Biblical Values
All the Candidates’ Faith
Posted by: K.D. Hastings on April 4, 2008 Biblical Values •
In the run-up to Election Day 2008, is there a value in voters having some sort of religiosity meter to help them decide whom to support?
Does it matter if a candidate wears his or her faith on their shoulder? Can we discern if such pronouncements are genuine or only carefully calculated campaign-speak?
E.J. Dionne Jr., an op-ed columist with the Washington Post, wrote in his June 30, 2006 column: “Many Democrats discovered God in the 2004 exit polls.”
Both Democratic candidates have what has been described as significant faith components to the campaign. The party is committed to attracting at least some of the right-leaning evangelicals who helped usher George W. Bush into the White House—twice.
While the Senator from Illinois works to untangle himself from some of the now-public and strikingly racist comments made by his faith leader, it does not diminish the fact that, perhaps more than any other candidate, he has placed his faith at the center of this campaign.
Addressing his denomination’s convention last June, the senator said: “My faith teaches me that I can sit in church and pray all I want, but I won’t be fulfilling God’s will unless I go out and do the Lord’s work.”
The senator from New York has gone public with a faith she indicates she has practiced quietly for years. While her husband was president, she was an active participant in a D.C. women’s prayer group.
A story in the Christian Science Monitor claims that soon after Bush was reelected, Clinton said it was “a mistake for the Democrats not to engage evangelical Christians on their own turf – essentially ceding the vote to President Bush.”
Oddly enough, it is the Republican’s presumptive nominee that is quiet about his faith. Some commentators have speculated the senator from Arizona is a “throwback to an earlier generation when such matters were kept personal.”
When asked In an interview about his faith, the senator said, “I think it’s something between me and my creator. It’s primarily a private issue rather than a public one.”
Most candidates and their staffs search for ways to gain the support of different segments of society. Their campaign pitch changes dependent on the group to which they are speaking—union members, farmers, or college students, for example.
There is no harm in blending politics and religion, that is, until religion becomes the victim and is bruised in the pairing. The same concern exists for politics (the state.)
Yet should an individual’s particular faith be a criterion by which voters determine which candidate to support? It was clear that the candidacy of the former governor of Massachusetts was torpedoed primarily by his faith.
Or should voters instead examine how the candidates’ faith impacts their policy positions, i.e., how they put feet to their faith, such as their view on the preciousness of human life at all ages and stages? It seems the Bible is quite clear on that matter.
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“Respectful Disagreement”?
Posted by: Brent James on March 12, 2008 Biblical Values •
Duct Tape and WD-40. Used separately or together, these twin miracles can fix nearly every conceivable mess, misfortune, or mishap. Or so thought most of us at one time or another. Though I attest to their remarkable versatility in a pinch, they won’t work in every case. Neither will misapplied Scripture. And politics is one of those arenas where its useful interpretation has got to be dead on.
Barak Obama was the latest public official to make this gaffe. Speaking in Ohio, the senator defended his belief in same-sex civil unions by referencing Christ’s Sermon on the Mount as biblical support. He closed his comments with, ”But we can have a respectful disagreement on that.”
Can we? Yes, I believe we can and should, so long as the truth prevails. There can be but one answer here. Opposing interpretations create conflict where none exists biblically. Stepping out to make a political point on the back of Scripture is precarious to say the least. Especially telling are the intellectual methodologies employed in constructing such a basis. They often reveal values that we not only understand, but can readily evaluate.
Polls (and the New York Times) claim that evangelicals favor Obama in considerable numbers. The Barna Group’s latest poll holds this to be true. So what does that mean? Simply, that we follow our course of measuring values presented against those of Scripture. This not only provides clarity, but gives us opportunity to exercise our idle brains.
