Vote Your Values

As an Evangelical Christian, I have been bombarded with messages during this election season to "vote my values."  This weekend, a pastor at my church announced that we are electing a new president this year and everyone needs to pray for guidance and then vote.  I did pray and did not vote for a new president.  As a Christian, I was led to cast my vote for the Democrat, not the Republican, not because I espouse the Democratic platform in its entirety, but it more closely aligns with my interpretation of the Biblical platform.  In fact, both Republican and Democratic platforms fall short of the Biblical platform.  I just don't understand why many Christians believe to vote their values is to vote for the Republican party.  

I am no Bible scholar, but I do know the Bible.  I have read it cover to cover once.  I study it daily.  I memorize about 5 verses each month.  I teach Bible stories to children at my church once a month and to my own kids weekly.  I immerse myself in the Bible because of God's great love for me and in order to grow closer to Him.  Beyond the salvation of my life because of Christ's death on the cross for my sins, I get no greater take away from the Word than this: love and serve God by loving and serving others.  That compelling love should trump compelling judgment in the lives of Christians.

I often wonder how any Christian could align with the Republican platform.  When I ask Christian Republicans why they vote the way they do, they generally respond with the issues of homosexuality and abortion.  Yet, when I read our Bible, I see loving and serving the poor mentioned thousands of times, homosexuality mentioned a dozen times and abortion not at all mentioned.  I'm left wondering: are these Christians being deceived about our purpose here on earth?  Do they miss the value God put on helping the vulnerable people on earth over condemning others of their sins?  Mercy triumphs over judgment [James 2:12.]  I see their judgment.  Where's their mercy?  

I find the Republican platform most offensive beyond these social issues that tend to hook the "good Christian voters."  The Republican party seems to judge and demonize the vulnerable in our society rather than showing compassion and helping them.  The platform leans towards self-interest.  The platform puts down those who utilize safety nets that exist in our modern society, calling them entitled.  The Republican platform wants to minimize individual contribution to our society, presumably out of greed.  The sleaziest business people I have ever worked with were "Christians", saying it's good business acumen to make the most profit without accountability.  And they do all this under the veil of being a "good Christian."

I'm calling bull "skubalah" [Phillipians 3:8] on the Republican platform best representing Christian values.  Republicans, go about your business.   Feel free to work hard to keep what's yours for yourself and call it your right.  Continue to utilize the governmental programs that you value while you criticize others for their use of the programs they value.  Restrict people's rights to equality, safe medical procedures, and hope of American citizenship.  Veil your racism and class-ism but realize it's showing in your words and deeds.  Lobby your government to favor greedy corporations over oppressed people.  But don't do so in the name of God.  You're making the rest of us Christians look bad.

Romans 13:1 says: "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established."  We were put in this country at this time for a reason.  God has ordained the last four years - He will ordain the next four too either way it goes.  God is calling us to put our faith in action to meaningfully impact those in need in our world right now. I don't believe the Republican platform does that - I do believe the Biblical platform does.  I encourage Christians to evaluate the Republican platform in terms of the Bible and pray for God's guidance.  Please stop using the Republican and the Biblical platform interchangeably.  They aren't even cut from the same cloth.