I consider myself a born and raised, die-hard Catholic. I’m so committed to my faith that I keep a rosary in every purse I own, I drag my hungover body to church every Sunday, and I am forcing my boyfriend to take complete RCIA before he is allowed to propose to me.
With both vice-presidential candidates being Catholic, I think it’s so interesting to see competing views that are so different from one another. As Americans, we are so fortunate to live in a country where we are free to practice any religion we choose, and where we can openly express our religious views without being harassed for it. However, I feel that religion becomes a problem when it infringes on other people’s rights. As a Catholic, I PERSONALLY have made the choice not to use birth control. God forbid if I ever have too many martinis, wild out, and get pregnant, abortion would not even be an option for me.
But I don’t want to force my super conservative Catholic views on others. Ultimately, I believe it’s between the person and God if one decides to make those kinds of choices. Regardless of what I think, God is going to have the final say in any decisions any of us make. It isn’t right for me or for anyone else other than the Lord himself to determine what is right and what is wrong.
I wish it was this clear-cut in the law. I respect every religion, but I also think it’s important to keep it out of politics. In a world where people’s hearts and opinions are constantly changing, it is important to grow more tolerant and see each issue from different perspectives. Imagine if people never accepted interracial marriage, or what it would be like if women still couldn’t vote. Those two things were seen as BFD’s back then, and so many people fought for those rights, yet today they’re accepted and it’s hard to believe that it took so much effort by so many courageous people to convince people that this was the right thing to do.
I really admire how VP Joe Biden adheres to Catholic principles, yet he takes the same stance I do. He doesn’t believe it’s right to force people of other faiths to stick to the same principles he believes in as a Catholic. This is how it should be. These are tough, sensitive issues – gay marriage, abortion, and the individual mandate which forces employers to pay for birth control. But ultimately, people should have the right to make whatever decisions they choose, and we should let these decisions be between them and God.
Here to Inspire 
Hi Kat,
I would like to respectfully present an alternative view and get your opinion on it?
As Catholics, we believe that right and wrong, good and evil, are objective. For example murder is objectively evil. My view is, that as custodians of the truth, we should share this truth with others, and share with them what is right and what is wrong.
I am going to use some extreme statements, but I no mean am implying you believe in them, I just want to show you where the logic of ‘let people decide for themselves’ goes. Should we let a rapist abuse women because it’s his choice? How about should we make it legal for somebody to have sex with an animal as long as no harm comes to it? How about turn a blind eye to a man who beats his wife, when the wife doesn’t want to go to the police because she loves him? How about let somebody kill another human being… Oh wait we already do that one…
You see by saying people should be allowed to make up their own mind, gives consent for someone to do evil, such as ending the life of a child in the womb. As Christians, we called to be a light to the world, as the good book says, we don’t light a lantern to hide it away. What are your thoughts?
Thank you so much for your comment. The way you presented it in that context definitely gave me a lot to think about, and I think I’ve figured out how I want to express my opinion in response. You are absolutely right in saying that we are obligated to share the truth with others, and as Catholics, we are specifically taught what is right and what is wrong. As a young adult, I am probably taking a more secular stance on this, but while agreeing that it is our responsibility to guide others in the right direction, I also don’t think it means forcing people to take that direction against their will. Though it’s sickening that there are people who do some of the things you mentioned in your extreme examples, society and the law reinforce that most people don’t do those things. I am open about how I personally feel about abortion, and the most I could do is share this opinion with others. I can’t force my beliefs upon someone if they don’t see things the way I do. And I might be out on a limb here, but ultimately I think that laws allowing abortion are somewhat important. Thinking about all the bastard children who end up having to endure a rough upbringing, abuse, or even homelessness breaks my heart. God gave us free will, but everything also happens for a reason. As good Christians, what we can do on this earth is do the best we can to spread the word about God and his teachings, and hope that others will follow. Because this world is just as temporary as all the evils in it, including the examples you mentioned. Thank you again for your comment. It really got me thinking. I hope my ideas make sense.
Thanks Kat, I can see your heart is in the right place. I would like to look at what I can tell is your view (please correct me if I am wrong), and engage in some moral discussion 🙂
You said, as Catholics, we dont have to simply ‘believe’ if something is right or wrong, we know if something or wrong. But then you say it is our responsibility to guide people in the right direction, but not to force people to take the right direction.
Do we not already do this though? We have laws that say murder is wrong, rape is wrong, usury (fraud) is wrong, stealing, ect ect. Would your logic not lead us down the path that we should legalise all these things, because people should be allowed to make up their own minds, as as your said we shouldnt force people to essentially avoid evil, because that should be between them and God.
I understand how hard it is being a good Christian, a good Catholic, in this secular world we leave in, and Christ told us we would be hated by the world, because we are not of the world, and not to forget the world hated him first. The world tries to tell us abortion should be a ‘choice’. But what choice are they talking about?
What they are saying is it should be a choice for a mother to kill (end the life/abort/terminate – same thing) a child, the most innocent of human life, in the womb.
By saying you think we shouldnt stop people from doing this, what you are essentially doing is saying the same thing as people who are prochoice. A woman should have the right (if she wants even though you know it is wrong) to kill the baby in her womb.
I would like to propose the alternative. As Christians, it is also our duty to protect the life of the innocent. One day when we are judged, when God asks you, why did you support the legalisation of women to kill my children, what will you say to him?
Just because somebody has a mum and dad that isnt married, or they have a rough life, or may endure homelessness (all very sad things as you said) it doesnt mean they don’t have the right to life. God loves these children much in the same, as Christians should we not be promoting and helping these kids rather than allowing people to kill them?
Some things to think about? I would love to hear back from you.
God bless 🙂