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Socialism Is For Wimps
Posted by: Brent James on March 12, 2008 Biblical Values •
More Americans are trusting the goodness of government to solve their problems. Christians aren’t immune from such leanings, so we are seeing examples of denominations and associations of religious leaders advocating more collaborative partnerships with government agencies. The goals are sincere, I’m sure, but there are fundamental questions we must consider. Is it right for us to look to the federal government to provide what we would otherwise receive from God’s hand? His blessing and our obedient, honest industry deliver sufficiency or abundance.
How have we transformed from a few colonial states of rugged individuals to a vast country of entitled victims? Is it the people? The laws? The extraordinary fruit of prosperity? Remember, it was the Plymouth pilgrims who embraced private land ownership, having seen the remarkable effect it had on improving their brethren’s work ethic. Free to pursue individual gain, they flourished. Our government is to restrain lawlessness, thereby maintaining an environment conducive to success.
What happens when the spirit of dependency is fostered among peoples believing the state as caretaker? It becomes entrenched and society suffocates. Nature abhors a vacuum, as does government. Create any circumstance or constituency of need, then whistle. It’ll find you. Forever seeking to sooth, pacify, and ameliorate our nation’s ills, real or imagined, it has an unequalled acuity and can hear the desperate groans of privation from across the land. Its appetite is unrestrained.
Who then, is responsible for securing basic needs? You are. That’s it. Christian churches are to support those in adverse (according to Scripture) circumstances, caring for orphans, widows, and the destitute (that excludes able-bodied slackers that beg for cash).
“All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” Proverbs 14:23
“If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” 2 Thessalonians 3:12
This refrain is repeated as a central theme in Ecclesiastes.
“I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.” Thomas Jefferson
If any should conceive otherwise, that is, government as responsible provider, he would, in effect, be subjecting other taxpaying citizens to serve his needs. This sort of confiscatory policy is nothing short of socialism. And socialism never gave a dime to anyone that it had not stolen first from others. Only a society of private ownership can lead to certain prosperity that, in turn, gives rise to great charity.
“That government is best which governs the least, because its people discipline themselves.” Thomas Jefferson
The government cannot provide for you, so stop expecting it. Many are the warnings of such wayward thinking. It can but lead to despotism.
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Temper, Temper
Posted by: Brent James on March 8, 2008 Biblical Values •
What makes you mad? Which sort of events set you off? We all have lists of minor irritations causing us to bite our lips or mumble unspeakable things. But blowing your stack? I mean really coming unglued to the point of losing all sense of propriety. The question may seem idle until you think about the implications of losing one’s temper – especially in a critical situation. The type a president faces every day.
Keeping a level head under duress is a true test of character. That doesn’t mean that a leader will, under those circumstances alone, render the best judgment. It does, however, mean that the decision maker stands a much greater chance of successfully analyzing a crisis without emotional discord.
“A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered.” Proverbs 17:27
Bold and fearless, steady and sure. Seeing that kind of leadership in action instills a sense of confidence. How does your candidate stack up? It is important to have answers to this and many other questions of personal performance before the general election. Politicians usually display their best behavior in campaign mode, all the more reason we should look closely for the wrinkles as well.
In the last few weeks there have been reported incidents of political violence. A man in North Carolina smashed an acquaintance on the head with a bat reportedly during an argument over politics while the Clinton/Obama debate was televised. The perpetrator then drove the victim to the hospital. In Pennsylvania, two brothers-in-law argued about the Democratic nomination for president when the Clinton supporter stabbed the Obama supporter in the stomach. Let’s hope our elected leaders can do better than that.
Read. Listen. Vote your Values.
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What Sort Are You?
Posted by: Brent James on February 25, 2008 Biblical Values •
As you “shop” for our next president, shouldn’t character be the prime consideration? Not the candidate’s character, but yours. Scrutinizing a person’s ability to justly lead our nation is done so through our own personal lens. Most choose the candidate they feel is best based on their values. But aren’t we, in effect, saying much about ourselves in the process?
Would anyone select a president with lesser values than his or her own? That’s courting disaster. Or do we believe that a president should reflect the electorate in every possible way? Voters preferred Bill Clinton to his predecessors because he was “cool.” Somehow, he was more human. He made Americans more comfortable with their own failings. But character matters and integrity never goes out of style.
