Tuesday, 10 April 2012
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Christians Voting In Government Elections
By JN Hong
Recently, I voted in the New Zealand elections.
…reluctantly, I might add. My parents had to drag me to the voting booth, kicking and screaming. I don’t even think I filled out the form correctly. I only read later that you were strictly supposed to tick the box, not colour it in–I will never know if my vote was valid or not. The whole idea seems ridiculous to me, that my vote could be opposed by someone else who had no idea and choose the funniest name.
Democracy to me, is largely the ability to give the greatest illusion of power to the people, while the top tier of government stays about the same.
There are great many obstacles in my mind that don’t really match up in my mind. To summarise:
(1) I think Shane Claiborne says it best when he argues that the world we engage in is at odds with the Kingdom we live in:
“Today the logic goes something like this: ‘Calling a ruler Son of God is out of style. No one really does that nowadays. We can support a president while also worshiping Jesus as the Son of God.’ But how is this possible? For one says that we must love our enemies, and the other says we must kill them; one promotes the economics of competition, while the other admonishes the forgiveness of debts. To which do we pledge allegiance?”
Where do the two binaries interact, is there a dialectic between the two? The Bible does affirm that while we are here on this earth, we are under the leadership of this land we live in. But does voting for the leader of this country have an overlap with the Kingdom of heaven and how we engage with it? I can understand paying taxes, and obeying the law in the country. But even when Daniel was prohibited from praying, the law of God overruled the law of man. There is a hierachy, and finding the point where the two come together, I am going to contend, is not defined well enough.
(2) The second point is rather related to the first. Granted, I get past the barrier of the two Kingdoms fighting each other–if I was to vote, who would I vote for?
“What Would Jesus Do?” is an oft used phrase. While not applicable in all situations, is there a party that Jesus would vote for? I am going to argue that Jesus wasn’t a socialist, nor was He a capitalist–with those options taken away, where is there left? I’m left standing in the polling booth, and just wondering.
I am not Jesus, I don’t know whether we should save money to weather the economic crisis or to decrease the Official Cash Rate to increase small businesses. I don’t know whether God needs me to continue His will within this world, but He can work completely without me in it.
A lot of questions. I’m open to any answers.
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About the Author
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- From: llamalima@xanga
- About Me: Who am I? I am 19 year old university student, prone to stressing over about some assignment due the next day. I sometimes have time to blog mostly about Christian thoughts. In my spare time, I am also a musical connoisseur, ninja, movie junkie, and full-time hypochondriac. I may have lied about one of those, or a few.
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Comments (81)
It is our Christian duty to take part in politics. That's because the purpose of politics is to form just government. It is the purpose of government to protect the rights of all men.
And it only through the mercy of Jesus Christ that the most just government can be striven for by man. Such striving is a monumentally important way to love thy neighbor.
The reason nothing ever seems to change is because good people think the high calling of politics is beneath them. That leaves morally blind people to fill the void.
@sometimestheycomebackanyway@xanga - I think it's pretty difficult to justify that scripturally, considering democracy wasn't even in the bible. Also, if democracy is the will of the people, those elected will reflect the common denominator among the people. I really don't think that a passionate follower of Jesus can be elected as our president. The moment they say they believe Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, they lose half the vote. The moment they talk about loving our enemies, people turn on them. I was disappointed when Ron Paul was booed at a Republican debate when he suggested our foreign policy should be the golden rule - do unto others as we would have them do unto us. People are okay with a President who talks vaguely about his faith, but the moment he starts taking Christ seriously, people get uncomfortable.
I struggle with the same things as this poster. I've never voted for the office of US President, because I've never felt compelled to put my backing behind any candidate. I'd rather not vote than vote for what I feel like is a 'lesser of two evils.' I think abortion is murder, and I am a pacifist and believe we should love our enemies and turn the other cheek, including Iraq, Afghanistan, and even Al-Qaeda. We should return good when evil is done to us. I've never seen that in a political candidate, and I have a hard time voting for anyone knowing that they'll kill my enemies for me, or they'll allow the holocaust of abortion.
I personally don't think it's inappropriate for Christians to participate in politics - but I definitely don't think we are obligated, either. I think we should be comfortable allowing the Spirit to challenge us to follow Him, whether that's voting or abstaining, and trust that He will lead other Christians in the matter.
@Theophilus166@xanga - Scripture doesn't take the place of common sense and a good liberal arts education. The Utopian vision is not orthodox Christianity.
Authentic Judeo-Christianity saves Utopia for the Messianic Age.Until then, we live in a fallen world and it is out duty to serve our neighbor as good citizens. And with citizenship comes involvement in self rule. That means politics.
And who better to serve his fellow man in government than Christian men and women?
