The Congressional battle for Oregon's 5th congressional district illustrates the something of the problem of making moral issues the planks in a political platform. Businessman Mile Erickson is the Republican candidate in Oregon's 5th Congressional District and is running on pro-life platform against Democratic state Sen. Kurt Schrader. But when his girlfriend became pregnant some years ago, he told her that he didn't want a baby, offered to pay for the abortion and then drove her to the abortion clinic. And then they went off on a trip to Mexico together. So abortion is wrong, but then when I or my significant other needs one, maybe its not so wrong. I remember seeing polls that suggest that 75% of Americans believe that abortion is morally wrong and that about the same 75% believe that it should be a choice.
My point is not about abortion. The example could just as easily be the many pro-family, traditional-values candidates who themselves have been divorced (an all too common fact). Christians should be for Biblical values. Because we live in a country where we have the right to participate in the selection of leaders, it makes sense that our values will go with us into the polls. But voting for values is never a simple thing to do. I could say "I won't vote for McCain because he is divorced and I won't vote for Obama because he's pro-choice." We should be concerned with values like caring for the poor, caring for the environment and caring about peace. And we'll all have different ideas about which of those values can be best addressed by which party or candidate.
Do we care about traditional values? Here's what we need to do-- live them! The reason the church has such a muted voice in speaking to the world about values is not because we aren't politically savvy or connected. It is because we have been so ineffective in living our values before the world. The divorce rate for evangelical Christians is the same as the general culture. The number of Christian women who have had abortions is shockingly high. The church is better known by many for raising money for its own buildings than spending money to help the poor. Until we are known as people who consistently (though not perfectly) live our values, we will have little success in interesting the non-Christian world in them.
My point is not about abortion. The example could just as easily be the many pro-family, traditional-values candidates who themselves have been divorced (an all too common fact). Christians should be for Biblical values. Because we live in a country where we have the right to participate in the selection of leaders, it makes sense that our values will go with us into the polls. But voting for values is never a simple thing to do. I could say "I won't vote for McCain because he is divorced and I won't vote for Obama because he's pro-choice." We should be concerned with values like caring for the poor, caring for the environment and caring about peace. And we'll all have different ideas about which of those values can be best addressed by which party or candidate.
Do we care about traditional values? Here's what we need to do-- live them! The reason the church has such a muted voice in speaking to the world about values is not because we aren't politically savvy or connected. It is because we have been so ineffective in living our values before the world. The divorce rate for evangelical Christians is the same as the general culture. The number of Christian women who have had abortions is shockingly high. The church is better known by many for raising money for its own buildings than spending money to help the poor. Until we are known as people who consistently (though not perfectly) live our values, we will have little success in interesting the non-Christian world in them.
3 comments:
I am concerned that some in our government and military have been guilty of allowing, encouraging and have acted toward the torture of many who were rounded up and labeled as “bad guys”. Many were treated in ways that smacks of sadism. Those who blew the whistle were punished for speaking up against the inhumanity. There has been a disgusting coverup and the damage continues. McCain knows know first hand how it feels to be held and tortured (I have no doubt that it has an effect on a persons family and marriage). He has spoken up, addressed the issue and expressed in no uncertain terms that he does not approve of and is against torture.
We want others to share and embrace our values. . .yet what values are exposed in the shadowy places and how is that contrasted with those values we want to show and share with the world?
Thanks for that perspective Tuck...we're far more likely to impact the world around us by how we live day to day than who we vote for. A timely reminder.
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