Some consider it hypocritical to elect a person with higher values than their own. The question then becomes, “Why should we expect more from an elected official than what we expect of ourselves?” Our standard should be exemplary, should it not? The best mankind has to offer.
All peoples are prone to human failure, an unfortunate characteristic of the race. We would do well to emulate a higher standard than one of our making. Though many Christians identify with King David, it is Christ’s unfailing example to which we should aspire.
“Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” Acts 17:11
Apparently, people of noble character do their homework.
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Making Progress
Posted by: Bobby Reed on February 22, 2008 Biblical Values •
From politics to the pew, and throughout American history, the issue of race has been a thorn in our nation’s side. Memories run deep and the sting of racism is not forgotten. Many who supported the institution of slavery mistakenly looked to the Bible for support. Yet the abolition of slavery and the Civil Rights Movement were birthed out of biblically based principles that hold that all people have equal worth before God.
While there are many areas in American society that still need to improve regarding the issue of race, the fact that a non-Caucasian is a leading contender for the office of President of the United States indicates our nation has made great strides in this arena.
In his well-known “I Have a Dream” speech, given on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr., said, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
In this election season, it is important as ever that we heed Dr. King’s call. As Christians, it is our biblical duty to educate ourselves on the important issues of the day in light of Scripture’s teaching, evaluate the candidates based on these issues, and then vote, not based on race or skin color, but on our values, beliefs and convictions.
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VOTING: How Then Should We Think?
Posted by: Brent James on February 4, 2008 Biblical Values •
Before we vote, before we can even weigh the various values being tossed about the Internet, we must have biblical voting guidelines. How are we to know whether a candidate is biblically qualified? What is the mind of God for this process? There’s so much more to consider than the candidates alone. Doug Phillips addresses these questions in a new 2-volume CD from Vision Forum.
“Biblical Principles of the Ballot Box” is a timely resource for anyone wanting to vote with godly wisdom. Of the book, Mr. Phillips has written that it “explores the Scriptural standards for selecting civil magistrates, and offers great hope for Christians living in an age in which our leaders have broken covenant with the God of their fathers. It explores the blessing presented in Scripture to all who will enter the ballot box with supreme confidence that the Lord sovereignly reigns.”
The 2008 election is creating worry in the minds of the electorate, but Mr. Phillips challenges, “At stake is far more than the presidency. The question concerns the conscience of the Church. We can “win” an election, and yet sell our spiritual birthright. Conversely, we can “lose” an election yet remain faithful to the Word of God, thus preserving the conscience of the body of Christ, and enjoying the favor of the Lord.”
Well said.
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I Voted for ME
Posted by: Brent James on January 30, 2008 Biblical Values •
Last night I watched video clips of the Florida primary exit polling. The good citizens were asked, “What do you think are the key issues?” Some responded to the question by personalizing its context. The question for them became, “What are the key issues that affect me?” One retired gentleman offered healthcare and the high cost of prescription drugs, saying, “That’s what effects me most.” I was bothered to hear him say that and wondered how many of us think in similar fashion, completely unaware.
Today, I asked some kids in my neighborhood what they thought about the concept. I repeated the interview question as well as the man’s response then asked, “Was that a good answer? If not, what should it have been?” The three of them thought about it and one young girl, about 10 years old, said, “He should vote on what is important to everybody, not just him.” Exactly. We’re all in this together.
As we prepare to vote in the coming weeks, let’s shift our focus. Expand its understandably narrow confines and consider how our vote affects America.
For the common good, as they say.
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Who Starts This Stuff, Anyway?
Posted by: Brent James on January 23, 2008 Biblical Values •
Growing up, I believed that if an adult was on television, especially a polished news anchor, he was perfectly truthful. After all, he was telling us the news. What would he be lying about? Honestly, that is what I thought and I doubt you could’ve convinced me otherwise. My parents didn’t lie to me and I trusted them, so by extension, I afforded their broadcasting counterparts the same allegiance. As Wally Cleaver used to say, “Gee! What a goof!”
