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A Sacred Duty: Why Christians Must Vote
BreakPoint with Charles Colson ^ | May 13, 2004 | Charles Colson

Posted on 05/13/2004 12:03:58 PM PDT by Mr. Silverback

This fall Americans will go to the polls and elect a president—one who will influence the direction in which the country’s moral compass will point. But according to a recent report, only a third of evangelical Christians—those who ought to be most concerned with moral values—will actually vote.

These are shocking figures. Of all people, we ought to vote, not just as a right, but as a spiritual duty. All it takes is to lose your right to vote, as I did once, to know how precious that is.

The Rev. Curt Young in Silver Spring , Maryland, told his flock just before the last presidential election why they needed to vote. Just a short distance from his church is the Capitol, the Supreme Court, and the offices of Congress. Young wanted his congregation to know that the Scriptures have a lot to say about our responsibility to choose leaders.

It was such a good message that I want to offer you a part of it today. In Deuteronomy 16, he pointed out, Moses tells the Israelites: “You shall appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes . . . and they shall judge the people.”

The term judges and officials covered all government leaders. Besides hearing cases and rendering decisions, they set public policy and could even call out the military in a crisis.

Given these heavy responsibilities, the criteria for selecting judges were strict. They were to be men who feared God, who were committed to the truth, and who hated dishonest gain. And they were warned: “You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality; and you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe . . . subverts the cause of the righteous.”

When Moses commanded the Israelites to appoint God-fearing leaders, he wasn’t just talking to a handful of citizens who felt like getting involved. Young noted that the command was directed to all citizens. And modern Christians are under the same obligation to choose leaders who love justice.

Ironically, the Scriptures warn that if we value prosperity over justice, we’ll end up losing both. Moses told the Israelites to “follow justice and justice alone.” He follows this command with a promise that they will “live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you.” In other words, if you want prosperity, choose leaders committed to justice.

In the Old Testament, God often sent people to find particular individuals to lead. Today, in our modern democracy, free citizens act as God’s agents for choosing leaders, and we do it by voting.

So there’s no excuse for those who don’t take the trouble to vote. But to vote, you have to register. That’s why, in answer to MTV’s Rock the Vote, a group of Christian musicians are endorsing an effort called Redeem the Vote. At Christian rock concerts and festivals throughout the summer groups like Verbs and Joshua 33 will be encouraging Christian young people to register by visiting the Redeem the Vote booth at the concert or to register online at www.redeemthevote.com.

While polls show that Christian young people care about the issues that have an impact on our lives, most of them are not registered to vote. That means they are left out of the political process. Redeem the Vote wants to change that. So register today, get young people to register, and then, in November, get out of the pews and into the polling booth to perform our sacred duty of choosing our leaders.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: breakpoint
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1 posted on 05/13/2004 12:04:02 PM PDT by Mr. Silverback
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To: agenda_express; BA63; banjo joe; Believer 1; billbears; Blood of Tyrants; ChewedGum; ...
BreakPoint/Chuck Colson Ping!

If anyone wants on or off my BreakPoint Ping List, please notify me here or by freepmail.

2 posted on 05/13/2004 12:04:29 PM PDT by Mr. Silverback (Terri Schiavo deserves to have her wishes followed--Grant her a divorce.)
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To: agenda_express; BA63; banjo joe; Believer 1; billbears; Blood of Tyrants; ChewedGum; ...
Pinging you to this because Christian registration and voting will be of enormous importance in this election.

ProLife Ping!

If anyone wants on or off my ProLife Ping List, please notify me here or by freepmail.

3 posted on 05/13/2004 12:06:03 PM PDT by Mr. Silverback (Terri Schiavo deserves to have her wishes followed--Grant her a divorce.)
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To: Mr. Silverback
All it takes is to lose your right to vote, as I did once,

Color me uninformed, but what happened here?
4 posted on 05/13/2004 12:09:39 PM PDT by WinOne4TheGipper (Hey libs, would you like some Kool-Aid to go along with your candidate's waffles?)
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To: WinOne4TheGipper
Charles Colson, Watergate 'fame'
5 posted on 05/13/2004 12:10:44 PM PDT by billbears (Deo Vindice.)
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To: WinOne4TheGipper
I suspect Colson lost his franchise when he went to jail over Watergate.
6 posted on 05/13/2004 12:11:43 PM PDT by ModelBreaker
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To: Mr. Silverback
Why are the ping lists the same?
7 posted on 05/13/2004 12:12:00 PM PDT by WinOne4TheGipper (Hey libs, would you like some Kool-Aid to go along with your candidate's waffles?)
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To: ModelBreaker; billbears
I didn't know he was involved (or I may have forgotten). Just one of the drawbacks of not being born until ten years after the fact.:)
8 posted on 05/13/2004 12:14:31 PM PDT by WinOne4TheGipper (Hey libs, would you like some Kool-Aid to go along with your candidate's waffles?)
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To: WinOne4TheGipper
Color me uninformed, but what happened here?

