Can a devout Catholic be a good U.S. President?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mannyfit75
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
M

Mannyfit75

Guest
Is it possible for a devout practicing Catholic be a good U.S. President, who upheld Church teachings especially in the lines of moral issues, such as abortion, stem cell, euthanasia, death penalty, homosexuality, etc?
 
Of course s/he could make an excellent president, if the charism for wise governance of a people was possessed.

The better question is whether such a person could get elected.
 
I remember seeing a cartoon once, that showed “the road to the whitehouse” as no being a straight line, but rather a zig zaging line that sometimes veared to the left, sometimes to the right…and it basically followed the money-- and the opinion of the politician followed the money.

Sadly, I’m not sure if there ever would be enough backing of a devout Catholic. Sure, that person would get a lot of Catholic Answer forum votes… but the general population I believe is fearful of a person being “ruled by the pope.” I’ve had a hard enough time clearing up misconceptions about the Catholic church to cousins and friends, and have hardly gotten any to understand over the last 10 years… I can’t imagine trying to make it click mentally during a campaign trail.

Could a Devout Catholic Be a good US Pres? Absolutely. But then again, “Good” is a relative perspection. If good means respecting life but sometimes else changes (such as avoiding wars, but then price of oil skyrockets to $12 a gallon…it would be hard to poll America and see if they truly have a “Good” perception of the president).

I look at someone like Fr. Corapi… and what a leader he is. It would be wonderful to see someone like him, a devout Catholic, have a chance to run a country. But, it is only a dream in this day in age. The support is hardly there. Even among Catholics, there is quite a difference between those who say they are Catholic and those who truly practice their faith. The day a true Decout Catholic chooses the road to the presidency, I think you’ll see brothers, nuns, monks, priests, and lay people with their crosses outside of their clothing flooding the polls to vote.

I only wish i could have that idea choice to vote for!
 
Mannyfit75 said:
Is it possible for a devout practicing Catholic be a good U.S. President, who upheld Church teachings especially in the lines of moral issues, such as abortion, stem cell, euthanasia, death penalty, homosexuality, etc?
Click to expand...
Its not even possible for a devout religionist to last in politics. A devout christian will not last long enough to run for president. 😃
 
If a devout Catholic could not be a good U.S. President then there is either something wrong with Catholicism or something wrong with the concept of self-governance (and for that matter, with the concepts of nationhood and governance in general).
 
AgnosTheist said:
Its not even possible for a devout religionist to last in politics. A devout christian will not last long enough to run for president. 😃
Click to expand...
VociMike said:
If a devout Catholic could not be a good U.S. President then there is either something wrong with Catholicism or something wrong with the concept of self-governance (and for that matter, with the concepts of nationhood and governance in general).
Click to expand...
Lends credence to the argument that one has to sell one’s soul to be in high political office, no? 🤷
 
I suspect that if the candidate went on record as being opposed to those things which Catholicism opposes, and in support of those things which Catholicism supports (with the tacit acknowledgment that those stances would influence his decisions and policies), he would never get elected. Not in this culture, not with our media.

If, however, by some chance he were elected, he’d never get anything accomplished. Our magnificent Congress would block him at every turn.
 
Newbie2 said:
Lends credence to the argument that one has to sell one’s soul to be in high political office, no? 🤷
Click to expand...
Well, I think that’s another question - can a devout Catholic get elected as U.S. President. I’m skeptical on that one, but I don’t want to be cynical about it.

But if elected, it would only be impossible for a devout Catholic to be a good President if there is either something wrong with devout Catholicism or with nationhood and self-governance.
 
Wolseley said:
I suspect that if the candidate went on record as being opposed to those things which Catholicism opposes, and in support of those things which Catholicism supports (with the tacit acknowledgment that those stances would influence his decisions and policies), he would never get elected. Not in this culture, not with our media.

