2020 - A Time of Discernment

The 2020 elections are approaching, which means it is time for us to be in full discernment mode. As we analyze candidates for local, state, and national offices, we need to take into consideration the teachings of the Church and apply them at the ballot box. 

President Trump has been controversial from the day he announced his candidacy. He is brash, unconventional, has a questionable past, and is not the typical politician. Other faults? Yes, but remember, all of the candidates do - on both sides of the aisle, as well as you and me. What we need to consider at voting time is each party's platform. The ideals they either currently support or hope to attain. Regardless of any particular candidate's position, they are bound by the party platform as it pertains to legislation and leadership.

The following statement may insult or enrage you, but truth be told, evil has infiltrated the Democrat party. With stealth, it has slowly and methodically slithered its way into the moral fabric of a once God-fearing organization. Think about it. While their platform embraces some admirable and positive ideals, it also incorporates all the Church opposes. It has turned wrong into right and vice-versa. The Bible warns us about this. 

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions… 2 Timothy 4:3

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 2 Timothy 3:1-5.

There are three areas in their platform which should immediately cause faithful Catholics to abandon their support of the party.  

Abortion - The Catechism is clear on this issue: 2270 – Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the newborn to perish. God, the Lord of life, has entrusted to men the noble mission of safeguarding life, and men must carry it out in a manner worthy of themselves. Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes. 2272 – Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense.

The Democrat party supports not just early-term abortion, but late-term up to the ninth month. The 2020 candidates also sanction infanticide by refusing to support legislation protecting babies that survive abortion, allowing them to die unattended. By endorsing a Democrat candidate, you may as well be operating the suction machine or peddling RU486 yourself. 

Homosexuality – Once again, the Catechism is clear: 2357 - … tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered." They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved. 

The Democrat party accepts and normalizes homosexuality and espouses that concept be integrated in school curriculum, regardless of parental opposition. They consistently attempt to force us to violate our beliefs or suffer the consequences by shaming, boycotting (businesses), and in some cases, litigation. As with all faiths, we are taught to love thy neighbor … and we do. That love; however, does not translate to consent. We love the sinner but hate the sin.  

Transgenderism: As with homosexuality, the Democrats accept and normalize this lifestyle and want it also integrated into school curriculum. Moreover, they advocate transgender people using bathroom facilities of their “identity” rather than biology in schools, locker rooms and public areas. Adults and most importantly children should not have to feel uncomfortable fearing someone biologically the opposite sex is sharing such private facilities. We also need to keep in mind that although not a common occurrence, there are pedophiles that use transgenderism as a means to access victims.

The Catechism does not address the transgender issue; however, while  Pope Francis calls for mercy and respect, he denounced what he calls a modern theory of gender that teaches children that they can change their sex at will—and has said it poses a threat to humanity like that from nuclear weapons. He also condemned attempts to separate biological sex and gender. "It is one thing to be understanding of human weakness and the complexities of life, and another to accept ideologies that attempt to sunder what are inseparable aspects of reality." While it may seem a small kindness to pretend a peer is a sex you know is false, it is not. It is never charitable to compromise the truth. And it is morally illicit and a rejection of our Catholic faith to affirm a false sex.  

If we can shoulder the threats, shaming and histrionic false accusations of discrimination and vote accordingly, it will send a message to the Democrats that we expect our leaders to be loving, compassionate and understanding while not promoting affirmation of ideals that are not consistent with standard religious beliefs and morals. It will also send a message to some of our church leaders that are leaning towards Democrat ideology that we expect and demand they be consistent with the teachings of the Church and not reinterpret them to accommodate liberal ideology. 

John 8:12:  When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  We can, together, with prayer and action, change the direction of our nation from one that is slowly depreciating the sanctity of life, morality and decency to one that embraces it and can, at the same time follow Galatians 6:1:  Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.