Principles of Christian Voting
Brian Murphy, Ph.D.
- Protecting the life of the unborn, weak, disabled and terminally ill is the number one issue. It takes precedence over all other issues. [1] Therefore single issue voting is very appropriate.
- One cannot be “pro-choice” and Christian. If you are Christian, you must be pro-life and vote accordingly. [2]
- Being morally correct on non-life issues can never excuse a wrong choice regarding direct attacks on innocent human life. [3]
- Being un-registered to vote or willfully avoiding the polling booth is a failure of civic duty and allows the culture of death to pursue its agenda unchecked.
- Being registered with a party with an anti-life platform is wrong unless one is working to make that platform pro-life.
- Taking the "Pro-life Pledge" will help the pro-life cause and guard the moral consistency of one’s own voting behavior:
I pledge never to vote for, support, or endorse any candidate for public office who embraces a pro-abortion or “pro-choice” public policy position. - Do not support candidates who adopt the argument that while they personally oppose evils like abortion, they cannot force their religious views on the wider society. Such abdication of the responsibility to be an advocate for life is a serious mistake. [4]
- In-action in the struggle for building the culture of life cannot be excused on the basis that abortion is the law of the land. [5]
- A vote for the lesser of two evils in life and death issues is an admitted vote for evil and can lead one into a moral quagmire. There are better options, which are morally acceptable.
- Making the life issue number one is important while voting at every level of government.
- For an inspiring top-notch homily on voting, see Very Rev. John Lankeit Homily for October 2, 2016 - Youtube. This was delivered just prior to the 2016 Presidential election race between Donald Trump (pro-life) and Hilary Clinton (pro-death).
References:
[1] Living the Gospel of Life: A Challenge to American Catholics, a statement by the Catholic Bishops of the United States, November, 1998, paragraph 5. Note: The "Principles of Christian Voting" were not authored by the Bishops. However, their document cited here offers very strong support.