Is There A Christian Vote?

Every election year, we hear about the "evangelical vote." Political commentators talk about the "religious right wing voting bloc."

This election year is no different.

I'm paying more attention to the political landscape than I usually do. This is because others keep TV tuned into political stations. In the Republican Presidential campaign talk, I have been hearing talk about "the Evangelical vote." By this term, political commentators are talking about voters who list themselves as practicing evangelical Christians. These are voters who have a Christian worldview, profess faith in Jesus as Savior, and are prolife. This voting bloc typically oppose abortion, oppose gun control, and oppose "big government." Since strong conservatives embody these values, most "Religious Right" voters vote Republican and conservative. I have long been aware of this, and the only political initiatives and issues that conservative "relgious right" people give priority to, are abortion and gay marriage. Is there a "Chrstian Vote" and do we have to vote a certain way in order to be pleasing to God?

The "Religious Right" and the "Religious Left"

Because of personal experience and research, I know there are "right" and "left" Christian worldviews. And they oppose each other. I have already outlined the values that the "right" focus on. These are opposition to abortion, opposition to gay marriage, and opposition to "big government." "Big government" includes means-tested programs like Food Stamps, Medicaid, universal health care, family and medical leave, early childhood education, and anything that as my mom pusts it, "helps people." On the other hand, the "left" among "progressive liberal Christians reverses their priorities. They often support "marriage equality," are indifferent to abortion or even support it, and support "big government." "Left progressive" Christians tend to support universal health care, Food Stamps, Medicaid, medical and family leave, early childhood education, and all those programs that "help people." "Conservative" Christians see the government as our problem and declare that the government can't save us. They value privatization of government programs. The government exists to protect and defend human life, even if it invades privacy. "Progressive" Christians, on the other hand, believe that the government can help us in many ways and should take care of our needs. They strongly oppose the government "butting in" our private lives and so they either are silent on or support support marriage equality are are usually silent on or support abortion. Notice a pattern? Both sides have Biblical elements; both sides have elements that violate biblical principles.

My Personal Experience

I grew up in a family that was dyed-in-the-wool Democratic. This has not changed over the years. Democrats are seen as good and wanting to help people; Republicans are seen as evil and not caring about the well-being of people. This extended to abortion "rights" when abortion was legalized. It was when I entered adulthood and began taking God seriously, that I found some of these Democratic policies at odds with my beliefs. This was especially in the area of abortion. I was saddened, frustraed and angry that I could no longer support Democratic candiadtes that I would have supported, if they would protect the unborn. I still am not happy that I can't support Democratic leaders because they will not protect the lives of unborn children. I used to "resolve" this by voting for a mixture of Democrats and Republicans. Why did truth and righteousness have to be linked to a party? Was God a Republican? I know that when John and I were attending one local church, one person used this bumper sticker: "Friends don't let friends vote Democratic!" I felt uncomfortable and out of place in my largely conservative church families in most congregations I have been in. THat is because though I identified as prolife I also identifed with Democrats in many ways. However, more recently, when John and I joined a local church that was more "progressive" with a leadership that was openly "left" in beliefs, things shifted. I was uncomfortable but because of my I identified as prolife and this congregation was silent about abortion and openly supportive about "gay marriage" and "gay ordination" to the pulpit. I know that this is not likely to resolve itself and I have become at peace with it.

Politics and Following Jesus

I know many in the Church believe that if we follow Jesus, we should get out of politics. I know of Christ-followers who will not even vote. They state that voting for "the lesser of two evils" is still viting for evil.In many Christian circles, we are advised to vote for the "lesser of two evils" and for the candidate who will do "the least damage to the country." In looking at Jesus' life and teaching, we see that we are told to "Render to Ceasar what is Ceasar's" and "Render to God what is God's." What are we to make of this? In the Epistles, we are told to pray for the government and honor them. Back then, they did not have free elections and we have to draw principles out of the Bible and apply them to voting for candidates especially when we are undecided about whom to vote for. When I find myself voting for candidates I dislike because they protect the unborn (at least), I tell myself that I'm electing a person to public office, not marrying them. As Christ-followers, we are to pray for those we don't support, especially who don't protect the unborn, praying that God will open their eyes and bring them to repentance. No matter who is in power, Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We have to bear this in mind of someone gets in that we don't like or agree with. There are no hard and fast rules about how to relate to the political process, only to pray for those in power, honor them, obey the law but put God first when there is a conflict (and graciously accept the consequences). Politics are not our savior; Jesus is. Politics are not our enemey; the devil is. My Bible tells me the our fight is in the spiritual realm not in the political realm.

