Vote Values. For the Soul of America.

Presidential candidate Joe Biden remarked recently that this election is a “battle for the soul of America.”  He is right: more so than in nearly every other election in our history, the outcome of this election season could result in massive change to America’s soul.

Which makes it urgent that we each vote our values at every level of public office.  

Political campaigns may start nobly with discussions of ideals and platforms but typically devolve into brutal mud wrestling.  This year’s campaigns are no different.   The “mud” can be both an effort to discredit and an effort to obscure.  Mud works.  The most discredited often lose.

Mud can also be a strategy to obscure.  If the conversation centers on mud, the slingers of it can gloss over the values of their own candidates and party, thereby misleading voters.  Political mud will fade away, but once in office, it is the legacy of a politician's values that will remain. 

When we vote our values, we are freed from the small tyranny of having to vote “for” a candidate.  It’s ideal when we can support a candidate.  In my city, I am giving my time and resources to support a woman running for re-election to the City Council.  I like her values, and she is a powerful force for good in our community.  I will be voting “for” her.

In other elections in this season, I will be voting “against” some candidates and the “soul” of their parties.  That does not necessarily mean I am “for” the candidates I select on my ballot.  It means I am looking at values.  In some cases, the candidates I select will be the ones who least violate my values.  

In the case of the candidates for president, I am unable to vote “for” either major candidate.  Looking through the mud, however, I can see which candidate and party least violates my values.  That’s the one I will select on my ballot.

The chart below shows my own briefly stated views of how I believe American conservative and liberal politicians approach issues of the day, and what would be the result of their governance.  I understand there are nuances that I have not included, or that I have not fully known or understood.  Nevertheless, this is how I see the way each end of the political spectrum will try to mold the soul of America.  Red Line Issues are those deeply rooted in my convictions.   

Conservative Politicians	Issue	Liberal Politicians
The freedom to speak our minds is a foundation of our republic and must be protected.  “Cancel culture” is not okay.	Freedom of Speech	Speech must conform to current social norms. Culture and laws should punish those who violate those norms.
Abortion is morally wrong, although there must be room for some exceptions	Abortion Red Line Issue	Abortion is a basic human right and should generally not be infringed.  Disposal of unwanted children after birth is acceptable.
Less crime	Crime	More crime
Protect the environment with economically sustainable technologies, policies and expenditures	Environment	Protect the environment with policies and massive green projects, even if it means unreasonable economic costs.
Open the economy and normal activities as widely as possible consistent with protecting the most vulnerable.	Coronavirus	Close the economy and normal activities as needed to blunt the spread of the disease.
Less erosion	Freedoms Red Line Issue	More erosion
Little erosion	Religious Freedom Red Line Issue	Continuous erosion
Lower tax burden	Taxation	Higher tax burden
Fewer	Rules & regulations at all levels	More
The original meaning of the constitution should constrain the laws of today.  Low risk of “court packing”.	Supreme Court	The intent of the constitution is living and should change with the needs of present society.  High risk of “court packing” to obtain favorable decisions.
Higher growth	Economy	Lower growth
“It’s a concern.  We’ll take care of it later.  Our hearts are in the right place, but we are having trouble engaging action to rein in debt.”  Low to moderate risk of crippling inflation in years to come.	National Debt	National debt isn’t a problem, according to the “modern monetary theory” endorsed by many liberals.  Moderate to high risk of crippling inflation in years to come.
We have made great improvements as a nation in our treatment of minorities, and we must continue to root out racism where it exists.	Race relations	People of color are victims of white racism.  America is deeply flawed in this area and requires massive structural change.
Peaceful protests are fine.  Violent protests and property destruction are never acceptable: the first duty of government is to protect the people.	Violent Protests	Peaceful protests are best, but violent protests are a legitimate form of political expression
Treat other nations with dignity and respect, but protect American citizens and American interests first	Foreign policy	Treat other nations with dignity and respect, and make few waves even if that comes at great cost to Americans
Greater security	Security of Personal Savings, i.e. confiscation of savings by government	Less security
Based on traditional values with little change going forward	Morality Red Line Issue	Constantly evolving depending on the sentiments of the day
Stronger defense	National defense	Diminished defense
Protection of 2nd amendment rights	Firearms	Continuous erosion of 2nd amendment rights
Immigration policies that provide a continuous and sustainable flow of immigrants and visitors	Immigration	Anyone should be able to come to America and stay here at taxpayer expense.  No border.
Parents should be able to choose the best kind of school for their children.  Parents should have full awareness of and a strong voice in curricula selection.	School choice	Public schools are best for children and for society and other choices should be very limited.  Parents should have little voice in curricula, and in some cases, not even know what is being taught.
Low	Resistance to Kingdom of God in America Red Line Issue	High
….a great country.  It is not perfect, and we must press on to find equitable solutions for the problems of the nation.	America is...	….a desperately broken nation that can only be restored by massive change, great national sacrifice and public penance.
Americans need liberals to promote important social evolution	Change / progress / evolution	Americans need conservatives to reduce risks of breaking important values in the midst of evolution

All this said, one last thought: governments can make things better or worse for us, but my hopes do not ultimately rest in the hands of politicians or governments. My hopes rest in Jesus, the risen Savior and in the righteousness, peace, joy and power of His Kingdom that is advancing now across the Earth, and the more of that Kingdom that is yet to come.

Image by amberzen from Pixabay

Greeting Others With the Peace of the Kingdom of God

What if we as Jesus followers always greeted others in peace; if we spoke with grace and love in hard situations; if we responded with patience instead of reacting with anger?  

Could we be the catalysts for a transformation in how we communicate, and a depolarization of our culture? Could we begin to turn the tide of anger, hate and murder with the tongue?  

I know I have too often failed in these and other places to quietly demonstrate the righteousness, peace and joy of the Kingdom of God.   But no more.

It is essential that people of faith take responsibility for healing the divisions caused by polarization, and that we bear witness to the solution and not add to the problem. Americans generally, and Christians specifically, have a duty to act civilly, to will the good of others—or, in Christian terms, to bear witness to that divine love that knows no borders; to the God for whom love, mercy and justice are the only standards of human action. -- John C. Danforth & Matt Malone, Episcopal and Jesuit priests respectively, writing in The Wall Street Journal.

Finding Peace in the Turbulence of Today

2020 so far has felt like endless turbulence, with no end in sight.  Peace has seemed far away.  Maybe you can relate?

Early in the year I sought information, and then perspective, more information and then more perspective.  I sought much of it on the Internet: the news, social media, Zoom calls with friends, streamed church services, discussions with friends and family.  That produced mostly discouragement, depression and lassitude mixed with times of encouragement and peace.  

What I have come to is this: there is a way to approach the multiple difficulties we face with peace.  I believe I have found a bright path and along it I have already found more peace.

It’s simple really; just not easy.   Here it is:

“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”    Paul the Apostle wrote that.

“Seeking” and “setting my mind on” has for me meant first reducing my input whatever gets in the way of that pursuit.  For me, that has meant turning down to a small trickle my input of news and social media.  Could we not all admit that these are both sources of unease in our lives? They both promise much and deliver little.

I then have had to direct my emotions and my mind to the serious business of “seeking” and “setting”.  

Early this morning my heart tells me I have found an important key: The things above are realities of the Kingdom of God.  Paul wrote elsewhere that the Kingdom is about righteousness, peace and joy.   Jesus spoke of another Kingdom reality: love.

Therefore, I will seek these in their fullness.  And, on them is where I will take my stand, rather than on the shifting ground of public opinions.  From them, I will order my thoughts and emotions and live my life -- especially in these turbulent days.