Warning: Politically divisive statements ahead
I think it is funny all of the hubbub about the mid-term elections this year. What I find especially amusing is the big schpeal about "Knowing your candidates".
KNOW YOUR CANDIDATES! Duhhh, nobody wants anyone to vote a straight-ticket agenda - you'd have to be an ignoramus to do that. But it is interesting to me that there is a second, more subversive element to this paradigm. That element is the whole "Vote your morals", especially when it comes to Christians.
I don't think Christians are given the liberty to "vote their morals". I think Christians vote based on the Word of God. Unfortunately, many of them have never read the Bible all the way through, and so they vote without complete knowledge of the character and nature of God. No wonder the political landscape is so screwed up - there's not a huge difference between the "heathens" and the Christians!
And even if you have complete knowledge of the issues (both political and biblical), what then do we say if a person "votes their morals" but votes in a candidate who's views are diametrically opposed to very basic principles in the Bible?
I think a lot of people strain out gnats, but swallow camels...politically speaking. There *are* some issues that simply outweigh others, and though we probably will never be able to cast a vote in perfect confidence that our own values will be upheld completely, there are certain non-negotiable issues that simply have more weight than others (perhaps even ALL the others, combined) - Israel was judged for far less grievous sins than the ones that we allow and even encourage in America, and "saving the environment" or "helping the poor" isn't going to cut it when we allow *EVIL* to persist in our country's laws, actions, and attitudes.
You can't legislate morality?
Bull.
Tell that to the death-row inmate - i'm sure he wishes you couldn't legislate morality either. The government is set in place by God, thus government and morality are *necessarily* intertwined.
I find it interesting that people say "Well, that's not very loving" when you take a hard-line stance towards sin in your nation and culture. You know what else isn't very loving though?
Doing nothing, and by your inactions inviting God's judgement on your country.
I think in a lot of ways we've lost our fear of God, because we think that God is loving (which he is), and that is all that we need to care about. Whatever happened to "Our God is a consuming fire"? As for me, I'm not okay with following an all-powerful, indescribably awesome God if I can just walk all over His commands without any fear of repercussion. And that includes voting for candidates who's official stances clearly violate the Word of God.
KNOW YOUR CANDIDATES! Duhhh, nobody wants anyone to vote a straight-ticket agenda - you'd have to be an ignoramus to do that. But it is interesting to me that there is a second, more subversive element to this paradigm. That element is the whole "Vote your morals", especially when it comes to Christians.
I don't think Christians are given the liberty to "vote their morals". I think Christians vote based on the Word of God. Unfortunately, many of them have never read the Bible all the way through, and so they vote without complete knowledge of the character and nature of God. No wonder the political landscape is so screwed up - there's not a huge difference between the "heathens" and the Christians!
And even if you have complete knowledge of the issues (both political and biblical), what then do we say if a person "votes their morals" but votes in a candidate who's views are diametrically opposed to very basic principles in the Bible?
I think a lot of people strain out gnats, but swallow camels...politically speaking. There *are* some issues that simply outweigh others, and though we probably will never be able to cast a vote in perfect confidence that our own values will be upheld completely, there are certain non-negotiable issues that simply have more weight than others (perhaps even ALL the others, combined) - Israel was judged for far less grievous sins than the ones that we allow and even encourage in America, and "saving the environment" or "helping the poor" isn't going to cut it when we allow *EVIL* to persist in our country's laws, actions, and attitudes.
You can't legislate morality?
Bull.
Tell that to the death-row inmate - i'm sure he wishes you couldn't legislate morality either. The government is set in place by God, thus government and morality are *necessarily* intertwined.
I find it interesting that people say "Well, that's not very loving" when you take a hard-line stance towards sin in your nation and culture. You know what else isn't very loving though?
Doing nothing, and by your inactions inviting God's judgement on your country.
I think in a lot of ways we've lost our fear of God, because we think that God is loving (which he is), and that is all that we need to care about. Whatever happened to "Our God is a consuming fire"? As for me, I'm not okay with following an all-powerful, indescribably awesome God if I can just walk all over His commands without any fear of repercussion. And that includes voting for candidates who's official stances clearly violate the Word of God.