To Vote or Not to Vote

With the Presidential race heating up since the announcement of Presidential hopeful John McCain's VP pick was announced, people have inquired about my thoughts on Governor Sarah Palin. I have pretty much kept quiet on this issue for a few reasons. My first reason for not jumping on the "band wagon" and officially endorsing Senator McCain is that I did not know everything I needed to know about him to feel confident enough to put my "stamp of approval" on him as President of the United States. Also, I didn't even know who Governor Palin was until it was announced that she was Senator McCain's VP pick. When the Presidential Primaries began, I 100% supported Mike Huckabee. The important issues for me are "Pro-Life", "Pro-Family", "Homeschooling", "Support of Israel" and "Foreign Policy". I am 100% Anti-Abortion, I am 100% Pro-Family as the Lord designed it to be, I am 100% for Christian parents homeschooling K-12, I am 100% Pro-Israel, and I am 100% against Isolationism. On all of these issues I feel Mike Huckabee would represent my beliefs more accurately than any of the other candidates. (Well, until recently when Malachi told me about Alan Keyes…who I would 100% support as well)

    Those who know me would know my obvious disapproval for Senator Obama. There is no need to explain why I won't be casting a vote in his favor as the next President of the United States. I also will not be casting a vote in favor or Senator McCain. I have been wrestling with this decision mostly because of other people's opinions on "my duty as an American to vote". This argument is flawed in my opinion because first and foremost I am a Christian and I am required to make judgments based on what God's word says is right or wrong, not on my "duty as an American". (Remember, Jesus was not and is not an American) Just because Senator McCain belongs to the Republican Party does not automatically mean that I have to endorse him with my vote. I take a more critical view of each candidate not based on their political party. Now of course, it is obvious that the majority of Democrats that I have come in contact with and know about do not hold to a Biblical Worldview and line up more with a Communism/Socialism form of government, therefore it can almost be assumed that I would not vote for that particular party. This again, does not mean that the Republican candidate automatically receives my vote hands down.

    Another reason that I cannot casually cast a vote for what some would call "the lesser of two evils", is because I see no where in scripture where I am obligated to as it is God Himself who appoints those in power. (John 19:11 gives us an example of this) People will say this is a lame and weak argument for "not voting". I say it is the more Biblical view and therefore I stand by it.

    Senator McCain claims to be "Pro-Life" but also supports federal funding for Embryonic Stem Cell Research.

Supports fetal tissue research; against over-intensity

McCain was asked how he could be anti-abortion and still vote to support fetal tissue research. He supports fetal-tissue research, McCain said, because it has helped make progress against Parkinson's disease. McCain concluded that abortion rights and anti-abortion activists should cooperate on issues of foster care and adoption. He had made his decision on abortion, he said, "after a lot of study, consultation, and a lot of prayer." He added, "I'd like to have less intensity on this issue."

Source: Boston Globe, p. A11 Jan 22, 2000

 

I am not sure how he can justify killing embryos (a human life) for the sake of research in curing other illnesses when he claims to be "Pro-Life". It seems that he must not believe life begins at conception. I cannot and will not support a candidate that is "wishy washy" on this issue of human life's value. In the line of importance in casting my vote, the "Pro-Life" issue is #1 and Senator McCain's position on this issue does not reflect mine. I also do not feel comfortable with supporting a candidate who chooses a woman with young children still at home as his VP pick. If he and she are so "pro-family", then why take her away from them for 4 years. No one can argue that being Vice President will take an enormous amount of time away from her husband and young children all for the sake of "appeal" to gain more votes for those who want to "empower women". As a Christian who is "Pro-Family", I see no way this woman can effectively uphold her God-Given responsibility to be her husband's helpmeet, her children's mother and nurturer AND the Vice President, or potential President of the United States. This is how Dr. Voddie Bauchman handles the criticism he received from the Feminists on this issue:

 

"I do not buy the Feminist ideology of equivocation on this matter.  There is a double standard when it comes to caring for the home, and for children (1 Tim. 5:14; Titus 2:5).  Women are to be "keepers of the home."  Men are to work and provide for their families (1 Tim. 5:8; 2 Ths. 3:10).  Men are called to be providers.  There is a difference between a man with a demanding job and a woman with a demanding job.  While men with children to raise need to be careful not to neglect their calling as fathers, they must also realize that providing is part of that calling.  I make no apology for holding a woman to a different standard on this matter because I believe God does.

