So when all is said and done, why the heck do Catholics vote Democrat??

[George_Stegmeir]

I am a registered Democrat living in Manhattan, New York City. The reason I am still a Democrat is that the real election for the public offices that affect ones daily life, State Governor, Congressman, State Legislators, Mayor and City Council Members, is the Democratic Primary. The General Election is a mere rubber stamp of the Democratic Primary.
In my neighborhood, the last time any Republican won public office was before WW I.
Outside of NYC and its machine politics, I think that most Catholics vote Democrat out of habit. The ugly truth is that most voters today, especially those in their late teens and twenties are not aware of issues, Many elections have degenerated into mere popularity contests, sort of like voting for the king and queen of your high school prom. The last Presidential election is evidence of that…The issues did not matter. What mattered was that most of the electorate was afraid that they would be branded as racist, if they did not re-elect He whose name is not mentioned aloud in polite society.
Am I cynical with regards to politics. You bet I am. Years ago I was actively involved in Democratic Party politics and am a past County Committee Man, aand am no stranger to the “smoke filled room” in the political clubs.

 

[Steep]

You assume that Obama despises religion; I do not. I think he is completely insensitive to the Catholic Church, and I presume he values Earthly things over his religion to his detriment, but I do not think he despises religion. In that way he could be compared to many of the lost, but I see no malicious intent.

I am extremely thankful for my Faith. I try to be extremely devout and am pro-life, anti-SS’M’ legalization, anti-birth control, etc. etc. I believe in the authority of the Magesterium, and I fight every day to try to change the minds of those firmly entrenched against the Church. Do not assume that I have no consideration for my Faith. Do I have to hold my nose to vote Democrat? Yes. Does the Democratic Party anger me? Yes, quite a lot. But that does not mean that there are not good Democrats. And that certainly doesn’t mean that no Republican is in any remote way evil.

I also firmly believe that Mitt Romney would have been just as contemptous towards our religion, just in a different way (not to mention he has a long history of supporting both abortion and SS’M’). The Republican history of anti-Catholic bigotry is long and colorful, and I still experience it in daily life sometimes. Do not assume that only Democrats can be intolerant.

That’s a beautiful post.

Do you realize the party you vote for is full-intent on taking Christianity out of everything? Like talking “Under God” out of the pledge of allegiance? Like taking “In God We Trust” off money? Do you know this?

 

[yellowbird]

You’re right, Yellowbird.

Let’s allow abortion, allow gay marriage, have people have as many kids as they want without marriage, give free stuff to the unemployed and charge the employed more in taxes, and take prayer and God out of everything.

Let’s be Democrats and be good Catholics.

You speak as if those problems are new? Abortion has been around for how many years? Same with out of wedlock children, and unemployment benefits. I’m 45 years old and I never once heard a prayer in my public school. We had George W. Bush, a man I greatly admired, along with everything you mentioned and a war my grandchildren will be paying for along with the rest of the debt our generation accumulated.

Politics isn’t the answer - we need hearts to change.

 

[yellowbird]

You’re right, Yellowbird.

Let’s allow abortion, allow gay marriage, have people have as many kids as they want without marriage, give free stuff to the unemployed and charge the employed more in taxes, and take prayer and God out of everything.

Let’s be Democrats and be good Catholics.

Do you realize the party you vote for is full-intent on taking Christianity out of everything? Like talking “Under God” out of the pledge of allegiance? Like taking “In God We Trust” off money? Do you know this?

Is that something you read on the Internet?

 

[SMGS127]

That’s a beautiful post.

Do you realize the party you vote for is full-intent on taking Christianity out of everything? Like talking “Under God” out of the pledge of allegiance? Like taking “In God We Trust” off money? Do you know this?

You mean the radical activists in my Party? Sure. Did you know that the radical activists in your party want to take guns to the streets and stage a citizens’ coup against the government?

But let’s say for a moment that that WAS a mainstream argument (though it isn’t). In a country that’s 80+% Christian-identifying with an extra 5-6% of Jews, do you HONESTLY think that would pass a national legislature? No. You have to be pragmatic as a voter. Is my vote going to affect abortion law? Maybe in 2016 because a conservative Justice might retire after then, but certainly not for the 2012 election. Okay then, is my vote going to affect the legalization of SS’M’? No, just who fought for it in court (House Republicans vs. a Republican President, though I still contend that Romney would not have really cared, and that the House GOP was better-suited to defend the law anyway).

