Posted on 09/22/2012 8:02:01 PM PDT by pgyanke
"The common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human rights--for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture--is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition for all other personal rights, is not defended with maximum determination" -- Pope John Paul II, "Christifideles Laici"
According to Catholic theologians, five moral issues are intrinsically evil and must never be promoted by law. Intrinsically evil actions fundamentally conflict with the moral law and can never be performed under any circumstances. It is a serious sin to deliberately endorse or promote any of these actions, and no candidate who wants to advance the common good will support any action contrary to the non-negotiable principles involved in these issues. These five issues are abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, human closing and homosexual marriage.
1. Abortion
Regarding a law permitting abortions, the Church teaches that it is “never licit to obey it, or to take part in a propaganda campaign in favor of such a law, or to vote for it.” Abortion is the intentional and direct killing of an innocent human being, and is therefore homicide. The unborn child is always an innocent party, and no law may permit the taking of his life. Even when a child is conceived through rape or incest, the fault is not the child’s, who should not suffer death for others’ sins.
2012 Democratic Party Platform:2. Euthanasia
Page 52: “… President Obama and Democrats will continue to stand up to Republican efforts to defund Planned Parenthood health centers.” … “The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman’s right to make decisions regarding her pregnancy, including safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay.”
[Editor’s note: “Regardless of ability to pay” means that taxpayer funds will be used to perform abortions without concern for the objections of those opposed to this intrinsic evil (such as faithful Catholics).]
Page 69: “… in his first month in office, President Obama overturned the “global gag rule,” a ban on federal funds to foreign family planning organizations that provided information about, counseling on, or offered abortions.”
2012 GOP Platform:
Page 14: “We oppose using public revenues to promote or perform abortion or fund organizations which perform or advocate it and will not fund or subsidize health care which includes abortion coverage. We support the appointment of judges who respect traditional family values and the sanctity of innocent human life.”
“Republican leadership has led the effort to prohibit the barbaric practice of partial-birth abortion and permitted States to extend health care coverage to children before birth. We urge Congress to strengthen the Born Alive Infant Protection Act by enacting appropriate civil and criminal penalties on healthcare providers who fail to provide treatment and care to an infant who survives an abortion, including early induction delivery where the death of the infant is intended. We call for legislation to ban sex-selective abortions – gender discrimination in its most lethal form—and to protect from abortion unborn children who are capable of feeling pain; and we applaud U.S. House Republicans for leading the effort to protect the lives of pain-capable unborn children in the District of Columbia.”
“We also salute the many States that have passed laws for informed consent, mandatory waiting periods prior to an abortion, and health-protective clinic regulation. We seek to protect young girls from exploitation through a parental consent requirement; and we affirm our moral obligation to assist, rather than penalize, women challenged by an unplanned pregnancy. We salute those who provide them with counseling and adoption alternatives and empower them to choose life, and we take comfort in the tremendous increase in adoptions that has followed Republican legislative initiatives.”
Page 33: “Through Obamacare, the current Administration has promoted the notion of abortion as healthcare. We, however, affirm the dignity of women by protecting the sanctity of human life. Numerous studies have shown that abortion endangers the health and well-being of women, and we stand firmly against it.”
“We call on the government to permanently ban all federal funding and subsidies for abortion and healthcare plans that include abortion coverage.”
Page 34: “We urge enactment of pending legislation that would require parental consent to transport girls across state lines for abortions.”
Page 36: “We oppose school-based clinics that provide referrals, counseling, and related services for abortion and contraception.”
Page 45: “The United Nations Population Fund has a shameful record of collaboration with China’s program of compulsory abortion. We affirm the Republican Party’s long-held position known as the Mexico City Policy, first announced by President Reagan in 1984, which prohibits the granting of federal monies to non-governmental organization that provide or promote abortion.”
Page 46: “The effectiveness of our foreign aid has been limited by the cultural agenda of the current Administration, attempting to impose on foreign countries, especially the peoples of Africa, legalized abortion and the homosexual rights agenda. At the same time, faith-based groups—the sector that has had the best track record in promoting lasting development—have been excluded from grants because they will not conform to the administration’s social agenda. We will reverse this tragic course, encourage more involvement by the most effective aid organizations, and trust developing peoples to build their future from the ground up.”
Often disguised by the name “mercy killing,” euthanasia is also a form of homicide. No person has a right to take his own life, and no one has the right to take the life of any innocent person. In euthanasia, the ill or elderly are killed, by action or omission, out of a misplaced sense of compassion, but true compassion cannot include intentionally doing something intrinsically evil.
2012 Democratic Party Platform: Silent on this issue.3. Embryonic Stem Cell Research2012 GOP Platform:
Page 14: “We oppose the non-consensual withholding or withdrawal of care or treatment, including food and water, from people with disabilities, including newborns, as well as the elderly and infirm, just as we oppose active and passive euthanasia and assisted suicide.”
