Is A Vote For An Anti-Life Political Candidate Morally Defensible?

F. K. Bartels

http://www.catholic.org/

GLADE PARK, CO (Catholic Online) -- Election Day draws nearer. Yet this "day" is hardly one among others, for rarely -- perhaps never before -- in the history of this nation have Americans faced such radically opposed ideologies among those candidates who hope to occupy future positions of political power. To be sure, Americans are soon to make gravely important political decisions concerning their future and the future of their children.

So serious are our political choices that the USCCB stated: "It is important to be clear that the political choices faced by citizens not only have an impact on general peace and prosperity but also may affect the individual's salvation. Similarly, the kinds of laws and policies supported by public officials affect their spiritual well-being" (Faithful Citizenship 38).


For many Catholics and other Christians the proverbial line drawn in the sand is legalized abortion. Why? The horrifying barbarism of abortion is cutting the heart out of our nation; it has killed over 50 million of our youngest neighbors; and it is physically, emotionally and spiritually damaging untold millions of women and men.


That a nation populated by a Christian majority who claims the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" intentionally kills its youngest citizens under cover of law, is not only unacceptable, it is unspeakably evil. The right to life, the foundational right upon which every other human right is built, is no longer upheld by civil law. Our society has become a self-terminating society.
What will it take to bring an end to the willful and legalized bloodshed of the innocent? Does the solution lie in Americans' voting power? We must not forget that presidents nominate future Supreme Court justices who are in turn confirmed by the Senate. The continuation of the "positive law of destruction" we term legalized abortion hinges on the next Supreme Court decision against it. Given what is at stake and the fact that in nearly every case we have the ability to give the nod to pro-life politicians, is a vote for an anti-life candidate morally defensible?


We might ask, as did Archbishop Chaput, if we can come up with a "compelling proportionate reason to justify" such a vote. "What is a 'proportionate' reason when it comes to the abortion issue? It's the kind of reason," he continued, "we will be able to explain, with a clean heart, to the victims of abortion when we meet them face to face in the next life -- which we most certainly will. If we're confident that these victims will accept our motives as something more than an alibi, then we can proceed."


We might also ask ourselves, since God will not be mocked and whatever a man sows he will reap (Gal. 6:7), if our Lord Jesus Christ will approve of our voting preference -- and we can be certain he will indeed expect an answer. Also, what will our spiritual Mother, the sweet Virgin Mary who bore our Savior in her womb, nursed him at her holy breasts, and witnessed his shameful death on the bloodied Roman cross, have to say about our personal political convictions?


These are not simply emotional appeals. Far from it. Every Christian ought know that God will bring "every deed" and "hidden thing" into judgment (Ecc. 12:14). Further, we will be required to answer for every "careless word" uttered (Matt. 12:36). Therefore it would be difficult to exaggerate the seriousness of those far-reaching choices we make through our participation in the political arena of contemporary society.

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The Polonia Pearl.....aka ...eddie