most closely adhere to one’s own informed Catholic conscience.

 

[CesarAugustus]

“Adhere to the Republican party no matter what?” I sure hope that isn’t true. Many in the Republican party, for instance, while not supporting same sex marriage, do support “civil unions” for homosexuals. Then there are “closet liberals” within the party, like Laura Bush, who admitted, after her husband left office, that she supports abortion and same sex marriage. Her husband, who is the actual politican in the family, says he doesn’t support these things, but who knows?

Not only in your country. Over here, while “conservatives” or “right wing” oppose abortion, they usually don’t speak agaisnt things like corruption or immorality in the media and society.

Various conservatives of today, are just liberals in slow motion. One can see that even in our Church too.

Blessings!

 

[PJM]

This question was prompted by another thread in which the OP asks for help finding a group of politically-conservative friends.

The Latin Mass Catholics that I am friends with in my city are definitely politically-conservative, and will be voting for the Republican candidate (or possibly writing in the name of the formerly Libertarian candidate).

I also tend to be friends with the very conservative Catholics in my OF parish and at other OF parishes.

I know that many of the people in my very large parish are fence-straddlers when it comes to politics, and many of them will no doubt vote to re-elect President Obama because they have a mistaken view that he is pro-life because he speaks of ending the war. It’s amazing to me that some of these liberal people are still in our parish; our priests consistently give homilies denouncing abortion, homosexual marriage, etc., and yes, we can count on people standing up and walking out of the Mass in a huff whenever the priests give one of these homilies. But many of them come back to the parish; I suspect that many of them balance their political leanings with their fear of going to hell if they leave the Catholic Church.

Is it generally true of Traditional Catholics that they are politically-conservative? Are most of them leaning towards Republican rather than Democrat candidates these days?

Thanks!

IF THEY ARE INFORMED AND PRACTICING CATHOLICS OT CHRISTIANS THE ANSWER MUST BE [NO OPTION HERE] FOR PRESIDENT AT LEAST. AND AS MOST [IF NOT ALL DEMOCRATS FOLLOW THE PARTY PLATFORM] WE WHO KNOW, LOVE, AND SERVE CHRIST CANNOT; NOT JUST MUST NOT, VOTE FOR ANY CANDIDATE WHO SUPPORTS ABORTION, GAY RITES; GAY CIVIL UNIONS.

EITHER GOD IS IN CHARGE OR WE ARE. CAN’T BE BOTH WAYS.

God Bless,
pat/PJM

 

[TrueLight]

TL, check out this wiki on Catholic Answers 2004 voter’s guide: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Answers

It’s hard for me to say how many Catholics are aware of the guide; I hear about in every recent election cycle on Catholic radio in various programs and broadcast homilies.

Thanks.

By the way, I meant I received the voter’s guide in the mail, not email.

So it seems there was a lot of controversy surrounding this guide!

 

[Stylites]

. . . Laura Bush, who admitted, after her husband left office, that she supports abortion and same sex marriage.

Remind me not to vote for Laura Bush if she ever runs for political office.

 

[Brooklyn]

Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t vote in elections. The Catholic Church, though, teaches stewardship, civic responsiblily and patriotism.

Regarding the issue of abortion, just because a legislature may not be able to vote to outlaw what the Supreme Court currently allows is no reason to shun one’s own civic responsibilities in placing into offices of trust those who most closely adhere to one’s own informed Catholic conscience.

When is the last time you saw Republicans actually try to do something about abortion? When the HHS mandate came out against the Church, Speaker of the House John Boehner said he was going to fight against it in Congress. What action have you seen since then?

If I thought voting for one politican over another would actually do any good, there would be nothing that could stop me from voting. I have been voting for years for the politicians who said they were for the “right” issues, and yet our country keeps spinning down into more and more evil. It is only a matter of time before homosexual marriage is the law of the land, and it will be illegal to speak out against it. It doesn’t matter who I vote for. As long as our country keeps killing babies and legislating immorality, nothing is going to change.

Msgr. Philip Reilly, who is the founder of “Helpers of God’s Precious Infants”, said the war against abortion cannot be won in the legislature. The hearts and minds of the American people must be changed. Truer words were never spoken. Our salvation does not lie in politics or politicians.

 

[Stylites]

Thanks.

By the way, I meant I received the voter’s guide in the mail, not email.

So it seems there was a lot of controversy surrounding this guide!

The truth is always “controversial” to those who don’t like it. The so-called “controversy” was just the reaction of those currently in political power who want religion and religious sensibilities banned from the public square.

 

[TrueLight]

The truth is always “controversial” to those who don’t like it. The so-called “controversy” was just the reaction of those currently in political power who want religion and religious sensibilities banned from the public square.