Today we call it ‘spinning’ because it gives us all an equal chance of adding our particular ‘slant’ without having to feel that we’ve done anything wrong. But, as believers, we know that some things are wrong even if they are not specifically referred to as such. We call it an ‘absolute’ or ‘law.’ But what happens when, by the whim of some official say, a law (or the enforcement of it) is temporarily suspended? The history of the Israelites is replete with such consequences. Lawlessness abounds.
Matthew 24:12 states, “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.” I don’t know about you, but that is not the society I want for my kids or me. Despite my wishes, it is already apparent in our nation.
When cities such as San Francisco or Boston host homosexual pride marches, their mayors waive enforcement of indecency laws and the participants joyfully violate them at will. How can law enforcement NOT enforce laws of that nature? I can understand suspending a handful of traffic laws to ease congestion, but nudity, public urination and lewdness? Would you vote for someone running for office that told you he would not enforce laws he did not like? How about someone believing that public indecency is sometimes acceptable?
Then there’s the police SWAT team in western Colorado that invaded a family’s home with guns drawn, demanding that the 11-year-old son, who had had an accidental fall, accompany them to the hospital. Talk about officials running amok with their authority.
In Wichita, Kansas, pastor Mark Holick was arrested for showing up at a homosexual festival to share Christ with the attendees. His church has also been threatened by the Internal Revenue Service for posting messages on its marquee dealing with the value of human life, based on dozens of Bible references.
Who starts this stuff anyway? Public officials that we elect to serve us, that’s who. This abuse comes from the top, down. If we are going to have a meaningful impact on this blatant disregard for the law then we must start at the ballot box.
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Time to Think
Posted by: Brent James on January 18, 2008 Biblical Values •
Perhaps at no other time in our history will Americans have a more critical decision to make than that of electing a president this November. Among us, we Christians have an exclusive call to be salt and light to this to this generation and as such will set our country’s course (or ‘curse’ should we fail). This will require some homework and discernment, but not to fear, we have time and God gives us wisdom in full.
Daily news interviews feature voter reasoning that defies rationality. I shudder when I hear well-meaning citizens offering the strangest reasoning in support of their candidate. “He’s really a nice guy” or “She is really smart and cares about America.” I shudder even more hearing the reasoning of believers articulating their own musings along these lines. Shouldn’t logic and values go hand in hand? One would think.
One would also think that endorsements at this stage of the game would be few – especially among evangelical leaders. We should’ve learned from 2000 and 2004. It is still too early. Paul Weyrich and Pat Robertson have made amazing endorsements. Logic and faith are not mutually exclusive, yet many, including these men, have overlooked glaring differences between their values and those of the candidates they’ve endorsed. What does that say about our faith? Are we to make concessions on our beliefs in order to support someone who has a better ‘chance’ of winning?
Talk to anyone about this election and the big question becomes “Yeah, but can they win?” or “Are they really electable?” Should that be our standard for supporting a candidate? What chance did Gideon’s band have against an army of 130,000? What chance did Sampson have against 1000 Philistines or the Hebrew nation against Pharaoh’s chariots? We don’t work that way. We should vote the tenets of our faith and leave the results to God – not try to determine the outcome based on what looks outwardly promising minus a few concessions. Samuel would not have chosen David as king.
Dan Bartlett, a former Bush advisor, gave this analysis of Mike Huckabee’s problems as a candidate, “..having the last name ‘Huckabee’ you’ve got to be kidding me! Hope, Arkansas? Here we go again.” While saying Huckabee’s name is too ‘hick’ might make for amusing political banter, it lacks the faith component God requires. Before all this is over many strange and unusual twists will have played out.
Watch and be diligent. This process is our great privilege. Our hope is not the wishful kind. Ours is a hope of action.
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