Published November 24, 2007 IN THEORY The Gravitational Poll Q: U.S. Catholic bishops this week reportedly approved new moral guidelines for Catholic voters warning that their political choices could impact a person’s salvation. Bishops reportedly stress that the guidelines are not a voter guide, but rather they represent a moral framework for believers. Still, some bishops disagree that voting choices can affect someone’s salvation. The church reportedly believes it is a “formal cooperation in evil” to vote for a candidate for the sole reason that he or she supports “intrinsic evils” such as abortion or racism. Bishops also believe Catholics should avoid becoming one-issue voters. What do you think? Should your political choices affect your salvation? A: How refreshing to hear that the bishops, these men of faith, are standing up for what they believe. Whether you agree with the policies they are supporting, you have to appreciate that these bishops are taking their faith seriously enough to attach permanent consequences to the decision-making process. Basically, they are saying, what we believe is not something that comes alive only on Sundays and in sanctuaries, but has applications and ramifications in all of life. By taking a very extreme and absurd example, this can be better understood. Imagine a candidate who supports a program of systematic annihilation of a group of people, such as in the case of genocide. Everyone who votes for this candidate knowing of his or her agenda for extermination is responsible and accountable for those actions. Therefore, wouldn’t we all agree that those voters would be guilty of the same crime? This may seem severe, but that is the seriousness of our vote. Sometimes in discussing a person’s “right to vote” we fail to speak of the “responsibility of the vote.” Every right carries a responsibility. The bishops are merely saying that if a person adheres to a set of principles and standards, there is a responsibility to live according to those tenets of faith. In my particular belief system, the standard to love, as expressed through Jesus Christ, is so high that my voting decisions must reflect that standard. The way I see it, expressing love in everything we do is the responsibility of those who have the right to be called Christian. FATHER VAZKEN MOVSESIAN Armenian Church Youth Ministries In His Shoes Mission