Page 32: “We renew our commitment to the inclusion of Americans with disabilities in all aspects of our national life. In keeping with that commitment, we oppose the non-consensual withholding of care or treatment from people with disabilities, including newborns, as well as the elderly and infirm, just as we oppose euthanasia and assisted suicide, which endanger especially those on the margins of society.”
Human embryos are human beings. “Respect for the dignity of the human being excludes all experimental manipulation or exploitation of the human embryo.”
Recent scientific advances show that medical treatments that researchers hope to develop from experimentation on embryonic stem cells can often be developed by using adult stem cells instead. In fact, there have been no beneficial treatments to come from experimentation on human embryos… there have been over 72 cures and treatments to come from adult stem cells. Adult stem cells can be obtained without doing harm to the adults from whom they come. Thus there is no valid medical argument in favor of using embryonic stem cells. And even if there were benefits to be had from such experiments, they would not justify destroying innocent embryonic humans.
2012 Democratic Party Platform
:
Page 48: “… the President issued an executive order repealing the restrictions on embryonic stem cell research… .”2012 GOP Platform:
Page 14: “We call for a ban on the use of body parts from aborted fetuses for research. We support and applaud adult stem cell research to develop lifesaving therapies, and we oppose the killing of embryos for their stem cells. We oppose federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.”
Page 34: “We call for expanded support for the stem-cell research that now offers the greatest hope for many afflictions–with adult stem cells, umbilical cord blood, and cells reprogrammed into pluripotent stem cells–without the destruction of embryonic human life.”
4. Human Cloning
“Attempts… for obtaining a human being without any connection with sexuality through ‘twin fission,’ cloning, or parthenogenesis are to be considered contrary to the moral law, since they are in opposition to the dignity both of human procreation and of the conjugal union.”
Human cloning also involves abortion because the “rejected” or “unsuccessful” embryonic clones are destroyed, yet each clone is a human being.
2012 Democratic Party Platform: Silent on this issue.5. Homosexual Marriage2012 GOP Platform:
Page 34: “We urge a ban on human cloning and on the creation of or experimentation on human embryos.”
True marriage is the union of one man and one woman. Legal recognition of any other union as “marriage” undermines true marriage, and legal recognition of homosexual unions actually does homosexual persons a disfavor by encouraging them to persist in what is an objectively immoral arrangement.
2012 Democratic Party Platform:Additionally, in 2012 the Church took up the challenge to religious freedom laid down by the Obama administration sparked by the healthcare mandates of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. In response, the GOP Platform includes a statement on this fundamental principle of our constitutional republic.
Page 53: “We support marriage equality and support the movement to secure equal treatment under law for same-sex couples.” … “We oppose discriminatory federal and state constitutional amendments and other attempts to deny equal protection of the laws to committed same-sex couples who seek the same respect and responsibilities as other married couples. We support the full repeal of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act and the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act.”2012 GOP Platform:
Page 10: “Defending Marriage Against An Activist Judiciary“A serious threat to our country’s constitutional order, perhaps even more dangerous than presidential malfeasance, is an activist judiciary, in which some judges usurp the powers reserved to other branches of government. A blatant example has been the court-ordered redefinition of marriage in several States. This is more than a matter of warring legal concepts and ideals. It is an assault on the foundations of our society, challenging the institution which, for thousands of years in virtually every civilization, has been entrusted with the rearing of children and the transmission of cultural values.
“A Sacred Contract: Defense of Marriage
“That is why Congressional Republicans took the lead in enacting the Defense of Marriage Act, affirming the right of States and the federal government not to recognize same-sex relationships licensed in other jurisdictions. The current Administration’s open defiance of this constitutional principle—in its handling of immigration cases, in federal personnel benefits, in allowing a same-sex marriage at a military base, and in refusing to defend DOMA in the courts— makes a mockery of the President’s inaugural oath. We commend the United States House of Representatives and State Attorneys General who have defended these laws when they have been attacked in the courts. We reaffirm our support for a Constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman. We applaud the citizens of the majority of States which have enshrined in their constitutions the traditional concept of marriage, and we support the campaigns underway in several other States to do so.”
Page 31: “Preserving and Protecting Traditional Marriage
“The institution of marriage is the foundation of civil society. Its success as an institution will determine our success as a nation. It has been proven by both experience and endless social science studies that traditional marriage is best for children. Children raised in intact married families are more likely to attend college, are physically and emotionally healthier, are less likely to use drugs or alcohol, engage in crime, or get pregnant outside of marriage. The success of marriage directly impacts the economic well-being of individuals. Furthermore, the future of marriage affects freedom. The lack of family formation not only leads to more government costs, but also to more government control over the lives of its citizens in all aspects. We recognize and honor the courageous efforts of those who bear the many burdens of parenting alone, even as we believe that marriage, the union of one man and one woman must be upheld as the national standard, a goal to stand for, encourage, and promote through laws governing marriage. We embrace the principle that all Americans should be treated with respect and dignity.”
