Can a catholic be a democrat?

[johnnyt3000]

The democratic party supports abortion and gay marriage, and other things against church teaching, is it ever possible for a faithful practicing catholic to vote for a democrat and not sin, and is it a sin for a catholic to support obamacare?

 

[mgoforth]

The democratic party supports abortion and gay marriage, and other things against church teaching, is it ever possible for a faithful practicing catholic to vote for a democrat and not sin, and is it a sin for a catholic to support obamacare?

From what I understand, the Church’s position is that there are certain evils that we can’t provide our support to including abortion and gay marriage. I’ll leave the Obamacare question for someone else. However, the Church can’t (and I don’t think they would choose to even if allowed) endorse a particular party or candidate.

On the one hand, not every Democrat necessarily works to promote every item in their party’s platform. Likewise, there could be Republicans who are “personally” against abortion but refuse to legislate accordingly. So I don’t think a straight party vote is always the best idea.

The good news is that you seem to want to vote according to Church teaching.



My advice is pretty common sense. Weigh all the particular candidates in a given race against each other based on what you believe and vote accordingly. You have to decide which issues are the most important to you. In most cases there probably won’t be a perfect candidate. Unless Pope Francis decides to run for mayor of your town you will likely have to choose between the lesser of two evils…

 

[JimG]

Of course. Just don’t vote for anyone who supports abortion or same sex marriage.

 

[PaulfromIowa]

There are some pro-life US Democrats, such as former Boston Mayor Raymond Flynn, although they are severely discriminated against by their party apparatus. A Catholic can be a Democrat, although he cannot ever support a pro-abort candidate. How to explain pro-abort Democrat party politicians like Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi who say that they are Catholic? They are a source of great confusion and scandal. The US Catholic bishops as a group have failed to deal with this confusion.

 

[on_the_hill]

Yes.

A political party’s platform doesn’t have the same authority as the Catechism of the Catholic Church, for example.

People frown on ‘cafeteria Catholics,’ but there’s nothing wrong with being a ‘cafeteria Democrat’ or ‘cafeteria Republican.’

 

[NextElement]

I agree to vote with the church’s teachings, not along party lines. In 10 years, Republicans could advocate abortion and gay marriage as well, so it’s always best to not generalize yourself to a certain political party.

 

[robwar]

Yes.

A political party’s platform doesn’t have the same authority as the Catechism of the Catholic Church, for example.

People frown on ‘cafeteria Catholics,’ but there’s nothing wrong with being a ‘cafeteria Democrat’ or ‘cafeteria Republican.’

Both political parties are pretty faithless. One may have in their platform things that seem pro-life and pro-traditional marriage but just as many Republicans do not follow or support that as democrats. I think some of these so called platform statements are rather meaningless. I like cafeteria Democrat or Republican because that is what goes on anyway.

 

[TK421]

The line between Democrats and Republicans can become vague at certain areas. Many Catholics did (and still do) belong to the Democratic Party 50 years ago, but it has gradually morphed into a party that champions secular liberal values, although this irrefutable reality either hasn’t sunken in, or they don’t care. There are Democrats that are pro-life, pro-family, but their bloodline has faded and been pushed to the margins of the party platform.

Abortion is not to be viewed as one issue to take into consideration among many. It is murder. It is colossally significant. A son of the Church cannot marginalize it.

It is fully possible to be a registered Democrat and be faithful to the Church. Personally, I can’t reason how it is wise though. You have a list of presidential candidates that are sworn enemies to what you believe in. I would either be Republican or Independent.

 

[Irishgal49]

There are some pro-life US Democrats, such as former Boston Mayor Raymond Flynn, although they are severely discriminated against by their party apparatus. A Catholic can be a Democrat, although he cannot ever support a pro-abort candidate. How to explain pro-abort Democrat party politicians like Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi who say that they are Catholic? They are a source of great confusion and scandal. The US Catholic bishops as a group have failed to deal with this confusion.

I am a democrat. I find that a lot of Republicans are lying. Mitt Romney was very well known to be pro-choice, and George Bush’s wife recently admitted she is pro-choice (pro-death?) and kept her mouth shut so she wouldn’t hurt her husband’s career (and so that church people would vote her hubby into office).

