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An Appeal to Christians Who Plan to Sit Out This Election
Townhall.com ^ | October 30, 2014 | Jerry Newcombe

Posted on 10/30/2014 1:04:56 PM PDT by Kaslin

In polite society, you’re not supposed to talk about politics, sex, or religion. Sorry, but this column will discuss all three, directly or indirectly.

In America, we get the kind of government we deserve. Is this the best we can do?

There certainly is a big divide in how we approach politics, even among well-meaning Christians.

I was asked to speak at our church recently, and the title was given to me: “To vote or not to vote?” Are you serious? How can we not vote? We’re in such a mess because we haven’t been voting our values. I believe voting is imperative for the follower of Jesus.

Jesus said that we are to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s (Mark 12:17). Surely, included in rendering unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s would include voting.

It’s our duty to cast a ballot. It’s also our privilege. I know a man personally who risked his life with six other Cubans to flee the communist island. They rowed for 48 long hours in a rickety row boat with a hole in it. One of them had to bail out the water all the time. After a while, their fingers were bleeding, but they finally made it to the Bahamas.

My Cuban friend is glad to be an American and is a patriot. He wouldn’t think of not voting.

Historically, Christians in America applied their faith to virtually every sphere of life, including politics. While the founding fathers were not all Christians, the vast majority of them were, and virtually all of them had a biblical worldview. As historian Donald S. Lutz said of the founding fathers (even the unorthodox amongst them), “they knew the Bible down to their fingertips.”

So, for example, they divided power, since they knew man is sinful. James Madison, one of the key architects of the Constitution, noted: "All men having power ought not to be trusted." This is a biblical perspective. Sometimes people complain that the Constitution limits the amount of power any one single branch may have. That was by design---lest we have tyranny from one man or from an oligarchy.

When we vote biblical values, we obey what the Lord would have us do. Jesus is not on the ballot, so ultimately we are voting for a sinner. But the question is, Where do those sinners stand on key issues?

Too often, Christians seem to be waiting for the perfect candidates and can’t bring themselves to vote for someone with many (but not all) right views. We need to vote for the available candidates with the best views, rather than waiting for the perfect candidate who’s not coming.

There are some Christians who are so upset with the current crop of politicians that they may sit this election out. But their non-vote is a vote---a vote for someone with whom they probably would disagree vehemently.

There are many lesser known candidates and amendments that will likely be on the ballot. It behooves us to learn a Christian perspective on these, before we go and vote.

Where do the candidates stand on abortion? On traditional marriage? On religious freedom? On fiscal responsibility? On educational issues? All of these are addressed by the Bible.

Speaking of fiscal responsibility, Proverbs 13:22 says, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.” Yet today, as one person has said: “Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren.” I agree with that sentiment.

Who said it? Senator Barack Obama in 2006. Too bad as president, he has racked up a bill that seems beyond the reach of even our grandchildren to pay off.

In this country, which had such a godly foundation, we currently have the opportunity to vote our biblical values. But if we continue to lose our freedoms and fall prey to tyrannical government, ultimately, we will only have ourselves to blame.

My long-time pastor, the late D. James Kennedy, Ph.D. said this about Christians and politics in general: “I remember 20 years ago, a Christian said to me, ‘You don’t really believe that Christians should get active in politics do you?’ And I said, with tongue in cheek, ‘Why, of course not, we ought to leave it to the atheists, otherwise, we wouldn’t have anything to complain about. And we’d really rather complain than do something, wouldn’t we?’”

Look at the mess we’re in because many Christians have neglected this duty. Five Houston pastors were having their communications subpoenaed by the mayor because they had spoken out against the bill allowing a man to use the ladies’ room! Their emails and text messages had been demanded, to see what they have said anything against this bill.

Commenting on that case initiated by the lesbian mayor of our nation’s 4th largest city, in his Mike Huckabee News (10/19/14), he comments: “Why has this happened? It’s mainly because good church going Christians don’t vote and don’t care.”

It is a privilege to vote. It is our Christian duty to vote. So vote your biblical values. If enough evangelicals and conservative Catholics showed up and voted biblical values, we could carry this election---and virtually every election. Our nation’s founders pledged their lives, their fortunes, and the sacred honor to give us our freedom. The least we could do is vote---and vote our values.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2014elections; christians
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To: Kaslin

Until a candidate is on the ballot who can promise to usher in a perfect reign of justice, plenty, and peace during his first term, I will keep myself pure by refusing to vote at all. As babies are murdered, and Muslims take over, I will be comforted by the thought that all of this is deserved by those who failed to keep themselves pure as I am pure.


121 posted on 10/30/2014 8:01:10 PM PDT by Arthur McGowan
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To: potlatch

Wasn’t Henry Ross Perot once nearly run out of politics for saying “you people” to an African-American group?


122 posted on 10/30/2014 8:30:46 PM PDT by Theodore R. (Liberals keep winning; so the American people must now be all-liberal all the time.)
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To: Theodore R.

Yes he did say that to them during a speech to the NAACP, LOL! He also angered ‘gay rights groups’. I thought of him as an ‘oddball’ kinda guy.


123 posted on 10/30/2014 9:02:22 PM PDT by potlatch ("Dream as if you'll live forever...Live as if you'll die today")
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To: INVAR

In the meanwhile, voting by “Christians” and whether it is good or not on if they sit out the election, depends on which denomination, because different denominations have different effects on the vote.


124 posted on 10/30/2014 9:22:28 PM PDT by ansel12
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To: ansel12

Well, I no longer have faith in the ‘vote’. There is enough evidence out there just in the last week to inform anyone who is honest with facts that fraud, manipulation, Mexican nationals and ‘calibration errors’ will have more of a direct effect on the vote than any Christian denomination.

