Will Senator Obama Use Iraq To Win The Catholic Vote?

Here's the link: Will Senator Obama Use Iraq to Win the Catholic Vote?

Quote:

An editorial in the Jesuit's America magazine recently predicted that Sen. Barack Obama will profit by the upcoming visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United States.

The moment the Holy Father denounces the war in Iraq, it will provide a "big opening for Sen. Obama," according to Michael Sean Winters.

Winters argues that Obama can "invoke the foresight of John Paul II, a man still revered among American Catholics," while contrasting himself to Sen. Hillary Clinton, President Bush, and, most importantly, Sen. John McCain.

Winters is undoubtedly right.

The question is whether Catholic voters can be persuaded to overlook his extreme stances on the life issues, all of which are opposed to Catholic teaching, in order to register their protest against an unpopular war and those who supported it -- namely, John McCain.

Winters may not be right, however, when he predicts that "Pope Benedict will put the Iraq War, and the thinking that got us into that war, back at the center of political discussion." Such an eventuality, according to Winters's thinking, will advance Obama's cause among Catholic voters.

The trouble with his argument is simple: What Winters knows, Benedict XVI also knows. The Holy Father is well aware of the political divide between Democrats and Republicans on the life and family issues. It's no accident that just ten days before his arrival in the United States, Benedict spoke out on the "grave sins" of abortion, euthanasia, divorce, and "the culture of death."

This should be a reminder to Catholic Obama supporters that this pope embraces the same priorities of his predecessor, John Paul II. To those who are hopeful that Benedict will scold President Bush about the Iraq War, these remarks reveal what's on the Holy Father's mind as he prepares to visit this country. It is highly doubtful that Benedict will frame his criticism of the Iraq war in a way that could be construed to eclipse his regard for President Bush or Senator McCain.

My thoughts:

The Holy Father has already expressed Church teaching on this matter in a letter titled, Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion, General Principles:

Not all moral issues have the same moral weight as abortion and euthanasia. For example, if a Catholic were to be at odds with the Holy Father on the application of capital punishment or on the decision to wage war, he would not for that reason be considered unworthy to present himself to receive Holy Communion. While the Church exhorts civil authorities to seek peace, not war, and to exercise discretion and mercy in imposing punishment on criminals, it may still be permissible to take up arms to repel an aggressor or to have recourse to capital punishment. There may be a legitimate diversity of opinion even among Catholics about waging war and applying the death penalty, but not however with regard to abortion and euthanasia.

Opposition to the Iraq war does not supersede the obligation to oppose abortion and reject politicians who support legal, elective abortion.

See also:

Just War Doctrine

Rorate Caeli – Papal Reminders On Catholics & Politics: Three Non-Negotiables

Catholic Bishops On Voting For Pro-Abortion Candidates

Heart of Darkness. Barack Obama's Abortion Stance

Meditation: Obama And The Punishment Of Unborn Life

Senator Barack Obama: Christianity Has Been “Hijacked” By The “Christian Right”

Jesus Was Not A Liberal

The Apple Argument Against Abortion

Audio: Pro-Life Philosophy — The philosophical case against abortion — by Peter Kreeft

Abortion - None Dare Risk Murder

A Brief Catechism for Catholic Voters

Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics

Any thoughts?

Comments

[EUGENE SULLIVAN]

Democrats support abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell, gay adoption and marriage, and yes they are against the death penalty and the war.

Republicans are against euthansia, embryonic stem cell, gay marriage, and support the death penalty and the war.

My question would be how can you be Roman Catholic and a Democrat?

[bill bannon]

NCReporter had a 2005 poll that showed that young Catholics...millenials...support the idea that one can be a good Catholic and accept abortion as an option....to the tune of 89% almost twice as bad as boomers who young zealous Catholics mistakenly think are worse. With that stat in mind, don't be surprised if millions and millions of Catholics vote for Obama....many of them youthful if not most. But don't worry....Rome has a two hundred year arc to their thinking which means that two hundred years from now things will be fine. But if that is true, why didn't Pius VII in 1808 prevent out current bad opinion polled stats and prevent our drinking and sex on Catholic campuses... by whatever he was authoring at the time? Could it be that Popes will have to get back to actual intervention in our college dorms....rather than authoring as solution.

[jill e]

As George Weigel wrote at NRO (you cite on April 1):

Americans interested in hearing what the pope actually has to say about the United States and its role in the world, and about the deeper issues of world politics, should pay particularly close attention to Benedict’s remarks at the White House welcoming ceremony on April 16 and his address to the U.N. General Assembly on April 18. Far from playing Jeremiah against the Great Satan Bush, Benedict XVI is going to teach the world a lesson about moral reason as the “grammar” by which the world can have a conversation about the world’s future.

[Maximus]

This Catholic isn't going to vote for any Defeatocrat like Barack Obama who wants to bug out without thought to the consequences for the people of Iraq to whom we have pledged ourselves; especially to a guy who wants to treat with terrorist regimes like Iran.

[Jimbo]

"Pastor" Wfright sounds more like a Nation of Islam idiot than anything.

I honestly have to laugh my head off at the parishioners who get taken in by his jive preaching hypocrisy. (I thought he and his church renounced the middle-class lifestyle that epitomizes a 10,000 sq. foot mansion situated in a golf course. That's the kind of renunciation I'm talking about!!) It's pitiful to see this black community taken to the cleaners by their "beloved" community leader and spokesperson...and once again they're left holding the bag. And nary a word of protest. You often get what you deserve in life.

Can anyone really doubt why Wfright is Obama's mentor now? Seems pretty clear to me. If my mentor was a vacuous snake oil salesman and demagogue, I'd bet you'd suspect that I'm looking to get into the same line of work as I learn his tricks of the trade. I wonder how much a bottle of Change and Hope will cost me and net him?

Barak has to be penalized for going to this Church. Blacks should be free to attend churches like this, but they shouldn't expect to win national office if they do. America can not tolerate such behavior. Attending churches like this one has to come with a price...just like white supremacy churches.