Theology InDepth
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InDepth: The Catholic Voter
In asking the question what elements of society drive history, Pope John Paul II
noted that it is not economics or politics. In his dealings with the totalitarian
systems of his native Poland, he noted that what drives the history of a society is
culture. By this he means our attitudes and belief as a society that stem from our
deepest needs and desires is the engine that drives the society and is its culture
that becomes its history.
Government serves the function of organizing people in a society by which they
can pursue these attitudes and beliefs representing their culture. It is no
coincidence that the stem of the word culture is cult which translates as the
moral or religious attitudes and beliefs of the people. By definition, government
is the organized process of the people at the service of insuring the free pursuit
of the moral attitudes and beliefs that represent its culture. From this cultural
base, the economic and political life of society is born and receives its purpose.
Moral behavior is not however arbitrary and up to individual interpretation. This
we would call a situational ethics; whatever circumstance I find myself in, I have
the right to choose the response that best suits me. Moral action can only be
determined by the Creator, and it is up to the society and individuals to discover
it and apply the means of government to its end. And so the Pope applies the term
“Culture of Life” to the truthful application of the moral code to the workings of
society that allows freedom to its members. Conversely, “Culture of Death” is a
falsification of the Creator's plan that is slavery and leads to the ultimate death
of the culture and its members.
The Catholic voter is therefore the one who through exercising his right to elect
public officials brings the “Culture of Life” to society and government. The right
to life at all stages, the dignity of all people regardless of status to share in the
treasures and gifts of the society, the right to work for a living wage in fulling
work, the right to have basic needs fulfilled like health care, education, and a
place to live. These are but a few of the rights reflective of bringing the Gospel
to life and life to the Gospel that are the concern and obligation of the Catholic
Church and Catholic voter .
It is not necessarily a party or individual personality for whom we, as Catholics,
cast our vote. In the desire to bring the Gospel life to our world, our nation, our
community we look to evaluate the parties and candidates based on their
acceptance of God as the Creator of the moral code and their understanding of
that plan of God for His people. This is usually most easily seen in their own
personal actions, and what they express as their beliefs.
The demands of Christian life and doctrine must be part of the every day life of
the Catholic person and those who run for office. It is from this knowledge of the
truth as taught by the Church and the desire to serve God in society that the
value of the candidate is judged as suitable and desirable to hold public office.
To this end the Culture of Life is woven into the fabric of the society so that the
Kingdom of God on earth is realized in the every day life and rights of all
people.
In asking the question what elements of society drive history, Pope John Paul II
noted that it is not economics or politics. In his dealings with the totalitarian
systems of his native Poland, he noted that what drives the history of a society is
culture. By this he means our attitudes and belief as a society that stem from our
deepest needs and desires is the engine that drives the society and is its culture
that becomes its history.
Government serves the function of organizing people in a society by which they
can pursue these attitudes and beliefs representing their culture. It is no
coincidence that the stem of the word culture is cult which translates as the
moral or religious attitudes and beliefs of the people. By definition, government
is the organized process of the people at the service of insuring the free pursuit
of the moral attitudes and beliefs that represent its culture. From this cultural
base, the economic and political life of society is born and receives its purpose.
Moral behavior is not however arbitrary and up to individual interpretation. This
we would call a situational ethics; whatever circumstance I find myself in, I have
the right to choose the response that best suits me. Moral action can only be
determined by the Creator, and it is up to the society and individuals to discover
it and apply the means of government to its end. And so the Pope applies the term
“Culture of Life” to the truthful application of the moral code to the workings of
society that allows freedom to its members. Conversely, “Culture of Death” is a
falsification of the Creator's plan that is slavery and leads to the ultimate death
of the culture and its members.
The Catholic voter is therefore the one who through exercising his right to elect
public officials brings the “Culture of Life” to society and government. The right
to life at all stages, the dignity of all people regardless of status to share in the
treasures and gifts of the society, the right to work for a living wage in fulling
work, the right to have basic needs fulfilled like health care, education, and a
place to live. These are but a few of the rights reflective of bringing the Gospel
to life and life to the Gospel that are the concern and obligation of the Catholic
Church and Catholic voter .
It is not necessarily a party or individual personality for whom we, as Catholics,
cast our vote. In the desire to bring the Gospel life to our world, our nation, our
community we look to evaluate the parties and candidates based on their
acceptance of God as the Creator of the moral code and their understanding of
that plan of God for His people. This is usually most easily seen in their own
personal actions, and what they express as their beliefs.
The demands of Christian life and doctrine must be part of the every day life of
the Catholic person and those who run for office. It is from this knowledge of the
truth as taught by the Church and the desire to serve God in society that the
value of the candidate is judged as suitable and desirable to hold public office.
To this end the Culture of Life is woven into the fabric of the society so that the
Kingdom of God on earth is realized in the every day life and rights of all
people.
| Copyright 2008 |