Next, is my vote going to affect economics & the national debt? Absolutely. Is my vote going to affect international relations? Absolutely. Is my vote going to affect voting rights? Absolutely.

If my vote actually would be for the illegalization of abortions, I would totally vote Republican. But Mitt Romney would not have done a thing for those babies.

 

[pocohombre]

Shall I say Catholics are divided as Protestants ? Actually we are all divided and our once graced stand is faltering to our decline.I saw somewhere that the Communist party, excuse me, the Progressives,Obama being a pawn,encourages immorality and the division that ensues.Rich against poor ,white against black against hispanic,private against government,industry against the environment, gay against straight ,pro-life against abortionists. So we each vote for our little niche, even if the whole goes south. That is right you pro gay or pro abortionist,you are flying high but the economy ,the government is going south ,our rights are going south.Overall we are in decline,but be happy you got what you wanted,but oh how we all lose. As far as Catholics or any one else voting democrat shame on us we are losing grace and conviction.For some, the fruit shows who you are. Some may be spiritually dead a s doornail.

 

[mymamamary]

I’d like to know.

The religion preaches pro-life, anti gay marriage, pro-traditional values, yet in every presidential election without fail, the Democratic candidate wins the Catholic vote.

Do Catholic voters realize they help to elect leaders who are against everything they believe in???

A plethora of reasons. It usually boils down to “brain fart” . In all seriousness though, there are many reasons why. Sometimes he/she has the notion that the democrat helps the poor and it is our duties as Catholics to help the poor (which it is) and thus we must cast our ballot as “Democrat”. Or in the Pelosi/Sebellius/Biden crowd, sheer pride. “I am my own Church”, “Abortion is sacred ground”, “As long as we get along, it’s ok”, “A woman has the right to choose”, “As long as Jim and Bob love each other, who am I say it’s not love?” “I can say abortion is alright and still be a Catholic, because, hey, those “rules” aren’t rules, they are more like recommended guidelines”. These are the philosophies of those who vote democrat out of a Pelosi-like pride. I did want to say that Joe Biden is about as dumb as a door knob. Anyway, truth aside, another reason that Catholics vote democrat is poor catechesis (Although this camp is not as big as the former two). The Hippie generation of Catholics in America (1970’s-80’s) received poor catechesis because the Church was undergoing a dramatic shift just like the secular culture. Catechesis was either thrown in the dump or it went from an emphasis on “Piety, Sacrifice, Charity, Humility and Fortitude” to “Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy, Flowers and butterflies”. When You receive Catechesis like the latter, then it’s no big wonder at why you become so very liberal as to vote democrat. Instead of telling the Young girl that You are willing to help in any way You can but that She should carry the Child to term instead of destroying Him/Her, You now tell her to "Abort “It” as “It” is not a child and that you are entitled to your feminine dignity. Basically put, poor catechesis has made our Catholics afraid of sacrifice. Catholics like Pelosi would look at a Crucifix and think “Why didn’t HE just drink the opiate mix that was offered to him?” or “Why did He just ask to be speared through the side and get it over with”. Catholics with proper catechesis look at a Crucifix and see a sad, yet glorious model for our lives. A model that I must imitate to the bloody end or else I will not be worthy of Heaven (One must carry His/Her Cross, deny him/herself and follow Christ). I understand a loathing of sacrifice on the part of the modern, secular culture. They are repulsed by suffering. Christ told us that the world would hate us. However what perplexes me is that there are many Catholics who, like Pelosi, are afraid to suffer, because the riches and glory that would otherwise await them in Heaven have not been told to them. Moral relativism has wrought horrible damage within Holy Mother Church. It is time to call Our Lord and Our Lady to “Clean house” and to “Purify the living Temple”.

 

[mymamamary]

Shall I say Catholics are divided as Protestants ? Actually we are all divided and our once graced stand is faltering to our decline.I saw somewhere that the Communist party, excuse me, the Progressives,Obama being a pawn,encourages immorality and the division that ensues.Rich against poor ,white against black against hispanic,private against government,industry against the environment, gay against straight ,pro-life against abortionists. So we each vote for our little niche, even if the whole goes south. That is right you pro gay or pro abortionist,you are flying high but the economy ,the government is going south ,our rights are going south.Overall we are in decline,but be happy you got what you wanted,but oh how we all lose. As far as Catholics or any one else voting democrat shame on us we are losing grace and conviction.For some, the fruit shows who you are. Some may be spiritually dead a s doornail.

