Does your faith indluence who you for vote in a secular election?

[Tommy999]

Hello all,
Just curious to what extent your faith influences for whom you will vote in a secular election like the upcoming US presidential election or any other election, for that matter.

For instance, do you vote for a candidate of the same faith as yours (if there is one) as the main voting qualification criteria or does faith play no role whatsoever? Perhaps somewhere in between?

Background example:
Back in 1976 and 1980, my fellow evangelicals voted for Jimmy Carter in large numbers. At my evangelical university in 1980, I was looked down upon when I was asked for whom I was going to vote and I told them, "Ronald Reagan’. After all, Ronald Reagan was a divorced movie star whereas Jimmy Carter was a faithful Christian of one wife who wore his faith on his sleeves. At my Christian school, I was considered a disloyal rebel who was out of step with what was considered right by my peer group.

I told them at the time that if I was voting for next door neighbor, I would vote for Carter but that I thought Reagan would make the better overall leader based on other traits I saw in him.

In this year’s US presidential election, one of the candidates is of the same Christian faith tradition as me. However, I do not share that political party’s views on many important issues and so I do not intend to vote for that candidate, even though the opposing candidate is not much to write home about, either.

Scenario for Catholics:
One of the vice presidential candidates is a Catholic who by all accounts attends Mass regularly and even sings in the choir. However, he is part of a ticket that opposes Catholic teaching on abortion and same sex marriage, if I understand correctly.

The opposing VP candidate is an evangelical who shares the same views on abortion and “gay marriage” that Catholicism teaches, but he is not a practicing Catholic anymore.

As a Catholic, are you more apt to vote for the candidate who has a Catholic VP running mate or the one who holds similar views as the Catholic Church on matters such as abortion and gay marriage but is not Catholic? Or does none of this factor in at all?

In case someone is interested about my own personal beliefs on this subject, my Christian faith helps form my conscience and my world view, which in turns helps me decide who to vote for – but my faith alone (no pun intended) is not the overriding factor, as illustrated above in the 1980 example I shared.

Your thoughts and (name removed by moderator)ut are welcomed.

 

[Lenten_ashes]

Hi Tommy.

I believe that we have to try and limit the intrinsic evil in this world as much as possible.

So it’s pretty much impossible for me to vote for a pro-abortion candidate as i think abortion is the most abhorrent sin ever.

With someone like Kaine or Kerry, they claim to be Catholic but don’t walk the walk. They claim to be against abortion but use the weak cop out that their faith cant dictate policy, which is baloney. If you have true faith, it should define you.

Felt the same way as a non-Catholic Christian.

Not old enough to remember Carter, but do remember Reagan and i’d say you made the correct decision there!

 

[drac16]

It absolutely is relevant. In the Ontarian election, there was a woman running named Kathleen Wynne (she’s now our Premier, unfortunately). She’s open about the fact that she’s a homosexual. I don’t believe a person that’s openly homosexual is fit to lead Ontario or any other leadership position. For this reason, I didn’t vote for her. It would’ve been comparable to voting for an openly adulterous person or someone who openly confesses to stealing.

I wouldn’t vote for someone who is pro-choice, either. That’s not negotiable.

 

[Tarquin]

People who hold some concept of Deity, God, or a heavenly afterlife have a moral system and a way of reasoning that are more coherent and reliable than atheists hold. Monotheists are safer than atheists. So my faith does influence who I vote for, when the choice is between monotheists and atheists. When it comes to specific religious doctrines, moral stands, and social political policies, I suppose faith is a co-influencer in my decision. Because politics is about politics, when voting for a politician in a country in which there is no state religion and in which policies are made not only independently of but often in contradiction to religious principles, political philosopher is the other co-influencer in my decision on how to vote.

The Church provides moral guidance, rites, spiritual/internal direction, and opportunities for charity and compassion. The role of politicians ought not be to show compassion, nor to manage charities. Attempting those things just makes them more expensive and less effective. Politicians cannot determine morality, although they can punish misbehavior that is sometimes immoral and sometimes just contrary to political policy.