@starvingdrunkard@xanga - considering he said he voted in the New Zealand elections, I doubt he voted for Santorum
@starvingdrunkard@xanga - Tea-party would be the last people I would vote for. Not that I'm an American, but I was a Ron Paul fan early on, but it seems Romney is going to win now.
Better not to vote and leave the voting system for the grown-ups. Don't complain about the way society is going in future, there's a good chap. You don't want to add hypocrisy to your idle way of thinking.
@Lovegrove@xanga - I very rarely complain about the way the world is going, the trouble with blaming the government is probably what they want you to do. Someone to hate--1984.
I don't believe there is a link between who you vote for, and the way that society is going in the future.
I don't think the voting system in my country makes use of my vote and I don't find any of the people running for office worthy of my support on their platforms anyway. I'm unwilling thus far to vote for people on a national level but I'm happy to vote for local issues and if the right person comes along (they haven't) I'll vote for them too.
As a people who don't rightly belong here, we are wise to act like the exiles and seek the peace and prosperity of the country we live in. It is our home and we should take care of our home. However, I don't think we need to vote to do that. I think we need to be involved in the local community. I think this has more to do with personal responsibility as individuals and as the people of God than with political freedoms. Voting is a right, just like owning a gun or having an abortion (in my country) and you're not a bad citizen if you don't vote. Not voting can often be very patriotic and biblically obedient. That doesn't mean voting is wrong though.
It's difficult and something to continually wrestle with. Revelife has posted articles about this before if you want to search the archives. At the end of the day, whatever it looks like to live out the love of Christ as his ambassador in the place you're at is exactly what you ought to do. When we simplify it life becomes a little easier I find.
@TheGreatBout@xanga - If you don't like the people who run for office, organize and run people that you do like.
Over the last two years I've taken a candidate who was completely outside the "good ol' boy" network into the ruling class of movers and shakers.
I guided her using the principles of Aristotle. She rose to prominence through hard work and her faith in God and his goodness.
@llamalima@xanga - How can you claim to be against the Tea Party and for Ron Paul when he and his followers claim that he is the god father of the Tea Party?
By holding such fundamentally contradictory and erroneous beliefs it's no wonder politics doesn't make any sense to you.Being ignorant of the underlying agendas and deeper issues in politics is bad, real bad. Being ignorant of the propaganda in mainstream media is a close second.
Consider how many sincere Christians supported Hitler at first. Consider that waterbaording was believed to be a war crime shortly after WWII and Japanese complicit in this act were sentenced. Consider that nowadays almost 50% of the US Christian population believe that waterboarding is ethical.
Marx said that religion is the opiate of the people. But in many ways entertainment now is. Many people in the US simply have no clue as to how dire the political situation is. Understanding and processing what the NDAA signifies is an important step towards waking up.
Obama Signs NDAA on New Year's Eve: Welcome to Prison Fellowship!Typical Christians bent on turning a free democratic nation in to a Theocracy. If Christians have their way we will step back in to the middle ages where Christians murdered scientists for pointing out the truth of the physical world and burning the mentally ill at the stake as witches. I remember when Pat Roberts made great strides, through money he received from his televangelism program who steals money from old people and the mentally challenged by praying through the TV to heal sickness for his contributors and kill people who disagree with him. Pat Robertson is the real poster boy for a Christian Politician.
No one who believes in fairy tales and bronze age mythology should be allowed to hold public office in this country. If someone wants a theology for a government let them move to Iran.Wasn't Jesus communist?
@Captric@xanga - Someone who holds up the murder of scientists and the actions of Pat Roberts as normative for Christians fails to understand that they represent a fraction of a percent of Christians.
@DanceofShadows@xanga - Tricky question. Considering that Democracy and Communism were not technically part of Jesus's world, it's hard to say for sure, imo. He taught to give freely of what you have, to those who are in need, that's certainly true. However, I doubt he would have supported the government forcing it, or the other fundamental flaws of Communism. If only it worked. Hah.
@Boogalice@xanga - Haha good reply. I just thought it was interesting that some of the comments before didn't address the fact that a lot of Christ's message resonate with the ideals of communism.
@Captric@xanga - It's weird to me that your view on Christians seems so personal, specific, and bitter - yet you apply that view on all Christians. You fail to capture the opposite end of the spectrum where Christians were the first scientists, explorers, and front-runners of public education and charity. Politics def. gets hypocritical because separation of church and state is complete bullshit. One can't swear by a religion and make rational decisions apart from core morals and ethics drawn from that same lifestyle of worship. And if you're so against these people believing in these things...you're definitely in the wrong country. You should move to like...Idk because no where is there a country in which the leadership doesn't at least take on the facade of answering to a religion.
