Religion and Politics ...

I am a Christian who is neither a Democrat or a Republican, and many know I am voting for Barack Obama this Tuesday. There are a number of reasons, and it is true that I jumped early on the Obama bandwagon because I was exposed to his message being from Chicago, and of course the historical significance of racial barriers being broken.

However, the point I wanted to throw out in this post was that it's not because I am a Christian that my vote is going to any single person or political party.

The Gospel is quite clear that Christ was not a politician (Matthew 22:15-22, John 18:36, etc). In Christ's own words, "My kingdom is not of this world".

I have enjoyed reading the endorsements from religious leaders who voice their opinions in a very thought-out and informative manner. For example, Dr. Clark Carlton is an Orthodox author and speaker I have learned from tremendously, and in this open letter to Orthodox Christians he gave an endorsement for Ron Paul.

But, before going into the reasons for his endorsement, Dr Carlton gave a very important disclaimer, i.e.,

First of all, reasonable people – and certainly the reason-endowed sheep of Christ’s flock – can disagree about political philosophies and the relative virtues and vices of particular candidates. I do not believe that there is one "Orthodox" answer to some of the questions that I will raise below. In other words, I will question neither the purity of your faith nor the sincerity of your commitment to Christ if you disagree with my thoughts.

But, even here there's a dilemma e.g., what if someone just read Ron Paul's Political newsletter that reflects intolerable hatred, and then saw the "Ron Paul for President" bumper sticker next to the symbol of Christ?

Another example is found in a great, thought-provoking response to a Catholic who supported Barack Obama but in his endorsement he lashed out against the Catholic Bishops. Sister Mary Ann Walsh nicely responded that explained the position of Catholic Church in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship" statement.

But, the fact remains that for many Catholics (as well as those in cloth) any election boils down to a one-issue vote that centers on the stance on abortion, and as seen in the Kerry/Bush elections many Catholic bishops publicly stated they would not give the Holy Eucharist to John Kerry.

I don't get it.

Four years later and despite Republican leadership, there are still women who elect for abortion for a number of reasons. Who are we to judge? Is there always a black and white, or maybe the counsel of a religious leader and close family is crucial. Does pro-choice really mean pro-abortion? And when did that loss of a life become more important than the loss of human life in Iraq due to an invasion?

Another recent tragic story from South Carolina where a crazy man shot a Halloween Trick or Treater. Being a father who saw the joy my kids had yesterday during Halloween, this one really tears at my heart. What logical explanation is there for a man living in the United States to own an AK-47 at home?? The tragedies at Virginia Tech and Columbine are still fresh in my mind as well. But, if I vote against the NRA and their support for guns, am I morally imbalanced because of the issue of abortion?

The above is just to emphasize there is no black and white, no easy dividing line that can state that one man or party follows Christ, and one does not. My Christian beliefs define me as a person, and in turn impacts my perception, thoughts and opinions on who should be in political leadership positions.

But, to equate this to "What Would Jesus Do?" discussions or imply damnation because of a vote is ludicrous. We are citizens of this country, and we have a social obligation to vote. But, study the issues and vote for the person you feel will represent the greater good of the country.

In a commentary on Carlton's endorsement, Glen Chancy wrote a couple lines that I hope everyone considers while going to cast their vote, i.e.,

We need to analyze our founding precepts, our core beliefs, and begin to seriously consider what it means to be both American and Orthodox in terms of our relationship to governing authority.

American Orthodox Christians will always disagree over many individual policies and candidates. But at least by focusing on enduring principals rather than transitory personalities or policy prescriptions, we can hopefully find some common ground on which we can all stand together.