a question I have been pondering
As many of you know the outcome of the Australian election hit me hard. I watched the election campaign with alarm as it was fought over issues of who could spend the most and attract the hip-pocket vote. With important issues of refugees, detaining innocent children behind barb wire, the lies and exaggeration about Iraq told by the Bush Administration and supported by our Howard government, the manipulation of fear - in particular the fear of the ‘other’ such as Muslims, a culture of selfishness being developed, the blatant denial of our international responsibilities from our exploitation of our poor neigbour E.Timor oil to our redrawing of our migration boundaries.
In this context, we have the vocal rise of Christian right wing party who seems at one hand to want to portray it as Christian to Christians and not Christian to non-Christians - go figure?
You know in some ways I am not rapt about Latham (the leader of the Labour party) - I warmed more to Beazley. But, gee how could I, a Christian in right mind elect a leader like Howard who was driving the agenda listed above, a leader has many times lied about numerous things.
So, the question I have been thinking about is this. And it is one that I think it is appropriate for not only Australian readers.
How can we as Christians stand by and support such agendas? How can we vote on the basis that we may receive an extra $600 per year when such issues are so prominent?
Now I am an adult. I can recognise my bias. I can recognise that my political and world view is heavily influenced by my upbringing and life experiences. And I am sure that some Christians who voted for Howard and will vote for Bush have reasons that they believe are good ones for doing so. So, I would like to hear them. I am serious. This is not a rehetorical question - I really would like to understand the rational for your vote.
I am also aware that this is a bit taboo in Australia (and perhaps in other countries) to ask such a question. In addition, I am aware that I need to be challenged by others about how I see God operating in this world.
So, here is my commitment to you, if you bother to comment and respond to my question in respectful and thoughtful way I will not try and convince you of my position. I will not attack your position, and attempt to find holes in it which is the normal form of discussion on blogs.
I will attempt to understand your perspective and position. I may ask questions to clarify my understanding of your position.
Please let me know. If you are a follower of Jesus and voted for the Howard government, or are intending to vote for the Bush Adminstration in the coming US election please let me know - I really am interested.
I would like to know how you assessed the situation politically in the light of your faith.
October 22nd, 2004 at 12:46 pm
Well I am a right wing christian ( tautology) and I voted against the government.
I always vote agianst third term Governments as it is to easy for sin to permeate in governments after that time.
I don’t as a rule vote for chrisitians as I always find those people to easily comproopmising their beliefs because of the party.
This is easily seen in the present government at present. Unfortunately the ALP have cast aside their origins which had a christian base.
October 22nd, 2004 at 11:32 pm
I voted for my local liberal member because he is a local, he is involved with scouts and local environmental groups and local school committees etc. I like that he is involved, and not just getting his picture taken with people from these groups.
I did not vote for the labor member because I was sick of getting shiney pamphlets every second day outlining how I would get more money from a labor government.
I read in the paper that Mark Latham has written a few books that outline his ideas and passions, but I haven’t read them. I didn’t hear much about Labor policies. Maybe next time.
I did put as my last preference the unknown independent that every other group put last on their how to vote card.
In the absense of any real information, just what the mail drops and the T.V. tells me, and I don’t trust those sources, I guess I just went with what I know. I also hear from my childhood the voice of my mother saying every time there was an election, “Vote Liberal.”
I voted for Family First in the senate, ‘cos I didn’t know what else to do. I thought I should support the Christians. I like some of what the Greens said but not everything in their printed on recycled paper pamphlet. Having looked up the FF website and read some of their policies, I think they really have little idea of politics at this stage and their policies have a lot of big gaping holes.
Watching the election coverage I did notice that a number of Christians have been elected from different parties. I think it’s fantastic to be a positive Godly influence in parliament with whatever party you’re in.
October 23rd, 2004 at 1:29 am
I’ve lived in America now for almost 9 months and have enjoyed experiencing an election year. I look forward to the Melbourne Cup Day when hopefully a horse will win outright.
I’ve lived in households from both extremes, first with Republicans and now with some Kerry supporters for almost two months. The contrast between the two has been eye opening.
After living with a Republican for eight months I was convinced Kerry could not possibly lead this nation as it continued it’s war on terror and for the general well being of everyone I should support Bush.
This train of thought continued right up until the first Presidential debate and then my view shifted. For the first time I actually heard Kerry give his two cents and was impressed. He wasn’t the ‘flip-flopper’ the Bush campaign had lead people to believe.
Kerry showed better control and knowledge over Bush, obviously a much smarter individual. Over the next couple of weeks up until the third debate Kerry had my vote. I already knew he we would be the best candidate for future world relations, and now I thought he would be good for America too.
The third debate changed things for me again when the debate turned to softer issues on faith and moral values. I’m probably best described as a ‘Creationist’ christian and fervently believe in the authority of the Bible.
