Christian Message Boards: Why bother?

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Posted by NLP (Member # 5870) on :

What is our obigation as Christians to vote?

I really truly feel likes it's picking the lesser of two evils. I have no desire whatsoever to even go to the polls anymore.

Maybe it's just the constant bombarding of the political commericals I've been seeing lately that makes me feel this way, but it's the same stuff over and over but in the end it all equals the same the thing...Me, Myself, and I.

I try to somewhat be involved by paying attention to what our elected officials are doing and voting my conscience. Realizing that they are only humans and I cannot expect them to do what what Jesus will/would do or should I?

Do any of you feel this way or is it just me and I'm just not looking at it the way I should as a Christian? I am just growing very weary of the 'elected' leaders and feel what's the point?

(Moderators please feel to move this post (if you can) under Politics I wasn't sure where this post should go)

Thanks,
Nina

Posted by TEXASGRANDMA (Member # 847) on :

I am upset about the choices we have, but yes, I still plan on voting. I think it is the responsibility of a Christian to vote.

Posted by Caretaker (Member # 36) on :

I pay attention to the news over the course of the years and I try to examine the record of who is running.

I have voted every election since the 1972 Presidential election, Nixon vs. McGovern, during the Vietnam war.

I don't believe I have ever cast a single ballot that was not split ticket, as I vote for the candidate that most represents my views on specific issues. The local issues are usually more on candidates for Sheriff, commissioners, etc.

To me Washington DC is more like a spetic tank that could use a good flushing.

The important thing is to exercise a very important aspect of liberty, and vote your conscience.

Posted by Chaplain Bob (Member # 5019) on :

If we Christians didn't vote this country would be in even more of a mess than it is.

Posted by Aaron (Member # 3761) on :

I pondered this issue for some time. I came up with no answer.
So I asked the Lord to give me wisdom on the issue and I quit worrying about it.

Then, one day, the Lord gave me the answer: "Let your "yes" be "yes" and your "no" be "no".

Bingo!

That sealed the deal. No longer was I able, with a clear conscience, to vote for the person who "most closely represented my views". Their views had to line up perfectly with my views. Otherwise my "yes" would be a "yes, but...". The Lord brought an end to such double-minded foolishness in my life.

As you can imagine I don't cast many votes on election day. [Cool]

But, I am free of voting for the "lesser of two evils" (or casting an "80% vote") and free from a burdened conscience.

Aaron

Posted by helpforhomeschoolers (Member # 15) on :

I struggle here too. But I see it like this. GOD could have ordained that I be born in a country where I had no vote or in a time when I had no vote, but he did not. He ordained that I be born in this country where the government of the people is elected by the votes of the people who do vote. And so I vote. Sometimes, as in presidential election, my vote truly is for the lessor of 2 evils, but less evil is better than more evil, and in this country not voting really is voting... albiet passively.Who was it that said all that is needed for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing? I believe that is true and does apply here. I believe that GOD looks at our hearts. God knows that we are trying to do the right thing, the best thing that we can.. he knows when the motivation behind out vote is for our own personal gain or because we really desire to do the best thing we can do civicly for our nation. God knows whether we cast our voting trusting him to work out HIS will in the grand scheme of things. Or whether we vote expecting man to solve all our problems for us. GOD knows our hearts and we ought vote with our hearts I think.

This was so clear to me in the last presidential election. I voted for Bush. At that time the climate in Conservative Republican Christian America was "dear GOD please give us a president that is not this lacivous one we have had." Most were so tired of the scandal and the mockery that was being made on the Hill. But I was troubled because it seemed that some acted as though Bush was GOD and was going to solve all our problems. We are not supposed to trust in men, but in GOD!!!I voted for Bush because he was the lessor of two evils it seemed.. he at least claimed to be a Christian, and prayed publically, and was against abortion and was dedicated to his wife, and seemed to have his own house in order...etc etc..

In the end, perhaps we got a more dangerous evil. I dont know, but GOD does and GOD is in control. Bush will have to answer to GOD himself for his actions, I voted the best vote I could have voted based on the information I had and I voted with my faith firmly in GOD alone. Had I not voted, I would have been voting passively for the Clintons and I did not want to vote for the Clintons and personally, I dont believe that GOD wanted me to vote for the Clintons.

God will allow to sit on the throne of power over this nation whom HE wills and until HE GOD takes my right to vote from me and I believe by the way one day HE may,or until he convicts me that it is unchristian to vote in the forst place, and he may do that as well, or until the platform is such that there appears to be equally evil present on my ballot sheet, then I will continue to vote for the one that appears to be the best choice... the lesser of two evils and trust GOD to know that I voted because I believe that HE ordained for me to live in this world here in this nation where responsible citizens vote and the government is elected by them. And, I will make sure that my vote is an informed one and not because I heard the name so much it was familiar, and I pray that I will always vote for the one that seems to be the best choice for the job, and not for the one that will line my pocket the most.

My parents were conservative republicans all their lives and now today because they worry about their Social Secuirty and what not, they vote democratic party and to me this is wrong. I say forget about social security and medicare and what not and trust GOD not the government to provide for your needs and vote against abortion, embryonic stem cell research, same sex marriage, a homosexual agenda, and the like. Then you can answer GOD that you voted with a right heart.

