A Christian should not vote Republican in general but should consider the Democrats or begin a new political party with the best of both worlds as Christians are called to do but with this election at hand there is no time to start a new political party so let us consider:
In the Holy Bible nations led by the righteous do not come under a curse but become blessed. Clearly under the leadership of Bush and the Republicans America has been anything but blessed. Consider this; It has been cursed by successful attack from enemies on 9-11. It has been cursed with the largest fiscal deficit in the nations history. It has been cursed with the worst natual disaster in U.S. history and the lack of wisdom to handle it. It is cursed with a war on a nation, a nation that did not attack us, that is draining our resources to the brink. It is cursed with disfavor among nations as we embrace torture and immoral war and as a result becoming cursed with fear and lack of courageous leadership resulting in surviellence spying everywhere bringing us closer to that Orwellian apocalyptic nightmare. It is cursed with the most disastrous economic collapse since the great depression ushering in the socialization of banks and catastrophic widespread unemployment caused by the economic ideology of the Republican party, that is the ideology of giving to the rich the power to do as they wish with unbridled, unregulated capitalism. An economic collapse in which we have not yet begun to see the full ramifications. This nation has been cursed under the leadership of the Republican party and the witness of Christianity has been tarnished worldwide because of this nation's misguided leadership.
The Republican party serves and represents the rich and powerful. If the last 8 years do not show you that what ever will. Under the Republicans we have seen the gap between the rich and poor grow to record proportions,larger than it has been in the last 60 years with the strong middle class we had in the 50's to 70's all but disappearing. The Republicans demonize the idea of sharing the wealth when it comes to moving it from the rich to the poor but in blatant hypocrisy with specially crafted legislation they have been sharing the wealth away from the middle class up to the rich for years now but especially the last decade and you, a citizen of this nation, should be spitting nails over this.
The word of God is very clear about the ways of the rich and his concern for the poor. It is a fundamental characteristic of God that some Christians have lost in the haze. The Democrats have long held the interests of the poor and middle class in higher priority than the rich for the very reason which God understands, that the rich take care of themselves but the Republicans love to take care of the rich for the favors that money can buy. The new testament is replete with scriptures on this. This is not narrow political issue but is a broad issue concerning the entire structure of society. It is a broad fundamental article of belief and the bible is uncompromising and crystal clear on the rich and poor. Here are some of those scriptures and more:
Lk 1:51 "He will scatter the proud and haughty, exalt the lowly, satisfy the hungry, send the rich away empty. (the song of praise about Jesus the messiah)
Lk 4: minister to poor, liberate downtrodden and oppressed
Lk 4: 22-30 Jesus puts truth over "positive correctness"
Lk 6: 24-25 Sorrow for the rich and prosperous well fed.
Lk 6: 27-35 Love your enemies, Do good to those who hate you. Turn other cheek. Lend to those who cannot repay.
Lk 6: 37-38 Do not judge and condemn. Forgive and be forgiven
Mk 7: 20-23 Murder, Adultery, Greed, Deceit, Slander, Pride listed together.
Lk 9: 23-25 Save your life and lose it. Deny Himself.
Lk 9: 48 Whoever is the least is the greatest.
Lk 10: 27-35 Our neighbors. Also those in nations we dislike.
Lk 11: 39-40 outside clean, inside greedy and wicked.
Lk 12: 15 Beware of greed, life not measured by possessions.
Lk 12: 16-21 Parable of rich fool. earthly wealthy
Lk 12: 22-34 Teaching on money and possessions
Lk 12: 34 Where your treasure is, there your heart is also
Lk 11: 42 Concern over tithing. Forgetting justice and love.
Lk 12: 11-12 Holy Spirit tells us what to say before our accusers.
Lk 14: 12-14 At dinner, instead of inviting friends and relatives, invite the poor who cannot repay.
Lk 15: 1 Jesus also ate with sinners & despicable people.
Lk 16: 13 You cannot serve both God and Money.
Lk 16: 8-9 Be as shrewed for Christ as the worldly are shrewed for themselves.
Ro 1: 29-31 Whisperers, backbiters listed among wickedness.
Lk 16: 14-15 Lovers of money will deride you. Lovers of appearences.
Lk 17: 3-4 Patience and forbearence of forgiveness
Lk 17: 20-21 Kingdom of God among us, not visible.
Lk 18: 1-8 Do not give up praying, God grants justice quickly.
Lk 18: 18-30 The rich ruler.
Lk 19: 45-46 Jesus throws out those buying and selling in the temple.
2Cor 5:21-21 To live for Christ ignoring outward appearances.
Gal 2 Addresses the hypocrisy of setting aside God's grace, forgiveness and truth for worrying about what others may think.
Gal 6: 10 Doing good to all, not just believers.
2 Cor 13: 5-6 Examine yourselves
Gal 5: 13-14 Not to use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh but to serve one another. "Love your neighbor as yourself".
James 2: 14-26 Faith without works is dead: works meaning feeding and clothing the poor. -15
Eph 2:3 Consider "children of wrath" also as in those who tear down, destroy, eager to war. A spirit that desires vengeance, judgement, punishment.
