Serving Christ in your voting

[GCapp]

I want to obey the Great Commandment. Therefore, I want to choose the best option. Because of that, I choose the only political party that yields willingly and joyfully to the will of God.

It is not our responsibility how other people vote, so we shouldn't vote for a certain party/candidate because of how other people will or might vote. God only holds us responsible for our one vote, and only expects us to answer for how we used it. Of course, if we know what's right, we are at least expected to speak up and say it, and point to those candidates who stand for it, but we shouldn't make our X based on our "fear" or "resignation" that not enough other people will vote the way we know to be right.

How about you? Do you vote the way you know is right? Or do you vote to try and influence the outcome based on an expectation that the small party you agree with won't "win"?

 

[5stringJeff]

I vote for the candidates based on a couple of things:

1. Whether I think they will lead with Christian-based values.

2. Whether they agree with my political philosophy.

Typically, the Republican candidate meets those qualifications, but I am not so narrow as to not consider candidates from other parties.

 

[HeadBangforJesus]

I would have a problem voting for any one who is not a Christian, regardless of the political party. I also consider a vote for a Democrat to be a vote against God. Democrats are the ones who want to take God out of everything. I am not saying all Republicans believe in God, but they are not trying to get Him out of America either.

 

[Andyman_1970]

I also consider a vote for a Democrat to be a vote against God.

While I am not a Democrat, I can point out almost as many unBiblical philosophies that Republicans hold as do the Democrats.

 

[HeadBangforJesus]

While I am not a Democrat, I can point out almost as many unBiblical philosophies that Republicans hold as do the Democrats.

I don't deny anything, I am just saying the people who vote for Democrats are mainly, but not entirely, people who want God out of the Pledge of Allegiance, want 'Christ' out of Christmas, and have little moral value at all.

 

[Andyman_1970]

I don't deny anything, I am just saying the people who vote for Democrats are mainly, but not entirely, people who want God out of the Pledge of Allegiance, want 'Christ' out of Christmas, and have little moral value at all.

Those are some pretty big assumptions you're making there............

 

[HeadBangforJesus]

Those are some pretty big assumptions you're making there............

Nevermind... Forget I said anything. I have a bad habbit with instigating political battles, and I don't want to do it here. So I apologize.

 

[GCapp]

There are Christians who have attached themselves to worldly-minded parties, either because at the time there was no alternative, or because they believe they can work within those parties to effect change. In Canada, Tom Wappel is one such person. There were a few in our old Reform Party. There used to even be some in the New Democratic Party (socialist).

If they are truthful with themselves, they know they are overwhelmed by the inertia of their parties to try to appeal to the lowest common denominator, the masses, and the parties often lack the courage to stand on principle and risk losing votes.

At some point soon, I expect to be living in the United States, and as soon as possible, I intend to apply for citizenship so that I can vote and try to promote the well-being of my neighbours. I don't expect to register as a Republican, although that certainly is, of the two large parties, the one that is more acceptable. However, I won't be cornered into black or white... or, in this case, red or blue. I yearn for, and will seek out, a third party that better represents my beliefs, and vote for it with conviction and courage.

But in the meantime, I live in Canada, an election is under way, and, not expecting to be a candidate this time, I might be expected by the other parties to choose one of them. I will not; I will spoil my ballot. If someone loses by one vote, mine will be the vote they failed to earn from me. If someone else who would have voted for me follows my lead, our two votes would have meant a victory. My vote must be earned by a candidate, and that's possible only if his party has active policies that are agreeable - a personal undertaking by the candidate will not suffice since the candidate can be overruled by the party. Since no party holds a policy convention during an election, they can't fix it before election day!

I feel the call of God to vote only for the God-fearing candidate of a God-fearing party.

 

[Jipsah]

the people who vote for Democrats are mainly, but not entirely, people who want God out of the Pledge of Allegiance

I stll don't understand how a Christian can swear allegiance to a piece of cloth anyway.

