How far is too far?
Since I work with youth, you might have guessed that this post is about the election.
I have had a lot of people ask me about the election wanting to know my opinion concerning the mess we are walking into in about 3 weeks. This represents my thought process concerning the election and the candidates involved. I realize that not everyone will agree with these thoughts or my decision and I hope to cover some of the other views and the reasonings behind their views too.
If you are repulsed, confused and just plain tired of the election this year...join the club. Never in all my life have I so sincerely wished for Election Day to just go away.
My dilemma, and the problem for many people, is that the main candidates are so repulsive that whether I vote or not, I feel as if I am throwing away my vote.
I feel like Vizzini from the Princess Bride. A clever man would want to keep the poison as far away from him as possible, so I clearly cannot pull the lever for Hillary. But knowing I would want to keep the poison as far away from me as possible also means that I cannot pull the lever for Trump. Hillary seems a criminal and is therefore not trustworthy, therefore, I can clearly not pull the lever for her. Trump is an opportunist and is slanderous toward everyone who gets in his way, so I clearly cannot pull the lever for him.
You might think that I am stalling, but I am not. At least with Hillary, as bad as it might be, we would know exactly what we were getting which is something no one can say about Trump, so I can clearly not pull the lever for him. But with Trump, and only Trump is there a possibility for appointing conservative Supreme Court candidates and repealing bad laws that have been passed the last 8 years (and in some cases longer) that Hillary would never consider, so I can clearly not pull the lever for her.
No third party candidate has a chance at the election, so any vote cast for them is wasted because even if they were to garner electoral votes and play havoc on the choosing of the President by throwing it into the House of Representatives, no major party will choose them for the Presidency, so I can clearly not pull the lever for any of them.
And round and round we go just like the Princess Bride until a choice is made and we find out, too late, that both choices were poisonous.
Up until this election cycle, there has always been something that I could point to in a major party candidate that I believed I could pull the lever for and believe that I have made a principled stance (understanding, of course, that no candidate will line up with my views 100% of the time).
However, this time the question I have had to ask myself is: How far is too far?
How far does a candidate's views on issues stray from biblical truth and I still vote for them (without denying my faith in the process)? Or how far does a candidate's personal conduct stray from biblical truth and I still vote for them (without denying my faith in the process)?
The Democratic platform concerning abortion, gay marriage and heavy handed government policies have disqualified them from my vote for many years.
The argument on the other side for the Republicans was that they would appoint conservative justices and repeal bad laws that the Democrats have made. Oh yeah, do you remember who was the deciding vote on the Supreme Court for Obamacare? That would be Chief Justice Roberts, touted to be one of the most conservative justices ever appointed. Promises, promises...but no delivery.
What's worse...is that the current Republican candidate is slanderous to no end! He has continually smeared everyone in the most personal of ways in order to get his way. What started during the primaries has continued on through his nomination and now during these debates for President of the United States. Can you imagine what might happen if Trump were to negotiate with foreign powers this way? What evidence or assurances could you point me to that he won't act this way? Please...anything.
I find myself a Christian who happens to be an American with the privilege to vote and no candidate to vote for. I know many Christians who are voting for the Vice President or the President based on the things that might happen. I respect their reasoning and will in no way malign a hard decision. However, my conscience holds me captive to the standard of God, and for me (not necessarily for them) to vote for either of these major party options would be sinful for me (see Rom. 14:23).
I am recognizing more and more that this world, and even this nation, is not my home and am content with the King whom I have chosen. I believe there is more power is fulfilling His command of making disciples around me than electing the next President or ruler of any country. So I am voting for Jesus this election cycle, while keeping my Presidental slot either blank or filled in with a candidate that I can truly believe in (even if it is third party). I have a feeling that following His lead would do more good for this country than anything I can do in the voting booth.
PS...I do believe it is important to vote for other candidates both local and national (and I will be), but the same litmus test applies to them, as well.
I have had a lot of people ask me about the election wanting to know my opinion concerning the mess we are walking into in about 3 weeks. This represents my thought process concerning the election and the candidates involved. I realize that not everyone will agree with these thoughts or my decision and I hope to cover some of the other views and the reasonings behind their views too.
If you are repulsed, confused and just plain tired of the election this year...join the club. Never in all my life have I so sincerely wished for Election Day to just go away.
My dilemma, and the problem for many people, is that the main candidates are so repulsive that whether I vote or not, I feel as if I am throwing away my vote.
I feel like Vizzini from the Princess Bride. A clever man would want to keep the poison as far away from him as possible, so I clearly cannot pull the lever for Hillary. But knowing I would want to keep the poison as far away from me as possible also means that I cannot pull the lever for Trump. Hillary seems a criminal and is therefore not trustworthy, therefore, I can clearly not pull the lever for her. Trump is an opportunist and is slanderous toward everyone who gets in his way, so I clearly cannot pull the lever for him.
You might think that I am stalling, but I am not. At least with Hillary, as bad as it might be, we would know exactly what we were getting which is something no one can say about Trump, so I can clearly not pull the lever for him. But with Trump, and only Trump is there a possibility for appointing conservative Supreme Court candidates and repealing bad laws that have been passed the last 8 years (and in some cases longer) that Hillary would never consider, so I can clearly not pull the lever for her.
No third party candidate has a chance at the election, so any vote cast for them is wasted because even if they were to garner electoral votes and play havoc on the choosing of the President by throwing it into the House of Representatives, no major party will choose them for the Presidency, so I can clearly not pull the lever for any of them.
And round and round we go just like the Princess Bride until a choice is made and we find out, too late, that both choices were poisonous.
Up until this election cycle, there has always been something that I could point to in a major party candidate that I believed I could pull the lever for and believe that I have made a principled stance (understanding, of course, that no candidate will line up with my views 100% of the time).
However, this time the question I have had to ask myself is: How far is too far?
How far does a candidate's views on issues stray from biblical truth and I still vote for them (without denying my faith in the process)? Or how far does a candidate's personal conduct stray from biblical truth and I still vote for them (without denying my faith in the process)?
The Democratic platform concerning abortion, gay marriage and heavy handed government policies have disqualified them from my vote for many years.
The argument on the other side for the Republicans was that they would appoint conservative justices and repeal bad laws that the Democrats have made. Oh yeah, do you remember who was the deciding vote on the Supreme Court for Obamacare? That would be Chief Justice Roberts, touted to be one of the most conservative justices ever appointed. Promises, promises...but no delivery.
What's worse...is that the current Republican candidate is slanderous to no end! He has continually smeared everyone in the most personal of ways in order to get his way. What started during the primaries has continued on through his nomination and now during these debates for President of the United States. Can you imagine what might happen if Trump were to negotiate with foreign powers this way? What evidence or assurances could you point me to that he won't act this way? Please...anything.
I find myself a Christian who happens to be an American with the privilege to vote and no candidate to vote for. I know many Christians who are voting for the Vice President or the President based on the things that might happen. I respect their reasoning and will in no way malign a hard decision. However, my conscience holds me captive to the standard of God, and for me (not necessarily for them) to vote for either of these major party options would be sinful for me (see Rom. 14:23).
I am recognizing more and more that this world, and even this nation, is not my home and am content with the King whom I have chosen. I believe there is more power is fulfilling His command of making disciples around me than electing the next President or ruler of any country. So I am voting for Jesus this election cycle, while keeping my Presidental slot either blank or filled in with a candidate that I can truly believe in (even if it is third party). I have a feeling that following His lead would do more good for this country than anything I can do in the voting booth.
PS...I do believe it is important to vote for other candidates both local and national (and I will be), but the same litmus test applies to them, as well.
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