Five Myths About the Catholic Vote in Election 2010

As the election nears, many news outlets are repeating misinformation about what Catholics believe and what they can and should do when it comes to voting.

Conservative groups have targeted a largely Catholic group of antichoice Democrats who voted in favor of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, falsely claiming that the bill permits federal funding of abortion.

A Catholic Tea Party has been mooted, and conservative Catholic bloggers who represent a tiny minority of Catholics are manufacturing controversies in order to get in the news. To overcome their lack of influence and numbers, they have decided to condemn bishops, politicians and their fellow lay Catholics in equal measure.

In Massachusetts, the bishops conference issued an election statement elevating certain issues as being of paramount importance for Catholics. According to their statement, "the sanctity of life [and] the family based on marriage between a man and a woman" come before "religious freedom and the well-being of the poor" in importance.

The reality is that Catholic teachings and the views of Catholics are not closely aligned with the political priorities of the bishops, nor are they close to the views of the bishops' conservative allies in the blogosphere.

MYTH ONE: Catholics are more conservative than the rest of the electorate
REALITY: Catholics' opinions largely mirror those of the rest of the electorate

• Sexually active Catholic women older than 18 are just as likely (98 percent) to have used some form of contraception banned by the Vatican as women in the general population (99 percent). (National Survey of Family Growth, 2008)
• Catholics (69 percent) are as likely as people with different religious beliefs to support medical research using embryonic stem cells left over from in-vitro fertilization procedures: Protestants (74 percent), other Christians (66 percent) and the overall population (72 percent) have broadly similar views. (Harris Interactive, 2010)

On these and other issues, we see that Catholics make up their minds independent of the bishops or the loud noises from the blogosphere.

MYTH TWO: All Catholics oppose abortion
REALITY: Catholics are pro-choice

• When Catholic voters considered healthcare reform in 2009 and were asked about access to abortion, they supported health insurance coverage for abortion in many circumstances: when a pregnancy poses a threat to the life of a woman (84 percent); when a pregnancy is due to rape or incest (76 percent); when a pregnancy poses long-term health risks for a woman (73 percent); when test results show a fetus has a severe, abnormal condition (66 percent); and whenever a women and her doctor decide it is appropriate (50 percent). (Belden Russonello & Stewart, 2009)
• Only 14 percent of Catholics in the United States agree with the Vatican's position that abortion should be illegal (Belden Russonello & Stewart, 2009) and a poll released by the bishops themselves in late 2008 showed just 11 percent of U.S. adults support the bishops' preferred option: a complete ban on abortion.

The reality is that, like people of other faiths and no faith, a large majority of Catholics can see circumstances in which abortion is an acceptable or even necessary moral choice.

MYTH THREE: Catholic teachings on reproductive health issues are rigid and unchanging
REALITY: Catholic teachings on abortion and family planning are more nuanced than the bishops claim

• Although the Catholic hierarchy says that the prohibition on abortion is both "unchanged" and "unchangeable," this does not comport with the actual history of abortion teaching. At the outset, the church hierarchy only opposed abortion because it suggested illicit sexual activity. Their current position evolved in later years.
• Church teachings on moral decision making and abortion are complex. In Catholic theology there is room for the acceptance of policies that favor access to the full range of reproductive health options, including contraception and abortion.

The reality is that Catholics can, in good conscience, support access to abortion and other reproductive health services and affirm that they can be a moral choice.

MYTH FOUR: Catholics do what their bishops tell them to
REALITY: Catholics do not want to hear from their bishops about politics

• Only 8 percent of Catholics believe that the views of the U.S. bishops are "very important" in deciding for whom to vote. Seventy-three percent of Catholics believe they do not have a religious obligation to vote on issues the way their bishop recommends, and 69 percent of Catholic voters do not believe they have a religious obligation to vote against candidates who support legal abortion. (Belden Russonello & Stewart, 2008)

These numbers are crystal clear. Catholics are perfectly capable of making up their own minds about whom to vote for and can and do, in good conscience, cast votes that their bishops might oppose.

