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Voting is a civic duty which would seem to bind at least under venial sin whenever a good candidate has an unworthy opponent. It might even be a mortal sin if one's refusal to vote would result in the election of an unworthy candidate.

A mortal sin not to vote? An eternity in hell because one didn't go to the polls?

Moral theologians prior to Vatican II had lots of time to sit around and dream up mortally sinful acts. This is one of them.

I'd like to see the underlying theology behind this prepostery. I'm not in favor of encouraging people to vote who don't have a great desire to, as they usually vote on emotion.

As for me, I would not vote for a Democrat under any circumstances, even if a pro-life Democrat were running against a pro-choice Republican. Kay Bailey Hutchison is pro-choice, and I've never failed to vote for her for Senate; I don't even recall what her opponents' positions on abortion were.

Republicans in power will do more to promote life than Democrats in power will, period.

You have to remember that Christianity dates back 2,000 years, while "modern democracy" isn't even 150 years old.

The Catholic Church has always had a difficult time dealing with democratic forms of government because it knows better than anyone else that most human beings are dumber than bags of rocks and therefore have no business participating in the affairs of government. This is why the Church has to lay out a series of strict guidelines like these -- if left to their own devices, people will often support a morally bankrupt form of government over a morally legitimate one.

Remember, it was the crowds of people who wanted Pontius Pilate to release Barabbas.

It might even be a mortal sin if one's refusal to vote would result in the election of an unworthy candidate.
A mortal sin not to vote? An eternity in hell because one didn't go to the polls?

I'm not in favor of encouraging people to vote who don't have a great desire to, as they usually vote on emotion.

But, threatening with eternal damnation those dummies who don't care about voting is odd.

You get awfully excited about these things.

The only people who will be swayed into voting by the fear of eternal damnation are the same people who will be swayed against voting for pro-aborts by the same article and by the same fear. This statement is not going to drive lots of emotional pro-abort democrats to the polls, as those people care very little about the moral principles (at least the Catholic moral principles) of their vote to begin with. If they don’t care that they cooperate with abortion by voting for aborts, they won’t care about skipping the voting booth either.

As to whether its a mortal sin or not, I don't see any reason why it couldn't be. There are sins of commission, and sins of omission. FAiling to act to prevent a rape, for example just sitting by and watching, is clearly a rather serious sin. Sitting by and watching murder when you can do something to prevent it is similarly a rather serious omission.

If you have the chance to do something about abortion, know that you have the chance, and still fail to act, you clearly sin. Whether it is mortal or not depends on the specifics, as I think this article leaves clear.

patent +AMDG