Friday, February 22, 2008

Campaign '08

Watching the '08 campaign has been strange for me this year. I find it to be an assault to my sense of ethics. In the past, I have always watched from a more secular view point, but for the first time in my life I am unable to separate my faith from my politics. I know that there have been far nastier campaigns in the past, but I have been able to dismiss God from the process. Not this year.

I keep asking myself, which candidate would Jesus pick. And I pray that I am making the right decision for mankind, not just for me or even for the U.S.

Between McCain, Obama, and Clinton, who will be a good leader? We need someone like David, Solomon, or Hezekiah...someone who does what is right in the Lord's eyes. Now that is not to say that these three did not fall away from the Lord at certain times in their lives, but they tried to be true to God.

A simple life is one in which you can try to live every moment for the Lord. A life as a political leader invariably leads you into gray areas. The President of the United States is not a job I would ever desire, but I feel like even my own life leads me into areas that are not clear cut on the right decisions.

Selecting a president is one of those areas. No president will be perfect. They will make mistakes. So in my selection, I do so with a troubled mind and a heavy heart, because the wrong selection could cost people money, health care, civil rights, or even their lives. People die every year because the President says so. I just want to make sure the person in charge remembers that they must do what is right for America, the world, and God during their presidency. But is it in that order? Or should the order be reversed?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kyle - I think that you have raise a great point here - the political choice for president is an important one and it does have direct implications in the life of people all over the world.

However, I wonder if there is more potential good than potential bad in the proposition of choosing a new president. I tend to hope so.

Also, I think that you do have the order right in importance. I think that it is not the role of the president to be a spiritual leader, but a political leader. However, do I want the faith of the president to influence her or his way of being president? Absolutely.

Eric Helms said...

Theologically speaking, of course God comes first. In fact, If a candidate claims to be religious, then proclaims that their "personal beliefs" will not affect the way they govern, I question how they understand their faith. For a person who worships God, there can be no higher call than to please God.

However, I do not think the primary role of the President is spiritual leader, and I do not think the primary call of the church is to gain and use political power.

I do believe that it is the church's place to make demands on government from a theological perspective. With that in mind, I want a President who I believe will take my letters and phone calls seriously regardless of where we may disagree on issues. It makes me nervous when our president is so sure of his ideology that he doesn't take seriously voices of dissent.