Combating a spirit of “I’m not going to vote”
By: American Decency Staff
Among some there seems to be a spirit of “I’m not going to vote”.
Several of us here are a part of a calling center a couple of times a week, surveying potential voters to help identify “values voters.” Now, I’m not alarmed or surprised by the huge number of people that hang up on us. We all grow weary of phone calls that come in that want to seek donations or ask questions regarding what we think or feel, etc..
However, what concerns me are the numbers of people that show cynicism or disinterest. It concerns me when I hear people that don’t even know who’s running for President or U.S. Senate.
Several reasons are cited.
Here are just a few samples of what some are saying and my response.
Email #1:
“All I can say is find me an honest man that I can vote for.”
My comment: We will always be dealing with an imperfect system and imperfect candidates, and we ourselves are imperfect. That shouldn’t keep us from voting – our right and privilege as a citizen. The vast majority of nations that have existed down through the ages have operated under tyranny – authoritative governments where the people have no vote. The privilege of voting still exists. Shame on us if we don’t exercise this precious right available only to a very small percentage of people in the entire world. Hundreds of thousands have laid down their lives that we might live in freedom! That freedom includes the right to vote!
Email #2:
“What about when both candidates are ungodly, and one is a communist and one is a cultist?”
My comment: Borrowing a page from a Summit Ministries article (see)
As Jeremiah 29:4-7 reminds us, we are to seek the welfare of our city — of our most immediate communities. In other words, we are to be preserving agents, not just of cultures, but also of good political processes. And in our own republic, sometimes preserving the political process involves voting against someone as much as voting for someone. Therefore, if a candidate would not be our first choice to fill a political position, we can vote for that candidate in the hope that a worse candidate does not win.
If you had a doctor and you were facing a major surgery and the surgeon recommended by other professionals was a member of a cult, would you avoid him as a surgeon?
Some of you probably would in theory, but I wonder how many really would if their lives were in jeopardy.
Email #3:
“I'm not intending to vote Republican in this election. I think the party is more about compromise and politics than doing what is right. I do, however, intend to vote. But I'm voting for a party of principle: The Constitution Party.”
My comment: It is very, very late in America. There are many regarded Christians such as Dr. Jim Dobson and Gary Bauer who have been stating that this is no time for Christians to not vote but also not a time to throw away your vote.
There is much at stake
Securing our borders
Traditional Marriage
Sanctity of life
Our economy
Jobs
Israel
Islamofascism
Vacancies that will be coming on the U.S. Supreme Court and other high courts
To suggest that there isn’t a clear difference between the two candidates and the positions they espouse is simply not presenting the facts that are before us.
If individuals who care about the sanctity of life and traditional marriage and who realize that America is not far from losing its Constitutional moorings don’t vote or throw their vote away on a third party candidate who isn’t going to win, they’re doing a disservice to those who come after them.
Email #4:
Thank you Bill. I am running a voting booth to help folks register to vote, learn about re-districting, and representing Center for Arizona Policy (CAP) at my church, … . Unfortunately have already run into adversity (again) from the pastoral staff…because “we are a seeker church” …they inhibit themselves from doing what Rev. Charles Finney & our founders did to give us this great gift of a nation. Some may call it fear; fear of the media; fear of others not “liking them” and so on….. not hearing the message of Christ “due to being political”.
I have lent the DVD sent to them “Why Christians Must Vote” as well as left books and even offered to have a class on Constitution & God’s influence using the DVD set; was denied so did it anyway at our home where a non-churched friend and a Jewish friend attended.
We have been members/founders of this church since 1993 ….
The reason I tell you all of this is to see if you have had any other folks who have similar experiences?
My comment: This is the reality that we face, dear friends. Sadly, the vast majority of pastors don’t touch this with a proverbial “ten foot pole.”
Believe me, we feel your pain!
To make it as easy as we possibly can, we are making available free of charge a twenty minute DVD taken from the two hour DVD “One Nation Under God.” I’ve entitled it “Why Christians Must Vote” with David Barton.
We’ve lost sight of our great heritage as a nation founded on Biblical truth, and the consequences are dire: schools are failing, the divorce rate is climbing, and our society is rife with scandal and corruption. It’s time to reclaim our Biblical heritage and bring God back to the center of American life. Where do we start?
It starts with you and me. According to the organization United in Purpose, “of the 60 million Christians in the U.S., only 30 million of them vote in any given election or are even registered to vote. Our research has shown that it only takes 5 million votes to decide an election. We believe that if Christian voters will make their voices heard on Election Day, we can bring about positive change in America. Our nation was founded on Biblical principles, but God has been expunged from our culture, and as a consequence, our nation is in an ethical and moral mess.”
As a step to help bring God back to the center of American life, American Decency Association is distributing this significant DVD, as stated above, free of charge.
We urge you to order this complimentary DVD and show it to your friends and family, Sunday School class or church group. Once you view this powerful DVD for yourself, we believe you will definitely want to share it with others.
Let's encourage one another and strengthen one another to be salt and light.
American Decency Association
Bill Johnson, President
P.O. Box 202
Fremont, MI 49412
ph: 231-924-4050
www.americandecency.org
