Did we as Christians, especially Catholic Christians, vote to perpetuate the intrinsic evil of genocide (abortion)? Yes, we did. I guess we did not form our consciences to a point that to vote for a pro-abortion candidate for elected office is prohibited for Catholic Christians by the law of God because it is a cooperation in a moral evil. How did we miss this truth? We missed the truth because most of our leaders (bishops, clergy, religious, laity in leadership positions) in the American Catholic Church have failed to address sin in its own ranks and in society. The USCCB document “Faithful Citizenship” followed Pope Benedict’s lead in singling out abortion, euthanasia, and similarly, direct threats to the sanctity and dignity of human life, such as human cloning and destructive research on human embryos, which are also intrinsically evil. These must always be opposed. As “intrinsically evil” matters that “must always be rejected and opposed and must never be supported or condoned” by Catholics. The document then watered down the truth about one issue voting stating that there are other issues to be considered, (i.e. direct assaults on innocent human life and violations of human dignity, such as racism, torture, genocide and the targeting of noncombatants in acts of terror or war, can never be justified, etc.) and the USCCB document also missed the concept that “Not all moral issues have the same moral weight as abortion and euthanasia,” etc.

So what have we done by voting to perpetuate an intrinsic evil? I believe each one of us as individuals have made ourselves a participant in the act of abortion and have placed our eternal salvation at risk. Remedy, prayer, reconciliation and the sacraments are in order.

Charles E Lehmann

Kaneohe

Using the abortion issue

I just wanted to comment on the letter from Thomas C. Peters of Kailua-Kona. Thank you, Thomas for speaking up for the majority of Catholics who realize that we cannot pick our candidate for president based on one issue — that’s how we got George W. Bush. I also want to say that I am pro-life but people who are pro-choice are just that, pro-choice NOT pro-abortion. Many who do not believe in abortion do not feel they should push their beliefs on others. I would not like for someone with different beliefs to push their beliefs on me. How many of these so-called Christians are willing to adopt a child to keep a mother from having an abortion? What we need are more ways to prevent unwanted pregnancies and, unfortunately, teaching abstinence only hasn’t worked.

The Republicans were in control of the presidency and congress for six years, they used the abortion issue to stay in power yet Roe v Wade was never overturned. They used the issue to win and once they won, they never did anything about it.

I am proud to say that I voted for Barack Obama; he has the better plan for helping our country.

Margaret Brooks

Kapolei