Religion
Related: About this forumDefying Eternal Damnation, Catholics will Vote Democratic
Last edited Thu Sep 27, 2012, 07:21 PM - Edit history (1)
September 26, 2012
7:20PM
Post by Sarah Posner
When the Department of Health and Human Services issued its regulation requiring employers (except houses of worship) to cover contraception for their employees, the conventional wisdom was that it would hurt Obamas support from Catholic voters.
- snip -
The latest Pew poll, though, shows Obama bouncing back from a decline in support among Catholic voters. As Daniel Burke at Religion News Service notes, in June, the same poll found Obama barely leading Mitt Romney among Catholic voters, 49-47%. But in September, hes pulled ahead, and now leads Romney among Catholic voters 54-39%. Pews comparison with 2008 exit polls showed that Obamas current standing among Catholics is identical to the percentage of Catholics who voted for him in 2008. But Romney is behind where John McCain fared among Catholicsdespite picking a Catholic running mate and taking the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops position on the contraception coverage and same-sex marriage. McCain got 45% of the Catholic vote, but Romneys only drawing 39% among registered voters. The datawhich is, should be noted, from registered, not likely votersraises questions about whether Catholic voters were swayed by the Bishops Fortnight for Freedom or by any of the bishops worst rhetoric, such as that of the Archbishop of Springfield, Illinois, Thomas John Paprocki, who, as Right Wing Watch reported, said that Democrats support intrinsic evil and anyone voting for such a candidate puts their soul in serious jeopardy.
And even apart from the presidential campaign and contraception, there are Catholics who are not listening to the Bishopsincluding on marriage equality. In Maryland, where anti-equality activists are attempting to use a ballot measure to invalidate a marriage equality law passed earlier this year, the Maryland Catholic Conference has worked with other anti-marriage equality groups, helping to lead opposition through the process in the legislature and now the ballot box. But watch this Marylanders for Marriage Equality video of Jenny and Pat Nugent, self-described cradle Catholics and active parish members, who tell the story of their youngest of seven children coming out to them. I want him to have the same sense of security and fidelity in a relationship, where you know theres always one person you can rely on, says Jenny. And I also want for him to be able to say to the world, this is who I love, this is who Im committed to, this is who is committed to me, that they can do that publicly, like all of our other kids. Watch:
http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispatches/sarahposner/6439/defying_eternal_damnation,_catholics_will_vote_democratic/
sueh
(1,826 posts)Cha
(297,328 posts)and wide! It's compelling! thank you rug.
Humanist_Activist
(7,670 posts)meow2u3
(24,764 posts)Bishops have taken to doing God's job of judging and condemning people to Hell instead of doing God's will.
IMO, if the bishops aren't careful, they're the ones liable to eternal damnation--not people who vote Democratic. Who do those bishops think they are, demanding that Catholics vote Republican or risk their souls?
The bishops are also being hypocrites or even heretics. Last I checked, racism, contempt of the poor, torture, and sexual abuse of children are also "intrinsic evils" always to be opposed, but it seems as if they arbitrarily decided to allow wiggle room for those evils because they're Republican sins.
Zambero
(8,965 posts)Most Catholics are no longer living in the 1950's, which can't be said for the church hierarchy.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)Their rigid patriarchal stance this election season has pissed off a lot of people.