Practicing Catholic Democrats?

[Donna]

No they are not two different sets of beliefs. Catholics are also Christians, just as mormons, Baptists, Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist, etc....are Christians.

i think it was meant that all catholics are christians but not all christians are catholics.

 

[freckles and boo]

i think it was meant that all catholics are christians but not all christians are catholics.

Maybe. But there is plenty of anti-Catholic sentiment in certain conservative protestant churches and I have heard from more than one person that Catholics aren't "real" Christians. That is a hateful, ridiculous statement.

 

[yeartolate]

Republicans are more Old Testament. (Wrath of God)

Democrats are more New Testament.(What would JEsus do?)



Seriously though, to pigeonhole a party soley on one issue is rather strange to me. A practicing Catholic is not required to have an abortion - a person can work within their one party to fight for an end to abortion.


Frankly speaking, if the Republican Party wants to really move America foward, it will get back to the real party of fiscal responsibility. They will dump the social conservatism as a major force. The voters that they would lose would be quickly replaced by Democrats (like myself) who want true fiscal responsibility.

 

[Buzz's Buddy]

I didn't read this entire thread so I apologize if this has been brought up already.

In the same vain as the original poster, how do Catholics vote for Republicans knowing that they favor the death penalty and the church is against it???

I mean, the church is very clear on it's stance. I guess some Catholics just pick and choose what they want to believe in.

In a homily at a Jan. 27, 1999 Papal Mass in St. Louis, Mo., he termed the death penalty "both cruel and unnecessary," and went on to say:

"The new evangelization calls for followers of Christ who are unconditionally pro-life: who will acclaim, celebrate and serve the Gospel of life in every situation. A sign of hope is the increasing recognition that the dignity of human life must never be taken away, even in the case of someone who has done great evil. Modern society has the means of protecting itself, without definitively denying criminals the chance to reform."

In a declaration to the first World Congress on the Death Penalty held June 21-23, 2001 in Strasbourg, France, the Vatican termed the death penalty "a sign of desperation," and said it pursued the abolition of capital punishment as "an integral part of the defense of human life at every stage of its development.... The universal abolition of the death penalty would be a courageous reaffirmation of the belief that humankind can be successful in dealing with criminality and of our refusal to succumb to despair before such forces, and as such it would regenerate new hope in our very humanity."

Incidentally, I was raised Catholic, although I now attend a Baptist church with my wife. I voted for Barack Obama and I am pro-choice and pro-death penalty.

 

[damo]

There were and are enough scandals in the Catholic Church itself that were committed or ignored by clergy, nonetheless. I don't think those people who vote for someone not opposed to abortion in severe circumstances come anywhere close to ignoring the doctrines compared to what has gone on in the past.

 

[TnTsParty]

No they are not two different sets of beliefs. Catholics are also Christians, just as mormons, Baptists, Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist, etc....are Christians.

That's what I thought too - that Catholics are also Christians - we all believe in Christ. There are just different ways of teaching it. My mom's side of the family is Catholic and I was baptisted a Catholic but my dad's side is Lutheran and that is how I was raised. I still consider myself a Lutheran but really am just a Christian (I don't go to church often but I believe and love God and Jesus)

That being said I am not a democrat (my mom's side of the family is) I actually was raised a Republican and still believe most of the issues on that side. The one thing I do not agree with is Pro-Life - I am Pro-Choice - for me it is not a choice I could make unless absolutely necessary but I think that we need to still have the choice available to have an abortion so that it doesn't go back to the way it was before it was legal. I feel that it is wrong for people to use it for birth control.

 

[photobob]

I am a democrat and a member of the United Methodist Church which has had the slogan "Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors." The slogan pretty explains why I am a member of the UMC and in my mind fits being a democrat as well. Most my church friends though are republican, but I think that has more to do with the fact that I live in Alabama than anything else.

 

[kjetjl]

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[allison443]

I'm not sure I understand your rationale, that you are exempt from any hypocrisy since you don't go to church or think much about your religion. At the same time you DO spend time thinking about those who go to church and whether they follow their religions properly. I think it's important to look at one's own life before that of others.

You said exactly what I was thinking-the OP doesn't follow the Church's rules herself (going to Mass weekly is an obligation) but still considers herself Catholic, but calls other Catholics hypocrites?

