How Catholics should vote

Last updated on: July 13, 2016 at 6:18 am by Dave Griffey

How Catholics should vote 2016-07-12T19:29:32-04:00 Dave Griffey

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Easy, according to their consciences being informed by Church teaching. Next post.

Of course it isn’t quite so simple. Fact is, our nation is leaving its Christian roots. Oddly, there appears to be no small number of Christians, including Catholics, who don’t seem to mind. Same with Europe. Whether post-Christian or something else, the concern over a Christian society seems to be pretty low on the priority scale.

Not that being a “Christian Society” has ever guaranteed fidelity to the Gospel and perfect living. Informed Christians are the first to admit we’re a fallen brood and, in our best days, usually fall short of the mark. No matter how close to the Gospel a society gets, you’re going to have flawed citizens and flawed leaders. In a society that demands the Faith either change to accommodate it, or proudly rejects the Faith’s teachings, you can assume the leadership choices will become less and less in line with that old time religion.

Which brings us to this election. It’s not fair to act as if the current candidates are the first ones to necessitate a choice between two evils. The Faith, taken to its extreme demands, has been far away from many candidates through the years. After all, if Christianity was the cultural canvas upon which our enlightenment based nation was painted, America was never meant to be a “Christian Only” nation. As such, a candidate can’t only align with the teachings of the Church. It does no good to say we’re open to all creeds and confessions and yet demand our leaders, and by extension our government, align itself at all times with the Church’s teaching. If we want that, then we want the United Christian States of America.

Therefore in that strange balance of wanting our nation to adhere to Christian values without looking like a nation that must adhere to Christian values, while staying close to the right kind of Christian values as currently defined, figuring out how to vote can be trough for the serious believer. At such times, it’s good to default to the old standby ‘when all else fails, read the instructions.’ That is, when all else fails, listen to the leadership.

What have the Bishops told Catholics about voting? One, Catholics can not ever vote in order to support or encourage intrinsic evil. That goes without saying. You can’t say “I want more abortions, and he’s the guy to get it done!” That’s not what most struggle with. What most struggle with is what to do when neither candidate, or party, seems to be along the straight and narrow. What to do if both advocate, to some degree or another, intrinsic evils? That’s the question.

See here for guidance. Long and short. Voting is an assumption in a free, Democratic society. It’s certainly not all you should do, but notice that not voting at all is the exception to the rule. Nonetheless, you can opt not to vote. Or vote for a hopeless candidate. Those are certainly acceptable.

What of voting for a major candidate because you believe that candidate will do the most good, or the least evil? That’s fine too. Though be careful. You can’t use this as an excuse to support someone because of party loyalty or personal affection or some other reason that flies against the teachings of the Church. If you believe that this candidate would be less horrible than that one, or do the most good, that’s fine.

Don’t let people play at word games and suggest that you only get to vote for a candidate who advocates for intrinsic evil if, in your mind, you are doing so in the right word order. Catholics have this incorrigible knack for acting as if God is the great professor, red pen in hand, ready to smite us with a bad grade because we failed to properly parse that complex philosophical algorithm. No. God knows your heart. If you’ve struggled and prayed, informed yourself of the choices and concluded that the candidate you’re pulling the lever for is the one most in line with the Church’s teachings, the one who will do the most for the common good, or at least the lesser evil, you’re just fine.

During election years, it’s nothing for people to attempt to use any and all tricks to sway you to their own preferences. Whether it’s voting for Blue, Red, or some other color, or not at all, you’ll get those who will attempt to stack the deck in their favor. Not just persuade you, which is fair game. But try to suggest that their way of voting is how Jesus would vote, or you’re not a good Christian. Don’t be fooled. It’s between you and God guided by the Faith and informed decisions. This year, and arguments can be made – however weakly – for both or no candidates, following your conscience, informed by the teachings of the Church and seeking the glory of God, has never been more important. Anyone trying to hedge the bet and suggest there is only one way for that to happen is missing the point.

Remember, the goal in it all is Christ. How each of us, in our circumstances, weaknesses, desires and spirits will work that out might end up looking different. But in it all, that should be our goal. And it’s not for us to assume someone who disagrees cares less about that goal than we do.

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