**Divide and Conquer. It worked for Rome, it’ll work for Obama. However I am surprised that he has gotten as far as he has because his administration shouldn’t have even received diplomas from a high school, that is how intellectually dead some of these folks are (Joe Biden). Ironic though, because liberals take refuge in “intellectual circles” which are usually found on the campuses of most large, public (and sad to say, Catholic) universities in America. **

 

[SMGS127]

A plethora of reasons. It usually boils down to “brain fart” . In all seriousness though, there are many reasons why. Sometimes he/she has the notion that the democrat helps the poor and it is our duties as Catholics to help the poor (which it is) and thus we must cast our ballot as “Democrat”. Or in the Pelosi/Sebellius/Biden crowd, sheer pride. “I am my own Church”, “Abortion is sacred ground”, “As long as we get along, it’s ok”, “A woman has the right to choose”, “As long as Jim and Bob love each other, who am I say it’s not love?” “I can say abortion is alright and still be a Catholic, because, hey, those “rules” aren’t rules, they are more like recommended guidelines”. These are the philosophies of those who vote democrat out of a Pelosi-like pride. I did want to say that Joe Biden is about as dumb as a door knob. Anyway, truth aside, another reason that Catholics vote democrat is poor catechesis (Although this camp is not as big as the former two). The Hippie generation of Catholics in America (1970’s-80’s) received poor catechesis because the Church was undergoing a dramatic shift just like the secular culture. Catechesis was either thrown in the dump or it went from an emphasis on “Piety, Sacrifice, Charity, Humility and Fortitude” to “Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy, Flowers and butterflies”. When You receive Catechesis like the latter, then it’s no big wonder at why you become so very liberal as to vote democrat. Instead of telling the Young girl that You are willing to help in any way You can but that She should carry the Child to term instead of destroying Him/Her, You now tell her to "Abort “It” as “It” is not a child and that you are entitled to your feminine dignity. Basically put, poor catechesis has made our Catholics afraid of sacrifice. Catholics like Pelosi would look at a Crucifix and think “Why didn’t HE just drink the opiate mix that was offered to him?” or “Why did He just ask to be speared through the side and get it over with”. Catholics with proper catechesis look at a Crucifix and see a sad, yet glorious model for our lives. A model that I must imitate to the bloody end or else I will not be worthy of Heaven (One must carry His/Her Cross, deny him/herself and follow Christ). I understand a loathing of sacrifice on the part of the modern, secular culture. They are repulsed by suffering. Christ told us that the world would hate us. However what perplexes me is that there are many Catholics who, like Pelosi, are afraid to suffer, because the riches and glory that would otherwise await them in Heaven have not been told to them. Moral relativism has wrought horrible damage within Holy Mother Church. It is time to call Our Lord and Our Lady to “Clean house” and to “Purify the living Temple”.

If you are arguing that it is impossible to understand the true suffering expected of us as Catholics and yet still vote Democratic, you are completely wrong. Extremely wrong.

I don’t care about whether you attack me or anything I say, but how dare you impugn the faith of those you have never met. It is one thing to argue that Nancy Pelosi is violating her Faith and committing mortal sin (because she is). It is quite another to ostracize all Catholic Democrats as either in dissent, blinded, or poorly-catechized. Your entire post is filled with assumptions of Catholics you have never met, many of whom are in good standing with the Church and vote straight pro-life and pro-marriage lines on state propositions.

If by voting for Mitt Romney, I would have saved one baby’s life, I would have done so. But you know as well as I do that it would have made no difference for abortion laws in this country. I know that I am not the only Catholic in this country who voted for Obama last election for that reason. I am not angry with you for throwing insults around, but I do ask that you please be considerate of those you know nothing about.

 

[mymamamary]

You speak as if those problems are new? Abortion has been around for how many years? Same with out of wedlock children, and unemployment benefits. I’m 45 years old and I never once heard a prayer in my public school. We had George W. Bush, a man I greatly admired, along with everything you mentioned and a war my grandchildren will be paying for along with the rest of the debt our generation accumulated.

