Question for Catholics: Would you approve of it if America ever became a Catholic theocracy?

[MikeK]

So, you would accept a theocracy as long as it was run by your faith community. Off course, you would prefer that the democratic process resulted in the election of those who agreed with the Church. Have I misstated your position.

No, that captures it pretty well.

 

[LoAmmi]

Not that I'm answering the question, but I would say that the instant the US became a Catholic theocracy, I'm moving to Israel.

 

[MikeK]

Not that I'm answering the question, but I would say that the instant the US became a Catholic theocracy, I'm moving to Israel.

I don't blame you. I would not want to live in a theocracy which ascribed to a faith that I didn't hold to.

 

[mark46]

Would you approve of it if the American people were to ever decide by a vote to put the Catholic bishops in charge of the government and then base all (with no exceptions) of its laws on the teachings of the Catholic Magisterium? That means that on all the hot-button political issues—abortion, homosexuality, embryonic stem cells, climate change, immigration, euthanasia, capital punishment—the teaching in the Catholicism of the Catholic Church would be applied. Would you approve of that? This is a yes or no question, and my answer is yes I would approve of it. And, as all the regulars here know, I'm a conservative.

No. Our forefathers fought to set up a system that prevented one faith community from running the government.

The consequence of a national Catholic theocracy would be to impose Catholic law in many areas of the country where Catholics are in a small minority. In any case, that doesn't matter. No religious group should be running the US government.

Call yourself a conservative if you wish. On this subject, you are a revolutionary wanted to overthrow the governmental system that we have in the US.

 

[mark46]

Not that I'm answering the question, but I would say that the instant the US became a Catholic theocracy, I'm moving to Israel.

I might move to Israel. But, I suspect that Canada would be my choice, as it would be for so many.

 

[LivingWordUnity]

So other faiths could freely practice, and no one would be forced to acknowledge a belief in any public sphere?

It would be a government run by the principles of Catholicism.

People of other religions would be tolerated as they tolerate Catholicism.
.

 

[Mountain_Girl406]

I think that's a contradiction. If you really wanted every politician and law to be 100% Catholic it makes no sense to then say that you are against the idea of having a Catholic theocracy.

The Church is more than the moral teachings. To be 100% Catholic would involve more than being pro life, anti gay marriage, etc. An atheist, a Protestant, a Pagan, ...anyone really, could hold to those beliefs about morality and not be 100% Catholic.

 

[Mountain_Girl406]

Like I said, it would be a government run by the principles of Catholicism.

People of other religions would be tolerated as they tolerate Catholicism.
.

That doesn't sound like a theocracy in any way. Just a government that shares the moral and ethical views of the Church but not necessarily the theological views (and aren't they the most important? )

 

[grasping the after wind]

That doesn't sound like a theocracy in any way. Just a government that shares the moral and ethical views of the Church but not necessarily the theological views (and aren't they the most important? )

Sorry for sticking my non catholic nose in but aren't the ethical and moral views of a religion also theological views ?

 

[LivingWordUnity]

That doesn't sound like a theocracy in any way. Just a government that shares the moral and ethical views of the Church but not necessarily the theological views (and aren't they the most important? )

I think when most people think of a theocracy they think of a place like Saudi Arabia. But a Muslim theocracy is completely different than if it were a Catholic one.

 

[LoAmmi]

I think when most people think of a theocracy they think of a place like Saudi Arabia. But a Muslim theocracy is completely different than if it were a Catholic one.

I imagine something like the Papal states. Would that be accurate?

 

[LivingWordUnity]

I imagine something like the Papal states. Would that be accurate?

Yes. That would be the model.

 

[LoAmmi]

Yes. That would be the model.

Israel it is. LOL

 

[LivingWordUnity]

Israel it is. LOL

To make sure that I'm not misunderstanding you, by "the Papal states" do you mean Vatican City?

 

[LoAmmi]

To make sure that I'm not misunderstanding you, by "the Papal states" do you mean Vatican City?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_States

Papal states.

 

[Mountain_Girl406]

Sorry for sticking my non catholic nose in but aren't the ethical and moral views of a religion also theological views ?

They are perhaps connected, but the heart of a religion is the belief in, and understanding of, the supernatural. Two people of different faiths, like Christianity and Islam, could quite likely have similar views on the morality of gay marriage, abortion, etc. However, it couldn't be then said they share the same theology.
It's those theological beliefs that determine someone's faith. A Baptist may agree with a Catholic on just about every moral issue, but maintain the distinct theological views that make them Baptist.

 

[LivingWordUnity]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_States

Papal states.

The model that I meant is Vatican City since it is available for us to observe in the present day.

 

[Mountain_Girl406]

I think when most people think of a theocracy they think of a place like Saudi Arabia. But a Muslim theocracy is completely different than if it were a Catholic one.

I tend to think more of historical Catholic societies, like in the Middle Ages...where Catholicism was the law and heresy wad illegal.

 

[LoAmmi]

The model that I meant is Vatican City since it is available for us to observe in the present day.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but there aren't many non-Catholics that live in Vatican city. Having a large population of people not of the faith in charge changes how things must be done. For example, a famous case in the Papal states was one where a Jewish couple had a child that the nanny baptized in secret. Since the law forbid a Catholic from being raised by a non-Catholic as it put their soul in jepoardy, the child was stripped away from the parents. Would you support such a law?

 

[LivingWordUnity]

I tend to think more of historical Catholic societies, like in the Middle Ages...where Catholicism was the law and heresy wad illegal.

Why not judge it by how Vatican City is run?