The Catholic Case for Obama

[Midlodemocrat]

Whole lot of Catholic bashing going on around these parts. I am Catholic as is everyone in my family. We all voted for Obama.

The next time any one of you encounters a rabid Catholic anti-Obamite, tell them about this article. It explains the fundamental choices Catholics needed to make during the election and did by voting for Obama.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/164445

George Weigel and his fellow McCain advisers are growing frustrated at the state of the campaign, and they should be. This election rightly continues to focus on the millions of Americans at risk of losing their jobs and their homes. The issue of abortion, of course, is tied to the nation's economic fortunes. In part, we endorsed Senator Obama because his tax-reduction plan focuses on the betterment of average families and those living at the margins. Center for Disease Control statistics reveal that prosperity directly affects the abortion rate far more significantly than Republican rhetoric pledging to outlaw abortion—a feat John McCain has failed to accomplish with nearly three decades in Congress.

Mr. Weigel predicts that the emergence of serious pro-life Catholics supporting Obama in this election portends "a new hardening of the battle lines. Not on our part. To us, endorsing Barack Obama was not only about who would make the best president, but also about erasing many of these old battle lines, which, frankly, have been drawn on the wrong battlefield and have served no one well—especially women and the unborn, to say nothing of our political discourse.

In the closing weeks of this election, abortion is among the crucial issues for Catholic voters, but promoting a culture of life is necessarily interconnected with a family wage, universal health care and, yes, better parenting and education of our youth. This greater appreciation for the totality of Catholic teaching is at the very heart of the Obama campaign; it is scarcely a McCain footnote.

In a perfect world, the pro-life argumentation of George Weigel is unassailable. He counsels having constitutional law align absolutely with the defense of innocent human life; to which we say, "Amen." The problem for Weigel is that even our collective "Amen" will not make it so. In the meantime, millions of children are being aborted.



This sentence in particular stands out to me.

The church asks its faithful to find meaningful—not hypothetical—ways to promote human life. "In other words, maybe stop sending them off to die in an illegal war?" - quotes - mine.

[texpatriot2004]

1. Traditionally Catholics were for social justice issues. It is horrid

the way some priests are politicizing communion and have for years now. I have never understood one issue voting, nor the hypocrisy of being "pro-life" but supporting unjust war that kills people, the death penalty and being against pro-family policies not to mention policies that support the rehabilitation of criminals instead of warehousing them.

Thanks for this post.

[Midlodemocrat]

2. I sent this to some of my Catholic neighbors who

were McCain supporters just because they happen to be one issue voters. It opened up a few eyes, that's for sure.

I think this article is very well written and explains the pro-life stance the church SHOULD be taking instead of the one it is taking.

[LostinVA]

4. The Church made me a Social Democrat because of their social justice stances

It made me anti DP, anti war, and pro charitable work -- including having an NHS system.

There are Lay organizations within the Church who work for this daily. living poorer than any Sallie.

[LostinVA]

6. The priests withholding the Eucharist are breaking Church law

[Morrisons Ghost]

9. The church

Does not endorse The war in Iraq. Those priests who do from the pulpit are actually going against what The Holy See and Rome have said about the war! The reason given is that the war did not meet the requirements of a just war set by St Augustine!

[LostinVA]

3. I always stick up for the people in the Church -- Religious and Laity

Even you!

[LostinVA]

5. k&r

[nyc 4 Biden]

7. K&R

[iamahaingttta]

8. I've been bashing the Mormons lately...

Should I start bashing Catholics again?

I don't like or respect any religion, as I think it's all bunch of made up silliness.
I love the idea of people joining together in community, and doing good works together.
However, all the Jesus stuff is just fairy tales.
I find it particularly horrid when people base their political viewpoints on those fairy tales.

Sorry...

[Midlodemocrat]

10. Quite frankly, I don't care what you do.

Your opinion on religion doesn't matter to me.

[SoxFan]

11. Bragging about spewing hate and bigotry?

Wow, you must be sooo proud. Here, have a cookie.

[iamahaingttta]

12. How is pointing out...

...that it's all a bunch of silly made up stuff "hate" or "bigotry?"

How is pointing out that religion is the bane of the species "hate" or bigotry?"

How is pointing out that it is silly for people to base their actions on some mistranslations of what some carpenters and fishermen from 2000 years and more ago "hate" or "bigotry?"

How is pointing out that people who engage in hate and bigotry based on fairy tales "hate" or "bigotry?"

Why is it that people are allowed to engage in "hate" and "bigotry" in the name of their religion, but then when they get called on it and hopefully marginalized for it, it's "hate" or "bigotry?"

[SoxFan]

15. -

[rvablue]

13. Same here.....family of 5...all voted Obama...as did my two best friends

who are Catholic and their spouses....all voted for Obama.

Everyone who keeps bashing Catholics can go suck it!!!!!!!!!!

[wellstone dem]

22. In this extended Catholic family I can safely claim 12 votes

actually probaly 15.

