Hi all, With the election season well under way in the US, I constantly dwell on one question: "How would Jesus vote?" Not to get too political, but I am convinced that I cannot vote for either major party candidate for president for a litany of reasons both political and moral...but I've never missed voting in an election since I turned 18. I've recently turned to the third parties' candidates, not so much as a viable alternative but as a way of protesting the current crop of mainstream politicians. The libertarian nominee Gary Johnson has probably the greatest chance of being influential in the election. But he'snot really shown himself to be particularly interested in promoting and defending the interests of American Christians. Plus he supports a keeping abortion on demand legal. He's also said that private businesses must cater to homosexuals (or anybody really) regardless of their scruples on the matter (not a very libertarian stance). The Green party candidate Dr. Jill Stein is further to the left than Johnson on those points and is an avowed socialist (ahem, communist). From my perspective. Someone who is committed to the prolife cause, would like marriage protected, believes that your right to beliefs and your right to do business however and with whomever you want aren't mutually exclusive, and desperately wants an end to the warmongering and empire building, there's very few options. I will probably vote for the Constitution Party nominee Darrell Castle...for what that's worth.... What say you all? What do you believe should be the qualities of a candidate deserving of a Christian's vote? What qualities/positions do you disqualify a candidate? Do you guys have any thoughts as to which candidate would be the most deserving. **I realize these kinds of topics can sometimes lead to an unseemly level of vitriol but I have faith in my fellow members here to offer constructive comments and show Christian love even when they disagree....**
Much of what you speak of - and what would I know as I am an Australian - falls into that area I refer to as the illusion of choice. I have said of the US Presidential race that the Americans are being given a choice between chuck or chunder (I am not sure if you would use those word in America however both words mean vomit as a verb). As people outside the US we look at the choice of a 68 year old who has been in the White House, and close to enough of the rubbish of political life to look moderately dangerous, and a 70 year old who comes across as being the answer to the question whatever happened to Dennis the Menace? In Australia voting is compulsory - which means if you don't get your name ticked off you get a fine (round about $100). what people do with the bit of paper is private. In the last senate election we had to number at least 6 from a list of 41 and I can tell you I had trouble getting to 6. Needless to say the national informal count (that is votes not counted because they we either blank, or not complete correctly) was around 6.5%. In the US if you don't want to vote you don't have to, or as I heard someone from Florida say, our voting is now automated - the machines do it for you. Despite the flippancy, I do think it matters. I concerns me that the person you elect will be Commander in Chief of the world's 2nd largest standing army, and given that the 4th (USSR) has a macho strongman and the 5th (North Korea) has a militaristic maniac, I would want to see a cool head in the USA. If we are going to pray for World Peace, I am not sure that the conquering hero building walls is going to be on the same page. And, by the way, given that most US Presidents do two terms, why do people still want a massive fulltimeandahalf job at 76 or 78? And let me say quite clearly, I am not having a go, the quality of choices we get is pretty appalling as well. We both live in nations that have embraced religious pluralism, so we are not voting for a saint, but for people who will support the weak and work for the good of all. For some reason Australians do pray for the US as you face elections, though I am not sure we make it to page 7 in the US when we have elections.
I have seen this on Facebook and like it a lot, outlines the dilemma for a Christian quite well and helps understand candidates apart from rhetoric and media hyperbole
I always wonder if democracy is not one of the biggest lies ever sold to humankind. You are correct in saying that what Americans have is an illussion of choice. South Africa has faced this dilemma as well, on one hand we had a party that led the country to democracy ( but became corrupt along the way), on the other hand, a democratic party that is historically white therefore trusted less by the majority population. What we see now as we are busy with local government elections is that, people have decided to vote against their once favorite party for the opposition. It seems like it will help balance things a bit. Voting for the "lesser" candidate may be the way to go (although I don't know what the implications would be in the American context).
Lowly Layman, I am 100% with you. I don't care for either candidate, but have always voted in elections. I don't think any politician has any greater concern than increasing their own power and influence. I've become disgusted with the entire system. I pray that we would have leaders who genuinely care for their people and country. I also looked at Johnson, but I'm having a hard time telling how he is Liberterian given some of his Leftist positions. I'm feeling more inclined to returning to a King or Queen ruling well for a while at this point! Just to give us a break from this nonsense!
There was a lovely facebook thing a while ago that had a Photo of QE2 with the words 'Make America Great Britain again!'
From what my more conspiratorial friends are saying with these reported hacking events and Homeland Security's generous offer to take over the election process, a king and queen may be exactly what we'll be getting whether we want it or not. The noble House of Obama. Lol.
I keep asking myself if democracy (as we know it) is the best option. We may have been duped into thinking that the more choices and say we have, the better off we'll be.
At least in america, its not the plethora of choices, but the lack of them, thats the problem. We grew up being told how communist russia, where only one party rules, is the worst government on earth....but somehow a government where one more party than that rules is the best government. Does that make sense to any one else?
To the outsider, the US Presidential Election looks like a rerun of Celebrity Apprentice! One of DT's claims is that he is not a politician. By that he means he has not existed in an been to product of the US democratic/republican machinery. He is however a political creature, and his background in reality television may be the noose, as he seems to play each week as it's own mini series, as if there is no carry forward effect from what went before. Like he thinks he does not have to own next week what he said last week, because it is a different series. We have invested in our psyche the idea that choice is a good thing and that competition protects us. There are two pharmacists in the neighbouring suburb, so I have a choice. They are both owned by the same person. There are four jewellery stores between the two neighbouring suburbs, all owned by the same person. It is like as if the US is a fine china store and you the viewer have to decide if you will unleash in this fine china store an Ass or and Elephant. I suspect the average Joe voter in the US feels like the condemned man being asked if he would like to be shot or beheaded. Many forms of Government have been tried and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time. Sir Winston Churchill - November 11, 1947, in the House of Commons.
I dont get it - if people didnt want those leaders to be the contestants (I dont know the proper word that u call it) to be president, why did people give them their nomination. I thought they were there coz people voted them as the two best leaders.
Hello Zoii. That is a very good question, and honestly, I don't have a good answer. I think many Americans (myself included), feel that the two-party system is rigged, but then someone like Trump comes along, and I have a difficult time thinking the Republican establishment was ever behind him. I really don't know what to make of all this. I do know that I was not that impressed with any of the candidates, Democrat or Republican, who ran in their respective primaries. It really is sad.