God is not a Republican or Democrat; God is God of all!

Christians Address Obamacare

Congress 

It is signature legislation on which every person, Christian or not, holds a strong opinion. It is law, based on what is considered, by many of us, to be a basic human right and one that the government owes us access to. We have been told things about it that make it seem a wonderful blessing or, on the other hand, a sinister threat. It has provoked, and continues to cause, much national debate. This law, nicknamed, bears our President Obama's name. We either love it or we hate it.

What Is Affordable Care Act?
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) or Obamacare, its nickname, has divided the US before it officially became law. It had been planned years in advance. Even then, many of us were crying, "Repeal Obamacare now!" or "Pass it now to cover all the ininsured!" Insurance companies and employers were required to cover employees. An individual mandate was designed as an incentive to get all covered Americans to buy affordable health insurance through signing up for the ACA. According to your view of what the government's role in providing access to health care should be, you either heartily support the ACA or strongly oppose it. The ACA is based on the core belief that access to health care is the basic human right of every person. If you see health care as a privilege that should remain privatized, you will not support the ACA. This holds true, whether you are in the Christian community or not.

Why is the Affordable Care Act Dividing Us in the US?

Most of us hold strong opinions of Obamacare. If we support it, it's because we hail its positive if imperfect safety net for most of the five million uninsured Americans, formerly unable to access any health care. They could not access health care because of lack of health care coverage through employment, or because they did not qualify for Medicare or Medicaid. Supporters hail it as a safety net for young people who can stay on their parents' plan up until age 26, and because insurance companies were required to cover Americans with pre-existing conditions. Those of us who oppose the ACA do so because we fear that it constitutes a "government takeover," that will "take away our liberties." Opponents claim that many uninsured people are healthy people who "do not need health care access yet." Above all, most of us who oppose the ACA fear that it will affect our insurance coverage, whether we have private insurance, are enrolled in a HMO, or use Medicare or Medicaid. The many recent glitches in the ACA website have discredited the ACA and aggravated the already existing opposition of many. But so many in the Christian community object to the ACA based on concerns beyond these, and I have seen posts speaking to this on Facebook.

Christian Concerns About the Affordable Care Act

Brothers and sisters in Christ, I know that many of you don't support Obamacare. I know that many of you object because of what many of us see as moral problems. First of all, the ACA promises to make "women's reproductive health care" accessible to all women covered by the ACA. We know that this term is a euphemism for birth control devices, not only for wives but for every female of any age who requests them "in consultation with her doctor." Worse, though it's unclear (to me) that it indeed does so, the ACA may make "affordable abortions" accessible to any female who wants to "terminate her pregnancy." A growing number in the Christian community believe that the ACA includes a mandate to get human microchip implanting, which they see as the future "Mark of the Beast" that sets the stage for the appearing of the anti-Christ. I have heard and read Christian alarm calls that "the end is very near" and that "this anti-Christian" legislation is proof. I've read about some of these objections and, as well as what human microchiping would do. Yet no evidence exists of any human microchip implantation mandate as part of ACA. Yet I know much fear exists of the ACA in the Christian community.

How Should We Deal With This? All of us should educate ourselves about Obamacare before we pass judgment on it. This holds true no matter who we are. Below you'll find resources that give the facts about the ACA. Brothers and sisters in Christ, we should concern ourselves with any moral problems we see in the ACA. We can contact our legislators to include a "religious liberty" clause which lets any health care provider decline to provide birth control devices or abortions, based on faith-based objections. The ACA is law, and fighting against it, if you oppose it, wastes time and energy that could be better spent supporting nonprofits that serve girls and women facing crisis pregnancies, or that serve troubled teens.