Colson was involved in Watergate and was convicted of a Federal felony in relation to illegal use of FBI files. Until a couple of years ago, he couldn't vote, but he was awarded clemency by Governor Jeb Bush.

9 posted on 05/13/2004 12:19:23 PM PDT by Mr. Silverback (Terri Schiavo deserves to have her wishes followed--Grant her a divorce.)
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To: Mr. Silverback
Agreed. This is an important election this year. But then again, they're all important. Have a good idea of who I'll vote for and who I won't but will have to sit down and look at allthe candidates( Republicrat and otherwise) as the date gets closer
10 posted on 05/13/2004 12:19:29 PM PDT by billbears (Deo Vindice.)
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To: WinOne4TheGipper; 2nd amendment mama; A2J; Agitate; Alouette; Annie03; aposiopetic; attagirl; ...
Why are the ping lists the same?

'Cause I'm dumb, that's why! Let's try this again:

Pinging you to this because of the enormous importance of getting out the Christian vote this year.

ProLife Ping!

If anyone wants on or off my ProLife Ping List, please notify me here or by freepmail.

11 posted on 05/13/2004 12:24:42 PM PDT by Mr. Silverback (Terri Schiavo deserves to have her wishes followed--Grant her a divorce.)
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To: Mr. Silverback
The New Testament speaks to a believer's responsibility in submitting to those in authority. Passages in Romans 13, Hebrews 13:17, and 1 Peter 2 come to mind.

Though many of those passages (and there are more)deal with believers in a time of horrendous persecution, there are those NOW who are undergoing similar trials, and who knows when that will come to our shores.

The difference between now and then is that we have a choice as to who "rules" over us. Most of the Biblical leaders were judges (appointed by God), kings, or Caesars.

Since we have a vote, let's use our vote responsibly.
12 posted on 05/13/2004 12:25:26 PM PDT by Christian4Bush (I approve this message: character and integrity matter. Bush/Cheney for '04.)
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To: Mr. Silverback
al-Yahud here... but I will vote for Bush, never fear!
13 posted on 05/13/2004 12:27:55 PM PDT by thoughtomator (This comment was wise, witty, interesting, and insightful... right up until the moment I hit "Post")
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To: Mr. Silverback
Can you add me to the pro-life list, please?
14 posted on 05/13/2004 1:00:49 PM PDT by WinOne4TheGipper (Hey libs, would you like some Kool-Aid to go along with your candidate's waffles?)
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To: WinOne4TheGipper
You are added!
15 posted on 05/13/2004 1:11:12 PM PDT by Mr. Silverback (Terri Schiavo deserves to have her wishes followed--Grant her a divorce.)
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To: Mr. Silverback
Thanks.
16 posted on 05/13/2004 1:21:55 PM PDT by WinOne4TheGipper (Hey libs, would you like some Kool-Aid to go along with your candidate's waffles?)
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To: Mr. Silverback
A great related article....

Was Jesus a Liberal?

17 posted on 05/13/2004 1:22:36 PM PDT by Rockitz (After all these years, it's still rocket science.)
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To: Mr. Silverback
AMEN and AMEN!!!!!!!!!
18 posted on 05/13/2004 1:26:51 PM PDT by pollywog (Psalm 121;1 I Lift mine eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help.)
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To: Mr. Silverback
Too many Christians have bought into the "separation of church and state" lie.
19 posted on 05/13/2004 1:28:33 PM PDT by k2blader (The equivalent of Nick Berg’s murder happens in our nation every 24 seconds. And it’s legal.)
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To: Rockitz
bump to the top!!!!!!!
20 posted on 05/13/2004 1:29:59 PM PDT by pollywog (Psalm 121;1 I Lift mine eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help.)
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