MYTH FIVE: Catholics are obsessed about abortion
REALITY: Abortion is not the only issue that concerns Catholics

• An overwhelming majority of Catholics (92 percent) rate the economy as very important; almost as many (91 percent) say jobs are their top issue in the coming election. These numbers are nearly identical among all major religious groups and the overall population (90 percent for the economy and 88 percent for jobs).
• Social issues, such as abortion, are much farther down the list with fewer than half of Catholics and Americans (both 43 percent) rating abortion as "very important" during this election cycle. (Pew 2010 Annual Religion and Public Life Survey)

The reality is that at the heart of church teachings on moral matters is a deep regard for an individual's conscience. The Catechism states that "a human being must always obey the certain judgment of his conscience." Richard McBrien, in his essential study Catholicism, explains that even in cases of a conflict with the moral teachings of the church, Catholics "not only may but must follow the dictates of conscience rather than the teachings of the Church." The bishops and their conservative allies simply don't get it.


 

Follow Jon O'Brien on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Catholic4Choice

Comments

[Biting Truth the Sequel]

07:54 AM on 10/31/2010

A little reminder, as a recovering Catholic...

Myth One: Catholics say what they feel and would do... Actually, all Catholics I know (many) are complete hypocrites swimming in "denial" river. They "follow" what they think "should be", and not what "they do" in practice. Living on the West Coast (where Jon's assertions tend to be more true), I am astounded every year when I have to return to NY & NJ for the holidays, how "pro-life" the whole "world" is (from the perspective of my Catholic friends and family). Moreover, they have all become "single-issue" voters...unions or not! If this campaign of the Bishops slams anyone for not being "pro-life", they are perceived by my circle as not to be trusted with a vote or support. Living a "lie" is Catholicism in my experience. They tend to be racist, self-serving, greedy and live by an individualistic competition mentality, while "faithfully" attending service, giving tons of cash to the church, smiling and "saying" peace be with you. They "act" as Jesus would, but "do" the exact opposite...and its "ok"...just say your penance, remember? All is forgiven.

[worker beenumbed]

07:06 AM on 10/29/2010

It is not moral to inflict pain on unborn creatures in my book.An abortion would do that.The Dutch have fewer abortions than many countries where it is illegal.Fewer abortions is the goal of most Catholic Congressmen and women,so that is a must or I would not suport nthem.Many smart contributers here.

[Biting Truth the Sequel]

08:01 AM on 10/31/2010

"unborn creatures..."? "smart contributors..."? Pain is "inflicted" daily to all the "unwanted" children through child abuse (every smart contributor knows about the church and abuse), neglect and sometimes death (violent abuse, and dumpsters). How do "you" know what "creatures" feel? Did they tell you? Did they tell anyone? And, is that the issue? Pain? If pain is the issue, how do we define it? Just the immediate "pain" you suggest (as science has yet to prove or confirm your assertions), or the lifelong pain I describe that is factually adn historically documented with empirical data? Real life, or imagined "life"? Living, breathing "citizens" (who pay taxes), or "unborn creatures" (who are neither citizens or pay tax)?

[Dr Juan]

09:38 PM on 10/28/2010

Hey look - according to this guy the congregation now can determine the churches moral beliefs - Majority rules!

2000 years of tradition and preservation of early preachings of Christ are now tossed out into the street. What is this Vatican 3 ? The final Protestantization of the Catholic church!

[Biting Truth the Sequel]

08:12 AM on 10/31/2010

"The teachings of Christ..."? Do you mean that collection of stories, by multiple authors, from multiple time periods, which has been translated from 13 original languages, and edited endlessly to "teach" whatever any church wants to "teach"? Do you even know what year the first book of the bible was written? I want you to "teach" me, oh wise doctor, how any author of any book in the bible can espouse and "teach" on a subject that they could not have possibly had any experience with...given that Christ died at a minimum of 400 years earlier before the first book was written? If you want to follow Christ, then do as Christ would do...(e.g. do not worship false idols...like the church). There is nothing written anywhere about Jesus that he suggested God is "external" or embodied in a "building" and institution of "professional", paid, proselytizers.

[JessCostello]

03:07 PM on 10/28/2010

United Catholic conservatives are as weak and false this election cycle as the author and other pro-Choice or psuedo Catholics who like their marxism wrapped in a veneer of the spiritual.

The Catholic Church is as weak as ever and Catholic people are too, it's not because of Obama and it's not because of Democrats or Republicans.

