Voting

A good friend and I have had an ongoing debate for the last four years with regard to voting, dissent, and whether you can do either if you don't do both.

Surprisingly, I have met a lot of people who choose not to vote. The reasons vary, but they largely breakdown to three broad issues. One, they don't like the candidates, parties, or the US political system. Second, allegiance to God supersedes allegiance to any sort of secular politic. Lastly, ignorance of issues, candidates, or platforms keep someone away from the voting booth.

Trying to be brief (Joe, I really am):

I believe that God wants us to be active participants in this world. God's desire isn't for us to stand on the sidelines of this world and say "tsk, tsk, tsk." God wants us to be lights, to influence, and to participate. This country allows its' citizens to participate in governing by voting or running for office. Given that freedom, and the call of God to be active and engaged in this world I can't see how we aren't, as Christians, supposed to be active and vote in our political system? Ghandi says "Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is. "

I believe God also wants us to realize that, as His children, we are all able to be used by Him for His purposes in the world. Whether a politician supports abortion rights and gay marriage or the death penalty and preemptive war, God still uses people and even ideology for His purposes. To be sure, those issues can and must be debated by people and careful discernment is paramount when making those decisions. As a Christian I realize that scripture is and sometimes isn't clear as to how God feels about a certain issue so it's my responsibility to be informed of the political issues and weigh those against the backdrop of my faith. But to be so cynical as to remove yourself from the debate or abdicate your right to vote is wrong. It denies the work of the Holy Spirit, and says "...this world is just a sinking ship, to hell with it!"

For others who are just fed up with "the system" again I submit a quote from Mahatma Gandhi:

"If I seem to take part in politics, it is only because politics encircles us today like the coil of a snake from which one cannot get out, no matter how much one tries. I wish therefore to wrestle with the snake"

Imagine if Martin Luther King or Abraham Lincoln hadn't wrestled with the snake. What would our Nation be like if Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady had chosen not to wrestle with that snake? I dare say we would be far worse off as a Country, a people, and as Christians if they had just stayed home or stood on the sidelines.

When I hear about Americans who make an active choice not to vote it makes me angry. It is the most egregious example to me of our spoiled, fat, and ignorant American egocentricity, especially especially in light of people in the world who are desperate to be able to participate in the governing of their own nation, but are prevented from doing so. It's like we are saying "if it's not exactly what I want, then I don't want to play!" What's worse is that often times those people, who choose to remove themselves from the one instance where their voice has measurable impact, they often spend a lot of energy criticizing and degrading this country and the people who try to serve it as politicians.

Lastly, I think it is vitally important to say that God is not a liberal or a conservative. He, in all likelihood, is more liberal than anyone could imagine and more conservative than what might seem fair. For either group to claim that He is strictly theirs commits blasphemy. God is above all of that, and He uses both the liberal and conservative politician for his greater purposes despite their inherent shortcomings.