I'd much rather shout out for what I'm for than rail against what I may detest. How about you?

Healthcare.gov

Healthcare.gov

Obamacare Facts: Dispelling the Myths

The photo at the top of this post is courtesy of MorgueFile, is by "earl53" and can be found here.

Is the Biochip the Mark of the Beast?

Christians Confront the US Government Shutdown

All of us who operate from a Christian worldview are just as unhappy with the current government shutdown as are those who do not share this worldview, or who do not consider themselves "religious." We see how politicians decision to this partial shutdown has profoundly affected the lives of many, especially those who have low incomes, their children, the families of those who have given their lives in military service, disabled veterans, many federal workers considered "nonessential, and other vulnerable people. Yet these same politicians continue to collect their own salaries and enjoy numerous benefits. Yes, some have said that they are foregoing those salaries and have proposed legislation to stop governmental salaries as long as the shutdown continues. We may or may not be aware that, in a week, if the US house Of Representatives, the US Senate, and President Obama do not reach a compromise and raise the debt ceiling, the US will go into default. This means that the US can't pay its bills and can't borrow more money. The result? Most services and most programs, like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Veteran's Benefits, Head Start and many other services that many of us in the US count on just to survive, will be shut down. While we have a partial government now, we would have a total government shutdown if the US were allowed to go into default. This has never happened in US history according to my understanding.

What would God say about what is going on in Washington and about this current economic crisis? Well, according to my understanding of the Scriptures, God places a lot of importance on how we treat vulnerable groups and individuals, especially children and the poor. This includes government policies and decisions that hurt vulnerable groups and individuals. He condemns those in power profiting off them, which most of us, Christian and non-Christian, see as the US government doing to so many of us in the US. The Affordable Care Act, or as many call it, Obamacare? Which was the reason for the shutdown in the first place? What would God say about either keeping it funded, as many in Washington and the President want, or repealing it, which many others in Washington are calling for? Again, according to my understanding of the Scriptures, God calls on all of us to do all we can to preserve and protect the lives of others. This incudes helping others access health care, which helps preserve life. So He would expect the government to do all it can to preserve the lives of its citizens, which includes making accessible healthcare to those who can't get it on their own.

Yes, fiscal responsibility matters and God is against irresponsible spending, waste and fraud. This hold true whether these are being done by us as private citizens or is being done by the government in its policies and decisions. Therefore a balancing act has to be done. God expects this of us private citizens, particularly us Christians. He expects it of a government. So the US government ought to, Biblically speaking, strive to be fiscally responsible while at the same time allow enough spending to help those poor, less fortunate, and vulnerable citizens who can't help themselves or who need a hand up. He hates strife and disharmony and clearly would not approve of all the partisanship bickering that has been going on for a long time and has climaxed in the current government shutdown. What we see going on now is much, much older than President Obama's time in office and are only a build-up of what has been going on in Washington for decades. And since the problem is so old, it will take a long time to fix it. Just as with any human problem, it will take everyone working together, setting aside their differences, discerning what is best for the interest of all concerned, and courage to act according to one's convictions.

Yes, most of us are frustrated, even angry, with the US government. The phone lines of Congressmen and Congresswomen are being flooded with angry, frustrated phone calls from their constituents. Many, in frustration, are taking to the street or going to the media. Petitions are being circulated. As Christians, whatever we feel about the US government, we are called to honor them, to willingly render our duties to them (taxes, voting, etc.), and to pray for them. They need our prayers as much as ever now, as Christians confronting a shutdown that can become a total shutdown. Pray that God will give them grace to set aside their differences, wisdom to discern what to do for the best of all citizens, and the courage to carry it out. Our faith ought not be in a government that is made up of imperfect, sinful people like us. Our faith must be in a perfect, faithful God Who will keep His promises to us and will do what is right. We need to remember that He is in control, even when it doesn't look like it. He has power over all human rulers and can work through even corrupt politicians.

No matter what you believe, what do you think? Sound off.
This photo is courtesy of MorgueFile.com. This photo is by earl53. This photo can be found here.