Most politicians LIE. So all we can do is try to find the lesser of the evils. I think the social policies of the democrats are more in line with Jesus–we can clamp down on the abortion piece and work on the other issues, but as a social worker I have seen first-hand what Republican policies have done to the poor that I see and talk to daily. I work with the homeless and mentally ill.

Give me a staunch social action Democrat any-day and then we can work on the issues where we disagree. We are doing that already. But remember, we are called to witness and convert, not push people who reject our faith into obeying our lifestyles. That just pushes them away further.

Loving witness goes farther. Feeding the hungry is better than electing someone who gives millionaires tax breaks. I would rather rein in a radical liberal than try to convince a rich jerk to have compassion.

 

[CathConvert602]

Yes.

A political party’s platform doesn’t have the same authority as the Catechism of the Catholic Church, for example.

People frown on ‘cafeteria Catholics,’ but there’s nothing wrong with being a ‘cafeteria Democrat’ or ‘cafeteria Republican.’

^^^^ YES!!

 

[SuperLuigi]

=Irishgal49;11924290]I am a democrat. I find that a lot of Republicans are lying.

“I did not have sexual relations with that woman…”

“If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor”.

Mitt Romney was very well known to be pro-choice, and George Bush’s wife recently admitted she is pro-choice (pro-death?) and kept her mouth shut so she wouldn’t hurt her husband’s career (and so that church people would vote her hubby into office).

Mitt Romney was for abortion in cases of rape, incest and danger to mother. That’s a common position among republicans and while not perfect sure beats infanticide.

I’m also sure that Michelle Obama is keeping some things to herself so as not damage her husband.

Most politicians LIE. So all we can do is try to find the lesser of the evils. I think the social policies of the democrats are more in line with Jesus–we can clamp down on the abortion piece and work on the other issues,

but as a social worker I have seen first-hand what Republican policies have done to the poor that I see and talk to daily. I work with the homeless and mentally ill.

In most poor areas, it’s democrat policies that fail the poor.

Give me a staunch social action Democrat any-day and then we can work on the issues where we disagree.

Even if his/her policies don’t work?

Claiming to “care” isn’t enough.

We are doing that already. But remember, we are called to witness and convert, not push people who reject our faith into obeying our lifestyles. That just pushes them away further.

Then why are the democrats forcing religious groups to buy contraception and to do business with gay “weddings?”

Feeding the hungry is better than electing someone who gives millionaires tax breaks.

Giving millionares tax breaks = more hungry people fed.

I would rather rein in a radical liberal than try to convince a rich jerk to have compassion.

But it happen. For starters, when it comments like these appear, it shows that an individual will vote democrat (ie radical liberal) no matter what.

Good luck trying to “reign someone in” who knows has your vote locked up no matter what.

Second, a lot of rich people are generous. In fact, conservatives give more than liberals to charity despite making less money. And a LOT of rich people are liberal.

Don’t buy into the American liberal kool-aid that all rich people are mean, nasty republicans. It’s far from the truth and designed exclusively to make excuses for people to check their principles at the door and vote for the Democratic Party in spite of everything they do.

And it’s working marvelously.

 

[trevorhall]

I am a recovering political junkie. I gave up all politics on Nov. 6, 2012. I vote because the Church asks us to participate. Since getting out of the political sphere, my life has calmed greatly! I have been a lifelong conservative Republican, though, and I will continue to vote same.

 

[SuperLuigi]

The democratic party supports abortion and gay marriage, and other things against church teaching, is it ever possible for a faithful practicing catholic to vote for a democrat and not sin,

Catholics who support abortion, embryonic stem-cell research and/or so-called gay “marriage” should excuse themselves from Communion.

Mortal sin requires simultaneously full consent and full knowledge.

and is it a sin for a catholic to support obamacare?

Given that it provides abortion, contraception and wants the Little Sisters of the Poor to pay for it in violation of religious liberty, I don’t see how any Catholic with a well-formed conscience not drowning in White House talking points could support it.

It’s not even going to work well at all and is a waste of resources.

 

[SuperLuigi]

People frown on ‘cafeteria Catholics,’ but there’s nothing wrong with being a ‘cafeteria Democrat’ or ‘cafeteria Republican.’

To answer the question on this thread, you may consider yourself a democrat as long as you are an orthodox Catholic.

