I work as a pastor. A professor. A non-profit leader in my community. As such, many people have asked me my advice on how to vote. They have encouraged me to lend my voice to the many, many other voices out there that make up the cacophony that is the 2016 election season. Never in my lifetime has the political discourse been so discouraging. So painful. So heartbreaking. So beyond the pale. On November 8th, America will choose between two of the most disliked, even hated, candidates in history. Two candidates that have rightfully earned such disdain by the way they have conducted themselves not just this election season but over the course of a lifetime. Further, and perhaps too often overlooked, there are down ballot initiatives and measures that threaten the moral fabric of our country.
We are in the midst of a massive change in our nation. Gone are the days when there seemed to be a sense of shared optimism and hope. Gone are the days when there was a sense of shared purpose and values. Gone are the days...let's be honest...those days never really did exist. Or perhaps they did but only for certain groups of people who had the right skin color, right gender, right sexual orientation, right education, or lived in the right tax bracket. As the demographics of our nation changes, it should not surprise us that we are becoming more and more tribal in outlook. We are no longer a nation with a majority but a nation made up of competing minorities. And those minorities are rightfully asserting themselves through social media, mainstream media, cable outlets, etc. Their voices are loud and strong and demand to be heard. And our two party system is not designed for this brave new world.
In the face of this new reality, how does a Christian approach voting? Is there a Christian way to vote? I believe there is and offer the following for your prayerful consideration...
- The Candidates. When we go to the polls on November 8th, we aren't just voting for President. We are voting for US Senators and Representatives. We are voting for governors and state officials. We are voting for local commissioners, mayors, and town council members.
- Question: Is there a clear choice for Christians?
- Answer: As much as we may wish there were, the answer is not clear. There are 22 candidates listed on the 2016 Colorado ballot for President. Not one represents the "Christian Party." Prohibition party? Check. Socialist party? Check. Kotlikoff for President party? You bet. Republican? Democrat? Green? Libertarian? Yes to all of the above. But no "Christian Party." Same is true down ballot. Individual Christians are then left with the choice of candidates, none of whom have the full counsel of God as their platform. Complicating things even further, there are significant character issues with both major Presidential party candidates, leaving us with a very difficult choice indeed. It feels like a "no-win" frankly.
- The Issues: In Colorado where I live, we will be voting on a total of nine ballot measures covering issues like minimum wage, universal healthcare, taxes on tobacco, assisted suicide/death with dignity, and direct democracy. Other states face choices on the legalization of marijuana, gun control, voter registration, etc.
- Question: How does a Christian decide how to vote on these things?
- Answer: The Christian should always vote with the ballot in one hand and the Bible in the other. Does the Bible specifically address things like gun control and marijuana and minimum wage? No. But don't be a literalist fundamentalist! :-) The Bible has a lot to say about care for the poor, living wages, sanctity of life, and addiction. There is a "moral vision" in the Bible that we can draw wisdom from as we vote on issues that affect us in the 21st century. It will confront us. Challenge us. Force us to come to grips with the fact that we too often settle for what is most expedient rather than what is best for our nation in the long-term. We too often settle for the "lesser of two evils" without acknowledging that the lesser of two evils is still evil. We too often don't consider our own biases, prejudices, and privilege when we vote and that prevents us from walking a mile in another person's shoes. Ultimately, we tend to vote for what is in our own best interest rather than the collective good. And the Bible pushes us on all these things.
- The Future: Here is what separates a Christian from the rest of society when they walk into a voting booth on Nov. 8th. The Bible tells us that God raises up leaders for His purposes. Some for honor. Some for dishonor. All that God might show forth His power and glory and proclaim His name in the earth. (Romans 9:14-23) The Bible tells us that God is the ultimate king and before him the nations - godly and ungodly alike - tremble and plot in vain. (Psalm 2) The Bible tells us that because God is the ultimate authority and power in the universe, He uses godly and ungodly authorities to accomplish His plans. (1&2 Kings and Chronicles, Ezra 1:1) Further, the Bible tells us we are to live in humble submission to the authorities whom God raises up (Romans 13:1-7), pray for those in authority over us (1 Timothy 2:1-4), and work for the common good. (Daniel) Finally, the Bible tells us not to put our ultimate hope in kings, princes, presidents, congresses, or supreme courts (Psalm 146:3) but in the return of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords who will set all things right and make all things new! (Revelation 19)
One of my favorite book/movie series is the Lord of the Rings. In the movie, Frodo - a seemingly small and insignificant Hobbit - tells Gandalf - a wise and powerful wizard - "I wish (these things) need not have happened in my time." Gandalf replies, "So do I. So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us." May God give us all the grace to decide what to do with the time that is given us this election season!