Comments on: In Which I am a Single Issue Voter https://anitamathias.com/2012/09/05/in-which-i-reveal-i-am-a-single-issue-voter/ Anita Mathias's Blog on Faith and Art Thu, 26 Nov 2015 12:55:30 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9 By: Anita Mathias https://anitamathias.com/2012/09/05/in-which-i-reveal-i-am-a-single-issue-voter/#comment-18288 Fri, 07 Sep 2012 18:07:12 +0000 http://anitamathias.com/blog/2012/09/05/in-which-i-reveal-i-am-a-single-issue-voter/#comment-18288 LA, Abraham Kuyper has this lovely sentence, Oh, no single piece of our mental world is to be hermetically sealed off from the rest, and there is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: 'Mine!'

http://dreamingbeneaththespires.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/christ-cries-mine.html

I think following Christ should eventually permeate all our lives, including our behaviour in voting booths.

Obviously that doesn't mean voting for the person with the soundest theology, but, perhaps, a person who can govern a nation so that it bears some resemblance to the kingdom of our God, and of his Christ…

]]> By: LA https://anitamathias.com/2012/09/05/in-which-i-reveal-i-am-a-single-issue-voter/#comment-18287 Thu, 06 Sep 2012 14:01:25 +0000 http://anitamathias.com/blog/2012/09/05/in-which-i-reveal-i-am-a-single-issue-voter/#comment-18287 Anita, one thing I continually do not understand are people, Christians, who tell me that I should leave my religion at the door when I vote. That I should vote on the issues and not bring my religion into my government.

However, I don't recall Jesus ever saying that we should be His followers except when… or we should be mindful of His teachings except… I don't remember any exceptions. To me, “whole heart, whole body, whole mind” means exactly that.

I recently got horribly flamed on another blog for saying that. “Religion has no place in politics” was a common reply. What part of “whole being” was unclear? We must give everything to Christ, the good, the bad, and the politics. I don't see how I can be a Christian at every other point in my life except in the voting booth (ok, just dating myself, we haven't had voting booths here for eons).

One of the people on this other blog quoted the part about “give Caesar what is due Caesar”. I believe that is a call to follow the rules of man whenever they don't conflict with God's, not permission to forget about Jesus in our politics.

Does that mean I believe we should have a religious state? Absolutely not! We've seen where that gets us. But I believe that we should be mindful of our Christian teachings while deciding how to vote. That we cannot put our politics in a vacuum without Christ.

My one issue is peace…I know, sounds trite…like I'm a contestant in some beauty pageant saying “world peace” in a sing-song, yet sexy voice.

But it's something that I pray for, that I yearn for. People are poor because we don't have peace…and not just people-not-shooting-at-other-people peace. But true peace. Peace of heart, peace of mind, peace with who we are individually and corporately, peace in God's hands. When we have achieved peace, we no longer have individuals oppressing others for their own advantage (where a lot of poverty stems from), we don't have folks killing one another in competition over land, food or resource. With peace, we have a true sharing of what this big blue island home has to offer. Peace. My one issue.

]]> By: Anita Mathias https://anitamathias.com/2012/09/05/in-which-i-reveal-i-am-a-single-issue-voter/#comment-18286 Thu, 06 Sep 2012 07:47:03 +0000 http://anitamathias.com/blog/2012/09/05/in-which-i-reveal-i-am-a-single-issue-voter/#comment-18286 Thanks, Jane and Single and Sane:-).

Anon, I am afraid I think the poor of the world would laugh to read, “And what has done more to help the poor in this world that the free enterprise system?” That's hilarious!!

]]> By: Anonymous https://anitamathias.com/2012/09/05/in-which-i-reveal-i-am-a-single-issue-voter/#comment-18285 Thu, 06 Sep 2012 07:13:15 +0000 http://anitamathias.com/blog/2012/09/05/in-which-i-reveal-i-am-a-single-issue-voter/#comment-18285 Who is more “the least of these” than the unborn?

And what has done more to help the poor in this world that the free enterprise system?

And which American political party attempts to do a better job of trying to protect the unborn and the free enterprise system than the Republican party?

If you really care about the poor and the “least of these”, and if you are well acquainted with the facts of economic development, then you will support the Republican party over the Democratic party.

]]> By: Single and Sane https://anitamathias.com/2012/09/05/in-which-i-reveal-i-am-a-single-issue-voter/#comment-18284 Thu, 06 Sep 2012 03:07:22 +0000 http://anitamathias.com/blog/2012/09/05/in-which-i-reveal-i-am-a-single-issue-voter/#comment-18284 I agree with you. I am a single-issue voter, and the issue is whether the politician's principles line up with Christ's teachings. My interpretation is not in line with many of my Bible Belt friends, but I've grown to accept that. We will be judged by how we treat the least among us, and I believe that extends to how we behave as a nation. That many in the US claim we are a “Christian” nation makes it that much more important to take care of those in need.

]]> By: Jane Perrine https://anitamathias.com/2012/09/05/in-which-i-reveal-i-am-a-single-issue-voter/#comment-18283 Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:06:27 +0000 http://anitamathias.com/blog/2012/09/05/in-which-i-reveal-i-am-a-single-issue-voter/#comment-18283 Thank you! I SO agree with you. Actually, I say I'm for those who care for all God's children but I think that's about the same thing.

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