After much serious thought, talks with friends, and deep self-reflection rooted in my Anabaptist heritage, I have come to the conclusion that I won’t be voting for anyone this election year, or any year following. Politicians are politicians, and because of that they say things that they will never actually follow up on, or contradict themselves terribly, just to get elected. This does not mean, however, that I will withdraw from active engagement in society; it simply means that I will be engaging it from my place within Jesus’ Kingdom. His Kingdom is very much the antithesis of the world’s kingdoms, and it is the only way. There is only one way. This way requires my total allegiance. This way informs in a way that distinguishes one from the world and its empire expressions. I’ll leave the Jesus flag draping ceremonies to the conservative right and liberal left who seem more than willing to trade war for abortion, or vice-a-versa, while simultaneously appropriating God’s blessing. I’m out.
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18 Comments
Just this morning I heard a great sermon in our church about the contrast in allegiances to Country and Kingdom. Our preacher ended with the Lord’s prayer as an alternative pledge of sorts. Great message and necessary reminder.
Reasonable call. What do you think about local elections? I have some anarchist Christian friends who sometimes participate on the local level.
@Erika: That’s great. There are serious contrasts, and these contrasts are making it difficult for me to participate with a peaceful conscious. And that’s just the way it is. Government is not the place wherein Kingdom values will be realized, so I’m not sure why we even try to make “it” happen there. The Kingdom of God and world government are not one and the same. Your pastor was/is right.
@Chris: Hey, bro. It depends on what you mean by “participation,” I suppose. The Kingdom of God is as local as it is global. So, I’m not sure locality makes all that much difference, to be honest with you. Politics is politics, regardless of locale.
This was a hard one for me. I wrestled with it for some time. I’m a political junkie, as you know. Yet, this Kingdom call is beckoning louder than it has ever before. It - this Kingdom - is a government (divine) all its own.
Brothers and Sisters:
I have for many years now, first as an anarchist and later as a Christian, not voted based on the belief that I will not give my proxy to those who do not hold my beliefs.
I do vote on local issues (i.e.: Emergency Service Districts, Water Conservation Districts, etc.), but I do not vote for politicians. After all, the lesser of 2 evils, is still evil.
On June 5th, Wipf and Stock announced the release of ” Electing not to Vote: Christian Reflections on Reasons for Not Voting” see http://wipfandstock.com/store/Electing_Not_To_Vote_Christian_Reflections_on_Reasons_for_Not_Voting.
The issue of Christian politics was very well expresses by William Lloyd Garrison in the “Declaration of Sentiments Adopted by the Peace Convention”, published in The Liberator, September 28, 1838.
“As every human government is upheld by physical strength, and its laws are enforced virtually at the point of the bayonet, we cannot hold any office which imposes upon its incumbent the obligation to compel men to do right, on pain of imprisonment or death. We therefore voluntarily exclude ourselves from every legislative and judicial body, and repudiate all human politics, worldly honors, and stations of authority. If we cannot occupy a seat in the legislature or on the bench, neither can we elect others to act as our substitutes in any such capacity.”
For the full text see:
http://fair-use.org/the-liberator/1838/09/28/declaration-of-sentiments-adopted-by-the-peace-convention
NÃl eagla orm roimh éinne ach Dia amhain
@Micheal: Right on.
Oh, boy. This is a tough one. You’re certainly making a strong statement here. If you were more in the public eye you would no doubt receive massive amounts of criticism. Can you imagine if Piper or Edwards came out and said the same thing? But I have to admit I admire your braveness. I support you.
I believe the only thing we’re called by God to do is to obey the law specifically because we love Jesus. We’re not called to participate in the process. And we’re free to (not) do so in the country we live in.
Let’s be honest, your decision is pretty huge from a patriotic stand-point so you better be prepared to back it up when the Intelligencer starts probing.
Is your non-vote a protest? Or is it a disregard? And how so?
@Justin: You are right. It is a huge statement. And I hesitated to even make it. In fact, this posted was stuck in “draft” for three days, before I finally released it to the front page. Needless to say, I struggled with it for a few days.
Why?
Because I’m as patriotic as they come, bro. I helped out at the Obama HQ in Lancaster, and I watch 24 hour news way too much! I’m a political junkie, man. Seriously.
But I’m a Christian; I follow Jesus and the principles of his Kingdom. Therine lies a conflict of not so little proportions. I’m not a fan of war, any more than Jesus was a fan of war. Wars will happen though, and sometimes they must. That’s what nations and governments do. But is that what the Kingdom of God is about? Is that what it is supposed to do?
Also, Obama’s statement on Father’s Day re: “Fatherhood doesn’t end at conception …” sort of sealed the deal for me. On one hand, he makes the statement that fatherhood doesn’t end at conception; onthe other hand, he votes yes for partial birth abortions. I am not a big fan of political posturing, and I am no supporter of abortion.
So, what am I to do, as a person who calls himself Christian and claims to live in Jesus’ Kingdom of God? Am I to vote for the lesser evil? As the comment above says, “The lesser evil is still evil.”
This is hard for me, because I actually do love this country, and I am a patriot. But I’m a member and ambassador of the Kingdom of God first. So, I must direct my full dedication there. I am a pastor, who claims to speak for God. I had better make sure I am doing just that, or tremble. It’s one or the other, bro.
So, my vote is neither a protest against this system or government, nor is it a complete disregard (I did say I would not be disengaging the society in which I live and work). My non-vote is a declaration of a much better, and bigger way. My non-vote is a proclamation of Jesus’ way - his Kingdom of God. In this Kingdom of God, we are not forced to choose between random war and/or abortion.
