Tag: voting

Lesser of Two Evils

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According to a recent survey[i], 46% of Americans polled said that they will be voting for the “lesser of two evils” this presidential election.  Since it seems to be the most prevalent comment I’ve heard, I’m not surprised in the least.  And while I completely understand the rationale behind the thought, the notion is troubling.  Laying aside all political loyalties, social concern, or even emotional motives, this issue boils down to the simplistic truth that choosing the lesser of two evils is still choosing evil.

Let me speak to Christians.  If we hold to God’s Word as all truth, we must admit that “lesser evil” is still “evil”.  We are told in Romans 12:9 to “abhor that which is evil.”  In I Thessalonians 5:22 we are told to “abstain from all appearance of evil.”  Proverbs 8:13 states that “the fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way.”  And Ephesians 5:11 tells us to have no fellowship (or partnership) with the “unfruitful works of darkness.”  Instead believers are to “reprove” (admonish or rebuke) evil.

Voting is a privilege as well as our Christian duty, and I would never tell a person who they should vote for.  But I will exhort my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to prayerfully consider what your vote will stand for.  A fellow blogger made the statement that in 1933 Germany the two most “electable” parties were the Nazis and the Communists.  Then he asks a pointed question.  “For which of these did German Christians have a ‘civic duty’ to vote?”

It has been said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.   I believe that it is foolish to expect different results in our country until God’s people change their ways (repent) and begin to stand firm on truth.  When Christians step away from absolute truth and blend right and wrong with relativism, or try to cover up black and white issues with shades of gray, we are in danger of God’s judgment.  The Bible is filled with antithetical laws: good or evil, black or white, saved or unsaved, right or wrong, heaven or hell, narrow way or broad way, foundation on solid rock or sandy foundation, righteous or unrighteous, God’s children or the children of the devil, etc.    May our faith and practice once again line up with this truth.

A Christian’s Response to the Upcoming Election

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My last post talked about consequences and I am afraid that this next election will hold grave consequences.  So what should a Christian’s response be to the upcoming election?   It appears that our options for voting are between current President Obama and Mitt Romney.  I’m not even going to address the President’s policies these last 3 ½ years.  Let his actions speak for himself.  I’m also not going to address that fact that Mitt Romney is not a career politician (which I believe is a great asset) or his apparent values.  Laying all political, financial, and moral views aside, I want to address something different.  Should a Christian vote for a candidate who is not a Christian?

Regardless of how the media likes to spin the issue, the truth from God’s Word is that, “by their fruits ye shall know them” (Matthew 7:20).  Evaluate for yourself the “fruits” produced by our current President who strongly supports the murder of innocent babies and homosexual marriage.

So I ask the next question.  Is Mitt Romney, a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a Christian?  While I cannot know his heart, I can look at the Mormon religion as a whole.

The Institute for Religious Research has a page on the Mormon religion (http://mit.irr.org/mormonism-christian-2) that explains the basic beliefs of Mormons.  Below are a few, but not all, of Mormon beliefs.

  • Many gods made the world (Abraham 4:1-31)
  • God the Father was once a man (LDS Church teaches that Jesus Christ, humans, angels, and fallen spirits including Satan are all eternal beings that were never created and that are all spirit brothers and sisters. In particular, Christ and Lucifer (Satan) were two spirit brothers; Christ supported Heavenly Father’s plan while Lucifer did not.)
  • Adam’s sin was “a necessary step in the plan of life and a great blessing to all of us” (Book of Mormon—2 Nephi 2:14-26; Book of Moses 5:10-12)
  • Mormonism teaches that a person must become worthy in order to obtain forgiveness of sins and eternal life in the presence of God the Father through obedience to all the commands of the LDS Church (Book of Mormon—2 Nephi 25:23;
  • LDS Church teaches that the Bible has been corrupted, is missing many “plain and precious parts,” and does not contain the fullness of the gospel (1 Nephi 13:26-29)
  •  LDS Church teaches that faithful Mormons who fulfill all of their spiritual, moral, and ritual obligations can eventually attain the status of gods, beings of the same essential nature as God the Father ruling over their own worlds. “As man now is, God once was: As God now is, man may be” (Lorenzo Snow, in Presidents of the Church: Student Manual [2004], 88, 90; Gospel Fundamentals [2001], 201; Gospel Principles [2009], 275-79; Teachings of Presidents of the Church: George Albert Smith [2011], 71).

The Mormonism Research Ministry has compiled this list. (http://www.mrm.org/god-of-mormonism)

  •  The god of Mormonism is one of many gods.
  • The god of Mormonism is not self-existent.
  • The god of Mormonism is not transcendent.
  • The god of Mormonism is not immutable.
  • The god of Mormonism is not eternally God.
  • The god of Mormonism is not incorporeal.
  • The god of Mormonism is not omnipresent.
  • The god of Mormonism cannot dwell in the believer.
  • The god of Mormonism is not omnipotent.
  • The god of Mormonism does not forgive completely.

In his famous “King Follett Discourse” Joseph Smith (prophet, teacher, and leader of the saints) taught,

“God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens. That is the great secret… [Y]ou have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all Gods have done before you…”

According to www.mormon.org in addition to the Bible, Latter-day Saints accept the following books as scripture:

  • The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, a record of God’s dealings with the inhabitants of ancient America (2000  BC – 400 AD).
  • The Doctrine and Covenants, a collection of revelations and inspired declarations given for the establishment and regulation of the Church of Jesus Christ in the last days (1830 AD – 1978 AD).
  • The Pearl of Great Price, a selection of revelations, translations, and writings of Joseph Smith.