There are two political parties in the US - the Stupid Party and the Evil Party. The problem is deciding which one is which.

 

[CyberPaladin]

To anwser your question yes the odds of winning have influenced me because don't believe that third party candidates at anything above maybe the state levl of government are more than glorified side show attraction. Because I believe if your voting for a candidate that you know is going to lose all your doing is wasting your time and vote.

 

[CyberPaladin]

I realize something when I said lose I meant people who's place in the race if you add up all the vote of them and of the several other third party candidate you only come up with acouple prencent of the vote.

 

[GCapp]

When voting, there are two things you can waste: your vote and your conscience. If the person you voted for won by a healthy margin, they didn't really need your one vote, and if they lost by a healthy margin, your vote didn't help them one bit. It is a wasted vote because it didn't make a difference in the absolute result.

But, if they represent values and policies that are contrary to your beliefs and conscience, you have wasted your conscience, and you have falsely given them assurance that their policies are agreeable.

One vote, yes, but every journey begins with one step. The first person to turn around and walk the right way is in the lead.

I know that I would have received considerably more votes if I had the resources to get our party's message out, but even as limited as it was, the least I've received is about 0.4 percent of the votes. Those are votes that the winners and second place candidates could potentially wish they had received, but have been denied to them because those candidates represent policies that the voters found would violate their conscience, and those voters refused to waste their conscience.

I hope one day even to be a candidate for state or federal politics in the US to represent one of those third parties.

 

[CyberPaladin]

I know that I would have received considerably more votes if I had the resources to get our party's message out, but even as limited as it was, the least I've received is about 0.4 percent of the votes. Those are votes that the winners and second place candidates could potentially wish they had received, but have been denied to them because those candidates represent policies that the voters found would violate their conscience, and those voters refused to waste their conscience.

I wasn't trying to imply that one vote does make difference. However I think it also depends on how you view the situation I believe that third parties I Federal Government level don't have a chance of suceeding in elections my and like mind people on the same issues supporting them just allows the main party that I believe to be the greater evil to be more power. I'm not trying to say anyone should vote for one of the major parties just because they are one of the two main parties. Also there are alot of things to consider too like for example whether I completely disagree with there position or just feel more strongly about the issue. I realize that some people just write third party candidates off because there small but some of us did think about it and the consequence of what would happen if the third part groups suceed as spoilers.

 

[GCapp]

If we support the least of evils, then all we will have left is evil.

My former party leader's speech to the last convention at the end of October came to me in an email today. This is a poignant part:

Sometimes non Christians can by their observation teach us valuable lessons. There is so much double mindedness in Christians when it comes to putting their faith into practice, especially politically. The well-known skeptic and author Mark Twain said:

"It will be conceded that a Christian's first duty is to God. It then follows, as a matter of course that it is his duty to carry his Christian code of morals to the polls and vote them. Whenever he shall do that, he will not find himself voting for an unclean man, a dishonest man. If Christians would vote their duty to God at the polls, they would carry every election and do it with ease. Their prodigious power would be quickly realized and recognized, and afterward there would be no unclean candidates upon any ticket and graft would cease. If Christians could be persuaded to vote God and a clean ticket, it would bring about a moral revolution that would be incalculably beneficent. It would save the country."

An irony, because Mark Twain, proper name Sam Clemens, was a secular humanist, an atheist!

If every thinking Christian or Jew, in America, or Canada, or any nation with free elections, voted for morally-driven candidates and denied their votes to the major parties - that expect to return or keep power, there would quickly be a significant change. They wouldn't want to miss out again!

You will make the decision you think best, and I respect your decision, but do you really want to vote based on a surrender to "inevitability"? Why not be the Daniel who dares to be different? Do you have children or grandchildren? If not, do you have nieces or nephews? Can you look them in the eye and know that you've fought against the corruption or evil that is shaping the world they'll inherit from you?

