Boy, it's been a crazy week. In the university environment, political tensions and passions rose to a fevored pitch by Monday. Professors pleaded with their students to vote, and it was no small secret who they supported. Tuesday was filled with an air of anticipation and excitement. My roommates and I dragged ourselves out of bed at 6:00 in the morning to go vote. I got to my polling place by 6:30, where I stood in line for an hour and a half before being able to cast my vote. It was incredible to see a huge campus ballroom packed with students eager to vote so early in the morning. Despite my extreme fatigue from getting four hours of sleep, I felt energized by the pride I felt to be a part of such a monumental event. After voting, my roommates and I made a celebratory election breakfast, with chocolate chip pancakes, scrambled eggs and as always, coffee! After a day full of classes, we headed out to take advantage of election freebies, such as free coffee at Starbucks and free ice cream at Ben and Jerry's....mmm, nothing says democracy like dessert. We gathered in my friend's living room to watch and listen to election coverage all evening, which was interesting, since we were all pretty much politically split down the middle.After the election was called, we sat up to watch the concession and victory speeches. When we left my friend's house (quite late), there was pandamonium in the streets of our neighborhood. People were running out in streets, honking horns, screaming and chanting. It was pretty a pretty wild experience. I found out the next day that the celebration on campus got so crazy that the police had to block off the streets and move the excited crowd into my neighborhood. The next day, it was practically a campus-wide holiday. My English professor started crying in front of the class in joy, and my dance teachers didn't even teach their normal classes in the spirit of celebration.
I wish I could say that I felt strongly one way or another.....I had friends who were jubilant, and others who felt defeated and bitter. Here's my confession: despite all the pressure from both sides, I didn't vote fo
r Obama or McCain. I followed politics closely for many months, and researched the issues and the political positions of both candidates. I felt that I needed to feel passionately about one or the other....but I could never get myself to that point. Both had extreme flaws, and both had stances I admired. In the final couple of weeks before the election, I realized that I could not give my vote to either of these two men in good conscience. I heard a lot of dejected people lament that they simply had to vote for "the lesser of two evils." Why vote for an evil at all, I asked? Just because these are my only two options does not mean I have to support one of them. Casting my vote is not merely a one time decision. I need to be able to support and accept the consequences of putting this candidate into leadership for the next four years. In voting for Obama or McCain, I knew I would be voting against my conscience. I'm not saying this is a universal standard... I believe that some people would be going against their conscience by not voting. I only have a couple of friends who made the same choice that I did, and I have many friends (and family members) both Republican and Democrat, who felt that they were voting according to their highest sense of principle, and I fully support their decisions. I know they did what they believed was right in voting for Obama or McCain.
r Obama or McCain. I followed politics closely for many months, and researched the issues and the political positions of both candidates. I felt that I needed to feel passionately about one or the other....but I could never get myself to that point. Both had extreme flaws, and both had stances I admired. In the final couple of weeks before the election, I realized that I could not give my vote to either of these two men in good conscience. I heard a lot of dejected people lament that they simply had to vote for "the lesser of two evils." Why vote for an evil at all, I asked? Just because these are my only two options does not mean I have to support one of them. Casting my vote is not merely a one time decision. I need to be able to support and accept the consequences of putting this candidate into leadership for the next four years. In voting for Obama or McCain, I knew I would be voting against my conscience. I'm not saying this is a universal standard... I believe that some people would be going against their conscience by not voting. I only have a couple of friends who made the same choice that I did, and I have many friends (and family members) both Republican and Democrat, who felt that they were voting according to their highest sense of principle, and I fully support their decisions. I know they did what they believed was right in voting for Obama or McCain.After I had settled on this decision, I found a really great article by one of my favorite musicians, Derek Webb, who articulated many of my feelings concerning the relationship between Christianity and voting. You can read the full article at http://www.patrolmag.com/times/922/how-shall-we-then-vote, but here are a few portions that I found particularly compelling (emphasis mine):
"Depending on when you’re reading this, we could be on either side of one of the most evocative elections in our country’s recent history. It shouldn’t really matter, as this writing isn’t necessarily about our current election but rather on living an honest and integrated political life....Ultimately our problems will not be solved by the right man (or woman) in the White House. It simply doesn’t work that way. We live in a democracy, a representative form of government, where it’s as much if not more our responsibility to love and take care of our neighbors than our politician’s responsibility. Real and lasting change comes from knowing and loving the folks who live in the houses that sit next to ours rather than saving all of our longing and hope for the voting booth.
