Should catholics who vote democratic be excommunicated?

Question

By voting democratic they vote for everything the catholic church is against.

Answer 1

I don't think so.

The Catholic Church is pro-life in the widest sense. This is often called a "Consistent Ethic of Life."

This pro-life stance stresses the highest regard for dignity of human life including that of:
+ All people in objecting to unjust war and nuclear arms. (closer to Democratic platform)
+ The unborn in objecting to to abortion, in vitro fertilization, frozen embryos, embryonic stem cell research, and cloning (closer to Republican platform)
+ The elderly, sick and dying in objecting to assisted suicide and euthanasia (closer to Republican platform)
+ Prisoners in objecting to the death penalty (closer to Democratic platform)
+ The poor and minorities in supporting social justice issues (closer to Democratic platform)

Some Catholics are enthusiastically anti-abortion and align themselves with the Republican party.

When you look at the big picture, the Democratic party supports more "Catholic" issues so some Catholics are Democrats.

Neither party follows all Catholic teachings.

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

Our Holy Father isn't "the European Pope". He's the earthly leader of all Catholics everywhere in the world, and as such, man-made international political boundaries really don't matter. The Pope is chosen from among the conclave of cardinals, and it is far from being an ordinary election. Those cardinals will be the first to tell you that it is not they who are doing the choosing, but rather the Holy Spirit. As usual, God knows exactly what He is doing. Cardinal Ratzinger was an excellent choice to become Pope - a very intelligent and learned man, who can more than hold his own in any intellectual and theological argument. A believer in, and defender of, the True Catholic Faith handed down to us directly from Jesus Christ and the Apostles. Sometimes I get a kick out of the secular American news media trying to, in it's own peculiar way, make what they consider sense out of the whole process. Most of them approach the whole thing as though it were an American political election. One answerer here correctly noted that the Catholic Church is not a democracy. It never has been, and never will be, and that's exactly as it should be. There are many organizations that are not democratic in nature, and would not function properly if they were (Examples: the Church, the family, the army/navy/marines, most decent schools - all examples of entities that are, by necessity, authoritarian in nature) edit: go ahead and give this as many thumbs-down as you want - it's the truth, and a thumbs-down won't change that

Answer 3

Catholics generally don't side unilaterally with the Church in all things like many evangelicals do.

There just isn't this huge political impetus among priests to sway voters to a particular path like there is among many of the conservative evangelicals.

As for your question, you'd be excommunicating a lot of people.

Catholic voting blocs have pretty much always been strongly Democratic, especially in the eastern cities.

Answer 4

The US political system is a joke. Not everything that the main parties represent is inherently good or evil - they all have *some* good ideals.

Excommunicated for a voting preference? It's not that they are always voting for the right person/party, they are voting that way to keep the worse cantidate(s) out of the office

If you want to be this extreme, how about getting kicked out for driving a car that runs on fossil fuels? Shouldn't that person be kicked out of the church for using fuels that harm God's environment? How about anyone in the home building industry? They are causing the displacement of God's smaller creatures, as well as enabling the waste of natural resources to provide for the building process.

Answer 5

Sorry had to answer Ruth in here. This question is fine right where it is. It is politics where all this silly cr*p is discussed on a daily basis. TV, Radio. Even the churches where they should be concerned about souls instead of power in politics.

As for the asker - I happen to be Independent Liberal, and a self excommunicated catholic if you must know. Does it sound like I'm against you as a silencer of free speech? (according to most Conservatives who think they speak for me) The problem is catholics and Conservatives don't think their sh*t stinks.

Answer 6

>>I think ALL Christians should seriously look at all of the candidates and vote for those that most adhere to the Christian faith and God's Law. I agree that most Democrats are for abortion and for things that are against natural laws to name two things I can think of, that should raise red flags for Christians. Also, the ACLU which is VERY far left, is trying to take God out of just about everything.

BTW...I am an Independent. There are obviously some Republicans that are for things that are against God's laws too.

Answer 7

No. The Catholic church would lose its non-profit organization tax status if it told members to vote in a certain way.

Answer 8

I think catholic diocese that excommunicate members for political reasons should be taxed. Church & state need to be separate.

Answer 9

Free country, There is a separation of church and state.

Answer 10

Since we have secret ballots in this country, there is no way to enforce such a thing. I think this question belongs under religion, not politics. I don't care what the Bishops do about such matters.