How Christians Should Vote

Ok, this is version 3.0 I actually turned it in today to be workshopped by my nonfiction class, hopefully I don't get crucified:



I would imagine that, at the time, every single election seems like the most important one to date, but the upcoming election seems to be more momentous than usual. Phrases like “uncharted territory” have been popping up which really raises the stakes and makes this upcoming election seem like it just may carry a little more weight than others. Not to mention the fact that we are embroiled in a war we can’t escape with a couple more potentially on the way[1][2]. For most Christians this election is more than just an economic or leadership issue, it’s a moral issue. The big question is how they should vote.

I only have one election under my belt, so this is only my second experience with media during campaign season. It truly is a sight to behold. It really drives the point home that politics have far removed the election process from what it should be. Essentially, the public should be presented with a group of candidates who should explain how they would govern the nation. The public then should choose which candidate they think would be best for the job. Instead, vast sums of money are spent trying to win the election, trying to convince everyone that one guy is wrong and the other guy is right. In fact, the amount of money spent campaigning for this election has surpassed an unprecedented one billion dollars[3]. Think of how many college educations that could pay for. There is definitely something backwards about what we think is most beneficial for our country.

Maybe we could reach a point where we could function as a society without government, or at least without so much government. Maybe that money could pay for food, homes or education. Because really, no matter whom we elect to govern us, they aren’t going to be able to make us beneficial members of society, only we can decide.

Unfortunately, during election time churches react in a similar way to the media. There is always this push to elect the right candidate, the Godliest candidate. Typically, if not always, this is the Republican candidate. If they would have had the foresight to pick the donkey as their mascot they could parade Jesus around all day. This focus removes the purpose of the church from what it should be. Rather than being a place for broken people or people in need it becomes a campaign center.

Whatever your beliefs are, you cannot ignore the Christian vote. It will affect you.

A little more than three quarters of the United States population identifies themselves as being associated with some form of Christianity[4]. From a candidate’s perspective that is a big chunk of votes ripe for the taking. Whether or not a person identifies with their faith above their citizenship, playing the God card probably doesn’t hurt a candidate’s chances of getting elected (in fact not playing the God card would probably destroy a candidate’s chances for election).

Whether you are a Christian or not, this should trouble you. Most of the people in America are going to vote based on who they think the Godlier candidate is, and those running for office understand this. They will identify themselves in some way with Christianity, which is really just pandering to voters because in no way do either of our two major presidential candidates represent Christ.

In fact, I can’t imagine Jesus having anything to do with a political system. I wonder what Jesus would have to say about democracy being equated with sacrificial love.

I have only been pursuing Christianity seriously for a few years, when I started I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into. Since then I have been trying to figure out what it is exactly.At first it was presented to me as a moral shock collar that we needed to put around everyone's necks. It was for the good of mankind that we let everyone know how wrong they were, and how right we were. We had to vote to keep God in office and sign petitions to keep homosexuals from ruining the sanctity of marriage (It breaks my heart now to think that petition was in a church, let alone the fact that I signed it).I'm a little more educated on this guy Jesus that we are supposed to be following now. Because of what I have learned I no longer believe that Christianity and Democracy can coexist. If you participate in one, you abhor the other, whether you are aware of it or not. Unfortunately, I think that most Christians think their main duty as so is to make sure that the right candidates are in office. If you can get someone representing your morals elected then you have done your job and you can sleep soundly at night in your heated home with a two car garage and fully stocked refrigerator.

However Jesus did not operate in this manner, and as far as we can see in the biblical narrative, neither does God. Jesus led by example and taught to love through sacrifice, not by force. God offers free will, there is no force.Democracy forces the will of the majority on all. This is not sacrificial love. This is not leading by example. This is legislative rape.
No wonder Christianity is losing any relevancy in the modern world. It was started as an alternative to empire, to free the oppressed, yet it now has its boot on the neck of the weak waving an American flag.
Now, I am not saying that if one is a Christian one cannot participate in electing officials. I understand in order to perpetuate this community we live in called America we need people to run it, and by all means vote for whoever you think would do a better job, but if you are a Christian who you vote for is of little or no consequence as it pertains to your Christianity. You can only put your faith in one system or the other. Whichever one you choose forces the other to become a novelty.
In order to make society a better place, to bring heaven to earth, we have to vote every single day with our actions.

Vote pro-life by caring for teenage mothers, single mothers or any mothers who are contemplating abortion. Only if we respond to the situation that creates the seemingly necessary abortion will we ever have a chance of saving lives.If you want to save the sanctity of marriage take yours seriously. Divorce is more common among Christians than non-Christians[5].

Vote for a better economy by giving your money to the poor.

Vote for a better world by taking care of everyone you see in the same way that you take care of yourself. Vote with love.

Vote with your life.




[1] http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/apr/11/usa.topstories3
[2] http://www.usnews.com/blogs/news-desk/2008/3/11/6-signs-the-us-may-be-headed-for-war-in-iran.html
[3] http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/index.php
[4] http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/tables/08s0074.pdf

[5] http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_dira.htm