Now that’s not to say that we shouldn’t make informed decisions, be involved in the process. Of course we should. I mean, if your conscience allows, you can even vote.
Now that’s not to say that we shouldn’t make informed decisions, be involved in the process. Of course we should. I mean, if your conscience allows, you can even vote.
Some would say that not voting is giving your vote over to those who seek to use the governmental process for evil. I would actually argue the opposite. By voting, especially when based on just one or two issues, you’re giving your ‘yes’ and ‘amen’ to that party’s entire platform, which likely goes far beyond the statement you’re trying to make on these few issues. This is certainly more perilous and less nuanced than abstaining altogether. No party can co-opt a vote that isn’t cast.
Others would say, ‘Jesus said to “render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s.” Therefore we have a biblical obligation to vote.’ And of course Jesus said that. That’s why I pay my taxes and try to drive the speed limit. These are among the laws of the land. But my conscience doesn’t belong to Caesar, therefore I don’t render it unto him. Caesar cannot force me to violate my conscience. Voting is a legal right, like carrying a gun or having an abortion. And I can abstain from doing anything that I have a legal right to if it violates my conscience.
Some say that we’ll never completely agree with the agenda or platform of a politician, that if we wait for a candidate that we line up with 100% we’ll never vote. I completely agree. There are many issues upon which I can disagree with a politician that don’t amount to a crisis of conscience. So there will always be necessary and acceptable compromises to make when engaging in the system of politics, but never when your conscience is on the line.
These matters of conscience are serious and should be considered at great length. I have many friends who have considered the issues of this current election in all their nuances and have chosen to vote for either Obama, McCain, or a 3rd party candidate, and I support them in doing so. Again, we are diverse members of one body in our following of Jesus. It would be suspicious if we all reached identical conclusions to such complex problems. So again, maybe there is no conflict of conscience for you in this election. But if there is, be at liberty not to vote.
Others would say, ‘Jesus said to “render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s.” Therefore we have a biblical obligation to vote.’ And of course Jesus said that. That’s why I pay my taxes and try to drive the speed limit. These are among the laws of the land. But my conscience doesn’t belong to Caesar, therefore I don’t render it unto him. Caesar cannot force me to violate my conscience. Voting is a legal right, like carrying a gun or having an abortion. And I can abstain from doing anything that I have a legal right to if it violates my conscience.
Some say that we’ll never completely agree with the agenda or platform of a politician, that if we wait for a candidate that we line up with 100% we’ll never vote. I completely agree. There are many issues upon which I can disagree with a politician that don’t amount to a crisis of conscience. So there will always be necessary and acceptable compromises to make when engaging in the system of politics, but never when your conscience is on the line.
These matters of conscience are serious and should be considered at great length. I have many friends who have considered the issues of this current election in all their nuances and have chosen to vote for either Obama, McCain, or a 3rd party candidate, and I support them in doing so. Again, we are diverse members of one body in our following of Jesus. It would be suspicious if we all reached identical conclusions to such complex problems. So again, maybe there is no conflict of conscience for you in this election. But if there is, be at liberty not to vote.
Our ultimate hope is not in politicians or powers or governments, but in a day coming when all things will be made right. And our ultimate concern isn’t success but faithfulness. So if you find it necessary to abstain from voting in this election because to do so would be a violation of your conscience, be at liberty to remain faithful and leave the worry of success or outcome to God."
November 14, 2008 at 12:14 PM
Ultimately, we know that God is in control of this country and the world. Nothing that happens is a surprise to him. No freak outs here.