Nearly every
evangelical Christian I meet identifies with the Republican Party. I believe
that most Christian Republicans are being led into a political party by red
herrings such as gay rights and abortion. I want to explain here why I believe
the way I do about politics and religion. This topic will continue over the
next week as it is far too dense to be covered in one blog entry.
I know that many readers will want to argue with my reasons, but I do ask that you read this with an open mind.
Abortion – the hot
topic. I think this is largely the determining factor that many marginally-informed voters choose their political party. The Republican Party is
anti-abortion (generally), and I am anti-abortion. Therefore, I must be a Republican.
Consider the facts,
though. Abortion became constitutionally legal in the Spring of 1973. I was at
that moment, an embryo. My mother could have, legally, aborted me. Clearly, I
was not in a position at that historic moment to prevent the law. I had nothing to do with it and nothing
I can do, say, or believe will ever change this law. Electing a Republican to
power will never make abortion illegal.
Also, the fact that I
believe abortion is wrong – and, I do – does not give me the right to legislate
what others do. That is sad. And, in theory, we should fight for those who
cannot fight for themselves. But it is a fight in vain. There is nothing that
will change this sad fact.
Do you want a
government that decides what is morally right and wrong? What about religious freedom?
What if we elect a Mormon president who decides to make alcohol and coffee
illegal? This country was founded on religious liberty.
Gay rights – another hot
topic. The Bible says that the gay sex act is a sin. Republicans (in
general) are anti-gay rights. So, I must be a Republican. This goes back to
separation of church and state.
Your personal religious
beliefs cannot legislate what others do. God gave us freedom to choose right or
wrong.
All
things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are
lawful for me, but all things edify not.
1
Corinthians 10:23
Allowing gay couples to marry does not mean that you have to accept this
as a morally correct life choice. If you don’t believe in gay marriage, you are free
to not marry someone the same gender as yourself. It doesn’t have to affect you at
all. In fact, there are many good things that can come from legalizing gay
marriage. One thing is that it creates a path of monogamy for a group that has,
historically, been seen as promiscuous. It also creates good will in the gay
community toward the Christian community, thus allowing evangelism and outreach
into a previously unreachable people.
Gun control is another
hot topic between Republicans and Democrats.
I am personally against handguns for the general population. The second amendment
of the United States Constitution reads:
A well-regulated militia, being necessary to
the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms,
shall not be infringed.
I believe this covers the militia: the police and military, not the
everyday citizen. I do not believe the average, fallible human is fit to carry
a handgun. It’s just too easy for someone to lose his/her temper and shoot. I do believe citizens should be allowed to purchase hunting rifles.
Despite my dislike of handguns, I realize that (like abortion) there is nothing I can do, say, or believe that will change the fact that handguns are in the hands of the general population - both law-abiding and criminal.
Immigration - when times are tough – as they currently are – folks look
for someone to blame. And it’s easy to see the unprecedented growth of Hispanics
in all areas of the country. When I was growing up, there were almost no Hispanic
people in and around Oregon City. The population has exploded and many white
Americans assume that these folks are illegal.
I don’t know what the statistics are, but it’s true that many Hispanic
people enter our country illegally and attempt to survive here in the United
States. I have worked with many of these folks – I spent a year teaching
English to adults – and have come to know many of their stories. The illegal
adults I have gotten to know, do not live well here in America. They share
homes with other families and work for less than minimum wage. Many have
children and spouses back in Mexico. Most send money home to help their
relatives.
If the reality of these people does not affect you, then consider the decision
they had to make. If you had a family and children you couldn’t feed, would you
go to any lengths to change that situation?
Another key point to be made is that Hispanic people are a mixed race
of Native American and Spanish. Therefore, their ancestors are Native to this
continent. They have more “rights” to this land than any of us legal citizens,
in my opinion.
Redistribution of wealth – this is a Republican term, but I will
briefly address it here. Democrats do not seek to make all people equal financially. That is against the ideals of a capitalist country.
Democrats do want to help those who cannot help themselves – the widows and
orphans, women and children who have been abandoned by their providers. Those
who, due to disability, cannot work.
Democrats – Bill Clinton specifically – are responsible for creating
laws which have made college education attainable for any United States citizen
(note: illegal immigrants are not included in these liberties).
Is it a Christian attitude to proclaim survival of the fittest? To
whine about paying taxes which help the less fortunate? I don’t think any
intelligent person can say that Republican financial policies and platforms lie
within the Christian ideals of charity and love.
Well, this is just a
start of the reasons I am a Democrat. I will continue to address this issue on
Wednesday. In the meantime, I welcome your input on this subject.