If, however, by some chance he were elected, he’d never get anything accomplished. Our magnificent Congress would block him at every turn.
Click to expand...
because America had become too diversed. a good president would have to consider the interest of the general public, not just his own.

a devout catholic president would only work in a catholic majority country.
 
When people within the Church raise the issue that Catholics running for office should not be elected unless they follow all the pronouncements of Rome they set up a situation which makes it impossible for a Catholic to be elected.

The vast majority of Christians will not vote for a Catholic who swears his first allegience to the Church rather than to our representative democracy. Undoubtedly non-Christians will not either.

The ultra-conservative Catholic population is simply too tiny to elect anyone but perhaps a school board member on its own numbers.

So far, all Catholics runnings for President are unacceptable because of their stands of various moral issues. This has been publicized to a high degree. Soon, all Catholic candidates whatever their beliefs will be tainted by this. So I suspect if this keeps up, Catholics will be less likely to bother trying to run when they are attacked and thrwarted by their own fellow Catholics.

Ultra conservative Catholics don’t appear to mind that they are setting the state for only fundamentalist candidates to bother running. Unfortunately, history suggests that when fundamentalists gain control, the first people they attack are the Catholic “Beast”.
 
SpiritMeadow said:
When people within the Church raise the issue that Catholics running for office should not be elected unless they follow all the pronouncements of Rome they set up a situation which makes it impossible for a Catholic to be elected.

The vast majority of Christians will not vote for a Catholic who swears his first allegience to the Church rather than to our representative democracy. Undoubtedly non-Christians will not either.

The ultra-conservative Catholic population is simply too tiny to elect anyone but perhaps a school board member on its own numbers.

So far, all Catholics runnings for President are unacceptable because of their stands of various moral issues. This has been publicized to a high degree. Soon, all Catholic candidates whatever their beliefs will be tainted by this. So I suspect if this keeps up, Catholics will be less likely to bother trying to run when they are attacked and thrwarted by their own fellow Catholics.

Ultra conservative Catholics don’t appear to mind that they are setting the state for only fundamentalist candidates to bother running. Unfortunately, history suggests that when fundamentalists gain control, the first people they attack are the Catholic “Beast”.
Click to expand...
If I am following you here it seems we must deny what is true to get elected? How is that good in any way?
 
So long as he or she keeps in mind that the president’s job is to enforce and uphold the laws in the interests of the nation as opposed to personal convictions, there’s no reason a devout Catholic – or a devout Jew, a devout Muslim, a devout anything – couldn’t make an excellent president.

The president doesn’t make the laws; that’s the Congress’ job.
 
A devout Catholic would make the best president, legislator, king, etc. (assuming he had the same administrative skills as the less devout options). The sooner we bring the USA more in line with the rule of the King of kings, the better 🙂
 
Genesis315 said:
A devout Catholic would make the best president, legislator, king, etc. (assuming he had the same administrative skills as the less devout options). The sooner we bring the USA more in line with the rule of the King of kings, the better 🙂
Click to expand...
The reason Europeans started moving here in the first place was to get away from governments with theocratic ambitions.
 
fix said:
If I am following you here it seems we must deny what is true to get elected? How is that good in any way?
Click to expand...
Deny what? You will have to explain a bit more fully I’m afraid.
 
It depends upon what we consider as “good President”. Think of Jesus. How did He live the life of “King of Kings”? Why did He choose to be born in a manger instead of in the palace of a great King? All throughout His life He was teaching us how it is to be a “good President”. And the life culminated on the cross. That is the ideal “Good President”. Can a devout catholic be as that? That also depends on God.
 
I agree with those who have stated the obvious. He would have to maintain a democracy and not try to institute a Catholic theocracy.
 
AgnosTheist said:
Its not even possible for a devout religionist to last in politics. A devout christian will not last long enough to run for president. 😃
Click to expand...
I can’t agree with this, or perhaps you are being sarcastic?

Suppose there was a guy running whose positions lined up pretty well with Catholic positions. He might have a chance.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top