@DanceofShadows@xanga - If my criticism sounds personal it is because it IS personal. The list is too long for this forum, but includes a Lutheran School education that involved the pulling down of the trousers of 10 year old boys by a full sized athletic male math teacher and a beating to the point of bruising of bear butts to inspire completion of homework!! Gangs of Religious Thugs pushing non-believers around on the campus of a Public University in Missouri for their NON BELIEFS. Air Force Academy thugs trying to have students removed who refused to go church and "conform" to their fairy tale beliefs. The list is LONG and EGREGIOUS.
It sounds as if YOU are in the "wrong country" if you believe that the separation of church and state are BS. In addition, I HAVE lived in foreign countries who do not give tribute to ghosts for their success and in fact are much more affluent than the US. While the so called "Christian" nation of the US is declining, China as an example is growing at 7% per year and has TWICE as many users of cell phones and internet users as the US. It will be the largest economy in the world by 2016 and will be TWICE the size of the US by 2020. How do you explain their success when they effectively bar any influence of religion int their government?
That is but one example and their are others.
@Captric@xanga - Taoism, Buddhism? Worship of ancestors? Sounds kind of hocus pocus and religious to me.
And separation of church and state is BS. Or perhaps you can partition your mind and make decisions that are all rational and unbiased by your moral and ethical beliefs? The standard that we have in America where our President must adhere to the faith of Christianity yet make decisions apart from it is something I don't believe is possible. It's like asking you to make a decision with which your upbringing and clash with the church can be put aside.
And I don't mean to downplay your suffering at the hands of people who tote the cross. I just mean to say it's wrong to set the standard of Christianity by the purely negative examples.
People who focus on the mythology of Christians are kind of missing the point. I do believe one must believe in the story of their cornerstone text, but the message isn't just a fairy tale people ascribe to. It's a moral code and lifestyle. One that is meant to be good. All religions preach that. If you really have a problem with Christianity it should be with Jesus.
....You fail by your own logic homeboy. Check the newspapers and troll some online sites. Last I heard Obama was a professed Christian. And everyone running in the republican party is a professed Christian. I live in America.
@DanceofShadows@xanga - perhaps you should travel more "homeboy"! There are billions of people on planet earth that are doing just fine - morally and ethically - and barely ever ponder the existence of God and certainly not Jesus. Are you aware that all of the stories about Jesus (not even his real name) were pliagerized from ancient religions that existed thousands of years before "jesus" was a twinkle in the eye of Joseph?
And is it not surprising to you that the people that pray the hardest for simple things like clean water and basic medical care for their children to survive perish in misery by the millions in Africa? And you with your internet service - automobile - GPS - weather satellites - air transportation - you attribute these to belief in a Jewish Zombie and a Christian God??Better get out of your parents basement and travel to the far East - where the only people who still practice Budhism - Taoism and Shintoism are the most poor and under educated of the population ---- JUST LIKE HERE.If you vote, you should do so with your brain, or at least your heart, and not your bible.
@Captric@xanga - Hahaha this is getting too trollish. Bottom line...you're in America. And our president is a professed Christian. And I have relatives in China and they aren't poor and they follow Buddhism. That doesn't mean they're super religious, they just adhere to those beliefs. Much like the average American will go to church for holidays. Their leaders are much the same.
That said Obama isn't super religious and neither are most leaders in the world, though they do profess a belief in a world religion. I wouldn't say that Obama is the poster boy for Christianity, much in the same way I wouldn't say that Pat Roberts is.
And let me bow out in defeat now, for I don't speak for the millions who don't ponder God. But in my personal opinion the subject of god is a subject in which every adult must think about at least once in their life. I had no idea you were the champion of billions of people. For which I have not the experience nor the base of supporters to have a conversation with you.
@TheGreatBout@xanga - Your answer seems very fair. Thanks for the reply.
@llamalima@xanga - the fact that the President is a "professed Christian" cuts to the point of my argument. Why should the - arguably - most advanced nation in the world have a religious test that politicians must pass with a stamp of Christian approval before they can be elected. I suspect Obama is a only a little more Christian than Hillary Clinton - his Secretary of State - who was an ATHEIST before she decided to run for office.
The reason I argue against this test of Christianity for politicians is because of exactly what happened today in the state of Tennessee TODAY. A bill passed the House and Senate by a 3 to 1 margin to allow the debate over the legitimacy of Evolution by teachers hell bent on teaching their particular brand of religion on impressionable young people. So Tennessee will have open debates in a public classroom as to the legitimacy of a theory that has been overwhelmingly proven to be true beyond ANYONE'S (except religious nuts) serious reasonable doubt just but classroom teachers will be allowed to belittle and out maneuver through abuse of authority students who disagree with their religious point of view!
These people will not be satisfied until all non believers are marginalized or put to death.