Mortal sin not to vote?

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Dr.Bombay

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Howdy.

Is it a mortal sin not to vote? Does the Church require us to vote?

I hate politics. I’d rather not deal with it. Give me an out. Please. :cool:
 
I’m with you. I’d rather just opt out, unless it’s a small, local election where my vote actually counts.
 
SeekerJen said:
I’m with you. I’d rather just opt out, unless it’s a small, local election where my vote actually counts.
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If you cannot in good conscience vote for either of two candidates, you should not. In most elections there are many candidates, and several issues. You only have to vote issues, or for people you are comfortable with. I will not vote in races, or on issues I do not feel well informed on. If you do not want to research the issues/candidates you should not vote. It is too easy to vote for the wrong people if you go only by political party, or guess on issues.
 
EBSSTF4 said:
If you cannot in good conscience vote for either of two candidates, you should not. In most elections there are many candidates, and several issues. You only have to vote issues, or for people you are comfortable with. I will not vote in races, or on issues I do not feel well informed on. If you do not want to research the issues/candidates you should not vote. It is too easy to vote for the wrong people if you go only by political party, or guess on issues.
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So…I can get by with not voting if I just don’t want to research the candidates and issues? Laziness is an excuse?

This is too cool. Laziness is my favorite vice. 👍
 
Dr.Bombay said:
So…I can get by with not voting if I just don’t want to research the candidates and issues? Laziness is an excuse?

This is too cool. Laziness is my favorite vice. 👍
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You should know you’re weaknesses. If you are to lazy to do the research, do not vote.
 
Sorry to rain on your parade, but Catholics have a moral obligation to vote. 😉

CCC 2240 Submission to authority and co-responsibility for the common good make it morally obligatory to pay taxes, to exercise the right to vote, and to defend one’s country:

Pay to all of them their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

[Christians] reside in their own nations, but as resident aliens. They participate in all things as citizens and endure all things as foreigners. . . . They obey the established laws and their way of life surpasses the laws. . . . So noble is the position to which God has assigned them that they are not allowed to desert it.
The Apostle exhorts us to offer prayers and thanksgiving for kings and all who exercise authority, “that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way.”

Our civic duty to vote is covered by the fourth commandment. We are obliged to vote for the candidate who best exemplifies Christian principles. If none of the candidates are Christians with good moral views, we should vote for the one least hostile to Christian principles and who is the most moral in their qualitites. By that same token we are not to vote for candidates who despise the teachings of Christianity.
 
paramedicgirl said:
Sorry to rain on your parade, but Catholics have a moral obligation to vote. 😉

Our civic duty to vote is covered by the fourth commandment. We are obliged to vote for the candidate who best exemplifies Christian principles. If none of the candidates are Christians with good moral views, we should vote for the one least hostile to Christian principles and who is the most moral in their qualitites. By that same token we are not to vote for candidates who despise the teachings of Christianity.
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Yes you do. But you should only vote if you know who to vote for. We received an insert with our bulletin this week with a handful of questions answered by each candidate. Unfortunately after discussing it with my wife I realized she misunderstood several of the questions. The answers were either support or oppose with a brief explanation. Several of the questions were confusing, and easy to misunderstand if read quickly. I have done my research and helped her with a candidates list. (I did not tell her who to vote for, only candidates positions)

Many people vote off of what they learn from TV ads, talk radio or other unreliable sourced.

Vote responsibly, do research.
 
Part of the Right to Vote is chosing not to Vote.

Especially when there is no morally acceptable choice to make.

For it to be a Mortal Sin to not vote it would have to meet the same criteria that all Mortal Sins have to meet.

1857 For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must together be met: “Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent.”

So chosing not to vote would meet at least the third condition and I can see how it would meet the second but can anyone show us how voting is a objce of grave matter.

Then there are also these form the Catechism that state what a sin is.

1849 Sin is an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods. It wounds the nature of man and injures human solidarity. It has been defined as “an utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to the eternal law.”

1850 Sin is an offense against God: “Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight.” Sin sets itself against God’s love for us and turns our hearts away from it. Like the first sin, it is disobedience, a revolt against God through the will to become “like gods,” knowing and determining good and evil. Sin is thus “love of oneself even to contempt of God.” In this proud self- exaltation, sin is diametrically opposed to the obedience of Jesus, which achieves our salvation.

I just do not see how not voting fits into these definitons.

And then let us not forget, if not voting is a sin, or even a mortal sin, then all those people who live in countries where they do not get to vote are commiting sins becuase they are not voting.
 
