Should Christians vote?

[JimFoxvog]

Here's what a Church of the Brethren friend and spiritual director posted on Facebook yesterday:

I don't put a lot of faith in voting, but I care about those on the margins and am glad to say NO to this wicked man, his enablers, the lies, the chaos, the brutality, and the failure to take COVID seriously. I often feel conflicted when I vote, but today, this was an easy choice!

[Neto]

I have written about this before, so I'll be very brief. I was extremely patriotic until during the time when first the USA abandoned South VietNam, after which the country fell to the Viet Cong in 1975. During the year or so that followed, I became increasing influence by the hippie peace movement and the MCC Peace Section (whose rhetoric was very similar, with a 'Mennonite flavor'). I was an activist pacivist, but was gradually pulled out of that by a more careful reading of the Scripture, and finally came to the conviction that the way to peace was not through protest or the process of secular law, but through one-on-one personal relationships with people. Coupled with this is the conviction that there is only one Kingdom for the Christian, that of the Christ of God, and that as a member of that single allegiance I am an 'alien' in this, and all countries, no matter where I reside. Voting is for citizens; I am only a denizen, a legal resident.

[Dan Z]

Great dialogue. I enjoyed it immensely and agreed with much,

To be honest though, I heard very little about whether I should or shouldn’t vote. I certainly agree with the ethics of suffering love and the cross as the crux of the Kingdom. I heard a lot about the dangers of aligning with a political party, but really nothing compelling for me on the vote or no vote question.

Fair enough. I dont usually try to formulate it as a moral or ethical question, but use words like "advocate"...etc.

For me, the closest it gets to being a morality issue is the conflict in being non-resistant on the one hand and choosing the commander in chief (or sheriff or whomever is charged with bearing the sword of the state) on the other hand.

[JimFoxvog]

I appreciate the video. I feel like I'm getting to know you, Josh and Dan, better.

[Ken]

For example, a lot of conservative Anabaptist are active in the pro-life movement which is inherently political and who's objective is entirely political.

Not to bunny trail, but advocating for the rights of life is political? I would suggest rereading your Bible and Anabaptist doctrine. Our devotion to life is so strong that many of us will not take another's life, even to protect our own.

You mis-understand me.

Being pro-life is not per-se political.

Engaging in political activities on behalf of pro-life objectives is political. If you are engaging with your government, trying to influence the votes of Senators at the state or local level, advocating for pro-life policies, supporting pro-life candidates and so forth. Attempting to influence your government is just as political as voting. I'm not saying those things are wrong, just that they are political.

Unless you want to tell me that the pro-life movement has no political objectives and only wants to influence individuals without changing any laws. But that is, of course, nonsense. Abortion is probably the number one political issue on this very forum when it comes to elections. It is certainly the most cited issue in all the Trump vs Biden discussion threads.

Just like the famous 1688 Germantown Mennonite petition against slavery was a political act to the extent that it was distributed outside their individual congregations and intended to influence opinion. As were all of the later northern churches that were active in some manner in the abolition movement in the 19th Century.

All I am saying is that politics by definition involves a far wider range of activities than simply voting. And it seems to me that it is a fairly symbolic act if one engages in politics in a lot of other ways but then stops short of voting. That seems a very artificial line to draw. Yes, there are some conservative Anabaptist groups that abstain from all political activity, like the Amish. But my impression is that not all are like that.

[Ken]

People and their institutions constantly interact with their government. For example, a lot of conservative Anabaptist are active in the pro-life movement which is inherently political and who's objective is entirely political. Anabaptist organizations also seek to influence government policy. I've seen political statements coming out of churches on topics like immigration and refugees, middle east peace, and so forth.

I'm not in any of the Anabaptist mega centers and perhaps more CAs are involved in the pro-life movement than I'm aware of but I personally don't know of any CAs who are active in this movement as in going to rallies and protests, etc. IMO, being anti-abortion doesn't equate being involved in political pro-life movements.

I'm not saying that being pro-life means one is political. Only that I have seen conservative Anabaptist types involved in political pro-life protests when I worked in Washington DC, at least judging from their dress. Do they belong to groups that don't vote? I actually have no idea.

Understand me, I'm not criticizing political activity. I think it is actually a good thing and a duty. I just have a hard time reconciling being politically engaged in some ways while taking a stand against voting.

[barnhart]

I understand Ken's critique, it does feel strange to join a campaign to encourage others to do what you are not willing to do. It's one of the reasons I rarely identity as prolife without offering more context. I usually say, "I believe people who are not yet born are people" and avoid the political label entirely.

This unease is part of a greater reluctance around government in general. On one hand it seems wrong to be silent or passive in the face of injustice but on the other hand, it also seems presumptive to claim the authority to solve it on a societal level. So I try to embrace that tension by not giving in passivity or moral crusading.

[QuietlyListening]

My husband and I plan to watch your conversation next, but we just finished watching this 3 part series by Dean Taylor on the Christian and politics. Interesting, informative and a bit wordy but glad we watched it.

Here is the link: https://thehistoricfaith.com/courses/ch ... m-history/

[Ernie]

Here are some articles on Christians and voting.

https://www.plainnews.org/2020/09/26/sh ... -leanings/

[Valerie]

Here's what a Church of the Brethren friend and spiritual director posted on Facebook yesterday:

I don't put a lot of faith in voting, but I care about those on the margins and am glad to say NO to this wicked man, his enablers, the lies, the chaos, the brutality, and the failure to take COVID seriously. I often feel conflicted when I vote, but today, this was an easy choice!

Wow, he totally ignores so many Scriptures when he talks that way!