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Catholics, of all of people, shouldn't be fooled by Sen. Obama's choice of Sen. Joe Biden as a running mate. Mr. Biden is pro-abortion, which puts him squarely at odds with the Catholic Church and those who are in communion with the Pope.

Mr. Obama needs the Catholic vote in places like Ohio and Pennsylvania, so Mr. Biden made a point of describing himself as an "Irish-Catholic from Scranton." This may be a true description in terms of cultural identity, but Catholics politicians who publicly endorse and vote for pro abortion legislation are betraying their faith and causing scandal.

Abortion is intrinsically evil and Catholic politicians must vote against pro-abortion legislation and Catholics citizens must vote against politicians who support abortion. A catholic vote for Mr. Obama and Mr. Biden is a vote against the culture of life that John Paull II so faithfully promoted.

Neither party owns the Catholic Church; to read the history of Christendom is to observe the Church constantly fighting for its independence from temporal authority. Yet the Democratic party - for far too long - has taken it for granted that Catholics will vote for them, even if their policies blatantly contradict Catholic doctrine. This isn't to suggest that the Republican party purely reflects all that Catholics social and moral doctrine demands, but that the Democratic party has been specifically at war with the American family and Christian values since the early 1970s.

Catholics need to listen to the gospel, their Bishops and the magisterium of the Church, instead of voting for the latest cultural Catholic who trots out on stage and tries to tout his Catholic identity.

In this election it is clear that Mr. McCain, though not someone who perfectly reflects Catholic doctrine, is clearly pro life and a much more suitable candidate for Catholic voters who are faithful to their Church and Jesus Christ.

Labels: Presidential Election