Eph 4: 28 Through labor giving to those in need, sharing.
Phil 2: 3-8 Counter to a dog eat dog every man for himself society.
Phil 4:8 Meditate on what is pure, true, noble, just, virtue
1Ti 6: 17-19 Let the rich do good works, willing to share.
1Ti 6: 10 Love of money root of all evil.
1Ti 6: 3-10 On greed, arguing-men who think godliness is gain
2Ti 2: 22-26 Pursue faith, love, and peace teaching others in gentleness, kindness, humility so others may repent.
2Ti 3: 1-9 Men in last days - lovers of money, proud, boasters, unforgiving, brutal, headstrong, haughty, having a form of godliness but denying it's power. Men of corrupt minds who resist truth but progress no further & fully is manifest to all.
2Ti 3: 16-17 All scripture good for instruction toward good works.
Titus 2: 14 Should be zealous for good works.
Acts 8: 27-38 Philip leads Ethiopian(black) man to Christ, by all signs treated like anyone else 2000 years ago.
Acts 2: 44-47 Disciples had all things in common, sold possessions and shared according to need.
Acts 3: 6 Silver and gold I do not have but what I do have I give you: "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk".
Acts 4: 32-35 Disciples shared possessions and shared among each other according to need.
Acts 19: 23-38 Businessmen using underhanded ways against disciples because profits are threatened.
2Cor 8: 11-15 Encouraging giving, equality, sharing.
2Cor 9: 5-15 Give cheerfully, not grudgingly, generously to the poor. Example of giving to others far away.
2Cor 10: 3-6 Christians do not Wage War like the world.
2Cor 3: 6-18 New covenant over the old covenant.
2Cor 13: 11 Live in harmony and peace.
The Democrats, far from perfect are far more in line with the word of God on this. In the New Testament it was clear that Jesus and the disciples had the favor of the people. It is referred to in several passages of scripture. It was important to God to reach the mass of people with His word. The Democrats clearly represent the majority of people since there are many more middle class and poor than there are rich and certainly more than any making over 250 thousand a year. Republican efforts to hinder expansion of voter registration primarily involving the poor speaks for itself. God wants to reach the greater mass of poorer people, he wants to have their ear but if this mass of people see chrisitianity favoring the rich how do you think that makes them feel about God. Ever wondered why we have such an expanding secular society? It is becasue today's christians especially those evangelical christians have too long given favor to the Republicans, the servants of the rich. Millions of Americans but especially the young are falling into the hands of the dark one because they see no justice around them anymore. Short of creating their own political party Christians need to return to the Democratic party in order to demonstrate to the greater mass of people God's concern for them, God's love for them.
God clearly demonstrated his sense of social justice in the biblical books of Numbers, Deuteronomy,Leviticus,and of course the New Testament and the Democrats make this one of their highest priorities. This is not a justice concerning one or two issues but is social justice spanning all aspects of society. Democrats champion this concern as God does. God often speaks out against corruption and the Democrats are not perfect but they have been a proponet of ethics reform and reform of money in politics. The Republicans have at every turn opposed the reform of money in politics just as they opposed campaign finance reform.
The Holy Bible talks about adultery not only in the literal sense but also in the symbolic sense involving the buying off of power with money economically and politically. God demands honesty and integrity in government and the Republican party has been anything but; opposing reform of corruption literally at every turn as their congress is well known to be the most corrupt congress in U.S. history.
One has to ask, just what does a Christian support. The religious right certainly know they have nothing but primarily two issues of gay marriage and abortion but the Republicans are no different than the Democrats on the issue of gay marriage so that one is out the window and on abortion the Republicans have done little or nothing thereby keeping some christians attached to them for the purpose of getting their vote in order get into power to continue serving the rich. That might seem cynicial but look at the scriptures above on greed, the rich and powerful. Some Christians today might be naive but God is anything but. In Luke 16:13 elevating money to the example of the thing that you cannot serve and also serve Him should say it all. Christians are being manipulated by the rich and powerful today just like they always have been and were so vulnerable to as demonstrated by the words in the new testament.
Look at the broader issues that involve christian honor and integrity not just one or two issues and ask yourself; just where should I come down on all this? Are those one or two issues handled with responsiblity and honor to the point that I should vote for that party based on those results. I believe that if you give this a fair hearing you will find you may have a better political home and a broader harvest field of receptive ears that could turn back this ever growing secular society to Christ.
Christians need to take back the party of the people, the Democratic party, not waiting for the Democrats to line up with them on every issue huddling back into a defensive "conservative" position but should just as Jesus and the disciples did go forward offensively into the world with courage and resolve so that the larger mass of people will see Christianity clearly, once again, has a sense of justice that will open their hearts and ears to God's word and ways. With the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer the people yearn to see God on their side again.
With God, the soul of the many poor are as least as valuable as the soul of those few with money and possessions. If we are to be wise harvesters we must appeal to the many more poor or middle class. If we do, you haven't seen anything yet.
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