I wish America had a party that respected the origins of the Constitution like the Republicans (the Democrats are liberal-minded and are more inclined to think in terms of it being adapted to "modern ideas"), that respected the working man, especially unions, that was pro-life and pro-traditional family, deplored all bigotry as a violation of the Great Commandment, and believed that America's foreign policy should be to support democracy everywhere, even where the people in that democracy chose a government hostile to America. That would shut the door on slave-labour-made imports from oppressive nations like China that undercut America's own industries and put Americans out of jobs. That would maintain a strong national defence, and stop up illegal immigrants crossing the border. (I'm rather annoyed at the Bush administration's easy-going attitude to Mexicans coming across, when I have every intention of dealing with the ridiculous complex forms to fill out to become a legal immigrant!)

(The US has overthrown locally chosen governments simply because the locally-chosen government was hostile to America. Iran is an example, and the 1979 revolution removed the American-supported leader, the Shah.)

I watched the 2004 presidential debates between Kerry and Bush. I was extremely irritated with them because everything was foreign affairs, foreign affairs, foreign affairs! North Korea came up over and over again! I wanted to hear their national policies, their debate on the homeland! Jobs? Blocking cheap slave-labour imports? Illegal immigrants? Abortion? Adult stem-cells versus embryonic stem cells or fetal tissue? Parents' rights for their children? These issues were completely disregarded, and yet these are the issues that make or break America (or any other country) as a nation and as a force in the world! I wanted to break in there, remove the moderator and ask these questions myself! Get off the foreign affairs kick already, and don't turn every question into foreign affairs!

That is a key reason I will not support even the Republicans. The presidential candidates, who are seeking to be the Commander-in-Chief of the nation, are not being heard debating the internal issues of that nation! I will support third parties that do care about the home front and will address those issues!

Build a good nation on domestic policies and be a witness to the world of successful domestic policies!

So, I'll check out small parties, like possibly the American Heritage Party, which seems to be analogous to the CHP in Canada.

 

[HeartFullaLove]

I believe that any believer is obligaby God to fulfil the obligations of any office or role into which God places them -- father, mother, child, government official, church leader, etc. I believe we will come into account at the judgment for how well we fulfilled our duties in those roles.

In the US, every elegible voter has a political office of "elector." If beleivers who are such fail to vote, God will hold them in account for their failure to do their "due diligence." If we vote for an evil man, we will also answer for it. This is true even if the evil man is the "lesser of two evils." The lesser of two evils is STLL EVIL.

Scripture makes it clear that it is GOD alone who sets up rulers -- whether for belessing or for punishment to the nation. Therefore, I take no thought as to whether a righteous candidate "has a chance of winning" or not (They will NEVER win so long as believers vote for evil men who "can win" and we will rightly suffer the ill fruit of such). I will not vote for an evil candidate. If I have to write in the name of a righteous person I know rather than pick among evil candidates, I will do so.

There are some things that would disqualify any candidate immediatel for me. Among them are:

The are pro-abortion (or euthanasia)
They are racist
They are pro-homosexual
They are oppressors of the poor, the infirm, or the widow
They are covetous

At the moment I have found only the Constitution Party to stick to a righteous platform -- and they will not allow ANY candidate to run under their banner who approves of abortion. I have found other individuals I am able to vote for as well.

 

[GCapp]

Bravo, HeartFullaLove! Well spoken, and I agree with you. Constitution Party? That's one for me to look up when the time comes to choose. If I find it most agreeable, and if it's registered in the state I live in, I'll join it, and maybe even run for it as a candidate. (Too bad that under the US system, a party has to register in each state for federal seats in Congress. In Canada, a federally-registered party can immediately run in every province and territory, even if it doesn't because it has no members or organization there.)

You are right about us being held to account, and you are right about God being the one who raises up and brings down governments. Canada is groaning under a corrupt, greedy government, determined to destroy the families, because too many Canadian voters worship money and self instead of God.

 

[Suomipoika]

I usually find myself voting for the christian democrats. Yes, you guys heard right, a party named christian democrats.

