Political Pondering

I have said it before, but I am not a political person.  I am very thankful to live in a country where we have the right to vote, and I do vote.  But, I have a difficult time getting super excited about elections, politicians, and propositions.  And, until recently, I did not feel the need to do much research on the platforms, issues, or candidates…One was Republican, one was Democrat, and the issues seemed to be pretty clearly divided along the party lines…and, that was really all I needed (or cared) to know.  The decision just seemed a little more “black and white” – or maybe red and blue.

This time around though, there seems to be a lot more to it. 

I have very strong opinions about several of the issues, propositions, and candidates.  But, that has actually made it harder to know what to do, how to handle certain situations, and ultimately who to vote for.

On the one hand, you have a well-known and respected conservative Republican endorsing the Democratic candidate, while the 2000 Democratic Vice Presidential candidate is speaking at the Republican National Convention! 

But, as Al Mohler points out,

“The platforms of the Republican and Democratic parties are studies in contrast. The Democrats call for unequivocal support for abortion rights, the Republicans call for an end to abortion on demand. The Republicans want to protect marriage by establishing it as the union of a man and a woman. The Democrats call for a repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act.”  

With the election finally upon us, I find that I am still trying to wrap my little brain around some of the issues that have been raised, and the biblical standards that have been challenged over the course of this campaign.

A Complementarian View of Women
While it seemed that the Democrats had the potential to have the first black or the first woman president, it was the Republicans who ended up with a woman on the ticket!  (Of course, we all know who ended up on the Democratic ticket!)  Hillary raised her own unique issues, but none that I would have struggled over voting against.  But, I like Sarah Palin.  I respect her strong pro-life stance.  And, she’s a hockey mom!  So, I was surprised to find that I did struggle with supporting – not a woman – but a wife and mother holding the position of Vice President. 

So, I turned to several wise and godly men, whose writing and preaching I very much respect, to help clarify what Scripture taught on the subject…only to find that they all held differing views on the issue!

• Al Mohler:  “An Unexpected New Motherhood Debate”
• The Vision Forum: “Sarah Palin and the Complementarian Compromise”
• Randy Alcorn: “Sarah Palin, Experience, and Video from Colorado for Equal Rights”
• The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: “Does Sarah Palin present a Dilemma for Complementarians?” Part 1 and Part 2 
• And, even as recently as yesterday, John Piper: “Why A Woman Shouldn’t Run For Vice President, but Wise People May Still Vote for Her”

Who is right?  Honestly, I still don’t know.  I might guess that, to some degree, they all are.

Abortion
I’ve already linked, in the sidebar, Randy Alcorn’s excellent posts on the seriousness of the abortion issue in this election.  And, of course, he said it all far better than I ever could.  So, instead of trying I will just point you to him. 

I agree with him that I would like to be able to vote for the “coolest political candidate who’s come along in decades”.  Although John McCain is not entirely pro-life, and while I struggle with that as well, I can still be fairly confident that he would do something to protect the unborn.  And, Sarah Palin, despite my struggle in supporting her, certainly plays a large part in that!  But, I just cannot vote for someone who is not only pro-choice, but is “an all-out defender of legalized child-killing” and “in every single vote related to the issue he’s favored abortion, its legality and even the killing of children who survive abortion.” (Check out this video if you need more.)

Marriage
From the official Prop. 8 website:

The entire text of Proposition 8 is as follows:
“Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid and recognized in California.”

I know that other states are facing similar propositions, and the entire nation could be facing a repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (which Barack Obama is also in favor of!).

Opponents of this proposition would like for people to believe that this definition of marriage is intolerant, unfair, and bigoted.  They say that it will take away freedoms and rights of homosexual couples. 

But, Proposition 8 is not about society’s intolerance of gays.  On the contrary, it is about the homosexual community’s intolerance of anyone who dares to disagree with them or their lifestyle.  If this proposition is defeated, it will result in the violation of two fundamental freedoms of our nation – freedom of religion and freedom of speech.

Currently, homosexuals are not denied either of these.  They are not prevented from publicly voicing their opinions, or acting in accordance with their desires.  Nor are they are being denied basic rights traditionally associated with the institution of marriage.  But, if Proposition 8 (along with the others like it) is defeated, to hold a biblical position on this issue will be in violation of the state constitution. Christians will no longer be able to freely voice the (biblical) conviction that homosexuality is a sin – not a matter of preference, civil rights, or freedom. 

Dr. Al Mohler (whose posts on this issue I have also linked to in the sidebar, and who also articultes these things far better than I can) says this,

“Believers committed to biblical authority will find no way to avoid this controversy, and no ground for accepting the “fairness” argument.  If the Bible is the revealed Word of God, then we know that homosexuality is a sin of great spiritual consequence.  Those who reject the authority of the Bible will, in the end, likely come to accept some argument for the normalization of homosexuality and homosexual relationships.”

If this proposition is defeated, whose rights and freedoms are being taken away?

——————

So…those are my thoughts.  I know that there will be Republicans out there who, for whatever reasons, choose to vote Democrat, and vice versa.  And, I also know that there are Christians who will choose support candidates on both sides of the party lines.   

I have tried to do my homework, and be as informed as I can about the various issues, propositions, and candidates.  But, for me, it really all comes down to two issues.  More specifically, what God’s Word says on those issues:

On the issue of Abortion:
Leviticus 20:3-5 “I myself will set my face against that man and will cut him off from among his people, because he has given one of his children to Molech, to make my sanctuary unclean and to profane my holy name. And if the people of the land do at all close their eyes to that man when he gives one of his children to Molech, and do not put him to death, then I will set my face against that man and against his clan and will cut them off from among their people, him and all who follow him in whoring after Molech.” 

Job 31:15 “Did not he who made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb?” Psalm 127:3 “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.” Psalm 139:13-16 “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”Proverbs 6:16-19 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.” 

Matthew 25:40 “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” 

On the issue of Marriage:
Genesis 2:18, 22-23 “Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.’…And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, ‘This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.’ Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

Leviticus 18:22 “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” 

Mark 10:6 “But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’” Romans 1:26-27 “For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.” And, at the end of the day, regardless of who is elected, or what propositions do, or do not, pass, I know this:

Psalm 47:8 “God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne.”