Can the Pope tell Catholics how they MUST vote?

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I guess it may depend on what country your in. But in the United States if a church leader tells his flock which canidate to vote for they lose their tax exempt status. No church is going to risk that. But I honestly disagree with that law to begin with. I see nothing wrong with Chirches paying property taxes. There is no excuse for them to be excused from it. The government sure doesnt excuse me from paying mine and Churches have much more money than I do.
 
The Pope can tell Catholics which actions we take are a formal cooperation in sin, and which of two choices represents a lesser evil. But it is unltimately up to the individual to properly form his/her conscience and vote in a manner that does not brand us with the guilt of cooperating in the sin of those we elect into authoirty.
 
All political candidates and I mean ALL are dishonest - there isn’t a creditable politician alive - just because they say it doesn’t mean they follow it - and thats only the tip of the iceberg - so that being said if I follow my Catholic values I shouldn’t vote for any of them and abstain - a vote has to be made so you vote for the one that aligns closes to you values or the one who is going to take the least amount of money out of you pocket
 
The Pope can give us his guidance and teaching, but he cannot tell us who to vote for–that is a matter of conscience–and our consciences are what we must ultimately follow, and that is a teaching of the Catholic Church.

We have a responsibility to form and inform our consciences according to church teaching, but no one has the authority to tell us to vote for or against what we, as a matter of conscience, have determined to be the correct action. The ultimate judge of that is God alone.

But we have to remember that “feelings” do not equal an informed conscience–they are not sufficient to make a right judgment and form our conscience. We need to study the teachings of the Church and make every effort to understand them.

The area of conscience is covered in the CCC, and I believe that it is worth the time to read it.
 
Nom_the_Wise said:
That would be a longshot in the extreme. Most of Catholic doctrine is founded in universal beliefs about justice. I suppose this is just cynicism talking, and lately it is easy to lapse into cynicism.
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The last bit of voting advice I got from someone from Cook County was to “vote early and often.”
 
BettyBoop416 said:
The last bit of voting advice I got from someone from Cook County was to “vote early and often.”
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when i sit in voting booth i figure if i vote for a democrat, always pro abortion, i will kill 1000 babies all by myself and i do not want that on my soul…
 
PJM said:
Tell Catholics how they MUST vote?
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On matters of morals, like slavery, certain the Pope should inform the Faithful that they may not vote in favor of slavery or other intrinsic evils!
 
=Annabelle Marie;9898910]The Church really never tells…she invites…as Pope Benedict has said before.
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However she can also clarify how we should vote for our eternal health.
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SO LIKE ANNABELLES SAY’S THE ANSWER IS

NO!

Neither the Pope nor the Pope can TELL us "HOW TO VOTE}

BOTH THE POEP AND THE CHURCH CAN; INDEED MUST ABSOLUTELY TELL US HOW NOT TO VOTE!

NO “CHRISTIAN” CAN VOTE FOR A PARTY, OR ANY CANDIDATE THAT WANTS TO"

REMOVE GOD FROM THEIR PARTY PLATGORM

FUND AND STRONGLY ADVOCATE ABORTIONS [EVEN AT EVERY STAGE OF LIFE]

PROMOTE HOMPOSEXUAL UNION TO EQUATE WITH THE MARRIAGE OF ONE MAN AND ONE WOMEN; ABSOUTELY ESSENTIAL FOR THE INCREASE OF HUMANITY

EITHER GOD IS IN CHARGE OR WE CONTINUE ON THE PRESENT PATH OF MURDER OF THE INNOCENT BABIES; THE END OF MARRIAGE AS DEFINED BY CHRIST, AND SEXUAL Promiscuity, Are we to exceed; override and invalidate the Commandments?

GOD HELP US!
AND
 
PJM said:
Tell Catholics how they MUST vote?
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An appropriate and timely question 😉

I would say

The pope instructs us how to vote, and so does scripture instruct us…And we should obey

Example of the former,
  • When the pope visited America, he said “And so America: If you want peace, work for justice. If you want justice, defend life. If you want life, embrace the truth – the truth revealed by God.” - Pope John Paul II
He does this because he loves us and is watching out for our souls…

Example of the latter
  • Dt 30:19…This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live
How does that translate into how America voted?

