I am Catholic. I try to humbly follow the teachings of the Church.
The Church teaches incrementalism with regards to the candidates on the ProLife issue. However, they also teach the moral and spiritual obligation to vote for the one who supports life the most regardless of the percentages or who has a shot at winning.
Let me explain. California is a great example. Even if McClintock was at 1% and "appeared" to have no shot at winning, we must still vote for the McClintock candidacy because he is the most Pro-life candidate.
Now lets say Arnold and Bustamante are the only ones running in this race and McClintock has dropped out. We would then be instructed to vote Arnold because of his somewhat softer stance on PBA. You take what ever morsel you can get on this issue.
Furthermore, Prolife idealogy is the only criteria used in determining which candidate to back. If both candidates' stances are equally the same on abortion (very rare) then the voter is allowed room to choose on other issues.
I hope I have not misrepresented the Church's teachings here. Any other Catholic out there willing to chime in, please do so.
Thank you for a very clear explanation of what your church teaches. It helps me understand where you are coming from.
There is, however, an impasse which we will reach in the discussion, because I believe, as a Protestant, in the priesthood of believers, and that there is no mediator between God and myself other than Jesus Christ. Therefore, I must be obedient to His word, and to Him alone, and not to any church leader or teaching.
In this case, I believe that your church leaders are right in their strong and immutable stance against abortion......which is clearly and unquestionably the only Biblical position one can have. However, as to the exact rules on how to vote, I disagree. If I prayerfully ask for God's guidance and wisdom in this very difficult decision, and believe that God has led me to vote for the candidate who will save the most lives (in this case, Schwartzenegger, because he could win), then it is between me and God alone that any judgement lies......not in an outside source.
Keep in mind that I am neither a Catholic, nor a Californian, so my prayer (as a pro-life outsider) for the election was that God's will would be done in order to save more lives.......and I believe it was.