SeekerJen said:
I’m with you. I’d rather just opt out, unless it’s a small, local election where my vote actually counts.
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Well this is not a local or small election, but in California, they are going to once again try to pass a law that requires parental notification for a minor to get an abortion. As it stands right now, minors can’t get any medical treatment at all without parental notification except for an abortion, which they are allowed. The reason this relates to yourt post is the last time this issue went to the ballot, it was extremely close where one’s vote would have mattered. It failed but they are trying to once again get it passed. This time I am going to vote. If I knew it was going to be that close last time, I would have voted then. Well, I also want Arnold’s signature on my diploma this year so I have to vote for him.
 
ByzCath said:
And then let us not forget, if not voting is a sin, or even a mortal sin, then all those people who live in countries where they do not get to vote are commiting sins because they are not voting.
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The obvious answer is that you would pray for a favourable political outcome if you do not have the right to vote. I can’t possibly see how there could be sin attached in the circumstance you mention.
 
It being compulsory here in the enlightened Land of Oz to vote, it would in fact be a sin (dunno about mortal) for me not to.

What say you guys about compulsory voting? Yea or nay?
 
Dr.Bombay said:
Howdy.

Is it a mortal sin not to vote? Does the Church require us to vote?

I hate politics. I’d rather not deal with it. Give me an out. Please. :cool:
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Doc … go vote.

Our obligation to vote (in places where we are able) is rooted in the fact that we must help bring about the good of the state for the sake of the whole community and the world. If you do not participate it may be an omission not only of civic responsibility but also an omission when it comes to your countries ethical behavior. To sit on ones hands like A. Neville Chamberlain is a crime against humanity at least to some degree.
 
LilyM said:
It being compulsory here in the enlightened Land of Oz to vote, it would in fact be a sin (dunno about mortal) for me not to.

What say you guys about compulsory voting? Yea or nay?
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I have no problem with it. However, I think that the qualifications for voting should be similar to the original American system. Only those who have taxable property should be allowed to vote with an exception made for those who serve at least one term in the military as both of these types of people actually have a vested interest in the proper running of the nation. All the rest of us do not in the same magnitude. Of course I fear true democracies so anything that has changed the US closer to a democracy from a strict Republic in my opinion is dangerous - just like the direct election of Senators (worst amendment ever).
 
Your proposed restrictions are hardly fair.

After all, people who don’t have property are equally affected by the proper running of, for example, the social security, welfare and education systems (you need all these things for yourself and your children even if you have no money to pay for 'em).

Same with the transport services and police force. Are you not entitled to a working transport system or help from the police just because you don’t earn much money?

And people who have no property are equally subject to discrimination, they are equally in danger should the country be invaded (ie they need equal protection from the military).

They certainly deserve have a say in how these things are run if they use them and are entitled to them.
 
LilyM said:
Your proposed restrictions are hardly fair.

After all, people who don’t have property are equally affected by the proper running of, for example, the social security, welfare and education systems (you need all these things for yourself and your children even if you have no money to pay for 'em).

Same with the transport services and police force. Are you not entitled to a working transport system or help from the police just because you don’t earn much money?

And people who have no property are equally subject to discrimination, they are equally in danger should the country be invaded (ie they need equal protection from the military).

They certainly deserve have a say in how these things are run if they use them and are entitled to them.
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But see, that is the point, they are not entitled to them as they are not rights but are gifts given by the people of the the state through the agency of the state. I was not arguing for what was fair but rather for what was right. There was a reason why voting was originally restricted to property owners in the US.

An aside: Granted the full restriction was to white male property owners but the bias of the age does not need to translate to this one. However the property owner is not a bias but rather a basis.
 
Things like education to at least a certain level, and the safety of your person and property (however much or little you may have) ARE basic human rights.

If health care isn’t it should be - I think there are very few countries in the world that don’t have a minimum safety net for health. The US is absolutely pathetic in this regard. Absolutely a society must provide the things that are necessary for its members to survive and be productive.

Plenty of such rights were enshrined in law in the US and other countries well before there was universal suffrage. They were enshrined for a reason - ‘all men were created equal and endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights’, or do you not believe this?
 
paramedicgirl said:
Sorry to rain on your parade, but Catholics have a moral obligation to vote. 😉

I agree. With all that is going on in the world, I think it is reprehensible that some on these pages are encouraging people not to vote. We aren’t required to vote, but we sure ought to be concerned enough to do it.
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