The current president
  • voted against the “born alive infant protection act” because it would limit Roe V Wade. Look it up for a discription. The consequence to this radical abortion agenda is to have infants who survive an abortion, to put a towel over them till they die rather than give them assistance. Don’t anybody tell me this guy is a “likable” guy.
  • supports a radical abortion agenda at all stages of infant development, even to late term abortions. Look up the definition of partial birth abortion and the technique in killing the baby. Gore and Clinton when they were in office cast the winning votes to make this a law. This president supports it also
  • by executive order ( no one can over turn but him or the next president) he funds yearly, the “Mexico City policy” (aka global gag rule) to the tune of ~$500m / yr to support the abortion industry outside our boarders.
A Catholic can **NOT **vote for such a candidate in the face of an alternative candidate who is opposite this position, without grave consequences to their soul.

The alternative candidate says he will veto all this support and funding of abortion and vote life. He should be able to count on the Catholic vote

:twocents:
 
louisak said:
It is the responsibility of the national bishops’ conference to advice Catholics in a particular country regarding their civic duties, including their duties regarding elections. The pope could give directives to Catholics in Italy, in his capacity as the Primate of Italy. But even there, I expect he would do it in conjunction with his brother bishops in the Italian bishops’ conference.
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The pope is over the entire Church. Not just Italy.
 
=steve b;9906373]An appropriate and timely question 😉

I would say

The pope instructs us how to vote, and so does scripture instruct us…And we should obey
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Example of the former,
  • When the pope visited America, he said “And so America: If you want peace, work for justice. If you want justice, defend life. If you want life, embrace the truth – the truth revealed by God.” - Pope John Paul II
Click to expand...
He does this because he loves us and is watching out for our souls…
Example of the latter
  • Dt 30:19…This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live
Click to expand...
How does that translate into how America voted?
The current president
  • voted against the “born alive infant protection act” because it would limit Roe V Wade. Look it up for a discription. The consequence to this radical abortion agenda is to have infants who survive an abortion, to put a towel over them till they die rather than give them assistance. Don’t anybody tell me this guy is a “likable” guy.
  • supports a radical abortion agenda at all stages of infant development, even to late term abortions. Look up the definition of partial birth abortion and the technique in killing the baby. Gore and Clinton when they were in office cast the winning votes to make this a law. This president supports it also
  • by executive order ( no one can over turn but him or the next president) he funds yearly, the “Mexico City policy” (aka global gag rule) to the tune of ~$500m / yr to support the abortion industry outside our boarders.
Click to expand...
A Catholic can **NOT **vote for such a candidate in the face of an alternative candidate who is opposite this position, without grave consequences to their soul.
The alternative candidate says he will veto all this support and funding of abortion and vote life. He should be able to count on the Catholic vote

:twocents:
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THANKS Steve, Great post!
 
justmyconcerns said:
I believe so, also some information showing that voting for a candidate who supports abortion can be a sin

justmyconcerns.com/index.php/blog/is-it-a-sin-to-vote-for-a-pro-abortion-or-pro-choice-canidate/

ewtn.com/vote/brief_catechism.htm

ewtn.com/library/ISSUES/SINTOVOT.HTM
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As an addition

We’ve all heard the following phrase used by those who’ve bought into the secular indifferent and relative position on abortion.

“I wouldn’t do that myself, but I can’t stop another from doing it nor would / should I interfere in their choice.”

As I see it

The reason that statement is so toxic, it makes one guilty of breaking the 2 greatest commandments.

  1. *]They don’t love their neighbor, as themselves
    *]nor can they say they love God with their whole heart, mind, and soul.

    Jesus response to indifference and relativism is “I spit them out of my mouth” [Rev 3:16]
 
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