Finally, while I agree wholeheartedly that the Obamas have as much to answer for on this as do the Palins (they have two young daughters and a working mother plus a father running for President), the issue in my blog was the response of conservative Evangelicals beating the pro-family drum the moment the Palin announcement was made.  My blog was not about whom we should vote for; it was about the Christian community following blindly (and uncritically) behind a political party and failing to speak forth God's truth on a serious matter." (Dr. Voddie Bauchman "Waking up the Sheeple", 3 September 2008)

 

Dr. Voddie Bauchman goes on to address the argument that has come up "we cannot hold political candidates to biblical standards." I ask the same exact question he does…why not? Dr. Bauchman is right in also asking "what other standard is there?" I also agree with his final point which explains why I cannot endorse Senator McCain with my vote: "We cannot trade in the Bible for pragmatic utilitarianism when election time rolls around."  Dr. Voddie Bauchman goes on to say:

"I stand with Jesus!  I'll dump a political party in a heartbeat.  I am sick and tired of watching leading Evangelicals compromise in order to prevent the earth from turning to dust if the wrong guy is elected.  Where's our faith?  We ought to speak God's truth and let the chips fall where they may.  We must bow to no man.  If Mr. McCain or Mr. Obama don't want Evangelicals to say things that may hurt them in the polls, they ought to speak and act like the Christians they both claim to be.  Instead, they know that their constituencies within the Christian community (black liberals for Obama and white Evangelicals for McCain) will not speak too loudly when they get out of line because both groups are more concerned with winning than with truth.

I refuse to believe that following a party like sheep is the answer to our problems.  We must maintain our prophetic voice, and that voice must be consistently Scriptural.  I don't have all of the answers.  I'm just trying to wrestle with the questions as honestly as I can."  (Dr. Voddie Bauchman "Waking up the Sheeple", 3 September 2008)

 

Dr. James Dobson measured in this issue as well:

"I'm deeply disappointed the Republican Party seems poised to select a nominee who did not support a Constitutional amendment to protect the institution of marriage, who voted for embryonic stem cell research to kill nascent human beings, who opposed tax cuts that ended the marriage penalty, and who has little regard for freedom of speech, who organized the Gang of 14 to preserve filibusters, and has a legendary temper and often uses foul and obscene language.

"I am convinced Sen. McCain is not a conservative, and in fact, has gone out of his way to stick his thumb in the eyes of those who are. He has at times sounded more like a member of the other party. McCain actually considered leaving the GOP in 2001, and approached John Kerry about being Kerry's running mate in 2004. McCain also said publicly that Hillary Clinton would make a good president. Given these and many other concerns, a spoonful of sugar does not make the medicine go down. I cannot, and I will not vote for Sen. John McCain, as a matter of conscience.

"But what a sad and melancholy decision this is for me and many other conservatives. Should John McCain capture the nomination as many assume, I believe this general election will offer the worst choices for president in my lifetime. I certainly can't vote for Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama based on their virulently anti-family policy positions. If these are the nominees in November, I simply will not cast a ballot for president for the first time in my life. These decisions are my personal views and do not represent the organization with which I'm affiliated. They do reflect, however, my deeply held convictions about the institution of the family, about moral and spiritual beliefs, and about the welfare of our country."
(Statement from Dr. James Dobson as delivered by Laura Ingraham on "The Laura Ingraham Show" (2/5/08)

 

Merely casting a vote so the "other guy" doesn't win is not a good enough reason for me to cast my vote for someone I am not 100% sure about. I will trust the Lord because I cannot vote for someone just because they are within the "appropriate party" that the majority of Evangelicals endorse.

"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put
darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter
for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"
Isaiah 5:20, KJV

Serving God and My Family,

Crystal <>< (SAHM)