Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics - 5 NON-NEGOTIABLE ISSUES FOR CATHOLIC VOTERS

http://www.catholic.com/library/voters_guide.asp ^ | 2004 | CATHOLIC ANSWERS

[ADSUM]

THE FIVE NON-NEGOTIABLE ISSUES

These five current issues concern actions that are intrinsically evil and must never be promoted by the law. Intrinsically evil actions are those which fundamentally conflict with the moral law and can never be deliberately performed under any circumstances. It is a serious sin to deliberately endorse or promote any of these actions, and no candidate who really wants to advance the common good will support any action contrary to the non-negotiable principles involved in these issues.

1. Abortion

The Church teaches that, regarding a law permitting abortions, 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" (EV 73). Abortion is the intentional and direct killing of an innocent human being, and therefore it is a form of 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.

2. Euthanasia

Often disguised by the name "mercy killing," euthanasia also is 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 to another person (cf. EV 73).

3. Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Human embryos are human beings. "Respect for the dignity of the human being excludes all experimental manipulation or exploitation of the human embryo" (CRF 4b).

Recent scientific advances show that often medical treatments that researchers hope to develop from experimentation on embryonic stem cells can be developed by using adult stem cells instead. 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.

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" (RHL I:6).

Human cloning also involves abortion because the "rejected" or "unsuccessful" embryonic clones are destroyed, yet each clone is a human being.

5. Homosexual "Marriage"

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.

"When legislation in favor of the recognition of homosexual unions is proposed for the first time in a legislative assembly, the Catholic lawmaker has a moral duty to express his opposition clearly and publicly and to vote against it. To vote in favor of a law so harmful to the common good is gravely immoral" (UHP 10).

[Salvation]

Catholic Action Ping!

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[Salvation]

Welcome to FR.

Shall I add you to the Catholic Ping List?

[Salvation]

Have you checked out the Voter's Guide on Catholic Answers?

Might copy it off and send it to him annonymously.

[farmfriend]

Sorry. I have a list of who has ping lists for what topics. You were not on the list but I will add you under the Catholic topic. If you have other lists let me know, or if you know of other lists. I add them as I come across them.

[Salvation]

Welcome to FR. May I add you to the Catholic Ping List?

[Smokin' Joe]

I would point out that any support of someone who advocates the policies which go against Church doctrine, and indeed the Bible, supports those policies and makes him/her an accomplice to their implementation. They share in the sin, share in the crime.

Jesus said that He would rather we were hot or cold than lukewarm, and that claiming to separate church and state is a disingenous cop-out. For the individual, there is no separation, just the relationship between themselves and God.

[Smartass]

A child is a gift, not a choice

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[Celtic Rose]

thanks, that would be great

[k2blader]

I'm not a Catholic, but I agree with each point made here.

One thing I'm curious about:

What is the conservative Catholic viewpoint on President Bush's decision to allow research to continue using "existing lines" of embryonic stem cells?

[Lion Den Dan]

I have a very liberal CATHOLIC friend who proclaims that it's okay to vote for politicians who have beliefs contrary to the teachings of the church. He claims that the seperation of church and state affords this. How would you counter this argument?

Separation of church and state does not separate morality and the state or separate the state from what is just plain right.

[Free_at_last_-2001]

It's a shame this has to be publicized, because Catholics SHOULD know this already! - Agreed!

[ADSUM]

I presume one wouldn't get a response.

Someone could question candidate Kerry in the Presidential debates about why should the American public vote for Kerry if he doesn't follow his professed voluntary beliefs in his own religion?

[moonman]

"He claims that the seperation of church and state affords this." How would you counter this argument?

First, educate him about the fact there is no 'separation of church and state' clause in the Constitution. If he is receptive to that, then ask him, "What SEPARATES your soul from your conscience?

[ADSUM]

At least someone took the time to say it and make it available to others.

[ADSUM]

Send him a copy of this voter's guide and advise him to read it. He could also read the Catholic doctrine references cited.

The guide specifically states "In many elections there are situations where all of the available candidates take morally unacceptable positions on one or more of the ‘non-negotiable’ issues.

In such situations, a citizen will be called upon to make tough choices. In those cases, citizens must vote in the way that will most limit the harm that would be done by the available candidates.

In this guide we will look first at the principles that should be applied in clear-cut races, where there is an unambiguously good moral choice. These same principles help lay the groundwork for what to do in situations that are more difficult.

Knowing the principles that are applied in ideal situations is useful when facing problematic ones, so as you review the principles you should keep in mind that they often must be applied in situations where the choice is more difficult. At the end of the guide we will offer practical advice about how to decide to cast your vote in those cases.


It also might be helpful for him to read the US Constitution. The US Constitution does allow us to have religious beliefs and practice our religion.

Ask him why he wants to be led by someone who promotes intrinsically evil policies?

[ADSUM]

Some people will never understand or think for themselves.

Say a prayer and lead by example.

[ADSUM]

Say a prayer for him.

I know several lawyers educated at a prominent Jesuit Catholic University that seem to lack moral values when representing clients. Seems that economic interests are more important to them.

It can be very difficult to actually be a "Catholic" seven days a week.

[Nora]

I was pleased to find this little book at our church yesterday, right beside the Sunday bulletins. Apparently a lot of them had been put out before the Saturday evening Mass. I went to the 10:30 Mass, the last on for the weekend, Sunday. Only a few were left before Mass, and all were gone afterwards.

It is a joy to be in a parish were the priests understand canon law.

[NewCenturions]

Bump

[ADSUM]

Keep the Faith and realize that many are just uniformed and/or unwilling to think through the issues.

I have great difficulty in discussing issues and politics with my father because his mind is already made up.

God gave us the freedom to think and act, even if we don't always make the right choices. Lead by example and remember the early Christians were persecuted for their beliefs and practicing their faith.

Good moral values will eventually survive and win, but it does require a lot of work and perseverance.