Another Theology Blog

UPDATE:  My apologies.  I originally published this post before it was ready.  What you read before was a working draft.  Here is the finalized version.

I’ve decided to weigh-in on the whole political debate.  A ton of Catholic bloggers have already made their voices clear, so it seems only right for me to speak up as well.

Let me be upfront:  I suffer from a condition known as “electile dysfunction.”  Neither of the candidates particularly arouse my desire to vote for them.

Then, who am I voting for in the upcoming election?  Definitely McCain.  He’s the lesser of the two evils.  And who knows?  He might even do something good for our country.  Perhaps he’s got some good ideas nobody’s heard about before?  I don’t know.  But at least he’s against abortion in most cases and supports our troops.

I know, I know.  Declaring war on Iraq was probably uncalled for, but we’re there now.  Pulling our forces out before the region is stabilized will only result in further unnecessary suffering (primarily in the long-run).  Obama’s never seen combat or managed a battlefield.  McCain has.  Therefore, I trust McCain more when it comes to conducting warfare.

Unfortunately, Obama will almost certainly be the next president.  Just look at the polls!

Besides Obama’s lack of experience, he’s radically anti-war. Don’t misunderstand, I believe pacifism in moderation is good, but Barack takes it too far.  

Above all else, Obama’s view on abortion is what troubles me.  His lack of concern for unborn children is absolutely barbaric.  The same goes for Biden.

Can a true Catholic vote for Obama-Biden ticket?  Yes, of course they can!  In fact, they can have a barfing contest to see who gets the last piece of cake after dinner too.  However, I wouldn’t advise it.

The truth is, good people can do very stupid things without jeopardizing their status as good people.  Let’s refrain from anathematizing them please.  Nowhere in the Nicene Creed does it say, “And we believe in the Republican administration to come.”  Nowhere in the Bible does it say, “Thou shalt not vote Democrat.”

On the other hand, I do think that Catholic social doctrine favors McCain, if only for the chance that he might curtail the slaughter of the unborn.

Some of my readers might argue, along with Mark Shea, that voting for either candidate is intrinsically evil.  But I disagree with you all for the reasons outlined here.

That brings us to another controversial subject…

Am I bothered by McCain’s support of torture?  Yes.  In the final analysis though, I’m hoping his experiences as a war veteran will override the suggestions of the “war-hawk” fringes of the Republican party.  I’m persuaded that McCain’s more violent statements are nothing more than political devices to win support from virulently anti-pacifist quarters.

Truth be told, McCain’s policies don’t matter that much in the grand scheme of things.  Torture will go on, even with Obama in office.  My primary concern is to get Sarah Palin into power.  I’m counting on her to change things as president later on.  But if the Republicans lose this election, that probably won’t ever happen.

Those are my views in a nutshell.