Voting One's Conscience

There is a lot of negativity expressed about the current election cycle and the constant barrage from the press about Barrack Obama becoming the next president of the United States. I don't know who will end up being president and I hope it will not in fact, be Senator Obama. If one is to believe the press at large and countless polls, the likelihood of his being president is high. Having already spent 2 million dollars toward a spanky victory party in Chicago, probably including a thumpin' sound system and laser show, there is little doubt that Senator Obama believes it.

I talked with at least one Christian friend who is dismayed by the apparently commanding lead Obama has in most accounts. There are those who are holding out for a surprise McCain victory. I haven't given serious thought to that. The fact of the matter is that I really don't have a horse in the race yet. I think it is very important not to vote for Barrack Obama for so many reasons, but it doesn't automatically follow that I must vote for John McCain. I live in a notoriously blue state. I could write in Buzz Lightyear and it wouldn't make an electoral difference. I am not saying one should do something like that. I merely mention it to illustrate the fact that voting one's principial beliefs by choosing a candidate from without the two-party system is not a dunder-headed thing to do. Would I be giving my vote away by doing so? Depends on what one's world paradigm is. I probably don't share one with John McCain, and I certainly do not share one with Barrack Obama.

I would rather vote my principles than vote pragmatically. But is pragmatism being evidenced by voting for John McCain in order to defeat Barrack Obama? I don't know who will be sworn into office next January 20th, but whoever it is will be allowed to do so through God's permissive will. The Lord told Pilate that he would have had no power over Him had it not been given to Pilate by the Father from above. We shouldn't allow ourselves to get all worked up about this sort of thing. That may be easier said than done. I have some nice friends in a couple who knelt together and cried when Bill Clinton was elected the first time.

But what will happen if the press is correct? What if Barrack Obama hasn't wasted a couple of million bucks on his lavish victory dance? Let's say that he puts his plan into action, and with the help of Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi the nation continues financially into a depression era recession. What will happen? Perhaps American Christians and non-Christians will have some hard times. Some might lose their homes, jobs and possessions. Perhaps many Christians need to go through some hard times to help them realize that there is work to be done. Perhaps non-believers need to go through hard times to have a change of perspective too. When people are living cushy lives of contentment, they are less likely to see their own spiritual state, that they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked.

Who of us knows? Perhaps a few years of an Obama presidency will lead to an immense revival for God's glory.

We have been in the last days for a couple of thousand years now. Time is winding down. Impending global economic disaster, moral decay and apostasy are things that ought to be expected in these times. They are only a reflection of the dark, prophetic portrait that was brushed out in God's word. We aren't allowed the luxury of withdrawing from everything that makes us uncomfortable in our lives. Voting one's conscience can be fairly uncomfortable, when faced with the notion that doing so will usher a Barrack Obama into office, and I have to wonder why most of the conservative Christian political groups that were so vocal and active in previous elections are so seemingly quiet this go-around. The real questions on my mind are, aren't we to vote for candidates whose platform will serve God? Are we not to seek to glorify Him by voting with hearts that trust Him to know what He is doing, even if voting our conscience looks as though we are "giving our vote away"?

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Romans 12:2