**Politics isn’t the answer - we need hearts to change./**QUOTE]

You are absolutely right. We do need hearts to change. That is why one of my constant prayer intentions is for the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart in and over the hearts of everyone on this earth. However, we do need to do our part. Sure, my vote may not be the vote that illegalizes abortion. However, at least by not voting democrat, I show to My Heavenly Father, WHO sees all things in secret, that at least I care enough to not count my vote among those who seek to actively and blatantly promote evil. Our LORD would see the intent of my heart, which would count in my favor. If every “Christian” in America voted like this, our government would be cleaned up in no time. The intent behind the vote, so as to ensure that MY voice is not among those crying for the further advancement of evil, is the one that counts. Not the intent that “my vote wouldn’t help anyway” or “poverty and war is a greater issue that abortion”. That is a wrong intent and evidence of poor catechesis on these moral issues.

 

[Jerry-Jet]

Catholics who vote for Democrats are like the Catholics who were for Arian doctrine in ancient Rome.

It is possible for a majority of Catholics to vote for evil.

The truth of the matter is that they are really just materialists and they really don’t believe in God–if they did they wouldn’t vote for evil. It really is that simple.

 

[mymamamary]

If you are arguing that it is impossible to understand the true suffering expected of us as Catholics and yet still vote Democratic, you are completely wrong. Extremely wrong.

I don’t care about whether you attack me or anything I say, but how dare you impugn the faith of those you have never met. It is one thing to argue that Nancy Pelosi is violating her Faith and committing mortal sin (because she is). It is quite another to ostracize all Catholic Democrats as either in dissent, blinded, or poorly-catechized. Your entire post is filled with assumptions of Catholics you have never met, many of whom are in good standing with the Church and vote straight pro-life and pro-marriage lines on state propositions.

If by voting for Mitt Romney, I would have saved one baby’s life, I would have done so. But you know as well as I do that it would have made no difference for abortion laws in this country. I know that I am not the only Catholic in this country who voted for Obama last election for that reason. I am not angry with you for throwing insults around, but I do ask that you please be considerate of those you know nothing about.

**Again, I must state:

Even if my vote would not have counted for the saving of a Baby’s life, at least my vote would not be for those who are actively and blatantly promoting evil. In addition to this, My above post was not meant to be an insult (except for the brain fart and Joe Biden being as dumb as a doornail) but as a tragic lament at the damage that moral relativism, and thus by extension, poor catechesis, have wrought inside Our Church. **

 

[mymamamary]

Catholics who vote for Democrats are like the Catholics who were for Arian doctrine in ancient Rome.

It is possible for a majority of Catholics to vote for evil.

The truth of the matter is that they are really just materialists and they really don’t believe in God–if they did they wouldn’t vote for evil. It really is that simple.

I** see where You are coming from, however, not all Catholic democrats vote out of evil intentions. Some vote out of honest, yet misplaced and misdirected intentions. Hence the reason proper and forceful catechesis is needed. **

 

[SMGS127]

yellowbird;10949757:

You speak as if those problems are new? Abortion has been around for how many years? Same with out of wedlock children, and unemployment benefits. I’m 45 years old and I never once heard a prayer in my public school. We had George W. Bush, a man I greatly admired, along with everything you mentioned and a war my grandchildren will be paying for along with the rest of the debt our generation accumulated.

Politics isn’t the answer - we need hearts to change./

QUOTE]

You are absolutely right. We do need hearts to change. That is why one of my constant prayer intentions is for the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart in and over the hearts of everyone on this earth. However, we do need to do our part. Sure, my vote may not be the vote that illegalizes abortion. However, at least by not voting democrat, I show to My Heavenly Father, WHO sees all things in secret, that at least I care enough to not count my vote among those who seek to actively and blatantly promote evil. Our LORD would see the intent of my heart, which would count in my favor. If every “Christian” in America voted like this, our government would be cleaned up in no time. The intent behind the vote, so as to ensure that MY voice is not among those crying for the further advancement of evil, is the one that counts. Not the intent that “my vote wouldn’t help anyway” or “poverty and war is a greater issue that abortion”. That is a wrong intent and evidence of poor catechesis on these moral issues.

Do you believe that voting for Robert Casey is sinful?

 

[mymamamary]

mymamamary;10949802:

Do you believe that voting for Robert Casey is sinful?