This information does not even touch on all the false beliefs of the Mormons.  Check it out for yourself.

http://www.biblebelievers.com/jmelton/Mormons.html

http://bible-truth.org/arelds.htm

http://cnview.com/on_line_resources/are_mormons_christian.htm

So, it is clear that the god the Mormons worship is not the True God of the Bible.  It is also clear that they do not worship the true Christ who says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Nor do they uphold the true Word of God.

So here is the dilemma.  If we have two unbelievers running for president what do we do?  How do we vote?  Let me answer that question with this one.   Are there only two choices?  As a Christian I believe that I should not only vote in each election, but that I should pray and seek out God’s will.  So, would God give His children the choice between two unbelievers?  Would God want us voting for an unbeliever?  Would God not give His children a way to make the right decision?  We might be tempted to cast a vote for an unbeliever because it is the “lesser of two evils.”  We might be tempted to lay aside the candidates faith or our faith and focus on the politics. But as a Christian I cannot separate my faith from my vote.  My faith is not what I do; it is who I am.  My conscience tells me that I would be wrong to vote for an unbeliever, regardless of the circumstances.  You see, God always gives His children the ability to do what is right.  “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1Co 10:13)

 It was John Quincy Adams that said, “Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.”  So it looks like that over the next few months I am going to be doing some research on other 3rd party candidates, trusting that the God of the Bible is sovereign and knowing my conscience is clear.

Should Christians Vote for a Woman President?

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As the 2012 election approaches there is a lot of talk about potential candidates.  Who will be the next United States president?   Will a woman make history by being elected?  Perhaps it is too early to decide.  However, it is not too early to discuss the possibility.  And more importantly, what biblical stand should Christian people take on the matter.  Does God’s Word address such issues?

God ordained three institutions upon this earth.  He ordained the family, the church, and government.   The Scriptures are clear about the hierarchy within the family.  The husband is the head of the family; the wife is to submit to him as unto the Lord; and the children are to honor and obey their parents. (Ephesians 5:33-6:3)  The Scriptures are clear about the hierarchy within the church.  I Timothy 2: 9-15 and I Corinthians 14:33-35 explains this clearly.  Men are to be the spiritual leaders not only within their home but also within the church.  I realize that even within Christian circles today that this is not taught.  However, the authority of the Scriptures still stands.  We can accept the truth or deny the truth, but we cannot change it.  So if God has established men to lead in the institution of the home and within the church.  Why then, would we think that God would not have a hierarchy within the institution of government? 

When tackling the subject of women in political leadership, often Christian’s will point to two particular passages in the Bible – Esther and Deborah.  Esther is the heroine of the Old Testament book named after her.  She was the young Jewish Queen of the Persian King Ahasuerus.  She was responsible for saving her people from mass slaughter.  Esther was placed in her position, “for such a time as this.” (Esther 4:14)  The account of Deborah is found in the book of Judges Chapter 4.  She was a prophetess who judged her people.  She was the only female judge of Israel.  Deborah led a successful attack against Jabin, the King of Canaan.

Those that contend that God is pleased with women in leadership often use these examples from history.  In looking at the story of Esther it is important to remember that she did not have a choice in the matter.  She was not seeking a position of political leadership.  She did not purposely forsake her family in order to become Queen.  She was not given an option.  Look at Deborah from Judges Chapter 4, many others will say.  God used her to lead the nation of Israel to great victory.  This is a convincing argument other than the fact that people forget to take the story in context.  When you look at the whole passage contextually the children of Israel “did evil in the sight of the Lord,” (Judges 4:1).  God was not pleased with them and put them in bondage.  It was a shame to the men of Israel for a woman to judge over them.  Isaiah 3:11-12 says, “Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him. As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.”   There is a lot to this passage.  But simply put, God gave the wicked people what they wanted.  It could be that God, in His sovereignty, will allow a woman President.  Romans Chapter 13 tells us that there is no power but of God.  God Himself will place our next President.  But Christians must remember that sometimes God gives His people what they want, not what is best for them, (I Samuel Chapter 8).

 When sharing this view with a young lady, the other day, I was asked, “What if the vote comes down between an unrighteous man for President and a Christian woman?”  Wouldn’t we have to vote for a woman in this case?  Many believe that we must often choose the “lesser of two evils.”  The assumption is that God will not give His people the right option.  However, I believe that God always gives His people a way to make the right choice, (I Corinthians 10:13).  It was John Quincy Adams that said, “Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.”  

 Whether we are speaking about the home, the church, or government, the issue has never been if women were capable of leading.  Of course women are capable of leading.  There are many talented women who have a great gift of administration.  The issue has never been if they were smart enough.  There are many women who are well educated and skilled above even men.   The issue has never been if they could lead.  It is true that there are women that could lead very well.  But these are not the issues.  The biblical issue is whether women should lead.  Christian people can rationalize woman leading in the home, in the churches and within our government.  However, they cannot from the Scriptures establish that this is God will.  He did not design women to lead in any of the institutions He has ordained.  The fictitious principle is just not there.  The modern feminist movement has caused many Christian’s to err.  I pray that we will lay aside this fallacy and come back to Scripture.  May the pure Words of God be our standard for our beliefs.