Here Goes...my thoughts on the election!

         

          I rarely get political outside of my family and close circle of friends. Politics, as we have witnessed on a completely new level during this election cycle, can divide families, friends, church members and even political parties. A saw a poll the other day which attested to this fact by finding that many people have actually lost friends because of the nastiness of this campaign. At the risk of alienating some who are my friends, I have decided to post this short assessment of the campaign from where I sit.

          My purpose in this blog is not to endorse a candidate. As a matter of fact, as a person who serves on the pastoral staff of a church, I am discouraged from that kind of political involvement, out of concern that my politicizing might unduly influence someone. My purpose is to make some general comments which I hope will guide us to a more civil examination of some key factors which I believe should influence our decisions next month when we enter the voting booth.

          First, if you can lay aside your political affiliation long enough to be completely honest, let’s agree on something. The two major parties have chosen two deeply flawed individuals. I do not intend to debate which one is more dishonest, amoral or disrespectful. From where I stand, neither of the two major candidates have any claim to high moral ground. Using this as the rubric for choosing the person who will receive your vote is a path that will lead you to voting for the lesser of two evils, a very poor (in my opinion) basis for endorsing arguably the most powerful leader in the free world. This, however, seems to be the mindset of many, if not most Christians, and I believe it is why disgust and frustration may end up being the biggest winner on election day.

          Second, can we also agree that regardless of their faults and failures, their off-the-cuff comments and some extremely good reasons to vote for neither, the two major candidates have a very different agenda for the future, a very different vision for America and in most cases, a diametrically opposed platform? If you are honest, you recognize this and I submit to you that this must be the single most important deciding factor in your decision of who gets your vote. When you look at the issues line-by-line; issues that will affect you and your family, the long-term integrity, security and prosperity of our nation and the potential effects which a candidate’s agenda may have on the exercise of your faith, these issues, it seems to me, must be the bottom line when you and I step behind the curtain. It’s not about gender, or political party or personalities. It’s not even about whether or not a candidate claims to be a Christian, how many times they use the word “God” in their speeches or how regularly they attend church services. It is simply about where they will lead, or try to lead this nation. Lately, I’ve been asking myself this question: “If (candidate’s name) is elected and they get everything they want, will America look more or less like a nation that meets this criteria: ‘Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, whose people he has chosen as his inheritance’?”

          Many people have wrongfully assumed and some have even been bold enough to say that it makes no real difference who is in the White House. According to some, the personal convictions and agendas of specific presidents have done little to change the landscape of America. I’m not sure what America these folks are looking at to make that call, but the simple fact is, this country is a drastically different one than just a half century ago. Presidents, legislators, and judges have an enormous effect on our country and to a large extent the President leads the legislative charge and certainly has a significant role in who sits on federal court benches

Some, and I hate to admit that some are Christian leaders who I used to have great respect for, have tried to spiritualize the election by saying we don’t need a President or Supreme Court to defend or protect our faith. While I will admit that ultimately God is in control and will prevail, I also emphatically believe that this does not give us the freedom to abdicate our responsibility to elect men and women who will stand for righteousness and truth. God has always been adamant about having spiritual, godly leaders and ancient Israel certainly learned what happens when ungodly leadership is in power. They also “got schooled” in the consequences of a nation choosing their own way when it is different than God’s way. When you review God’s history of dealing with nations, you will always find that those who allowed their leaders to lead them down a path of dishonesty, immorality, luke-warmness toward the things of God and polytheism had to endure the wrath of God when they continued to ignore the warnings of the prophets and opportunities for repentance. That, in my opinion, is why this election is important.

No, I’m not looking for a politician to “save our nation.” Certainly not either one of the two major candidates. But, I am asking myself; on the issues, the basic moral issues of life, the legal issues of right and wrong and the faith issues of my ability to live out my faith with a clear conscience; who will represent what I believe to be truth in these matters?

Here is my point. I’ve heard a lot of nonsense during this political campaign. People don’t like someone’s hairstyle or somebody else’s clothing choices. Someone is purported to have said this word or that word, done this or done that, not paid taxes or deleted emails. Some of these issues may speak to a person’s character, which is important, but as I said at the beginning of this blog, there is no shortage of personal shortcomings in either candidate. If you’re going to make your decision about who to vote for based on purity of lifestyle, good luck sorting that all out.

I urge you to look past the media spin, the campaign slogans and the party affiliation. When I look at the two candidates, it is a clear cut choice. I am not voting for the lesser of two evils. I am voting my conscience. One of the candidates, when I look only at the issues, is lined up with my convictions on almost every point. The other candidate; honestly I cannot find one single issue where we agree…not one. This is not a difficult decision for me. As a matter of fact, I would say that I am pleased with the choice we as Americans have this year. I cannot remember during my lifetime, certainly not since I have been voting, that the choice has been so clear cut. If you can look at a candidate; past the rhetoric, past the hype and past the flaws, and say, “That’s the America I want, and most of all that’s the America that I believe would please God” then vote that way. I may not agree with your assessment or your vote, but if that is your conviction, pull the lever. But please don’t throw up your hands and say, I don’t like either candidate. That’s the temptation isn’t it? To be honest, the person I voted for in the primaries did not turn out to be the party’s nominee. And the truth is, I don’t like either candidate either, but I like what one of them stands for VERY MUCH and so that candidate will get my one, single, solitary vote. I will vote my conscience, my faith and my heart. I hope you will too.