Consider these questions before you vote

Pastors.com Article: Consider these questions before you vote



Consider these questions before you vote

by Robert Jeffress



1. Demonstrate faith in God's power--Daniel 2:21. God is not sweating over the results of November 2 and neither should we.



2. Appreciate differences among believers. There is room for debate on Iraq, tax cuts, etc. God is neither Republican nor Democrat.



3. Propagate truth, not rumor. The Internet makes it possible to spread information that is not true (e.g. story about Kerry quoting John 16:3 as favorite Scripture passage). Ephesians 4:25 commands us to lay aside falsehood and speak truth.



4. Participate in the electoral process. Because our form of government is "we the people," we are the leaders of our nation and, by our vote, determine the spiritual direction of our nation.



Questions to consider:



Any candidate who says that his religious beliefs would have no effect on his policies either has a shallow faith or a shallow understanding of the issues.



Does he believe that government should only recognize marriages between men and women? The original and biblical definition of marriage is one man with one woman in a monogamous relationship. Any attempt to expand that definition to allow for homosexual or polygamous "marriages" would undermine the family and ultimately destroy society.



Should God be acknowledged in the "public square" or does the candidate believe that "the separation of church and state" prohibits such expressions? If a candidate uses "the separation of church and state" as a rationale for prohibiting nativity scenes on government property, forbidding prayers at school events, removing the phrase "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance, or suggesting that government should in no way acknowledge God, he has little understanding of the Constitution or American history. As the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in 1892, "No purpose of action against religion can be imputed to any legislation, state or national; because this is a religious people. ... This is a Christian nation."



Does the candidate have a history of voting "pro-life" or does he support abortion under the guise of "women's reproductive rights"? In recent months candidates have had the opportunity to reveal their true beliefs about the sanctity of human life in two key votes: the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 and the Fetal Protection Act of 2004 recently signed into law by President Bush. Any candidate who would oppose limiting the barbaric practice of partial birth abortions or would oppose the punishment of those who harm the fetus of a pregnant woman while committing a federal crime does not recognize the sanctity of life within a mother's womb.



Does the candidate believe public schools should present optional views for the origin of life along with the theory of evolution? A recent Zogby poll revealed that 64% of Americans favor teaching creationism along with evolution, allowing students to weigh the evidence and decide for themselves. If the case for evolution is as strong as its advocates claim, why are they so insistent that no other viewpoint be presented?



What criteria would the candidate use to nominate federal judges? Those who are "constructionists" believe that judges have the responsibility to abide by the original intent of the framers of the Constitution. However, many liberal politicians view the Constitution as an "organic" document, meaning that judges are free to impose their own opinions or even the views of foreign courts on our nation -- even if such opinions contradict previous judicial decisions. This actually happened in June of 2003 when the Supreme Court struck down a Texas law outlawing sodomy, contradicting their previous rulings and citing other nations' acceptance of homosexuality as a basis for their opinion.



-Purpose-Driven®-



Dr. Robert Jeffress