Why is the Catholic church trying to influence its followers in politics and is it bias?

Question

This may seem like an attack on the RC but it is not but as of lately ESP. when Pope Benedict got elected the Vatican has been dwelving itself into politics, more so than usaul and even threatening its followers with excommunication if they vote for certain politicians or even Catholic politicos if they do not follow the churches teachings and or disaggree. It is a disturbing and potientaly dangerous course to take both for the church and its followers as well as others. The church and politics are kept seperate for a good reason here in the USA. Also, the Pope has warned followers not to vote for any politician who does not agree with the church or is of a liberal turn. He seemed to have implied that the only good candidates are the neoconservative ones despite that a lot of them have displayed some rigid, narrow, intolerant views and many of who are hardcore, reactionary religous fanatics. It appears that the Vatican favors only these politicos and is not fair to the others.

Answer 1

The Church is primarily a spiritual body. But she is also a moral teacher and has been teaching the world what it believes God thinks is right and wrong for almost 2,000 years.

The Church looks to protect human dignity and human rights and does not for look for political power. Church leaders are barred from political office by Church law (not civil law).

Jesus said, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:18-20)

The Catholic Church has been teaching world governments what it believes is right and wrong since the ancient Romans stopped persecuting it and long before anyone heard of the freedom of speech.

The Catholic Church protested about the blood sports in the Roman Colosseum and they were stopped.

The Catholic Church supported the Polish Solidarity movement and the Soviet Union fell apart.

I don't think the Church is going to (or should) stop teaching the world governments what is right or wrong now.

Remember the Catholic Church proposes. It does not impose.

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

Let's go through this one piece at a time. Shall we?

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The anser is obvious: Just because something is endorsed by a political ideology doesn't mean it's morally acceptable according to religious ideology.

When a person claims one thing, but does another, we have hypocrisy.


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The popes "as of lately" are doing what all the popes have done on down though history: Guiding Catholics in making the proper moral decision. Church Dogma has not changed, but it does develop as the world develops. Issues such as abortion, euthanasia, same-sex marriage, embryonic stem cell research: these are the pre-eminent moral issues of the day, and the Church is right to guide Catholics in the morality as it pertains to these subjects.

Certain political ideologies, especially ones that are in favor of abortion, euthanasia, etc, etc, are totally opposed to Church morality. These political ideologies can potentially mislead Catholics by corrupting their sense of morality. The Church is right to instruct on these matters to help correct Catholics who have gone astray.


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No. The idea that people somehow know better than God is the danger.


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you seem to think this reason has to do with surpressing one's Freedom to Worship. On the contrary, The First Amendment to the Constitution helps guarantee the Church's right to instruct it's members - especially when it's ideology is opposed to the political ideologies.


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If you wish to preserve any semblance of credibility, don't bother with the ad hominem attacks. Ironically, by classifying the pro-religious as "rigid, narrow, intolerant", and "hardcore, reactionary religous fanatics", it is you who are demonstrating narrow-mindedness, not the alleged neocons.


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Common sense: You cannot have two sides with opposing viewpoints and both be right. One side is going to be right and the other side is going to be wrong. Those who oppose the Church's teachings on morality are wrong. Those who are in favor of the Church's teachings on morality are right.

See how simple this is?

Answer 3

When a Catholic politician ignores the clear teachings of his church, he deserves to be held accountable for it, since that type of behavior is not only a sin, but a cause of scandal and division within the church.

The Catholic church remains the oldest and longest reigning government on the earth ... and for a very good reason.

When governments pass laws which are obviously in disagreement with God's own laws, such as laws permitting abortion, euthanasia, or the destruction of other forms of human life, then the Catholic church is bound to come out in opposition to such evil actions.

And since the Catholic church alone, after the fall of Rome, served to save the world, while simultaneously rebuilding and governing all of western civilization, it has a perfect and pre-existing right to stand up for the divine truths that are so important to the spiritual and temporal welfare of the world ... whether the world likes it or not.

And since that right and authority has been granted to the Catholic church by none other than God, your idea of "fairness" has absolutely nothing to do with it.

Answer 4

There is a difference between the Catholic Church excommunicating someone and the Catholic Church being a branch of government. The US government has to be secular, but the Catholic Church does not. Because of separation of church and state, the Catholic Church is a separate sovereign entity, and it can make its own decisions and excommunicate so-called Catholics who do not uphold the church's view. If you are a member of the Catholic Church you should uphold the doctrines and rules of the church. In the same way if you work for WalMart you must follow their rules, or if you are a member of the yacht club you have to obey certain rules they set.

Answer 5

The Church never endorses specific candidates. However it would certainly be negligent if it did not furnish its members with moral guidelines on political matters. The teaching of the Church influences every other aspect of a believer's life. Why wouldn't it be equally important on political matters, especially when those specific political matters are also moral matters?

Answer 6

as a approaches because of the fact the Roman Catholic Church attempting to administration politics interior the u . s . a ., I desire the respond given by using John F Kennedy, whilst he replaced into working for president, on the problem of his being Catholic. look it up.

Answer 7

Hey, iti's not only the Catholic church....

The Prods do the same thing.

Don't you recall Jerry Falwell and is "moral majority" (which was neither)?

Most televangelists also.

Pat Robertson?

The "Christian Coalition".

The Prods are more virulent than the Catholics about wanting to insinuate themselves into politics.

Answer 8

It's all about control. The Vatican doesn't have the kind of influence it's had in the past. I don't like it when they do this, and glad I'm fortunate enough to live in the US. This is another reason why I'm no longer a Catholic.

Answer 9

ofcourse the vatican is biased!!! where have you been these last hundred years?!?

Answer 10

"....threatening followers with excommunication"?.....how lame...grow up