The role of the Church is to care for the Church Body. The role of politicians is to care for the body politic. Therefore, when voting, I consider how “just” the politician is, how restrained in making laws and rules, and which freedoms a politician supports, which freedoms a politician wants to modify, and which freedoms a politician aims to eviscerate. In addition, it is important to me how well a politician cooperates, negotiates, compromises, with others when making political decisions.

In a campaign between a Catholic and a non-Catholic, what will determine my vote is based heavily on political philosophy and the degree that the candidates attempt to usurp the role fo the Church, and secondarily on religious issues. Under a bad government, closed to debate and arrogant about “what is right for everyone else,” religious issues have no hope. Under a good government, one that debates, discusses, and compromises even if it neglects or opposes religious issues, there is hope that the religious issues will again be addressed appropriately.

 

[pianistclare]

My faith affects everything I do, say, and enters into all my opinions.
I 'd like to think I have a well formed conscience.
I’m sure some will disagree.
But yes. I take these things into consideration. Morality and conscience are important to me and I would hope a leader would possess those good qualities.
Sometimes we have to make hard choices. Yes.
But the legal murder of children is a deal breaker. Every time.
We’re all outraged when people in other cultures are raped, murdered, set on fire, etc.
Babies are pretty much drawn and quartered, and we’ve talked ourselves into believing that this is personal choice and a right.
Bizarre to me.

God bless you Tommy! good to see on the boards today. Hope and your beloved are well.
Peace!

 

[Corki]

**My faith affects everything I do, say, and enters into all my opinions. **
I 'd like to think I have a well formed conscience.
I’m sure some will disagree.
But yes. I take these things into consideration. Morality and conscience are important to me and I would hope a leader would possess those good qualities.
Sometimes we have to make hard choices. Yes.
But the legal murder of children is a deal breaker. Every time.
We’re all outraged when people in other cultures are raped, murdered, set on fire, etc.
Babies are pretty much drawn and quartered, and we’ve talked ourselves into believing that this is personal choice and a right.
Bizarre to me.

God bless you Tommy! good to see on the boards today. Hope and your beloved are well.
Peace!

especially the bolded.

 

[IgnatianPhilo]

If our faith didn’t effect what we did politically then Christianity is feckless and powerless.

 

[truetofaith]

t’s impossible to find a candidate who has my religious values but I will vote for someone who will uphold the lives of the unborn and stop the Islamic terrorists.

 

[Crusaderbear]

Yes, my faith has always been a factor. Saying that I’ll also say I won’t not vote for the better candidate if he misses one or two faith markers.

 

[Marie5890]

In the sense that my faith forms my conscience, yes.

 

[ChurchSoldier]

Of course.

I find the basis for your question interesting. As Christians, our identity and life should ideally be in Christ. As such all our actions should flow from this surrender of our will to his. With that in mind, it could more precisely be asked something to the effect of “do your secular beliefs over rule your baptismal obligation to Christ?”.

In such a case, I would think a very heavy burden would be placed on those adhering to a party which promotes mothers being allowed to end the life of their child, or a party which promotes sexual unions proscribed by the Christian faith.

Many, I would guess, will disagree with that precept

 

[Confiteor_Deo]

I vote based on what the candidates views are, not based off of what religion he is. In the scenario you gave above, I would vote for the candidate who is in line with the Church’s teaching concerning abortion and so-called gay “marriage”, regardless of whether he is a Protestant or not.

 

[Barb3]

I could not vote for a candidate who is pro-choice – I have three adopted children in my family and if their mothers had gone to Planned Parenthood those children would not be part of my family!!!

 

[total_Catholic]

Abortion is the deal breaker for me. Call me a 1 issue voter all you want but if our government can sanction the innocent killing of the unborn, what else can the do?

 

[phil_at_dayboro]

Glad I’m not American,I couldn’t vote for any of them,
Your Politics is ruled by money , not intellect ,

 

[Tommy999]

Of course.

