SATURDAY CONTROVERSIES - ARE FAITH AND POLITICS OIL AND WATER OR CHOCOLATE AND PEANUT BUTTER? (PART 7)

Christians United Church, Indianapolis, IN

First, I know. This is being posted on Monday. Sorry I didn't get it done on Saturday, but better late than never! But if you notice I actually posted Monday's blog on Saturday (yesterday) and Saturday's on Monday. Of course, I usually don't have a Monday blog. 

Allow me to start with a list of items of debate between Christians involving politics.

• Should Christians vote? Some refuse to vote, some think not voting's a sin.
• Is it allowable for Christians to either leave one spot on the ballot blank or to vote for a "third party?" Some would claim that doing so is really a vote for your least favorite major party candidate; others would counter that  voting for the lesser of two evils is really voting for evil and that it's better to vote for a good candidate that has no chance of winning or to not vote than voting for a really bad candidate who has a better chance of beating a really, really bad candidate.
• What are Christians obligated to do or not do under Romans 13:1-7? Should Christians stand up against a tyrannical government and fight or should we be respectful and disobey only if what's commanded is directly disobeying God?
• If we have a choice between a morally sound candidate whose party has views that are opposed to their faith and a scoundrel who has better policy views, who should you vote for?
• Does the fact we're in a representative government mean we don't really need to honor Presidents and Congressmen? Or is the better view that we should show respect regardless of office or party?

No, I'm not giving answers to these questions. In fact, I rephrased one of these questions because I was letting my bias show (no, I won't tell which one). I'm just pointing out where there are disagreements between Christians, most of which have no verbatim Biblical commands. But instead, I'll give some challenges.

1. Between now and election day, pray for God's will to be done in the election. No, don't pray for your choice. Pray that God's choice prevails.
2. Commit to pray for the people who get elected, that God guides them and that they govern well. Yes, committing to this BEFORE the election means you might be praying for a candidate you either despise or fear. But when the apostles taught people to obey their governing authority, they were talking about Nero, and there's no absolute proof that either candidate is THAT bad! 
3. Realize - in spite of the hateful, ungodly campaign ads we get ad nausea... I mean nauseum - that ALL candidates are for justice, education, public safety, the economy, the environment, etc. The opposing candidate is NOT against these things; they just have a different opinion on how to do it. Thus, unless you're strong at loving your enemies, don't treat the opposing party candidates as enemies. 
4. Also remember - no party is righteous. Both try to appeal to Christians because ... well, they want our vote. When they get elected, they'll probably do what the party wants, and each party has ways their opposed to God's way. We won't get all the problems solved until the King of Kings returns and sets up His Kingdom.

 

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES/CAUCUSES

Declaration of Independence by John Trumbull

Ready for one of those blogs where I give a few thoughts? Well, this will be one of those!

POINT 1 - I don't know how much of a real contention this was, but I read one (only one) article saying that Biden wanted the first Democratic primary to be South Carolina instead of the long standing tradition of it being New Hampshire. The reason? They wanted to give a state with more diversity like SC to start the campaign as opposed to one with less diversity like NH. 

As I said, I only saw one article on it, and nothing on television or elsewhere, so it may not have been as contentious as the article made it. Possibly, the Democrats for a change saw it as I did. The fact is that if a person believes in diversity, they don't need to create diversity for people to know it. 

POINT 2 - One thing that has been true and still is - sometimes I strongly disagree with something Trump says or does but then realize Trump is more reasonable than I thought. Latest example deals with his absence from the debates, especially when I heard him say that he would be glad to do the debates when it's down to him and one challenger.

After all, what will entering the debates do to help Trump? He's leading the polls. He has a target on his back. And his views are known. He has no need to take on a half-a-dozen contenders. But he is willing when it's one on one. I might prefer him being at the debates, but I can see his point.

POINT 3 - We have not had a rematch in consecutive elections in over a century, since Cleveland and Benjamin Harrison faced each other in 1888 and 1892 with the incumbent losing both times, and then McKinley defeating William Jennings Bryan in 1896 and 1900. I, unfortunately, see all indications that unless something drastic happens we'll have Trump vs. Biden II in November. I hope not. I'm rooting for Haley on the Republican side and will have a heart attack if the Dems ever put up someone I can vote for. 

Today is the New Hampshire Primary. Last week, Trump trumped the Iowa Caucus. Yes, there's Super Tuesday coming up, but unless we have a surprise today, it will be a uphill battle for anybody other than the former President. True, Biden got the nomination four years ago while not being in the race for the early contests, but there's nobody like that on the Democrat side.

Well, maybe the Libertarians can field a candidate that like Johnson looks credible for the office and like Jorgenson is a person I am rooting for.