I can’t stand civic-minded folks who cast aspersions on the patriotism of those who fail to vote. But the gentle persuasions of these do-gooders pale in comparison to the intimidation tactics used by Catholic bishops.

“Proclaiming a sense of new energy and empowerment, the nation’s Roman Catholic bishops on Wednesday issued instructions to Catholic voters that their eternal salvation could be at stake when they cast ballots.

Bishops emphasized that voters must consider the church’s teachings on abortion and other moral issues when they select a candidate for the White House or any other office. If they don’t, bishops said, it’s not clergy who will judge them but God.” — Quotation from TheChicagoTribune.Com

The Roman Catholic hierarchy (patriarchy?) is at odds with the morals and beliefs of a vast portion of their flock. I have many Roman Catholic friends who believe in a woman’s right to choose, equal rights for gays and who embrace other liberal-minded views that are anathema to the Catholic big wigs.

But most of all Catholics, like all Americans, treasure the privilege of casting their ballots according to the dictates of their hearts. Nobody likes to be bullied onto voting for a certain candidate or a particular political party.

I don’t believe in the Catholic concept of hell, but even if a bishop threatened me with an equivalent form of torture, (forced to listen to Hannah Montana songs), I still wouldn’t give in to their bullying tactics.

Televangelists and Catholic bishops should tend to the spiritual needs of their followers; if the religious leaders are preaching the truth their congregations will make the right political choices.

Are Catholic priests going to distribute bumper stickers to their parishioners that read: Vote for Hillary Clinton and you will burn in hell? I hope that my Catholic friends refuse to give in to ecclesiastical coercion, and vote according to their hearts and minds.

REFERENCES:

1. Abortion Under Attack: Women on the Challenges Facing Choice
2. How the Pro-choice Movement Saved America: Freedom, Politics, And the War on Sex
3. The Ethics of Abortion : Pro-Life Vs. Pro-Choice (Contemporary Issues)
4. Abortion and the Politics of Motherhood (California Series on Social Choice & Political Economy)