What does "The Church" say? And what do you say?

On a recent visit to St. Paul's giant cathedral, I happened upon a voter's guide which prompted my pondering the role of conscience in my religion of upbringing, Catholicism, and my chosen religion, Unitarian Universalism.



Here are a few paragraphs from a recent New York Times article about the Catholic vote in our next presidential election. I've included links to two opposing Catholic groups, each of whom are campaigning for a different way of following their Catholic morals.

"A struggle within the church over how Catholic voters should think about abortion is once again flaring up just as political partisans prepare an all-out battle for the votes of Mass-going Catholics in swing-state towns like Scranton.

"The theological dispute is playing out in diocesan newspapers and weekly homilies, while the campaigns scramble to set up phone banks of nuns and private meetings with influential bishops.

"Their revisions set the stage for a clash of voter guides. Catholic Answers is again promoting its “nonnegotiables” voter guide; a new group, Catholics in Alliance for Common Good, has produced a chart comparing the candidates’ views on the war, taxes, the environment and other issues as well as abortion."


A publication from the conservative group Catholic Answers has the following direct quote: "Conscience is like an alarm. It warns you when you are about to do something you know is wrong. it does not itself determine what is right or wrong. For your conscience to work properly, it must be properly informed -- that is, you must inform yourself about what is right, and what is wrong. Only then will your conscience be a trusted guide.
Unfortunately, today many Catholics have not formed their consciences adequately regarding key moral issues. The result is that their consciences do not "sound off" at the appropriate time, including on Election Day. A well-formed conscience will never contradicts Catholic moral teaching.
For that reason, if you are unsure where your conscience is leading you when at the ballot box, place your trust in the unwavering moral teaching of the Church. (The Catechism of the Catholic Church is an excellent source of authentic moral teaching.)"
To read more from Catholic Answers, see the link above.

As you may have read in my previous rant about politics, I prefer the leanings of the Catholics in Alliance for Common Good. Perhaps that is because of my broader ethical orientation, especially influenced by UUsim. Here are the seven key principles of Unitarian Universalism. Pay special attention to numbers 3, 4, and 5 in reference to the role of individual conscience.

There are seven principles which Unitarian Universalist congregations affirm and promote:

• The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
• Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
• Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
• A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
• The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
• The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
• Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.