[slay]

14. Personally, I would never be OK taking away a woman's right to control her own body, that being said

Hypothetically, if McCain had been the pro-choice candidate (yeah RIGHT!), and Obama had been the so called pro-life candidate, with everything else being the same, I would have voted for Obama because I can not in good conscience be a "one issue voter". I appreciate you posting this.

[WildEyedLiberal]

16. Perfect - thank you

Also a Catholic liberal. To ignore the long Catholic tradition of social justice and promoting peace is myopic. These idiot priests and bishops who are in essence shills for the Republican party are "going rogue" just like Sarah Palin and using the Church to advance their political agenda. We as laypeople need to make it clear that we will not permit our religion to be politicized by these right-wing one-issue idiots.

[UrbScotty]

17. Devout Catholic here

God bless you for posting this!

[ratherunique]

18. me and my catholic fam voted for obama

didn't he get more than50% percent of the catholic vote?

[Scurrilous]

19. Thanks!

K & R :thumbsup:

[JerseygirlCT]

20. Several months before the election, my very devout mom

got one of *those* emails - telling her about how Obama/Biden were "pro-abortion".

We had a little talk. She was particularly concerned with Biden, as he is also Catholic. I said his position was pretty much my own, and one shared by most RC Dem. politicians that I know of: that is, not personally likely to have one, or eager to see a family member have an abortion, but of the belief that it is a deeply personal decision best left to the conscience of each individual woman.

My mother said "oh, that's my position, too!". I told her that there really are very few people out there who can be described as "pro-abortion". Most people agree that it would be terrific if no one ever felt they needed one, but that's not the case. And certainly, no one feels women ought to be forced to have abortions, which is also what that term implies!

Once she was able to get by the propaganda she was being fed, the Dem. position was quite acceptable to her, in the context of the rest of her views - which are very much of the social justice variety. (I think she spends almost every waking hour now at the food pantry!)

[kanrok]

21. K & R

We need more positive Catholic posts. Too much bashing going on here for my tastes.

[DesertRat]

23. Thanks for the post. k&r

[Median Democrat]

24. I Am A Former Catholic Who Believes The Church Has Abandoned The Bible...

Specifically, the Bible is replete with passages on social justice. Yet, the Catholic Church has permitted prominent priests to actively support Republicans and threaten Democratic supports based purely on the issue of abortion, which is not even discussed in the Bible:

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/undergod/2008/11/priest_calls_vote_for_obama_a.html

In depreviing parishioners who support Obama of communion, these priests ignore the Bible, which actually has numerous verses that would be considered liberal, if not leftist:

"If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered."

-Proverbs 21:13

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."

-Proverbs 31:8-9

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."

-Matthew 6:24

He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished."

-Proverbs 17:5

"He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich--both come to poverty."

-Proverbs 22:16

"Jesus answered, 'If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.'"

-Matthew 19:21

"He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses."

-Proverbs 28:27

Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

- Luke 12:33,34

Indeed, liberation theology, which the Right Wing Christians consider leftist, is based on this quote from Jesus:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:18-19)

So, I consider myself a Christian who actually believes in the Bible, rather than in the corporate dogma of the Catholic church, which is trying to perpetuate Republican rule.

[Lerrad]

25. Oh no, you are in trouble...

"The Rev. Jay Scott Newman said in a letter distributed Sunday to parishioners at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Greenville that they are putting their souls at risk if they take Holy Communion before doing penance for their vote."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081113/ap_on_re_us/obama_catholics

[DesertRat]

27. S.C. diocese is critical of Greenville priest's Obama comments

http://www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20081114/LIFE06/81114030/1013/NEWS05&referrer=NEWSFRONTCAROUSEL

[BoneDaddy]

26. As an ex Catholic

I would say that Catholics out of most Christian sects tend to be the most educated and for social justice. Although I no longer consider myself Catholic, I think the anti-religious sentiment on DU borders on a fundamentalist form of thinking that is clearly projection.

[etherealtruth]

28. I was formulating a response in my mind ...

... when I read yours. I agree wholeheartedly. I do need to add that I credit my Catholic upbringing (including Catholic education) for my liberalism and commitment to social justice ... just as I credit my parents, devout Catholics and "devout" Democrats.

My days as a practicing Catholic have long passed. I do not deny great problems with the church and I don't attribute great evil to the church ... the world is comprised of shades of grey ... rarely if ever, is there black and white.

[BoneDaddy]

30. I totally agree

The Jesuits taught me how to critically think even if it meant I though differently from them. The problem with this situation, as you pointed out, is that the left is often as guilty as the right with painting with a broad brush. The reality of the situation is that Obama was elected by religious people who are able to think outside the box and regardless of what their particular religion dictates what they "should" do. We would do well not to demonize religion and bring religious faith into a world that is ever changing and evolving. Many people have been able to do this. Good for them.

[dailykoff]

29. Obama's vaunted "community organizing" was a job with Holy Rosary parish

in Chicago, so he knows a thing or two about Catholics and owes his start in politics to the church. Not that he'll ever mention it.

[Bassic]

31. I, and almost everyone I know are catholic, and were we Americans,

we all would have voted for Obama.