Remember, Israel wanted a king to be like other nations, after the era of Judges. Before this, Israel looked towards the Torah for guidance, but they wanted more. God sent “Judges” to guide Israel, but that was not enough either. They wanted to have a king, like other nations had. So God gave them one. Samuel, the prophet, didn’t want to do it, but did it anyway, because God told him to do it. What did Samuel do? He went and found Saul, and anointed him as Israel’s first king. That didn’t work out so well in the end.
Governments and kings serve a purpose in this world, and it is a necessary one, for this world. But Jesus’ kingdom is much bigger, and more important for those who claim to live within it and/or speak for it. They are not one and the same. They were never meant to be.
So, my non-vote is my personal declaration of my own desire to look towards God and God;s work alone for my guidance. I’ll continue to pray for and engage this society in humility, thankfulness, and critique, when and wherever needed, and according to the leadings of the Holy Spirit.
Great questions, bro. Incidentally, I think we may have found a good discussion question for Thursday evening in the park. :)
Right on. Don’t let anyone get you down about this decision. It’s your freedom.
I’ve been watching more and more CNN, MSNBC and Fox lately solely for the election coverage. I can’t wait for the debates to start.
Yes, it is. And I’m thankful for this freedom. You see, I do love this country, so much so that I wish we could rise to the occasion and do the right thing, rather than be stuck with a choice of leaders based upon which of the two would be less bad. And I’m pretty sure that any Christian would have a tough time being president, and holding firm to the Kingdom’s values. That’s why I’m pretty confident that they - the government and the Kingdom of God - are two different things completely.
thanks, bro.
John Piper is amazing on political warnings!
HA! Piper doesn’t mince words, does he! Piper is solid.
It seems to me that no vote is a vote also. You are voting with the majority. Of course if you honestly believe it makes no difference who holds office, well and good. That seems a difficult proposition to maintain in light of the evil perpetrated on this country, Iraq, Afghanistan and many others by the current US administration.
@Roger: I can understand your line of reasoning, though I wouldn’t say that my “no” is a vote with the majority. You see, my “no” is not laden by apathy; my no is a consequence of my claimed place within Jesus’ Kingdom of God. It’s not that I don’t care if our government does things like they have in this country, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc., it’s just that I think any vote will just be a vote for more of the same. This “same” may differ in degrees, but it will be the “same” nonetheless (a lesser evil is still evil), unless you honestly believe this world’s governments can actually and suddenly start ruling according to the principles and standards of Jesus’ Kingdom. And if they even could pull off such a miraculous feat, then what would be the point of Jesus’ Kingdom?
Mark 10:42 And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Those bold sentences say something important that is relevant to this conversation and the real differences between Jesus’ Divine Government, if you will, and the Governments and Powers of this world.
So, I’ll avoid voting for someone else’s version of evil, and let the world’s governments do what world governments do … and I’ll pray for it all and work to do my best to challenge the systemic sick with the principles and standards of the Gospel. My “no” is not rooted in apathy, but a challenge to trust and depend upon God.
Great points, Roger. Your thoughts are appreciated.
Im with you on this Shawn. Your statement about “why should we be left to vote for the lesser of 2 evils” …
that has always been my common sense, but…you get wrapped up in “Your vote counts” and “You should care about what is going on”
It is all bullshit!!!!
I do like Obama to a degree, but…as a Christian, i find it hard to vote under those terms.
Eh, whatever.
Shawn, I wasn’t suggesting that your decision not to vote was apathy, but the practical consequence is exactly the same. From your perspective, any choice on any political issue would be the lesser of two evils unless one odf the candidates were God. Even someone claiming to operate on Kingdom principles is going to be human thus, imperfect.
Good conversation, Roger. Thank you!
Let me clarify: I didn’t suggest that a candidate would have to be “God,” I said that unless they were suddenly taken with the principles of Jesus’ Kingdom they would simply be just another ruler in a long line of rulers who contradict the principles of the Kingdom of God. As a Christian, dedicated to these principles of the Kingdom, I can’t apply myself to both.
So, while not participating, I still can’t say the consequence is the same, because the end result of any national election is that a person who does not adhere to the Kingdom’s principles will be in power, and so long as they are in power, principles that contradict the Kingdom will be applied and enforced. My vote for either candidate will not change these results. And to keep doing something, while expecting a different result, but only seeing the same result, is the definition of insane.
Of course you didn’t say the candidate would have to be God. But ANY human being is:
A. Imperfect
B. functioning in a system that requires compromise, even in an absolute theocracy
C. Thereby applying any principle, Kingdom or not, imperfectly.
By the way, who gets to decide what Kingdom of God even means? And who decides which principles?
The Kingdom of God is clearly defined by Jesus, in the Gospels. See Matthew Ch. 5ff., for an example of this. Of course, the New Testament is a virtual lesson in the principles of this Kingdom, and Jesus actually did mean every word he said about life and living within it. Christians, as we are, are called to non-compromise of these principles and values, just as Jesus dedicated himself to non-compromise, to the point of death. Yeah, the Kingdom of God is that serious.
So, I really don’t know where are you going with this conversation at this point, Roger. Living Matthew chapter 5 and forward in the context of empire is impossible, thus my personal decision to withdraw. You, of course, may feel free to participate, but don’t mistake the Kingdom of God for empire activism. They are not the same, and do not play well together … if they ever were even supposed to.
Do you really think Matthew 5ff could be lived out in the context of any of this world’s governments? Seriously?
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