Will they know we are Christians by who we vote for and why?

[Michie]

Votes were still being counted in one gubernatorial race days after the November midterm election this year as I watched an ad that was new to me. The Republican candidate for governor in Arizona was dressed in all black, stilettos and open-fingered gloves, and was wielding a sledgehammer to televisions. A former local news host, she declared that metaphorically this is what she was going to do to her former industry and its fake news.

Making the post-COVID rounds, I noticed a lot of FOX News watchers — maybe especially men — were fans. But watching that particular ad and other campaign interactions, I couldn’t help but think: This image might just be the opposite of feminine genius. We aren’t meant to use our sexuality as a bludgeon. And there was a slight temptress-ness about it, too, which might not be the beautiful modesty and tender leadership we women are called to. I don’t live in Arizona, so forgive me, but I was a wee bit relieved when she lost, even though I’d love that state to continue with conservative leadership. But as Christians, the whole package matters.

No candidate is perfect, but increasingly, in recent years, Republicans seem to be attracted to, well … bullies. I understand the instinct in a way. People are fed up with the culture and our politics — and for sure our mainstream secular media. Mad as hell and not going to take it any more might be the phrase. But as I’m constantly reminded as I’m preparing for weekly confession (I write for Our Sunday Visitor because I am a sinner in need of Jesus Christ, Our Savior), wrath is one of the Seven Deadly Sins. And I see in my own life when I succumb to anger over how insidious it is. Yes, there is injustice. And one of the gravest evils in our nation today is abortion. Isn’t that the chief reason so many of us find ourselves so often voting for Republicans? I work at a conservative magazine and nonprofit, so there’s obviously more to it for me, but if I’m honest, I am often a single-issue voter (though I’ve had my struggles in recent years).

Continued below.

Will they know we are Christians by who we vote for and why?

Kathryn Jean Lopez reflects on the recent midterm elections and what they reveal about the state of our nation: “No candidate is perfect, but increasingly in recent years, Republicans seem to be attracted to, well, bullies. I understand the instinct in a way. People are fed up with the culture...

www.oursundayvisitor.com

 

[Lost Witness]

James 4:4

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

James 4:4

James 4:4

New International Version
​

4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

We would need time to articulate our reasons for our voting decision before anyone else could fairly judge us.

 

[Diamond7]

Yes, there is injustice.

God is a God of absolute, perfect, precise Justice.

 

[ZephBonkerer]

No candidate is perfect, but increasingly, in recent years, Republicans seem to be attracted to, well … bullies...

I think you are on to something. For a while I was frustrated by Republicans who tried to be too "nice" when confronted by the horrendous depravity of the Left. After seeing a number of nice guys come and go, it's easy to see how someone like Donald Trump could gain a following.

I really appreciated that Donald took a take-no-crap approach to the Left - and he was more than willing to call them out on their outrageous lies. But unfortunately, he was abrasive at times when he didn't need to be.

I saw these Leftists make myriad excuses for the BLM riots in Summer 2020 in several major cities - then they want to get all "Law And Order" on us because of what happened less than a year later on January 6? What do these people take us for!? Would these people have any standards at all were it not for double standards?

 

[tz620q]

I think you are on to something. For a while I was frustrated by Republicans who tried to be too "nice" when confronted by the horrendous depravity of the Left. After seeing a number of nice guys come and go, it's easy to see how someone like Donald Trump could gain a following.

I really appreciated that Donald took a take-no-crap approach to the Left - and he was more than willing to call them out on their outrageous lies. But unfortunately, he was abrasive at times when he didn't need to be.

I saw these Leftists make myriad excuses for the BLM riots in Summer 2020 in several major cities - then they want to get all "Law And Order" on us because of what happened less than a year later on January 6? What do these people take us for!? Would these people have any standards at all were it not for double standards?

I think many on the Left have now seen the true nature of BLM as an organization and don't support it anymore. The media tends to just move on and try not to talk about any bad news about their previous sacred cow. The thing is that conservatives need to be guided by wisdom and compassion and not anger and revenge mentality. The issue is not Left vs. Right; but that there is a highly divided Left vs. Right that gets stoked by our media. If we can't meet in the middle, our country will continue in political gridlock, careening ever towards an inevitable crisis.

 

[ZephBonkerer]

I think many on the Left have now seen the true nature of BLM as an organization and don't support it anymore...

I hope you're right about that one. In my experience, people who identify themselves as "liberal" or even "very liberal" are turned off by the manipulative tactics of leftist activists. Even they roll their eyes whenever the race card is played. Liberals hate manipulation as much as us conservatives do.

The thing is that conservatives need to be guided by wisdom and compassion and not anger and revenge mentality...

I don't believe conservatives are angry people in general. Sometimes they can seem that way when they are dealing with people who willfully disregard material facts and circumstances in order to peddle their own narrative. I've been angered myself by such people. In other words, I believe many conservatives aren't used to dealing with people who insist that 2 + 3 = 7 and will hear no evidence to the contrary.

People who cling to some narrative no matter what the evidence says are doing so not because they are stupid, but because they are intellectually dishonest. That is a moral problem, not an intellectual problem. In such cases, conservatives need to deal with such behavior for what it truly is. I've used ridicule to call out such things. One example...

I've noticed something about the rules that Leftists observe when it comes to their narrative. I've been able to identify these Five Rules of the Progressive Narrative. They are as follows:

(1) The Progressive Narrative is always right.
(2) If the Progressive Narrative is wrong, see Rule 1.
(3) If the evidence says the Progressive Narrative is wrong, see Rule 1.
(4) If simple logic or common horse sense says the Progressive Narrative is wrong, see Rule 1.
(5) If the Good Lord Almighty says the Progressive Narrative is wrong - and He has on several occasions, see Rule 1.

 

[Lost Witness]

James 4:4​

​

New International Version​

​

4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

We would need time to articulate our reasons for our voting decision before anyone else could fairly judge us.

When Politics comes to mind so too does this verse,
"Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil."?