Are You a "Values Voter"?

     It really is a simple question: Are you a "values voter"?  I suppose I need to begin with defining the term.  A values voter is someone who participates in the election process by casting their votes for the candidates that most closely reflect their values.  Anyone can be a values voter - as values are individual. So with that bit of housekeeping in order, let us proceed.

     I consider myself a "values voter" because I try my best to determine what candidates on my ballot come closest to representing what I believe.  While I do not insist on a candidate holding the same specific doctrinal positions I do, or even be a member of "my church" or particular denomination, I do believe for a candidate to represent my values, they should be a born-again Christian. I further have a priority list of issues and positions that range from absolute, non-negotiable values, to those things that I can tolerate some variance in, to those things that have little weight in my values list. For example, among the issues that are non-negotiable are abortion (100% pro-life) and the biblical definition of marriage - one man and one woman (for life).

     But believe it or not, I have respect for those with very different views from me on my core issues, so long as they are genuine in their stand and with their vote.  Consistency that matches ones actual beliefs is admirable, and indeed brings me to the point I wish to make:

     If you consider yourself a "values voter (which I believe anyone taking the responsibility of voting seriously should be), then you will take the time and effort, no matter how "busy" you may think you are, to actually look at what the candidates say and believe. One glaring example of this is Jerry Falwell Jr. of Liberty University. Jerry has decided to throw his name and the name of Liberty University behind a candidate.  Of course, for such a public figure, particularly ministry-related, this can be a rather precarious step, regardless of who one supports. But I question if Mr. Falwell actually has even taken a moment to pray over his endorsement. With professing Christians in the race who have no qualms admitting their need for salvation, Mr. Falwell has decided to throw his weight behind a candidate who has a rather lengthy history of supporting "abortion rights", "gay marriage", and has praised socialist medical systems across the border. Certainly I am a firm believer that anyone can be changed in the very heart by the Divine hand of God through His Holy Spirit. Yet This particular candidate Mr. Falwell has chosen to endorse has never actually repented of his support of those very positions that Falwell himself claims to abhor.  This candidate has even specifically stated recently that he has never asked God for forgiveness, even going so far at one point to say "thats not my thing".

     This is the same candidate who has made a fortune through both shady and sometimes quite dishonest business practices, casino operations, and even strip clubs. This is a many who has made such a mockery of marriage as to render any opinion he now might express rather weak at best.

     And this endorsement by Falwell Jr., the son of famed evangelist and preacher Jerry Falwell Sr., who made a great deal of his name by leading the "moral majority" and their campaign against morality in this nation (love him or hate him). So the Falwell name goes from staunch opposition to smut and rampant sin, to endorsing a candidate who had made his fortune off of smut and sin. This is the same candidate that even Planned Parenthood has said they could live with (could it be the friendly statements he has made on their behalf defending the abortion mill? Or maybe the donations he has made to them over the years?).

     But let us take another glance at this situation - maybe one doesn't hold the same moral and biblical positions as the traditional Falwell family positions or mine.  But what does this candidate stand for that, just maybe, could be in some way redemptive?  He has a campaign slogan he rests his entire political fortune on - "lets make America Great again".  Hey - I like that! So, please tell me how that is going to come about (and what might that actually look like)? Oh, wait - so this candidate doesn't really have much of a plan to actually bring this to pass. But hey - he has some great hats and t-shirts available that say "Lets make America Great"!

     Well, maybe this candidate is going to fix the economy, right?  After all, we have record numbers on public assistance, record numbers unemployed or otherwise not in the workforce. So this candidate brings up coming down on China with tariffs because of unfair Chinese trade practices. Ok - thats fine. Except that this candidate has profited hugely by that same-said China trade situation that he now condemns.

     So again, I ask - are you a "values voter"? Do you actually care enough to measure available candidates by your own values (assuming you actually really know where you stand on the issues)? Regardless of your moral and political positions, I import you to do do-diligence and actually vote according to your beliefs and values, even if they are contrary to mine. But don't just base your vote on what the media tells you (about ANY candidate). Don't just rely on sound bites. What does the candidate really stand for and on? What is their record, whether in the political realm, or the private sector?

     But if you have made it this far and are still reading, and hold to what you believe are biblical/Christian values, please - for the very name of the Christ you profess - be careful who you support.

     And finally, I found the following to be rather convicting.  We are NOT stuck trying vote for the "lesser evil".  As I have said many times over the years, the "lesser evil" is still evil!

http://www.stepstopoliticalepiphany.com

     Please take voting seriously. Take any endorsement you chose to make just as seriously, and PRAY!

Death Penalty and the Christian (and An Ironic Twist)

There is a great deal of controversy and debate over the death penalty/capital punishment.  Many well-meaning Christians point to the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross to pay for our sins.  They look to scripture that clearly says that we all deserve death for our sins.  Unfortunately, while scripture does say that the "wages of sin is death", the death is an eternal death, separated from God in Hell and the Lake of Fire.  We all will indeed die one day.

Others point to the Old Testament Law and its clear demands for death in a wide variety of crimes.

So what should our attitude be towards the death penalty?  Did Jesus' death somehow eliminate the "need" for capital punishment?  I submit that the Death Penalty is not just morally correct, but is biblical.  Further, the death penalty, applied liberally is not a violation of the US Constitution's prohibition on "cruel and unusual punishment" (8th Amendment).

In Genesis 9:6 we read “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image."

It would seem obvious that human life is extremely important to God!  Why?  Because we are made in His image.  God's word clearly identifies murder as grounds for being put to death.  If one were to read further, God even made provision to spare the lives of those who shed blood by accident or through what we might define as "justifiable" circumstances by today's terms.

Scripture also squarely places the authority to wield the sword in the hands of the government.  Even if we have a hard time seeing where "good" comes from our governments, God has ordained and empowered governments.

At no point has God removed or changed His mind regarding murder.  Some point to Jesus and His intervention when the woman "caught in adultery" was going to be stoned to death.  What most fail to realize, is that Jesus' statement “Let him who is without sin among yoube the first to throw a stone at her” John 8:7, was not an undoing of the Law, but was a conviction of the hearts of the men who were, in reality, testing Jesus.  They had hoped Jesus would argue against the law, but instead the Law was turned back on them - because of the hypocrisy they were demonstrating.  Where was the man involved?  It takes two to commit physical adultery!  Jesus was not condemning the death penalty, He was condemning hypocrisy.

But that brings us back to the death penally, applied through the laws of this nation and our states.  

The Old Testament law commanded the death penalty for several acts, including murder (Exodus 21:12), kidnapping (Exodus 21:16), bestiality (Exodus 22:19), adultery (Leviticus 20:10), homosexuality (Leviticus 20:13), prostitution and rape (Deuteronomy 22:24), and other crimes.

While God often did show mercy when death was the "due" (David's adultery and murder being one example), and the truth that every sin we commit should result in the death penalty because the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), ultimately the death due for sin is an eternal death, separated from God in an eternal Hell and Lake of Fire. This should remind us of how thankful we should be that God demonstrates His love for us in not condemning us (Romans 5:8).

But we must recognize that God gave the authority to apply the death penalty where appropriate.  And while Christians should not celebrate executions, we should not rail against it either.

This brings up one of the biggest ironies of all in my mind (or maybe it is hypocrisy?):  How many people are staunchly against the application of the death penalty, yet are just as energetic in promoting abortion.  Will we protect the blatantly guilty, while destroying the unborn who are the closest to "innocent" we ever are in this flesh?

Think about it.