 

[delilah]

I am a Catholic, not pro choice and a physician. I treat all ages of patients, from birth to old age. I don't do obstetrics, but a fair amount of my practice is gynecology, which involves seeing young women newly diagnosed with pregnancy. As I recall, some so called "Christian" anti-choice have committed violence against health professionals that were pro-choice, which resulted in the death of at least one such professional. I personally believe that the life of a physician is worth as much as the life of a fetus, and killing a doctor has to be the same in God's eyes as killing a baby. This is to such a degree that I wouldn't even know where to send a patient for an abortion if I wanted to do so. None of the gynecologists at my hospital do abortions, and none of them will refer a patient for an abortion. Abortion is legal, of course, but the mind set of doctors who actually see the patients is not likely to change because of the political climate in the community.

I have had patients over the years that I have spent alot of time and effort trying to convince to consider adoption rather than abortion. I even give them the personal information That I only have one son, and he is adopted. But, people can be hard to convince, and unfortunately, more than one young woman has returned having had an abortion despite my referral to the OB office upstairs after having gotten her abortion elsewhere.

 

[minniecarousel]

I come from a long line of Kennedy-esque Catholic Democrats. (My mother saw through "Tricky Dick" when he was VP!) Nothing is more natural than being Catholic and a Democrat in my family. That said, only a few of my 7 siblings are actually practicing Catholics today.

The term may be "Cafeteria Catholics" - we pick-and-choose what we believe in. I have a hard time right now, going to Church, knowing that the Knights of Columbus (a men's Catholic service organization, and no, I have no problem with all-men or all-women service organizations) poured millions of dollars into passing Prop.8 here in California. They will never get any $$ from me, ever again. That money was supposed to go to feed the poor, etc. Not get in the middle of something that I believe churches have no business in. Let there be civil marriages - it has nothing to do with church weddings!

Just because you're Catholic and a Democrat, doesn't mean you are pro-abortion. That very statement is offensive. In fact, I don't know anyone who is pro-abortion; I know people who are pro-choice. And yes, there is a difference.

 

[CraftyMouse]

This has been bothering me most of my adult life. How do you go to chruch on Sundays 52 weeks a year and follow the teachings of the pop yet still vote democrat with so many of them if not all being pro abortion? I mean either you beliee in the teachings of your church and follow their doctirne or why show up?

This is exactly the reason that I left the Catholic religion. I did not feel like I should be a member of a religion that I did not believe in 100%. Religion should not be seen as a buffet table where you can pick and choose which components you want to believe in.

To be honest, I really have never been Catholic, although I was raised Catholic, made my First Communion and was Confirmed. I never believed in all the church had to say so, therefore, I was not a Catholic. It's easy to say that you're something, but if you don't fully believe then you are not. Too many of the things I believe wholeheartedly in go against the teachings of the Catholic church.

 

[singingpixie]

I think the concise answer is that no candidate perfectly fits Catholic (or any other denomination's/religion's) ideals. Each person needs to decide who better fits with their conscience and judgment, by deciding what has a higher priority. Some of my pro-life friends have said that there's a whole lot less a politician can do to prevent abortion (since they will continue happening, legal or not like they always have) than they can do to help the poor, make decisions regarding war, oppose the death penalty, etc. You choose your battles.

 

[bookgirl]

I am agnostic. While I do consider myself christian (being raised southern nazerene), I find it hard to conect what I see as basic christian beliefs with the modern entity we call churches today. I am a monotheist (belief in one god) so I do believe in God.

I try to do unto others, I don't steal or lie, I believe in praying and that while it is a support I think that God does not answer them directly by doing exactly what I ask for. I know that others believe differently than I and I respect their religion, while still beliving in mine. I try not to throw stones (but that's a hard one to do) You know basic stuff.

However I can not make myself attend a "church" where hatred is sermonized. Where a docterine of if they don't belive what I believe then they are going to hell/ they are wrong/ they are evil. That calls apon me to impose my beliefs on others and to "convert" others away from thier beliefs. That actually thinks that it's okay to stand before a congregation and condem people while smiling and justifying it as God's will.

I can't stand going to a church that is more interested in their building fund than the true concept of gathering and being joyful together.

One that states seperation of church and state when it comes to taxes then forgets it when they want laws that are faith driven, and claim that it is their right to legislate issues of morality based on thier religion.

I can not see a book of philosophy written by man as the WORD of GOD managed in such a way that the words are twisted to justify the beliefs of man and to be used as the be all end all of life. (sorry but it refers to me as chattal and having no right to free will unless it's my husbands, it's got flaws)

So rather than be a hypocrite, I do not belong to a church though I do consider myself Christian, and I do believe in a Higher Power that my belief system names God. I figure in the end we'll all know whether or not he appoved of our actions. In my heart I worship him wherever I am, and he accepts and loves me no matter what my location on Sundays.