Bush showed clear values and ideologies that I believe in also, such as banning abortion and keeping marriage between heterosexual couples. Kerry on the otherhand, while agreeing with Bush, didn’t want to change the Constitution over it, letting the states decide.
I’m now having difficulty in deciding who would receive my vote. I think Kerry has good plans for health and education, but Bush’s strong conviction is something I believe makes him worthy of staying in command.
I’m currently tending towards Kerry, I think he would be better from a global view. If I were an American, I think Bush would have my vote.
October 23rd, 2004 at 9:41 am
Great stuff. Very Interesting reading - quite amazing the variety of reasons - anyone else up for it?
October 24th, 2004 at 4:38 pm
I found I had too much to say to take your bandwidth in a very long comment, so have explored my own thoughts at Shalom.
http://shalomsweblog.blogspot.com/2004_10_24_shalomsweblog_archive.html#109859655639531101
Jan
October 24th, 2004 at 5:53 pm
Phil, we have an election next year in NZ. I may well vote for an MP who is a christian, not because he is a christian, and has a party whom most of the MPs are christians, but because he is a good MP and I know him personally. We have MMP in NZ so we also have to vote for a party. I may well vote for his party, or I may vote green like last time. We don’t have presidential style elections.
We have a liberal Labour government. We are detaining an Algerian refugee without charge, a gross breach of human rights. We have “hate crime legislation” in the making, which is a breach of freedome of expression from the liberal perspective, We are Maori-bashing with foreshore and seabed legislation.
Would this have happened under a National government? perhaps.
Our MPs lie too. If Labour got in in Aussie, you`d soon spot the liars there as well.
Christians do not have to support the agendas you oppose. But if you oppose an agenda, what are you actually doing about it except moaning (and I dont mean to be critical in saying that)
As christians in both NZ and Australia, we need to be proactive lobbyists rather than reactive complainers.
I dont see much of the proactibve stuff on this side of the ditch. Do you on your side?
PS I would probably have voted for Howard rather than Latham. Happy to explain via email.
October 25th, 2004 at 1:04 pm
Please send me an email if you like Dave. I would be interested. phil@signposts.org.au
October 25th, 2004 at 1:24 pm
I have been musing the same question with my wife. I couldn’t ever imagine voting conservatively and it always seems that Christian friends always vote liberal. So I am not sure myself why it happens. I spoke with my liberal father-in-law (a pastor) about it and his reasons weren’t based in any critical thought, just that the eceonomy was in good shape. That’s not good enough for me with the immorality of the children overboard issue, our treatment of refugees, the war in Iraq etc. It seems that economical reasons win over.
The health of the economy isn’t alays an indicator of the health of the people.
I see the gospel as having a very socialist flavour. The idea of giving to the needy, the early churches concept of communal sharing, caring for the poor, the widows the orphins, having indignation at social justice issues etc. Medicare Gold for example, a great ‘people caring’ policy. So politically I can’t vote liberal. Privatisation, and an approach to the economy that benefits the rich over the poor I see as wrong. Personal welath I read last week was at an all time high, and had increased dramatically in the last 10 years. This increase in wealth is concentrating in fewer hands, and the gap between rich and poor is getting even larger under right wing politics. Was Jesus a socialist?
October 25th, 2004 at 2:13 pm
I alwasy make the promise, unwisely only to myself, that I will learn more, study more & understand more every time an election comes about. It never happens.
Conservative, right, left or otherwise; I don’t know…excpet that after the election I always feel useless & apathetic; particularly as my faith grows!
I don’t remember politics ever being discussed with any intensity in our house growing up; and I woudl like to learn more, understand more and to even make a more informed decision as someone of faith…but how?
All the information I know how to get a hold of comes from a particular slant and you always get the impression they are backing one side or the other witrhout fairly evaluating all the policies or even raising the isssues that aren’t being raised.
I rememebre Mum telling me how imprtant it was to vote as a Christian, because we have an opportunity & responsibility. Fair enough. But I need so much more so that the opportunity & responsibility might make a difference.
I can’t even remember which sheet of paper was for the senate and what was the green paper for? I think that was more local, and I have some significant questions within myself just in personal encounters with the local MP.
If the truth be known, I didn’t really know who to vote for, andf I think I ticked the Family First one on of the sheets and the other was liberal - because I don’t know, and this peeves me off!!
I don’t ever feel that there is much reasonable choice. It’s like voting for the lesser sin; but which one is that?
I wa surprised by the ease with which the Liberals won. I really expected Asutralia to warm to a younger, fresher, even more aggressive Latham. But then he didn’t excite me!
I even wondered if I have such a Christian obligation to vote, why I didn’t get a clear leading from God? Perhaps in my apathy I simply missed the path God created.
Don’t crucify me too much, but I wonder if I am not the only young(ish) Christian middle class Australian who feels like this!?
I never feel like I have made, or ever will, make a political difference, and perhaps this breeds my overwhelming sense of apathy; but I would like that to change…somehow…one day…I promise!