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Voters, look into your hearts
Pope Benedict XVI and Catholic Cardinal-designate Raymond Burke both recently characterized voting as a moral act with spiritual consequences.
The pope said that "decriminalizing abortion is a betrayal to democracy," since he believes the procedure denies rights to the unborn. Burke called voting a "serious moral obligation" and added that Catholics "can never vote for someone who favors absolutely what's called the 'right to choice.'"
If Catholics largely disregard the church's teaching (the 2008 Catholic vote for president went to pro-choice Obama), does what the pope says matter? Is voting a religious act or purely political?
Whether voting is a religious act or not is ultimately up to the individual voter. No doubt, some voters do withhold their votes from candidates who support, say, abortion rights because their faith tells them abortion is wrong. (And I can't complain too much about that: as an atheist, I withhold my votes from candidates who oppose abortion because of what I consider their irrational views concerning fetal ensoulment.) No doubt, other voters withhold their votes from candidates who support the death penalty or gun control for reasons that are less political than they are some combination of religious and ideological.
Voters who cast their ballots based on religion or ideology in place of purely political calculations will always be with us. And every American has the right to vote his or her conscience. That said, speaking as a secularist, I believe that democracy is healthier when most voters aren't voting their religious convictions.
It's easily forgotten, but our nation's founders were smart to separate church from state for not one, but two reasons. The reason everyone remembers is that it's important to separate church from state so that government power can never be used to impose a particular sectarian doctrine. The reason that's often forgotten is that it is also important to protect the workings of government from the divisive, sometimes destructive tendencies of religion. The public business is best conducted when it takes place far above the strife of sects.
That's why I worry when religious leaders try to tell their flocks how to vote. But it's also why I take heart when, to name one example, American Catholics ignore their prelates in droves as they step into the polling place. The fact is, most Americans don't let religion drive their voting behavior. While that remains the case, I think there's hope for the republic.
By
Tom Flynn
|
November 1, 2010; 1:59 PM ET
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Posted by: woodstock-41 | November 2, 2010 12:00 AM
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The Pope doesn't get a vote
While the Pope is not an American, he seems to believe that he gets a vote in our elections. Scratch that, he seems to believe he get many votes in our elections. Tuesday is Election Day in America and the Pope wants to let everyone know who God wants them to vote for. If you vote for a different candidate you will apparently be tortured for all eternity.
I find it odd that the Vatican claims that voting is not just a civic right or a civic duty, but that it is a duty to God… the very same God which is described in the Bible as a Monarch and as a feudalistic Lord. The God of the Bible is not really a big fan of democracy. In fact, the character of God as he is portrayed in the “Good Book” is actually much closer to a ruthless dictator.
You can read the rest of my response to this topic:
http://exm.nr/cuFyLe
I will be responding to every issue posted in the 'On Faith' section. If you would like to be notified when my new response is up, please subscribe.
Posted by: dangeroustalk | November 1, 2010 11:30 PM
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Oyevay: MEANt
#2 - I N T E R N A ite, Not Externalite.
Note: Me Fever is High!
Posted by: woodstock-41 | November 1, 2010 8:06 PM
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Correction:
#2 = ETERNALite.
Posted by: woodstock-41 | November 1, 2010 8:04 PM
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Happy "PreMid-Term Election".
Basically there are only Two(2)Types or 2 State-Of-Minded VOTER'S (Applies to Either Young, Mid-Age or Elders)
1) EXTERNAL believers (in GOV, not GOD)
OR
2) INTERNAL believers (in GOV, not GOD)
Example: An 'External-ite's, votes on What He-She is Exposed To, like Commercial bombardment, Peer-to-peer pressure, church etc, aka NAIVE;
OR
A 'External-ite's, Votes on His/Her own Interdependent or innate and cognoscenti/a or 'Wisdom' of the times.
Secret: 45% (Americans) fall into #1 and 50% (Americans) Fall into #2.
Note: For Europeans et al, It's a Vast Difference (aka "VOTERS-PSYCHOLOGETIC"S, Or PRE-Apocalyptic-OFF's (THEM) vs. APOCALYPTIC-ON thinkers (US)).
OYE...!
Posted by: woodstock-41 | November 1, 2010 8:02 PM
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D A N G E R O U S T A L K
iNtersting.