Saturday, October 18, 2008

Are the bishops in Texas right?

Is it an intrinsic moral evil to vote for the pro-death presidential candidate?

See the debate "Is there a choice?" on Fr. Mark White's blog.

1 comment:

Rob Stout said...

Fr. Cusick,
I must take issue with Fr. White's view that a vote for a pro-abortion candidate can be morally permissible even when an acceptable alternative exists. I will agree that the cleaning staff at an abortion mill does not formally cooperate in the evil. Without this individual’s help, abortions could proceed unimpeded.

The same is not true of the pro-abortion voter. There is a direct causal relationship between the voter and the abortion. The abortion cannot legally take place if not permitted in the law and the law cannot be enacted without the cooperation of elected representatives and the representatives cannot be empowered without the supportive action of the voter.

Thus the bishops wisely provided for only the exception of an issue with proportionate evil which in this election does not present itself. Do we sin if we refuse aid to an innocent victim that we have the legal power – however limited – to prevent? Our obligation is clear.

Rob