to vote or not to vote…
paige and i have really been struggling with the issues over this year’s election. we’ve been engaged with the candidates and their stances since this time last year, and we’ve watched as the field has finally narrowed to the final two.
we’ve read huckabee’s, mccain’s, obama’s, and even hillary’s plans for the country given on their websites, we’ve poured over their voting records, we’ve watched the debates, and we’ve given serious thought (probably for the first time) as to what our own political views are.
i’m sure we’re in the boat with many christians when we say that we’re not terribly impressed with either of the remaining candidates. Senator Obama’s worldview clashes so heavily with our own (naturalistic, liberationist, feminist) that it is very hard for us to see ourselves agreeing with his potential decisions, once in office. on the other hand, Senator McCain’s not exactly our knight in shining Conservative armor, either.
in the end, however, we just can not get past the abortion issue. it would require that we violate our conscience, knowing that Senator Obama desires to implement the Freedom of Choice Act once in office, for us to vote for him.
what we do decide to do with our vote is a matter of much prayer and deliberation right now. we realize that, statistically speaking, we do our best to prevent Obama from being elected by voting for John McCain. i am not yet convinced, however, that to vote for a third party candidate would be a “wasted vote.” John Quncy Adams said, “Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.”
Some of the other candidates (and their platforms) can be found here.
regardless of who you vote for, in 13 days, we’ll know who the next President of the United States will be, and then it will be time for the country (one and all) to rally around him and try to make him the best and most successful leader he can be, both for this and future generations.
~ by Trevor Maitland on October 22, 2008.
Posted in Politics
Tags: Barack Obama, Christian, election, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Mike Huckabee, president, vote
I have no idea of your age but it wasn’t too long ago that a vote for Ross Perot put a man named Bill Clinton into the white house. That wasn’t a good move for our country. I believe that a vote for anyone other than John McCain will put Barak Obama into the white house. I am so bothered by Christians who are so willing to vote for a man who supports ending the lives of unborn children. It drives me crazy. I realize that’s not your stance here but I believe that a vote for anyone other than John McCain will lead to the same dire circumstances.
Bryce and I have been thinking that since Oregon is not a swing state, it might be a good time for us to vote for a third party member. We will, most likely, end up voting for Bob Barr, the libertarian candidate. We don’t think this is a wasted vote because voting libertarian is a way to send the republican party a message saying that we want a stronger, more conservative, candidate in the 2012 election . Bryce and I are strong conservatives, and I’m not sure where you guys stand so I don’t know if this will be helpful or not, but it is something to think about.
Barr also has a pretty extreme pro-life stance.
consider that we worship a unique God via a unique relationship, each person unique and God being unique. He is pleased with your individual pursuit of Christliness without regard to the world’s measure of its impact on the world. Be bold and unwavering in your Isa58 obedience from the smallest to the largest of details in life. He delights in your worship of Him, not the world-wise measured impact of the action you take on an issue. We vote not to elect but to proclaim the only sufficient solution for our nation is Christ.
Trevor,
Thanks for your post. I just learned you had a blog! As you may be seeing in my blog, my focus is on our future hope, although I have much more to write on this. But I believe it important that Christians in the US not fix their hope on legislation, elections, or rulings, as if these by themselves will somehow change the direction of our country. It is our right and privilege to vote, however, our hope is not in this. I am a little sarcastic here, but sometimes I see more passion every four years given to “getting out the vote” than being cultural change agents through the gospel of Jesus Christ and lives demonstrating a hope that is not in the “stuff and things” of this world.
Why don’t you write on this for me?
Out of curiosity, what drives you to say that you do not believe a third party vote is a wasted vote? I it because you believe voting on principles is most important, or because you think a third party candidate could potentially win? Or is it something else?
well, again, i think that the value in voting for what you believe in, whether win or lose, is a noble and “winning” act. i think that is what adams was trying to say: you can rest easy knowing your conscience is clear and you did “the best you could” by voting for the best person by your own personal judgment. does that help? thanks for the comment!
Interesting. I’ll have to cogitate on that viewpoint for awhile.