WWJD: How Would Jesus Vote??
Michael Spencer’s writes in his article, Voting Utopian?, at Razor Mouth on the difficulty of choosing between 2 evils and a good, or as he puts it:
What if the “Christian position” is so incompatible with political realities that voting for it deprives a vote from those whose policies might be significant improvements in society, even if they are not the Christian position? What if voting for the “Christian candidate” results in more, not less, abortions? More, not less, same sex marriages? More, not less, government intrusion and expansion? Is it better to vote for less slavery and less abortion, if no slavery and no abortion aren’t possible in a secular society?
This is the same argument that the liberals are using against Ralph Nader. That for a ‘green’ to vote for Nader is the same as a vote for Bush, and as a matter of fact it appears that the Republicans are doing their best to finance Nader because of this.
We, as Christians, are supposed to be as wise as serpents but as harmless as doves. We need to understand the mind of the snakes in society but not abuse people in our use of that knowledge. We should not want to be part of the ‘conservative establishment’ but we also are responsible for the laws that we end up living under. As the quoted above states, it was Luther who said he would rather be ruled by a good Turk than a bad Christian. As we reform the church, what is the best way to begin reforming culture?
What then is a Christian to do?
We should not want to be part of the ‘conservative establishment’ but we also are responsible for the laws that we end up living under. As the quoted above states, it was Luther who said he would rather be ruled by a good Turk than a bad Christian.Unfortunately, consistently voting this way (for the “lesser of two evils”) will ultimately simply lead to everyone being some degree of liberal. It’s a temporary fix, perhaps, but it’s not going to get us anything in the long run. History has repeatedly shown this tendency in the U.S.
A simple example goes thusly: Suppose a large segment of Libertarians take on the “lesser evil” approach and vote for Bush. This demonstrates in turn to the Republicans that they can get away with being “moderately conservative” and pull additional swing voters and maybe even some liberals their way by shifting slightly to the left.
Four years pass, and another election cycle comes up. Republicans now shift slightly more to the left, in order to steal some more swing votes. The Libertarian segment from before is faced with the same question: Which evil? Might as well take the lesser. And they vote for the Republican candidate.
In this way, over time, we all pile onto the car headed for Greater Evil. It’s just that some of us are in the backseat while others of us are sitting on the trailer dragging our feet on the pavement.
That’s why I don’t think we can vote for “lesser evils”. Doing so will eventually lead us to the greater evil anyway. If nobody ever votes Libertarian (just to follow the example), politicians will understand that there isn’t any reason for them to adopt Libertarian ideas because there isn’t a significant number of votes to be gained by doing so.
From the Razormouth article:
Where we have the opportunity to influence men’s lives, we don’t walk by on the other side until our candidate wins, but we take the wounded to the (imperfect) inn and do what we can to alleviate suffering and bring justice now.Laying aside the distortion of the context and intent of Luke 10:29-35, such a desire–to “bring justice now” (emphasis theirs)–is perhaps understandable, but contradicts Reformed thinking. If anything, we should understand that reformation does not happen overnight. The kingdom of God is not as a lightning bolt; it is as leaven. The desire to pull off half-measures quickly in this manner–voting for lesser evil–will result in greater evil in the long run. It is short-term thinking that votes for lesser evil.
What then is a Christian to do?That’s really the question. :) And I have no good answer. But I know that personally I do not intend to vote for lesser evils. If Kerry becomes president, it pleased God to make it so. If Bush becomes president, it pleased God to make it so. Either way we are corporately responsible as a people, because we get the leaders we deserve. However, I don’t think we will be doing the corporate us any favors by voting for “half good, now”.
Comment by Matt Winckler — August 12, 2004 @ 12:05 pm