 

[FreezBee]

I usually find myself voting for the christian democrats. Yes, you guys heard right, a party named christian democrats.

We have them in Denmark as well - they used to call themselves the Christian People's Party and were founded to fight against free abortion. But having lost the battle and nothing else to unite them, they have reborn themselves as democrats that happen to call themselves Christians as well.

If we support the least of evils, then all we will have left is evil.

If we don't support the least of evils, we'll have the bigger evils coming around to ask, why we're so discriminating.

Anyway, since we as Christians should recognize that we live under the condition of sin, we should not submit to that really big evil, selfrighteousness, thinking that we're better just because we all are saved in whichever denomination that we might happen to be members of - and if not, then we can just change denomination.

I find that many Christians are not Christians in my mind - but it's not for me to judge, however, can I at least wish that those same Christians do not claim to that anyone that disagrees with them is a heretic?

Personally I would never vote for a person that called him/herself Christian. If they need to tell it, there must be something wrong


- FreezBee

 

[Suomipoika]

We have them in Denmark as well - they used to call themselves the Christian People's Party and were founded to fight against free abortion. But having lost the battle and nothing else to unite them, they have reborn themselves as democrats that happen to call themselves Christians as well.

If we don't support the least of evils, we'll have the bigger evils coming around to ask, why we're so discriminating.

Anyway, since we as Christians should recognize that we live under the condition of sin, we should not submit to that really big evil, selfrighteousness, thinking that we're better just because we all are saved in whichever denomination that we might happen to be members of - and if not, then we can just change denomination.

I find that many Christians are not Christians in my mind - but it's not for me to judge, however, can I at least wish that those same Christians do not claim to that anyone that disagrees with them is a heretic?

Personally I would never vote for a person that called him/herself Christian. If they need to tell it, there must be something wrong


- FreezBee

I don't know much of what's going on with other Christian democratic parties around Europe, only that they just won the elections in Germany.

The Christian democrats of Finland don't win big elections, they are really a minority party. They are strong advocates of the welfare state, support entrepreunership but yet object to bigger income differences, seeing that also here the rich have been getting richer and the poor getting poorer lately. And, they are the strongest voices in politics against things like gay marriage and free abortion. So, the CD are still a very conservative party here. However, I totally agree with you that especially in politics it's not the wisest thing to do, to proclaim high and loud that "we are 'good' christians and you others don't know anything about right and wrong.." . . .

 

[Suomipoika]

We have them in Denmark as well - they used to call themselves the Christian People's Party and were founded to fight against free abortion. But having lost the battle and nothing else to unite them, they have reborn themselves as democrats that happen to call themselves Christians as well.

If we don't support the least of evils, we'll have the bigger evils coming around to ask, why we're so discriminating.

Anyway, since we as Christians should recognize that we live under the condition of sin, we should not submit to that really big evil, selfrighteousness, thinking that we're better just because we all are saved in whichever denomination that we might happen to be members of - and if not, then we can just change denomination.

I find that many Christians are not Christians in my mind - but it's not for me to judge, however, can I at least wish that those same Christians do not claim to that anyone that disagrees with them is a heretic?

Personally I would never vote for a person that called him/herself Christian. If they need to tell it, there must be something wrong


- FreezBee

I don't know much of what's going on with other Christian democratic parties around Europe, only that they just won the elections in Germany.

The Christian democrats of Finland don't win big elections, they are really a minority party. They are strong advocates of the welfare state, support entrepreunership but yet object to bigger income differences, seeing that also here the rich have been getting richer and the poor getting poorer lately. And, they are the strongest voices in politics against things like gay marriage and free abortion. So, the CD are still a very conservative party here.

I totally agree with you that especially in politics it's not the wisest thing to do, to proclaim high and loud that "we are 'good' christians and you others don't know anything about right and wrong..". Firstly I don't thing it's very good kind of behavior for a christian and secondly in politics, you just won't get your message across if the only argument you state is "We have the Word of God on our side", how ever true that might be.