Since just last night, I have been in a number of conversations regarding the election with people, but, more specifically, these conversations have centered around whether or not a Christian should feel obligated to vote for a candidate who is pro-life. I, personally, believe that a Christian should feel this obligation because, as I’ve mentioned in other blog entries, we are talking about the sanctity of life. And the government was set up to protect people from domestic violence, including murder. And if you believe that life begins at conception, that is what this is.
Many Christians have voted for Obama because they believe he will help the poor and the downtrodden. They believe in social justice. Well, I also believe that is what we, as Christians, are called to do. We ARE told to help the poor and the hungry. But we are never told to do this through the government.
Here’s the difference, as I see it. Christians, without any government involvement, can go out and help poor and hungry and homeless people. And they SHOULD be doing so. Christians cannot, however, do anything to prevent abortions from taking place if the government says they are legal. We have our limitations. And this is one limitation that has disastrous results.
How many Americans die of starvation each year? Is that number greater than the more than two million babies that are murdered each year through abortion? I’m not saying to not care for the poor. I’m saying that when you’re talking about voting, vote for the candidate who wants to preserve life.
The poor will always be among us. Jesus said so. And we are to help the poor. Jesus said this, as well. But what about the babies who never had a chance to be among us? Should we just not care about them? If you believe that life begins at conception or at any point that a baby is in the womb, how can you even consider voting for a man who with his first act upon taking office will get an act passed that will lift any and all restrictions on abortions, including partial-birth abortions?
What will he do to actually help the poor? What has government ever done except enable poor people by not requiring them to do anything for themselves? Regardless of what Obama does, the poor will always be among us. But, because of Obama, if he gets elected today, many more human beings will never get a chance to experience life outside of the womb. And our tax money will be used to help pay for those murders through Planned Parenthood and other organizations like them.
That’s just sick and wrong.
This is NOT an either/or issue for Christians. It’s not “Should we help save babies from being aborted, or should we help the poor.” We need to do BOTH. Christians who vote for pro-life candidates don’t hate the poor. And I don’t think that Christians who vote for pro-choice candidates hate babies, but I do think they are misguided by not giving the sanctity of life issue precedence over all other issues. Like I already said, we can help the poor without the government, but we can’t do anything to prevent government-sanctioned murders (except fight to get a Sanctity of Life Amendment put into our Constitution—like Ron Paul tried to do in Congress—or vote for those who would nominate pro-life judges to the Supreme Court or keep, at the very least, partial-birth abortions illegal).
Please vote for life.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at 10:21 am
Donnie,
Here is a very good article for you to check out. To me this tells the story of this election and the world that we Christians are now faced with.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=79979
You may or may not agree with Keys, but when we pick the lesser of two evils, we still choose evil.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at 7:28 pm
I had a positive outlook going into Election Day, knowing the polls were inflated-which they were by about 5% from the actual which was in keeping with the 04 election. But I thought with the complete sell out of the media that the polls would be that much more-unfortunately that wasn’t the case.
I’m really deflated by the notion of what is to come. I’ve done a lot a research (geez, to the point that I’d label it as a political compulsive disorder) and am amazed at how this country elected someone who they know so little about; created no legislation, no executive experience, foreign or domestic, relationships with socialists and selling people on the idea of change without exactly defining what that is.
The Freedom of Choice Act is just one of many pieces of legislation that will reveal the change he will implement and undermine this country. The
Fairness Doctrine (bye bye talk radio) who knows, you might find the government regulating blogs on the web! And taxes!! Don’t get me started.
Taking this election and current world events into account, the bible doesn’t mention America in any end time prophecy. So I can only conclude, America doesn’t exist as we know it or not at all. In either case, I think I can see how we will take a step towards that end.
Thursday, November 6, 2008 at 5:31 am
Tim, I understand that picking the lesser of two evils still means picking evil, but at the same time, I don’t think that any politician is a saint. I’m never going to fully agree with any of them. And Obama’s stance on abortion, particularly in how he flat out said he was going to pass the Freedom of Choice Act, was more than I could accept. I knew that we were going to end up with either him or McCain. This time, I felt it was necessary to do what I could to keep Obama out of office. I fully understand you voting for a third option, and I think that is great too, but when it came right down to it, I had to vote my conscience…and though I was torn, that is the way it led me. In my blog, I was not particularly pushing for McCain though. I mostly just wanted people to not vote for a pro-choice candidate. I understand Keyes’ argument that McCain isn’t fully pro-life if he agrees with embryonic stem cell research, and I agree with that too. But, again, my conscience led me to vote for the man who would do the least damage on a grand scale…especially since research is showing now that certain other types of stem cells are likely even more effective (or, at least, as effective) as embryonic stem cells. I guess I was hoping that the research would automatically kind of move away from the embryonic stem cells.
Thursday, November 6, 2008 at 5:39 am
Doug, the election knocked the wind out of me too. I’m still trying to pick myself up from it. I feel like I’ve been fighting tooth and nail for so long against the possibility of us getting the outcome we did that, now that it’s over, I just feel tired and worn out. But we do have a new president-elect now. And, as a nation, we need to respect him. But we also need to rest up now before he takes office so that when he does do the things with which we know we won’t agree, we’ll be prepared and able to speak out against them. Not for the sake of causing further division in this nation…but for the sake of trying to make people see what is right.
The Freedom of Choice Act and the Fairness Doctrine both give me feelings of despair. The fact that anyone in this nation…let alone, the majority…could vote for this, does leave me feeling a bit hopeless. But we have to remember that our hope is not of this world or placed on anything in this world. Our hope is in God, and just as He was on the throne before this election, He is still on the throne and will forever be on the throne. Regardless of what happens in our nation, we don’t have to be afraid.
Thursday, November 6, 2008 at 8:43 am
Donnie,
I did not link that article to diminish anyones vote for McCain. Honestly if I thought TN was a battle ground state and could have swung the election in a more positive way, I would have held my nose closed and voted for him.
I think the real point of the article by Keys is the fact that as a nation we are going away from being a Christian nation. The fact that we DO on a continual basis choose the lesser of two evils in regards to our elected officials. Its the one of the main problem of our government. We have gotten away from what the founding fathers did. They looked to the Constitution, The Bible and God for guidance. Now we look to special interest, corporations and others to shape our polices.
Another interesting thing to me is this. Keys was running as a third party candidate, did anyone know that? He was on the ballet in a few states. It amazes me that the African America community diminishes him so much. Is it because he is a Conservative?, a Christian?, Pro Life?. Or do I dare say that some feel he is not “One of their own”.
Lets hope that this Country can at one point in our lifetime get to the point that there is no parties. Just Americans solving the problems of this country and letting its citizens control their own destiny. Now that would be real change!