I find the basis for your question interesting. As Christians, our identity and life should ideally be in Christ. As such all our actions should flow from this surrender of our will to his. With that in mind, it could more precisely be asked something to the effect of “do your secular beliefs over rule your baptismal obligation to Christ?”.
In such a case, I would think a very heavy burden would be placed on those adhering to a party which promotes mothers being allowed to end the life of their child, or a party which promotes sexual unions proscribed by the Christian faith.

Many, I would guess, will disagree with that precept

Thanks to everyone for the replies. Most of your replies so far were what I would expect from committed Catholics who live out the values of their faith. I admire and share these beliefs regarding abortion and same sex marriage, by the way.

One of the reasons I asked the question in the first place was because I am puzzled by polls that show that Catholics as a whole slightly favor the party that promotes abortion under the guise of “women’s health” and promote same sex marriage as “marriage equality”, that clearly go against Catholic teaching. In the last election, I saw stats that showed that Catholics gave the edge to our current president who also held values contrary to Catholicism and I was scratching my head about why that occurred.

My best guess is because some may be “socialized Catholics” who may or may not attend Mass on a regular basis but who apparently put other issues ahead of Catholic teaching on abortion and same sex marriage.

As a Methodist, I am sad that the candidate of my faith tradition is not Pro-Life and is a supporter of same sex marriage. That, and many other things, are why I couldn’t ever vote for her.

 

[drac16]

You mean…if you knew Wynne was homosexual, but she wasn’t “open” about it with the public…you might have voted for her?

.

I’d have to pray about it. As I am now, I would say no, I still wouldn’t have voted for her. There are other reasons why I dislike her as a political leader. Her sexuality [and her openness about it] was merely the biggest reason. It’s not the only reason.

 

[superwimp]

For me morality is a greater factor in deciding who to vote for. In deciding which party to support the following verses have a great deal of significance for me.

MT 23:1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
MT 23:2 Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:
MT 23:3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe
and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
MT 23:4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay
them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with
one of their fingers.
I'm not aware of either Jesus or Moses condemning either abortion or same sex marriage. There's nothing in their regarding which bathrooms people should use either. We now have a political party who have placed themselves in the seat of Moses telling us what God doesn't like, yet, with regards to abortion, they bind heavy burdens on women but they are opposed to using government funds to help women care for these children.

 

[Lenten_ashes]

Thanks to everyone for the replies. Most of your replies so far were what I would expect from committed Catholics who live out the values of their faith. I admire and share these beliefs regarding abortion and same sex marriage, by the way.

One of the reasons I asked the question in the first place was because I am puzzled by polls that show that Catholics as a whole slightly favor the party that promotes abortion under the guise of “women’s health” and promote same sex marriage as “marriage equality”, that clearly go against Catholic teaching. In the last election, I saw stats that showed that Catholics gave the edge to our current president who also held values contrary to Catholicism and I was scratching my head about why that occurred.

My best guess is because some may be “socialized Catholics” who may or may not attend Mass on a regular basis but who apparently put other issues ahead of Catholic teaching on abortion and same sex marriage.

As a Methodist, I am sad that the candidate of my faith tradition is not Pro-Life and is a supporter of same sex marriage. That, and many other things, are why I couldn’t ever vote for her.

Starts with the Bishops. As a whole they are focusing more on things like immigration and hospitality when i feel like intrinsic evil should be the priority(Abortion, etc). And it’s trickled down to the priests and deacons and this is what they are feeding the sheep.

And I’ve noticed the same things in African American Churches on the protestant side. A lot of times they break democratic as well. What are they being told in their pews there? No idea but not sure how true Christians of any shape or size can turn a blind eye to so much evil.

 

[Graceful_Lamb]

I am going to go by the five non-negotiables (pages 3 through 5 in the link below), since this is my first major election as a Catholic.

catholic.com/sites/default/files/voters_guide_for_serious_catholics.pdf