It's because of the enormous, possibly lethal damage the Molestation scandals have done to Catholic identification in America as well as the parallels between violent Islam and fundamentalist Christianity. Catholics are turned off and sick of religion taken seriously and they're either identifying as "spiritual but not religious" or going for other Churches in record numbers.

The Church hasn't confronted this publicly but it better find a solution quickly if it wants to survive.

[mrsL]

02:19 PM on 10/28/2010

"In Catholic theology there is room for the acceptance of policies that favor access to the full range of reproductive health options, including contraception and abortion."

I'd really like someone to expound on this one complete with references to the Catechism and Humanae Vitae cause I really don't see it.

[Seaniebhoy]

01:23 PM on 10/28/2010

I have no political affiliation with the church....the Bishops are free to vote their own way, and I am free to vote mine...it is sad to see people simply dismissing all catholics as fools who follow the Bishops like drum sergant...it's simply not true.

[mrsL]

02:21 PM on 10/28/2010

I'm a very conservative Catholic and I actually agree with this. The Bishops have gotten it wrong before. I always check out the authentic teaching for myself.

[gorideabike]

12:12 PM on 10/28/2010

There are to be sure, single issue Catholic voters. I have met a few who will be shocked out of their halos if they ever see me in heaven. I think even that is a reflection on their political affiliation and media intake than post-Vatican II teachings.

[lenoI]

10:07 AM on 10/28/2010

The old, tired line that the faith is not the church continues to allow Catholics to live in denial of the evil they are doing by continuing to support the Catholic church while disavowing its teachings. Catholicism is little more than an archaic fertility and death cult in fancy dress. Its teachings are based on thousand-year old superstitious mythological ramblings of people profoundly confused about the role of man in nature, and even more confused about the complexity of human sexuality and gender identity. Its ongoing persecution of the LGBT community is an abomination. It obviously did not learn the lessons of its centuries of rabid antisemitism and jews-as-christ-killers rhetoric which found their full flowering in the holocaust. Fortunately, Western Europe is showing the way of how to keep the religion monster on a shorter and shorter chain. America, though slow on the uptake, will inevitably follow suit. And none too soon.

[Seaniebhoy]

01:18 PM on 10/28/2010

Yes yes I'm sure you - naturally being smarter than the rest us simple superstitious country folk - can tell us how foolish and ignorant we are and how we should all shoulder the blame for what happened a thousand years ago (by the way Catholic preists were killed in the Holocost as well...nice to see you can make up facts) CLEARLY you either did not read the article or are too busy being pompous to even try....Catholics are not beholden to what the Bishops say... I always vote to the far left because I know that the wider population should not be beholden to the views of others....you could learn a lot from that lesson.

[Biting Truth the Sequel]

08:37 AM on 10/31/2010

Well said, here, here! Perhaps one day, they will realize that Jesus himself called for worship of him through each other. How can an organized, monetized, professional, exclusionary, codified, bureaucratic, cultist, punitive, psychologically warped, "going concern", be considered "anything" that Jesus wanted? The Vatican "State"? Really? That is what Jesus would do? Money, omnipotent power? Banks, shadow investment (in wars, torture, sex trade) and dominance? That sounds like Jesus? Are all you Catholics "ok" with all of this in "your" name? And "his" name?

[jerseypal]

08:38 AM on 10/28/2010

Unfortunately what we've had in the Catholic community is a struggle to define our orthodoxy (right thinking?) and the pre-Vatican II forces have resoundingly won out. For now. But nearly 80% of self described Catholics don't attend Mass or participate in their local Churches in any way, other than baptism, communion, and confirmation, so what have the orthodox really won?

The superstitious among us, including our two most recent Popes, have audaciously revived the cult of Saints (6 new ones last week!), the latin mass, and guess what, we're back in the relic business. All embarrassments from the ecclesial closet, not to mention the appointment just last week of an American Bishop (Bourke) who became famous for excommunicating and denouncing Catholic politicians.