GOP Platform, General Statement on Religious Freedom, Page 12: “The first provision of the First Amendment concerns freedom of religion. That guarantee reflected Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which declared that no one should “suffer on account of his religious opinion or belief, but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinion in matters of religion....” That assurance has never been more needed than it is today, as liberal elites try to drive religious beliefs— and religious believers—out of the public square.
“The most offensive instance of this war on religion has been the current Administration’s attempt to compel faith-related institutions, as well as believing individuals, to contravene their deeply held religious, moral, or ethical beliefs regarding health services, traditional marriage, or abortion. This forcible secularization of religious and religiously affiliated organizations, including faith-based hospitals and colleges, has been in tandem with the current Administration’s audacity in declaring which faith- related activities are, or are not, protected by the First Amendment—an unprecedented aggression repudiated by a unanimous Supreme Court in its Hosanna- Tabor v. EEOC decision.
“We pledge to respect the religious beliefs and rights of conscience of all Americans and to safeguard the independence of their institutions from government. We support the public display of the Ten Commandments as a reflection of our history and of our country’s Judeo-Christian heritage, and we affirm the right of students to engage in prayer at public school events in public schools and to have equal access to public schools and other public facilities to accommodate religious freedom in the public square. We assert every citizen’s right to apply religious values to public policy and the right of faith-based organizations to participate fully in public programs without renouncing their beliefs, removing religious symbols, or submitting to government-imposed hiring practices. We oppose government discrimination against businesses due to religious views.”
"While the Church exhorts civil authorities to seek peace, not war, and to exercise discretion and mercy in imposing punishment on criminals, it may still be permissible to take up arms to repel an aggressor or to have recourse to capital punishment. There may be a legitimate diversity of opinion even among Catholics about waging war and applying the death penalty, but not however with regard to abortion and euthanasia." -- Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (before he was Pope Benedict XVI)
* All of the information was culled from “The Voters Guide for Serious Catholics” and the major political party platforms as amended at their 2012 party conventions.
I am preparing to send this far and wide (family, friends, bishops, USCCB, EWTN, et al). Before I do, I wanted to get FReeper input for improvements and feedback. I appreciate any corrections and/or additions anyone would make to improve it.
May God bless our great land in these perilous times.
In addition to your feedback, I would appreciate you sending this first draft to your ping list.
I’m praying 2Chronicles 7:14 daily!!!
Imagine, all we have to do is repent, stop doing evil and seeking God’s will and He will heal our land! Hope we are strong enough to do this or it’ll be hell...
Very nice summary.
BUT why do half of the Catholics always vote for the Dems?
Gallup: Catholic vote a tossup, 46/46
http://hotair.com/archives/2012/05/03/gallup-catholic-vote-a-tossup-4646/
Catholics’ divided preferences at this point contrast with those of the largest religious group in the country, Protestants, whose support swings to Romney by 51% to 41%.
/looks at watch/
4 posts!
Maybe it’s because Republicans say they are going to do something about abortion and traditional marriage, and they run a candidate who supports both.
Than you for posting this.
Half of Catholics ALWAYS vote for the Dems regardless of who the Republican candidate is for any office, whether president, senator, or dogcatcher.
How do you explain that?
I lay this squarely at the feet of our bishops who have been cowed into submissive silence by the threat to their tax-exempt status. Rather than educating their parishes and diocese on these very important issues and calling attention to the Democrats' support for intrinsic evil, they conflate the issues with "helping the poor" and an MSM-inspired anti-war agenda.
The USCCB's last voting guide (in 2010) had a short discussion on the evils above and then spent the rest of their 42 pages discussing all of the other issues. In short, they watered everything down to a mush and provided no real direction for their sheep. The guide simply served as cover for those who wanted an excuse to allow them to vote Dem... "we are not one-issue people; we don't vote by party, we vote by individual candidate". Ok, fine. However, every Dem elected to Congress is one more vote to put Nancy Pelosi (abortion's single greatest champion in the House) and Harry Reid back in charge of the agenda.
I do my guide to encourage them to grow a pair and use them. If the bishops can be silenced by the threat of government, then they can rightly be questioned as to the identity of their true master. No man can serve two. This guide is offered in the spirit of Ezekiel 3:18.
I know very few practicing Catholics that always or mostly vote democrat. They seem to confuse taxes with charity.
I am Catholic.
This is not as much a real stumbling block for some Catholics as an excuse to continue to vote democrat because they always have, equating the death penalty with abortion, which in numbers and morality, should not be comparable. But it is good that the plank was removed.
