if i'm catholic, does that mean i would forevermore have to vote republican?????

there are many issues that i don't currently agree with the catholic church on, but that i can actually see my views changing on. but i cannot see myself ever being anything other than a democrat.

is it possible to be a democrat AND a catholic?

I don't know, my friend who is a staunch catholic votes Republican because of her faith... so I am interested to see the replies.

Both of my parents are long time, faith filled Catholics and are Democrat.

Hmm, both of my parents are Catholic and Democrat. I actually asked my mother if a Catholic could vote for a pro choice candidate and she wouldn't discuss it with me. I was genuninely wondering how that works.

Yes, I think you can be democrat and Catholic. In most cases you shouldn't vote for a candidate who supports killing an unborn baby. But there is no catholic doctrine that says you have to vote Republican.
Let me just link you to a document entitled "Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics"
http://www.stpetersdixon.com/Voters-Guide-Catholic-English-1p.pdf

There are seven aspects to Catholic Church social teachings; respecting life in only one. I'm way too tired and suffering from a nasty cold at the moment, but will update with the 6 other teachings when I'm better able to think. But the gist of what I am trying to convey is that voting isn't as simple as choosing the candiate that is pro-life.

voting isn't as simple as choosing the candiate that is pro-life.
A lot of people do vote that way, though. My family, for instance. They will vote for a pro-life (meaning, anti-abortion) candidate, even if he/she is for capital punishment and does not care about the less priviledged. My mother taught us that we are to vote for the person who is against abortion. All the rest is secondary. I get what she's saying, but I now disagree.

It's hard, though. I definitely don't think there is one political party that sums up the RCC.

Yep, my friend votes solely on the abortion issue.

I don't think a Catholic can in good conscious vote for a pro-choice candidate. While there are many issues Catholic voters should be concerned with, life issues take precendence. I think Pope Benedict recently made a statement to that effect. However, there are pro-life Democrats out there.

I don't think a Catholic can in good conscious vote for a pro-choice candidate. While there are many issues Catholic voters should be concerned with, life issues take precendence. I think Pope Benedict recently made a statement to that effect. However, there are pro-life Democrats out there.

I think often the life issue becomes confusing when a candidate is anti-abortion, but pro-death penalty. That's a hard one for me. I'm not longer Catholic, but I still struggle with how to best further the respect for life. I used to think it was all about the babies, but I find myself thinking broader now. This is NOT to say that I think abortion is EVER OK. I do not. I guess there are just SO many evils to respond to. It's kind of overwhelming!

That's true Nancy. I find it ironic that some politicians say life is sacred and are pro-life, but then also support the death penalty. I do NOT support the death penalty but if my choice is between voting for someone who is pro-choice vs. someone who is pro-death penalty, I'd take the latter. IMO, there is more evil in killing a defenseless child than an adult who chose to commit a violent crime. However, I'd rather not support either.

I'm hesitant to post this, and I don't want to offend or to step on toes (especially since I'm not catholic) but doesn't being pro-choice also mean that one does NOT have to abort. It's just the ability for a woman to make a choice on her own, not having one religion decide. Is it better that a woman should resort to hotel rooms with "butcher" and homemade devices, as oppose to a medical environment? What about the woman that was raped and conceived? The mother with a health issue? The deformed fetus/child that has the incompatibility to survive outside the womb? I'm not talking about using it as a form of BC. There should probably be some kind of tracking if not by name, than by a number. But there are definite reasons why it should be legal and safe!!!! Pro-choice does not necessarily mean anti-life, just the freedom of choice.


FYI, in the jewish religion, a fetus is not considered a "child/person" until 40 days after conception and the mother's health takes precedence over the "fetus/child". I believe that the mother's health only refers to medical issues not that "it wasn't a convenient time to conceive".

-Is it better that a woman should resort to hotel rooms with "butcher" and homemade devices, as oppose to a medical environment?

They are both horrific. Either way, it's a gruesome act of killing.


-What about the woman that was raped and conceived?

It's not the baby's fault, so let's not kill it. I do know a lady who was raped and she chose to keep the baby. One might choose adoption.

-The mother with a health issue?

St. Gianna Molla comes to mind. She continued a pregnancy despite her health issues. She died and is a saint. I think I remember hearing that her child is alive today.

It is ok to treat a medical condition that unfortunately results in the baby's dealth, but not to kill the baby directly. I don't know the figures, but I'm guessing there are close to zero abortions being done where by killing the fetus it saves the mother. Sometimes treatment for an illness may result in the baby dying, but that is different than aborting it first.

-The deformed fetus/child that has the incompatibility to survive outside the womb?

How do you know for sure? Best to wait and see. I've heard many stories where either 1-baby was born healthy! or 2-baby lived longer than expected.

-But there are definite reasons why it should be legal and safe!!!!

I disagree. I didn't always, your arguments do make sense on the surface. But when the baby is elevated to human status rather than blob of tissue status, it becomes easier to see why we can't kill these babies...no matter what.


I did not know that about the Jewish religion.

Did you know that some abortion clinics sell aborted baby parts like they are car parts?

There are seven aspects to Catholic Church social teachings; respecting life in only one. I'm way too tired and suffering from a nasty cold at the moment, but will update with the 6 other teachings when I'm better able to think. But the gist of what I am trying to convey is that voting isn't as simple as choosing the candiate that is pro-life.

My link to the voter's guide talks about this. Sorry about your cold, I hope you get well soon!

thanks for all the answers, and for the voters guide ann.

it seems to me, to be a good Catholic, you can not be a democrat. sigh. this is going to be a really long, hard journey for me.

thanks again. really.

thanks for all the answers, and for the voters guide ann.

it seems to me, to be a good Catholic, you can not be a democrat. sigh. this is going to be a really long, hard journey for me.

thanks again. really.


Actually it pretty much says you can't be democrat OR republican. :lol: You have to vote for the candidate that will make the most moral choices and policy. I vote for democrats sometimes, especially at the local level.

I see myself as on my way (to joining the Catholic faith)

I'm pro-life, and am Democrat. But I will vote for whomever I feel is the best person for the job.

I can't see it as just about the issue of abortion. There is war, the dealth penalty and other issues to look at when talking about protecting life.

I personally believe that Jesus is not too concerned with my thoughts regarding current politics. If I felt that voting for some person was putting that person above and before my love and committment to Jesus Christ as my Savior, then I'd not vote for that person. But beyond that....I think the decision is up to me and I'll personally not listen to any church telling me who to vote for, KWIM?

Michelle