There’s a lot of democrats out there who feel betrayed by the current party establishment and various voting blocs.

 

[Nelka]

What you need in America are more parties to choose from.

Can’t someone set up a party that caters for Catholics?

 

[marymary1975]

Mitt Romney was for abortion in cases of rape, incest and danger to mother. That’s a common position among republicans and while not perfect sure beats infanticide.

I’m also sure that Michelle Obama is keeping some things to herself so as not damage her husband.

e
And it’s working marvelously.

I am from Massachusetts and is not true that Romney is for abortion just in cases of rape. Romney was full pro choice and there are multiple statements of him while being governor Herr supporting the pro choice movement. He was pro IVF and pro all anti life idea and even his son who used surrogacy (ronmey promoted surrogacy in MA) wanted to force his surrogate to have an abortion. Romney was always a fierce liberal (can I remind you he won as governor of MA and oh yes he was supporting Decal Patrick too) what happens is that for the candidacy they realized with him as liberal republican no one on the southern states was going to vote for him and he put a temporary show during the elections. Also if you don’t remember Obamacare is not from Obama…obamacare is ROMNEYCARE. All Obama did was copied the exact same law that Romney created so no, the story that Romney was only in favor of abortion for cases of rape may worked for southern people who heard of Romney for the first time before the elections but not for people in MA who already knew Romney.

 

[marymary1975]

Both political parties are pretty faithless. One may have in their platform things that seem pro-life and pro-traditional marriage but just as many Republicans do not follow or support that as democrats. I think some of these so called platform statements are rather meaningless. I like cafeteria Democrat or Republican because that is what goes on anyway.

I totally agree with this. Both parties are faithless. I don’t know why people think that somehow republicans are more religious when is all pick and choose. Also we are talking about republicans being pro life and the Court that gave us the planned parenthood v Casey ruling on abortion was by far majority “republican” and most of its justices were names by either Reagan or Bush so basically the pro life legacy that republican left us was… Abortion? So I think that vision that republicans are religious is completely flawed.

 

[VincentChristop]

The catholic church is a Republican system.

We have no say in what the church teaches. Only the pope has that authority.

So I say you can be democratic, but know that the system you follow is a pyramid.

 

[TimothyH]

I totally agree with this. Both parties are faithless. I don’t know why people think that somehow republicans are more religious when is all pick and choose. Also we are talking about republicans being pro life and the Court that gave us the planned parenthood v Casey ruling on abortion was by far majority “republican” and most of its justices were names by either Reagan or Bush so basically the pro life legacy that republican left us was… Abortion? So I think that vision that republicans are religious is completely flawed.

This is very true. The world is not binary.

You can’t call yourself pro-life if you support the death penalty, euthenasia, contraception or abortion in any form. There is no true pro-life politician. Everything in life is a compromise. We try to stay out in front of the issues and do the best we can, that’s all.

The older I get the more I realize how smart the monks who withdraw to the monastery really are.

-Tim-

 

[Midwest88]

Nominal/cultural Catholic?
Practicing Catholic?

Be registered (D)? Yes.
Be a Blue Dog? I guess.
Be a modern day (D) in terms of “personal choice” and all the socially “progressive” paths it has opened? No.

I find it much harder to wrap my head around the reasoning of a practicing Catholic enthusiastically supporting a (D) unless that Catholic is obviously naive about politics. For example, my mother said if Hilary Clinton runs for POUTS in 2016 she’ll vote for her because “she’s good at international affairs.” (Don’t.Ask.) My dad said, “She likes Filipinos!” One of my godmothers said she didn’t like Hilary, but now she does (gave no reason).

-__-

Give me a staunch social action Democrat any-day and then we can work on the issues where we disagree.

Unless that “staunch social action Democrat” doesn’t look to the government as the answer and thinks spending it A-OK in order to solve a problem I’d be hard pressed to vote for a (D).

. I would rather rein in a radical liberal than try to convince a rich jerk to have compassion.

You sure about that? Do you even know what a “radical liberal” is, what they espouse, what that might mean for the country? You basically drunk the entire “Republicans Are So Evil” Kool-Aid that it’s laughable.

Name the policies that damned the poor, homeless and mentally ill supported by the (R)s.

I was thinking on becoming a social worker - I still might - but it’s one field that blatantly liberal in a very bad way.