Many folks want to serve God, but only as advisers. Is it best to follow his written word every day or to do as we please and beg for forgiveness later? Disagree with his church? It’s OK, I’ll just subscribe to those parts I agree with and ignore the rest. Sure is easy to be a Christian.
Here is a question I posted several weeks ago and to which I am yet to receive a single answer.
“There is something I can’t understand. We have friends who are practicing and devout Catholics. Yet these people support openly Obama who is the poster boy for the abortion industry. How do these Catholics take the host into their mouths without gagging? What possible rationale can they profess that allows them to drink the blood of Christ and then support Obama who is committing the greatest sin possible against the most innocent of us all? Someone please explain this to me. I really want to understand. The Devil whispers into our ear telling us what we want to hear. In exchange we ignore what he is doing. It is in what he does that his true nature is revealed. “
“There is something I can’t understand. We have friends who are practicing and devout Catholics. Yet these people support openly Obama who is the poster boy for the abortion industry. How do these Catholics take the host into their mouths without gagging? What possible rationale can they profess that allows them to drink the blood of Christ and then support Obama who is committing the greatest sin possible against the most innocent of us all? Someone please explain this to me. I really want to understand. The Devil whispers into our ear telling us what we want to hear. In exchange we ignore what he is doing. It is in what he does that his true nature is revealed. “
Ben Mugged - are you Catholic?
The answer is that they are not practicing nor devout, as you can obviously see for yourself. What’s the answer except that they are phony Catholics who may call themselves Catholic, like Nancy Pelosi, but who, in fact, do not hold the faith and have excommunicated themselves from the Church. If they receive the Eucharist, they do so blasphemously. I am Catholic.
Prudence is a non-negotiable Virtue. it requires sound judgment. Sound judgment requires one to be well-informed, and properly informed.
Serious Catholics I know only vote for the candidates that they know are serious social conservatives and leave many offices blank. Thus, they turn themselves into non-voters, handing in a half blank ballot. Foolishness.
It is foolishness. When your choices are A or B, choosing neither is simply remaining silent. If either supports evil, you are now complicit in your silence.
“Serious Catholics I know only vote for the candidates that they know are serious social conservatives and leave many offices blank. Thus, they turn themselves into non-voters, handing in a half blank ballot. Foolishness.”
Right - you want serious Catholics to violate their conscience by voting in pro abortion and pro gay marriage republicans just because they have an R by their name, and not a D.
If the Republican candidate deserves his vote, he will be prolife. Otherwise, we have no reason to vote for him over his democrat companion.
When we start fudging these issues based on party platforms, we are doing a disservice to our principles, our party and our nation. If either party is serious about its platform, it is the Demonrat Party. The GOP platform contains a laundry list of our litmus tests to sucker us into voting GOP-E just this ONE more time and they yet again promise to reform their behavior if we elect them. Then they use that platform as toilet paper until the next election and treat conservatives as though they were the eccentric "funny" uncle in the attic who must be kept away from polite company.
Enough!!! If Obozo "wins," the GOP in Congress will make a united stand against him and Romney and the GOP-E take the blame for blowing a slam dunk election through their rank cowardice and spinelessness. If Romney "wins," inevitably how much he and supine GOP majorities in both houses of Congress will trample the platform in their mad and useless rush to seek respect and approval from the likes of Rachel Maddow, Chrissie Matthews, Miss Piggy McCain, and little Ronnie Tutu.
If the GOP, and the RNC and the other bought and paid for fashionable stooges want to avoid substantial defections into the ranks of independents refusing to vote for their candidates, then they can get the Elitist thumbs off the scale, get the hell out of the way, nominate decent candidates likely to carry out those high-minded platforms and seek votes as Reagan did---the old-fashioned way by inspiring the base and bringing in socially conservative Democrat voters who have had enough of Obozo. But nooooo, election after election after election they pull the same elitist crap, ignore the base, chuckle up their sleeves over how much they can take us whom they think of as neanderthals for granted and the GOP winds up losing yet again.
I have a friend from college who is a devout Catholic, as am I. She has 7 kids and often attends daily Mass. She lives in California and she voted for Zero in 2008. When I asked her why, incredulously, she said “because of the war.” Say what....? Turns out she’s a social justice Catholic, and they’re willing to turn a blind eye to the evils of Obama and the progressive agenda in order to help the poor, save the whales, and stop the wars. They’re very misguided but they think they’re holier than thou. Makes me gag.
You got that right! Romney is a 100% devoted, wishy-washy, pro-choice, pro-homosexual lifestyle, and devout Democrat . . . but, he is not OBAMBI . . . Just why do we conservatives have to hold our nose tightly each and every presidential election to vote?
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