I vaguely remember a similar uproar to the voter’s guide Protestants were mailing to their constituents. For example, my neighborhood was primarily democratic, so the voter’s guide, which pushed for a more conservative agenda without naming candidates, made the democrats very nervous.

 

[Stylites]

Our salvation does not lie in politics or politicians.

Indeed, and maybe it’s an epiphany to some that that is the case. But the Church doesn’t teach that the laity ought to abstain from voting as the Jehovah’s Witnesses do.

 

[Brooklyn]

Indeed, and maybe it’s an epiphany to some that that is the case. But the Church doesn’t teach that the laity ought to abstain from voting as the Jehovah’s Witnesses do.

Nor does the Church teach that voting is mandatory. It is strictly our decision, and since I don’t see any real choices out there, I choose not to vote. If you honestly think that voting for one politician over another is going to make a difference, when it has not made any difference to this point, then by all means - vote!

 

[Stylites]

Nor does the Church teach that voting is mandatory. It is strictly our decision, and since I don’t see any real choices out there, I choose not to vote. If you honestly think that voting for one politician over another is going to make a difference, when it has not made any difference to this point, then by all means - vote!

You mentioned Laura Bush, and it serves to remind Catholics that President Bush had reinstituted in 2001 the Mexico City Policy which prevented NGOs who receive federal funds from providing or promoting abortions in other countries, and that President Obama’s first act as president was to rescind the policy. Do the results of elections save or cost lives? Yes. Should that be on the minds of Catholics as they vote or not? Yes.

 

[Brooklyn]

You mentioned Laura Bush, and it serves to remind Catholics that President Bush had reinstituted in 2001 the Mexico City Policy which prevented NGOs who receive federal funds from providing or promoting abortions in other countries, and that President Obama’s first act as president was to rescind the policy. Do the results of elections save or cost lives? Yes. Should that be on the minds of Catholics as they vote or not? Yes.

Bush was definitely better on the life issues than Obama, and I will give him credit for that. But that certainly didn’t stop abortions in this country, did it? And as Obama showed, the Mexico policy was easily rescinded. And have any of the “pro life” Republicans done anything about it?

Here in New York City the abortion rate is 41% - that means, 41% of all pregnancies in this city end in abortion. In the black community here in the city, the number is over 60%. The only ones speaking out about this are the Catholics. Certainly no politicians are saying a word. It’s fine not to send money to Mexico City, but what did Bush do about New York City?

Bush did not end abortions in Mexico, he merely stopped the money going there, which was started again under Obama. Bush did nothing to stop the abortions in the American city I lived in. As far as I’m concerned, the Mexico City policy was nothing more than throwing a bone to pro lifers. He still kept funding Planned Parenthood, the largest provider of abortion in this and every American city.

 

[mick321]

Assuming humor is still allowed within this forum, I respectfully offer the following:

All US politicians, regardless of party, are required to obey the infallible decrees of the magisterium of campaign contributors, in all matters of faith and morals.

If not Thomas, just ban me forever, and take the pain away.

 

[Stylites]

Bush was definitely better on the life issues than Obama, and I will give him credit for that. But that certainly didn’t stop abortions in this country, did it? And as Obama showed, the Mexico policy was easily rescinded. And have any of the “pro life” Republicans done anything about it?

Here in New York City the abortion rate is 41% - that means, 41% of all pregnancies in this city end in abortion. In the black community here in the city, the number is over 60%. The only ones speaking out about this are the Catholics. Certainly no politicians are saying a word. It’s fine not to send money to Mexico City, but what did Bush do about New York City?

Bush did not end abortions in Mexico, he merely stopped the money going there, which was started again under Obama. Bush did nothing to stop the abortions in the American city I lived in. As far as I’m concerned, the Mexico City policy was nothing more than throwing a bone to pro lifers. He still kept funding Planned Parenthood, the largest provider of abortion in this and every American city.

Even if only one life were saved by voting for one’s Catholic conscience then it would be a meritorious act.

You might do well to consider Voltaire’s words: “Le mieux est l’ennemi du bien.” or generally translated as “The perfect is the enemy of the good.”

 

[Brooklyn]

Even if only one life were saved by voting for one’s Catholic conscience then it would be a meritorious act.

You might do well to consider Voltaire’s words: “Le mieux est l’ennemi du bien.” or generally translated as “The perfect is the enemy of the good.”

So it’s okay to defund Mexico, but let’s forget about NYC where 89,000 babies are killed every year. Let’s keep funding Planned Parenthood because at least we’ve (temporarily) defunded Mexico City.

Sorry, I’m not asking for perfection. I’m asking for someone who sincerely wants to change things. I don’t see that in any politician, and that is why I will not vote. I don’t like choosing between Satan and the devil. You are free to do whatever you want.