Why won’t USCCB state it’s a sin to vote for ProChoice candidate?

[TheLittleLady]

You are the person who made the claims, it seems you are walking back and pushing the claim at the same time.

One local candidate in Idaho does not make policy for the National Candidates, I did not see that as a platform in the IDC platform either. The National Candidates must stand on the DNC Party Platform.

 

[JSRG]

A question: From 2016 to 2018, the Republicans controlled the presidency, Senate, and House of Representatives. What anti-abortion measures did they pass?

I don’t remember any, but it’s possible I’m wrong. I don’t think they ever cut off federal funding for Planned Parenthood despite so much rhetoric being waged about that.

 

[CTBcin]

They don’t do a great job at it.

A big portion of their budget is tied to increasing immigration. They stick their noses into plenty of political commentary

The USCCB talks about many social issue that also happen to be political (as they should). Abortion, immigration, euthanasia, marriage, poverty, etc.

But they don’t force people to vote one way or another; instead, they ask Catholics to vote with their consciences taking into account the various issues at stake.

 

[JanetF]

And yes, it is a sin to vote for a pro choice candidate.

point me to the catechism please where it spells this out.

 

[JMMJ]

Well then you must be ok with the Church forfeiting it’s tax exempt status in the US (?)

 

[JanetF]

Well then you must be ok with the Church forfeiting it’s tax exempt status in the US (?)

There are some people who honestly don’t realize the damage this would do. The effects would be enormous and very far-reaching.

 

[JMMJ]

I believe they don’t understand how the whole system works. I clearly remember learning this in parochial grade school and the emphasis put on why it is so important to have tax exempt status, for all religions.

 

[Maximian]

I’m sorry if you don’t like my contribution to the thread.

I liked your contribution very much.

 

[ontheway1]

And yes, it is a sin to vote for a pro choice candidate.

Thou shalt not kill.

 

[PatK63]

@PetraG
There are many reasons Catholics should vote Republican and if 60 or 70% of the Catholics would vote Republican the Democrats would be more tolerant of our beliefs.

 

[Emeraldlady]

@PetraG
There are many reasons Catholics should vote Republican and if 60 or 70% of the Catholics would vote Republican the Democrats would be more tolerant of our beliefs.

If 60 or 70% of Catholics voted for the party that almost perfectly represents Catholic teaching ie the American Solidarity Party, that would be the most amazing outcome in the entire world.

 

[Joe_5859]

Actually, if they told us specifically “who to vote for” then it could very well be seen as endorsing a candidate and would run afoul of the tax laws.

That is probably true. My point is that this not the reason that clergy do not tell us who to vote for.

I guess it just rubs me the wrong way to see this tossed around as though the Church and bishops are at the mercy of the government and are only keeping silent because the government is strong-arming them into submission by dangling tax-exempt status over their head.

If it were a moral imperative for the bishops to tell us who to vote for, then they would do so regardless of whether they might lose tax-exempt status.

I’ve heard stories of non-Catholic congregations where the preacher will be much more explicit about particular political candidates. But I’ve never heard of any of those churches losing tax-exempt status because of it.

 

[PatK63]

@Emeraldlady
I have no idea who you are referring to but voting for third part candidates is a waste of your vote in the US as things stand today!

 

[Emeraldlady]

@Emeraldlady
I have no idea who you are referring to but voting for third part candidates is a waste of your vote in the US as things stand today!

Defeatist. The Founding Fathers would be ashamed of people today. Here is a courageous Catholic willing to be truly Catholic in his vote. He has decided to jump from dyed in the wool democrat to the American Solidarity Party which is the truly Catholic option.

The Democratic Party is telling millions of pro-lifers to get out

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I’ve heard stories of non-Catholic congregations where the preacher will be much more explicit about particular political candidates. But I’ve never heard of any of those churches losing tax-exempt status because of it.

It’s because they’re small potatoes. The government would spend more money going after some little Protestant church with a few hundred members than it would make.

The Catholic Church, on the other hand, is a huge target with big deep pockets. And a lot of people would love to bring it down.

 

[graciew]

How interesting that the Pope’s “ throwaway culture” concept has been grasped and accepted and now used abroad.
It is hard to tell who is listening until one reads this sort of article.

 

[PetraG]

If 60 or 70% of Catholics voted for the party that almost perfectly represents Catholic teaching ie the American Solidarity Party, that would be the most amazing outcome in the entire world.

I have no problem with this, particulary since this is a party that espouses Catholic values without trying to be a “Catholics only” party.

@Emeraldlady
I have no idea who you are referring to but voting for third part candidates is a waste of your vote in the US as things stand today!

With that attitude, it will never change, will it? This is the story that the two major parties spread so that they won’t lose influence or be replaced by other parties.

From my standpoint, what that frees the major parties to do is to split the Christian vote by each painting itself as the “lesser of two evils” party. Why should we settle for that?

 

[PetraG]

That is probably true. My point is that this not the reason that clergy do not tell us who to vote for.

Actually, no, some (like Pope Francis, in his personal view, not speaking for the Church) take the practical stance that in order for the Church to act in Politics, in the major sense, she needs to stay out of partisan politics, which they see as “small p” politics. For instance, if the bishops are not tied to one party or the other, they are as free as they ought to be to teach Catholic social teaching without being concerned about which party is doing what or what candidate is espousing what.

In other words, it keeps the bishops in the activity of teaching the truth and encouraging virtue rather than influencing elections and backing particular persons in power. Pope Francis has cited this as an instance of “giving to God what is belongs to God and giving to Caesar belongs to Caesar.”

 

[RepetantCatholic]

I see a lot of these discussions on here and I don’t wade into them because well political preference and religion are two different things. I see myself as a Catholic in a non-Catholic Country voting for the best candidate.

I am not against Republicans. But I couldn’t imagine myself voting for Trump. I don’t hold it against anyone who votes for Trump and I’m very cognizant he may win the 2020 election. Fine. The nation has spoken and honestly the sky hasn’t fallen since he won election. But I just wouldn’t for for Trump.

My reason for not voting for Trump is that I don’t like his association with the alt-right for one and that’s a big one for me. As a leader and political figure I don’t like all the drama he brings, which again corporate media on both sides feeds off of. The last four years I haven’t seen any significant policies. I guess he started his wall and has made immigration changes. I think the Republican Budget has cut planned parenthood but in terms of actual major policy changes that are Domestic, I’m not aware of anything. I just thought of the withdrawal of the Paris Climate Agreement as something else. I think one of his promises was to bring troops home, but the War on Terror still rages. There is NAFTA, but that’s a grey one since I don’t see it as much different than it was before. There is the China Trade War but again I don’t see major changes.

So, I wouldn’t vote for Trump. I also wouldn’t vote for Sanders or Warren. The only candidate I would vote for is Joe Biden, but it’s looking more like the nomination might go to Sanders. OK, I’ll do what I did in the Hillary case and just write in some random name for President and vote exclusively State and Local. And the only reason I write in some random name is to make sure my vote gets counted, otherwise I would leave it blank.

I always suggest people just vote local and state that is what might effect them the most.

 

[PatK63]

Good luck. I will join when the party becomes creditable. Until then I will work with what we have!