A new Web site recently launched with a goal of recruiting 10,000 Catholic volunteers to help solicit votes for presidential candidate Barack Obama.
Taking the title “10,000 Catholics for Obama,” the site features a section that offers reasons why Catholics should vote for the putative Democratic presidential nominee. The site, which is independent of the campaign, praised Obama’s policy positions that it claims would care for the poor, create a fair immigration system, and build a unifying leadership.
Its effort is in response to resistance by some Catholics to vote for Obama because of his support of abortion rights, which the Catholic Church is strongly against.
Last Thursday, Obama again emphasized that he “will never back down in defending a woman's right to choose" whether to have an abortion during a "Women for Obama" breakfast fundraiser with Sen. Hillary Clinton. His stance on life has prompted the Christian Defense Coalition to launch a campaign called "Barack Obama: The Abortion President." Posters advertising the campaign show Obama dressed up like Uncle Sam saying, "I Want You to Pay for Abortions,” noting that the Democratic candidate would have Catholics and evangelicals pay for abortions through his health care plan and other policies.
The pro-Obama Web site, however, is urging Catholics to focus not just on one or two issues but to consider the “holistic agenda” of the candidate as compared to Catholic teaching.
“We take the abortion issue very seriously but at the same time abortion has been used as a wedge issue to divide voters,” the site’s co-creator Peter James Kralovec said to Christian Broadcasting Network. “We have seen some resistance in some circles but we want to express some facts about the senator‘s record on abortion and change the dialogue on this issue.”
Kralovec and other Notre Dame graduates had begun their effort as a Facebook group called “Catholics for Obama United.” But their success in gathering members led them to re-organize their effort into action oriented recruitment.
The group’s choice of the number 10,000 – small compared to the tens of millions of Catholics in America – is said to be just a starting goal. The number is expected to continue to increase.
Earlier this week, a Gallup poll indicated that Obama received strong support among religious Hispanic Catholics, a group known for their strong opposition to abortion. The majority of this group, 57 percent, supported Obama compared to McCain’s 31 percent.
Although it is bit surprising, Gallup noted that race might be a factor since also an overwhelming percentage of religious black non-Catholic Christians, 90 percent, also backed Obama.
Other than religious Hispanic Catholics and religious non-Catholic Christians, other religious segments of American voters chose Republican John McCain over Obama.
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i was raised catholic, attended a catholic university, have a (really) large catholic family, and can 100% honestly say that we all support obama. don't bother preaching my sins, don't bother trying the whole excommunication theory. obama is a very great leader - and we know he will win.
jhs, no I'm a Mountain Dew kinda guy, but I was giving you the benefit of the doubt, because I figure anybody who would make a statement like that would have to be high on something. So please enlighten us on how obama and the dems will put a stop to the abortion industry?
believer
jhs, so you believe if obama is elected that he and the democrats will end abortion and what wacky weed have you been smoking"
REPLY: The same wacky weed you are.
Why would a Catholic vote for Obama? He stands for abortion, even partial birth abortion, and he actually voted for whole birth abortion if the abortion should be botched and the child delivered. He also has said there are many ways to Heaven. Why would any Christian vote for him? Just so you know, I'm not much in favor of John McCain either.
Yeah you're right wrhalver, kind of reminds me of something Jesus spoke of in Matt 13
24 The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
25 While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
26 When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well.
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So there are some renegade liberal Catholics just as there some renegade liberal Protestants.
Will there be enough of the both of them to show up in November? This is McCain's concern.
jhs, so you believe if obama is elected that he and the democrats will end abortion and what wacky weed have you been smoking?
From the article:
"The pro-Obama Web site, however, is urging Catholics to focus not just on one or two issues but to consider the â
You want 10,000 huh? From Obeyme, who's committed to abortion, even late term and partial-birth infanticide? Good luck with that, Democrats.
Obama whats to appeal to pro-abortion groups and Catholics alike? Daaaa
itsallaboutjesusnotme.blogspot.com
I think I'd rather see 10,000 Catholics mobilized to win the lost, or go to the mission field, or something that actually matters than 10,000 Catholics be mobilized to support a politician.
Why don't we start being the Church again instead of chasing godless politicians?
recent AP story:
"Meanwhile, Obama's campaign is aggressively reaching out to evangelicals.
The Illinois senator dispatched former 9/11 Commission member Tim Roemer to meet with fellow Roman Catholics. He sent Brian McLaren, one of the country's most influential pastors, to meet with fellow evangelicals. And aides have conducted more than 200 "American Values Forums," soon to be followed up with house parties and town hall-style meetings aimed at young Catholics and young evangelicals".
Abortion is immoral because an unborn child is a person. By this same reasoning, killing an unborn child in the womb in order to use his stem cells is immoral as well. McCain is in favor of embryonic stem cell research. If one cannot morally vote for Obama because of his stance on abortion, then one cannot vote for McCain because of his stance on stem cell research.
JHS,
Your comments don't make any sense-this is not about political parties, this is about obeying and honoring GOD'S truths in HIS WORD. IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD AND MASTER.
Abortion is murder! No Catholic or Protestant Christian who believes what scripture says could ever in a good conscience vote for a candidate who supports such evil.
Yes, the lives lost in Iraq are very sad and we should pray for a quick end to this war, but you cannot compare 50Million American aborted to 4500 Americans killed in war. Not only is the number far higher with abortion, but these babies are totally innocent and therefore the killing of a baby is an intrinsic evil.
I don't like either candidate that well, but I am voting for McCain because at least he won't kill babies!