How do those of us who've had the benefit of higher Catholic education respond? Well, we just put up with it, or leave. Are we still Catholic if we stop participating? I don't think we should say we are, although our sacramental initiation into the Church is supposed to be irrevocable. When we employ, or encourage our adult children to employ, "artificial devices to frustrate the sacred ends of nature," or even, vote for Barack Obama, haven't we fallen away? So just embrace it, be happy we live in a country where these Bishops can't jail and torture us for denying their notions of the "perfect society" the holy catholic church, Bride of Christ, which they just happen to hold the purse for. Like Judas.

[mrsL]

02:28 PM on 10/28/2010

Nothing was "brought back" per se. But I for one am glad to be able to reclaim my Catholic heritage and culture that was buried under the crap produced by that elusive "Spirit of Vatican II."

And I got news for Mr. O'Brien. It's not the conservative "orthodox" Catholic blogs he has to worry about. It's all of those Catholic mom blogs who are re-learning how to have a Catholic household, and how to have devotions with their children and are teaching them an authentic faith. That's the future of the American church.

So go ahead and keep your kids out of the pews and to keep their numbers down with artificial contraception and abortion. Guess which side will win by sheer number?

[Mary360]

07:48 AM on 10/28/2010

His take on myth two is wrong. All the others are somewhat right, with the we don't want to hear from the bishops about politics being more nuanced. Catholics for Choice do not represent Catholic opinion on much. Opposition to abortion in the Church has been there since 50 AD. Mr. O'Brien clearly doesn't want to explore that fact in his use of religion to forward a political goal. To base his arguments on Catholic opinions through polls and pit opinion versus faith is rather superficial. One's conscience is often pricked but not explained or changed when a Catholic looks at many issues. How we act and talk is not always in accord with the Gospel and we know it. I am sure Mr. O'Brien's conscience tells him he is right but I disagree with him - abortion is and always has been wrong - it is murder. As an American I have a right to that opinion with or without the bishops telling me this. We don't pull up fledgling trees in our yards because they aren't viable. No, we devise ways to prop them up and help them along. Yet we devise all sorts of ways to get rid of fledgling humans. Something about conscience pricks at me about this.

[MirrorMonkey]

07:36 PM on 10/27/2010

Considering the fundamental dishonesty of the group "Catholics for Choice" (which is not a Catholic organization, and which actively opposes fundamental Catholic beliefs on a number of issues), there's no surprise in finding further mendacity in this latest bit from the excommunicated ex-Catholic Jon O'Brien. Note, for example the severe dislocation given to the facts by the less-than-truthful claim about the Catholic bishops in Massachusetts that "According to their statement, 'the sanctity of life [and] the family based on marriage between a man and a woman' come before 'religious freedom and the well-being of the poor' in importance." Despite O'Brien's misleading rendering, the bishops said nothing whatsoever about what came first in "importance"; all these issues were listed TOGETHER, one right after the other in the SAME SENTENCE, as being "fundamentally important", which can be seen by reading the actual statement:
http://macathconf.org/10-BishopsStatementonElectionNovFINAL.pdf

O'Brien also conveniently ignores that what the bishops described as a fundamentally important moral and social issue was actually the *defense* of the sanctity of life, the opposition to which issue being the reason O'Brien's group exists at all.

A person can call himself a vegan, but if he advocates meat-eating as a member of "Vegans for Roast Beef Sandwiches", we may question the accuracy of his self-description. In the same way, no faithful Catholic can consider any intentional abortion good or moral, and so their very name shows O'Brien's group to be dishonest frauds.

[mmk1206]

12:11 AM on 10/28/2010

I consider myself a liberal Catholic, but also found this article to be less-than-truthful. I too looked up the Massachusetts Catholic Conference statement, and was offended that O'Brien would completely misrepresent the statement. I looked up statistics regarding Catholic beliefs on abortion and embryonic stem cell research, and while they varied based on the survey, not a single poll showed results anywhere near as high as O'Brien reported. This article is full of false statements, illogical conclusions, and is slanderous against the Catholic church.

[Biting Truth the Sequel]

08:41 AM on 10/31/2010

Yes, slander the "respectable" upstanding, "moral" Catholic church....you mean the one with "professed", institutionalized CHILD RAPE? Right? That one?

[DrFunkenstein22]

11:28 AM on 10/29/2010

"Vegans for Roast Beef Sandwiches" hahahahaha... a very accurate comparison!