I figure it most catholics have no say in who becomes pope and they have absolutly no say in church docterine. So they believe what they believe in thier heart and understand that God is not a matter of bricks and morter and flesh and blood and the words of others. It is in themselves and they can only control how they live their lives and that is between God and them.


Sorry I forgot to add that I answered this because for a brief period I did look for a church to belong too, one of them was the Catholic church, baptist, church of christ, some of thoe modern non denominational ones, etc. Wasn't just horning in to be a pain.

 

[c4a]

This has been bothering me most of my adult life. How do you go to chruch on Sundays 52 weeks a year and follow the teachings of the pop yet still vote democrat with so many of them if not all being pro abortion? I mean either you beliee in the teachings of your church and follow their doctirne or why show up?
I was rasied catholic, don't go to church for a variety of reasons yet still consider myself a catholic and my children as well. However I do not devote the time and energy into the church enough for it to reflect on my politcal views.However some do and should yet they are in my mind hypocrites once they hit that polling booth.
Could someone explain the hypocrisy of it to me?

This also might apply to other religions though I am not sure as I have only spent time in the Catholic and Episocalian churches.

Was raised Catholic. Parents are still very devout Catholics. As are my siblings. Some are Rep., some are Dem.s, me-Ind. None of us blindly follow all Church doctorine. None of us allow ourselves to be spoon fed what our political doctorine is..and just swallow it all whole, also. It is similar to you consider yourself Catholic-even though you do not attend mass regularly (perhaps on Christmas, Easter, etc?)...and obviously are not raising your children according to the way that the Church says they should (going to Mass regularly, attending CCD (CYO if offered), recieving the sacraments, etc.) Being Catholic is not ALL that you are. Nor do you follow & agree with EVERYTHING that your political party says, I'd be willing to wager. Same thing.
That does not make you a hypocrit anymore than it makes anyone else one. I'd say more judgemental, perhaps...but that would be judgemental of me.

 

[lemondog]

Catholicism and Christianity are two different sets of beliefs. Many aspects are similar or "related" but they are not one and the same.

Yes, actually, they are one in the same. Catholicism is one particular denomination of Christianity...there are many others as well.

 

[RickinNYC]

I'm a pro-choice, gay Democrat and still Catholic. I used to try to come to terms with the hypocrisy and that only made things worse for me. I choose now to believe that God is a loving, caring God and not full of hate or judgment. I leave it as simplistic as possible and I'm fine with that.

 

[Anewman]

Have not read nor do I intend to read any post beyond the first in this thread.

Lifelong Catholic here, and I do tend to vote Democrat.

I do follow the teachings of the church and Pope, I choose not to vote in a manner that would impose my beliefs(and those of my church) onto others.

I vote to support choice and gay rights, but I would never partake in either.

 

[c4a]

Christians are ANYONE who believes that Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead three days later...and in doing so replaced the old law & defeated death & sin. In believing this, we are washed clean (saved) of sin when asking for forgiveness. We claim him as our Lord & our Savior.
Catholics believe this. So do Baptist, Methodist, Lutherans, Pentecostals, and many other denominations. All are Christians.
Not only that, but the major Protestant religions either derived from Lutheran's (Martin Luther), the Church of England (King Henry, Calvan, & Reformist), or some other reformer of the Catholic Church. The differences are in the interpretation of the laws. The Church of England came about because King Henry wanted to get rid of Queen Catherine and play run around the bed with Anne Bolin. Catherine refused to grant a divorce-King Henry could not force her to give him one under church law. So, he formed his own church. His descendants (including King James-yeah, the King James Bible) followed this new religion. Martin Luther oppossed the extravagance & what he saw (and preached) as the hypocrisy of the Catholic Church (and Priest-who at that time were allowed to marry, hold property, & many times took mistresses). Both of these men (along with others & the after effects of the Inquisition) caused radical reform in the Catholic church (including Priest no longer being allowed to marry, hold property, and leading chaste lives).
As for divorce, infedelity (the one being cheated on's right to have & not the one who cheated), a non-believing spouse's choice to leave (the believing spouse is not held guilty of adultry if marry, again) are the only two instances of church sanctioned divorces/annulments. Annulments can be given if no children were born/adopted during the marriage.

 

[wall*e2008]

I'm a pro-choice, gay Democrat and still Catholic. I used to try to come to terms with the hypocrisy and that only made things worse for me. I choose now to believe that God is a loving, caring God and not full of hate or judgment. I leave it as simplistic as possible and I'm fine with that.

I believe that gay people were created that way by God and God does not make mistakes.