After all, wasn’t it Stalin who famously said that it is not who casts the votes but who counts them???


125 posted on 10/30/2014 9:59:37 PM PDT by INVAR ("Fart for liberty, fart for freedom and fart proudly!" - Benjamin Franklin)
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To: INVAR

You should start a vanity thread on your feelings about voting.


126 posted on 10/30/2014 10:43:17 PM PDT by ansel12
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To: ansel12

Why? Isn’t this thread about Christians and how they feel about voting in this election? Or is this a thread where the only comments are what you deem appropriate?


127 posted on 10/30/2014 11:09:47 PM PDT by INVAR ("Fart for liberty, fart for freedom and fart proudly!" - Benjamin Franklin)
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To: Ingtar

Jesus isn’t running!!! VOTE REPUBLIACN ALL THE WAY.....WE ARE AT WAR WITH DEMOCRATS FIRST, THEN WE CAN GET RID OF RINOS!


128 posted on 10/31/2014 2:16:08 AM PDT by Ann Archy (Abortion.....the Human Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: miss marmelstein

There are a TON of Purist freepers that are either NOT voting, voting DEMOCRAT or Loosertarian, thereby giving the Democrat their VOTE!!!!! INSANITY!!!


129 posted on 10/31/2014 2:18:10 AM PDT by Ann Archy (Abortion.....the Human Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: Responsibility2nd

Jesus isn’t running!!! You CHOOSE from your choices that have a chance to win and DEFEAT THE DEMOCRATS!! THEY ARE the ENEMIES of AMERICA!


130 posted on 10/31/2014 2:19:56 AM PDT by Ann Archy (Abortion.....the Human Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: Patton@Bastogne

Amen....... Sanctimonious self righteousness is counter productive


131 posted on 10/31/2014 3:37:42 AM PDT by bert ((K.E.; N.P.; GOPc.;+12, 73, ..... Obama is public enemy #1)
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To: SoConPubbie

you always forget..... I am wise


132 posted on 10/31/2014 3:38:50 AM PDT by bert ((K.E.; N.P.; GOPc.;+12, 73, ..... Obama is public enemy #1)
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To: Ann Archy

Yes, I know.


133 posted on 10/31/2014 4:46:34 AM PDT by miss marmelstein (Richard III: Loyalty Binds Me)
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To: RKBA Democrat; OneWingedShark; sickoflibs
This is the same every voting cycle. First come the appeals to logic. Then the appeals to emotion. Then the threats. Then the appeals to faith and patriotism.

The begging should start in earnest over the weekend. That’s my favorite part.

As for the current phase, Christians have zero duty to vote at all, let alone to vote for the party of Nero over the party of Caligula.

summed it up nicely RKBA dem...

nobody seems to recognize the fact that the Power and Authority comes from God, and resides in the People, who may choose to NOT delegate such to politicians that are unworthy/unable to 'represent' my choices...

and Im also sick of the '50% candidate' BS...its been many, many cycles since weve had candidates that could dream of mustering anywhere near '50%' representation...more like maybe 10-20% in the likes of mcquuuueeeeeg or mittens, and thats being very generous...

ole 'W' probably couldnt hit 50% on a good day, and i damn near refused to vote for him when he said he would sign the AWB renewall...

Lord Jesus is the only Master I give allegience to today, Nero can KMA, along with all his minions on both sides of the aisle...

the list of boxes is growing thin, cause i dont think we could vote our way out of this fustercluck even if we held each others noses at the polls...

134 posted on 10/31/2014 4:54:58 AM PDT by Gilbo_3 (Gov is not reason; not eloquent; its force.Like fire,a dangerous servant & master. George Washington)
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To: Ann Archy

Jesus isn’t running. However, there are are many running under the Republican banner who are not Republicans as well.


135 posted on 10/31/2014 7:28:07 AM PDT by Ingtar (Is this the Ebola and rumors of Ebola mentioned in the Bible?)
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To: INVAR

Look at your posts again, you were going from off topic to spinning out of control, which is fine, but it would be better for you to use some else as your sounding board since they are irrelevant to my posts.


136 posted on 10/31/2014 7:56:15 AM PDT by ansel12
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To: Ann Archy

You shouted a lot. So you must be right.

But what about Sarah Palin? She just endorsed a Democrat over a Republican in the Alaskan governors race.

So. Is Sarah out of her mind voting for the “ENEMIES of AMERICA!”?


137 posted on 10/31/2014 7:58:33 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd (NO LIBS. This Means Liberals and (L)libertarians! Same Thing. NO LIBS!!)
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To: donna

Good plan. In WW II it would have been better not to side with the Soviet Union to defeat the more dangerous Nazi evil at the time.


138 posted on 10/31/2014 8:56:11 AM PDT by doug from upland (Obama and the leftists - destroying our country one day at a time)
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To: All

Here is the strategy. If you agree with the Republican 52% of the time and the RAT 0% of the time, just sit out the election. Let the 0% guy win it to show how unhappy you are. Of course, there will soon come the time when the Republic is completely destroyed and you will not even have to worry about voting or making a choice. But at least you showed ‘em. Maybe there will be regrets when the Christian persecution reaches its crescendo.


139 posted on 10/31/2014 9:05:22 AM PDT by doug from upland (Obama and the leftists - destroying our country one day at a time)
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To: Responsibility2nd

She’s an IDIOT on that.


140 posted on 10/31/2014 9:11:13 AM PDT by Ann Archy (Abortion.....the Human Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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