**No. my argument extends to the modern democrats. Not to Robert Casey. The modern democrats are the one who are actively propagating evil. **

 

[SMGS127]

I** see where You are coming from, however, not all Catholic democrats vote out of evil intentions. Some vote out of honest, yet misplaced and misdirected intentions. Hence the reason proper and forceful** catechesis is needed.

We’re ultimately not going to agree on what voting through conscience means. You see it as a necessity to vote for the person who talks about ending abortions the most, even if they don’t actually care about abortion and won’t actually do anything to protect those little ones. I look at it by the effect of my vote. I repeat again: if my vote were to cause one baby to be saved, I would change it. But since I know there is no difference in abortion law until at least 2016, I continue on to other issues.

 

[dailey]

RUDE. Can you read hearts?

And not true. Chicago is full of staunch Catholics who vote democrat. I disagree with them, but would never judge their loyalty to the Church or suggest their faith is in name only.

A “staunch” catholic does not vote for someone who is pro-death. That is an oxymoron.

 

[SMGS127]

**No. my argument extends to the modern democrats. Not to Robert Casey. The modern democrats are the one who are actively propagating evil. **

Yet you defined following God as voting for the Republican Party earlier. Robert Casey is most certainly not a Republican. Ultimately, I am comfortable with my conscience. The amount of deaths due to abortion has not been altered by my vote, and now there is a chance to nominate a pro-life candidate for the first time in 3 election cycles. But I have a sinking feeling the Republican Party will nominate another pro-abortioner.

 

[Jerry-Jet]

Cold Hard Fact: The life of an unborn child is worth more than food for a poor person.

Abortion is far worse than slavery!

What would happen if we had a President in a news conference ask all the school children in America to ask their parents if they vote for killing unborn babies?

What would happen if we had a President who would say that Jesus wouldn’t kill unborn babies.

What if we had a President who would march arm in arm with ALL faiths that were opposed to abortion? What if all the religions opposed to abortion in America showed up in Washington DC at one time?

What if people told people who voted for congressmen who support abortion that they were murderers and were uncivil and told them to their face the same thing everytime they encountered them?

What if the term pro-choice was treated like a racial slur and was not tolerated?

What if every Catholic bishop in America ordered all the priests in their dioceses NOT to give the Eucharist to Catholic officeholders who supported abortion?

What if EVERY priest in America preached to their congregations that if they voted for people who supported congressmen that supported abortion that they committ grave sin and if they do not repent of it until death that they would go to Hell?!

What if the pope condemned the Democratic party and urged immigrants from every corner of the world to enter America and stop the abortion murders?

Now of course I know all these things would never happen but IF they did then you wouldn’t have anymore abortion.

Hitler tried to execute the Jewish people and we went to war against him.

Slavery was legal in America and we fought the Civil War to end it.

I’ve heard that at least 50 million babies have been aborted in America since Roe v Wade. How many MILLIONS of the unborn have to die to trigger a just war against abortion?

 

[SMGS127]

Cold Hard Fact: The life of an unborn child is worth more than food for a poor person.

Abortion is far worse than slavery!

What would happen if we had a President in a news conference ask all the school children in America to ask their parents if they vote for killing unborn babies?

What would happen if we had a President who would say that Jesus wouldn’t kill unborn babies.

What if we had a President who would march arm in arm with ALL faiths that were opposed to abortion? What if all the religions opposed to abortion in America showed up in Washington DC at one time?

What if people told people who voted for congressmen who support abortion that they were murderers and were uncivil and told them to their face the same thing everytime they encountered them?

What if the term pro-choice was treated like a racial slur and was not tolerated?

What if every Catholic bishop in America ordered all the priests in their dioceses NOT to give the Eucharist to Catholic officeholders who supported abortion?

What if EVERY priest in America preached to their congregations that if they voted for people who supported congressmen that supported abortion that they committ grave sin and if they do not repent of it until death that they would go to Hell?!

What if the pope condemned the Democratic party and urged immigrants from every corner of the world to enter America and stop the abortion murders?

Now of course I know all these things would never happen but IF they did then you wouldn’t have anymore abortion.

Hitler tried to execute the Jewish people and we went to war against him.

Slavery was legal in America and we fought the Civil War to end it.

I’ve heard that at least 50 million babies have been aborted in America since Roe v Wade. How many MILLIONS of the unborn have to die to trigger a just war against abortion?

Do you honestly think Mitt Romney cares about the unborn?