JMNSHO

Posted by Aaron (Member # 3761) on :

quote:
Originally posted by helpforhomeschoolers:
I struggle here too. But I see it like this. GOD could have ordained that I be born in a country where I had no vote or in a time when I had no vote, but he did not. He ordained that I be born in this country where the government of the people is elected by the votes of the people who do vote. And so I vote. Sometimes, as in presidential election, my vote truly is for the lessor of 2 evils, but less evil is better than more evil, and in this country not voting really is voting... albiet passively.Who was it that said all that is needed for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing? I believe that is true and does apply here. I believe that GOD looks at our hearts. God knows that we are trying to do the right thing, the best thing that we can.. he knows when the motivation behind out vote is for our own personal gain or because we really desire to do the best thing we can do civicly for our nation. God knows whether we cast our voting trusting him to work out HIS will in the grand scheme of things. Or whether we vote expecting man to solve all our problems for us. GOD knows our hearts and we ought vote with our hearts I think.

This was so clear to me in the last presidential election. I voted for Bush. At that time the climate in Conservative Republican Christian America was "dear GOD please give us a president that is not this lacivous one we have had." Most were so tired of the scandal and the mockery that was being made on the Hill. But I was troubled because it seemed that some acted as though Bush was GOD and was going to solve all our problems. We are not supposed to trust in men, but in GOD!!!I voted for Bush because he was the lessor of two evils it seemed.. he at least claimed to be a Christian, and prayed publically, and was against abortion and was dedicated to his wife, and seemed to have his own house in order...etc etc..

In the end, perhaps we got a more dangerous evil. I dont know, but GOD does and GOD is in control. Bush will have to answer to GOD himself for his actions, I voted the best vote I could have voted based on the information I had and I voted with my faith firmly in GOD alone. Had I not voted, I would have been voting passively for the Clintons and I did not want to vote for the Clintons and personally, I dont believe that GOD wanted me to vote for the Clintons.

God will allow to sit on the throne of power over this nation whom HE wills and until HE GOD takes my right to vote from me and I believe by the way one day HE may,or until he convicts me that it is unchristian to vote in the forst place, and he may do that as well, or until the platform is such that there appears to be equally evil present on my ballot sheet, then I will continue to vote for the one that appears to be the best choice... the lesser of two evils and trust GOD to know that I voted because I believe that HE ordained for me to live in this world here in this nation where responsible citizens vote and the government is elected by them. And, I will make sure that my vote is an informed one and not because I heard the name so much it was familiar, and I pray that I will always vote for the one that seems to be the best choice for the job, and not for the one that will line my pocket the most.

My parents were conservative republicans all their lives and now today because they worry about their Social Secuirty and what not, they vote democratic party and to me this is wrong. I say forget about social security and medicare and what not and trust GOD not the government to provide for your needs and vote against abortion, embryonic stem cell research, same sex marriage, a homosexual agenda, and the like. Then you can answer GOD that you voted with a right heart.

JMNSHO

Before God convicted me I could have written the very same thing.

All in His timing,
Aaron

Posted by Itty-Bitty Girl (Member # 4579) on :

I believe that it should be our obligation as American citizens to vote, no matter if the person is Christian or not.

Just an idea.

Posted by BrianGrass1234 (Member # 5845) on :

You can vote yes or no to any proposition whether you agree with it or not. You can also right in or vote for a third party canidite that you might support. If we can get a strong third party going, like the libertarian party [Big Grin]

, it might get people to start seeing that they can vote what they really want rather than the lesser of two evils in voting for a replicrat.

Posted by Itty-Bitty Girl (Member # 4579) on :

quote:
Originally posted by helpforhomeschoolers:
I say forget about social security and medicare and what not and trust GOD not the government to provide for your needs

I think that I may have you misunderstood, but I think that you are saying that we are not to trust the government to help us by providing for our needs, but to instead trust God.

I thought that God used the government to help us by providing for our needs.

I thought that God provided for our needs though the government, so if the government is not helping us by providing for our needs, then it is hurting us by not providing for our needs.

I don't believe that God would use the government to hurt us by not providing for our needs.

So now I think we need to change its policies so that the government helps us, so that God can use the government to help us by using it to provide for our needs.

.
.
.
.
.
Just an idea.

Posted by Itty-Bitty Girl (Member # 4579) on :

quote:
Originally posted by BrianGrass1234:
You can vote yes or no to any proposition whether you agree with it or not. You can also right in or vote for a third party canidite that you might support. If we can get a strong third party going, like the libertarian party , it might get people to start seeing that they can vote what they really want rather than the lesser of two evils in voting for a replicrat.

Hmm. Good idea! [Smile]

Posted by becauseHElives (Member # 87) on :

As Christians our only obligation is to humble ourselves in the sight of Yahweh, repent, turn from our wickedness and pray!

Voting is a privilege granted by the government in the Constitution,

We have the example of Israel to study, Israel won or lost because they turned from Yahweh, not because of voting or political decisions.

But it is easier to blame the voting process for all the wrong in our Country, instead of accepting the fact the Church is not on its face, weeping over the state of the people.

Yahweh have mercy on us all.

becauseHelives