The Christian Responsibility to Vote

I often read Lorinda’s posts with interest. This one is no exception. I have read David Closson’s pamphlet and find the first two sections informative and helpful offering a Biblical exhortations to Christians to vote. However, I am troubled by the assumption that there is only one correct interpretation of the Scriptures. As an Episcopialian I and many members of other Christian denominations hold various interpretations of both scripture and issues. I would argue that the Biblical interpretation of priviliging the life of an infant over the life of the mother is indefensible. Additionally, no where in the Bible does it suggest that the the secular government should have jurisdiction to uphold religious beliefs. It is not the place of the government to legislate morality except in the case of the rights and responsibilities of persons. To be considered a person, one must have the ability to exercise both rights and responsibilities. The unborn have neither. It is the obligation of the woman to live a moral life, and the physician to do no harm. These decisions cannot be made at the level of government and have no place interfering in those decisions.

As for the issue of homosexuality, the Bible says nothing that applies only to same sex relationships. If marriage is only between a man and a woman for the purpose of bearing children then sexual acts, which do not lead to intercourse should not and may not be performed no matter without regard for who is performing them. It is clear that much of what is stated in the Bible, including the relationship between a man and a woman has changed over time, then it stands to reason that as our understanding of the nature of homosexuality and marriage have also changed. Much has changed in the nature of families due to job mobility, and other factors that affect marriage. For example Divorce is much more common than in the past, Marriage within this society has a much more important function than simply the bearing of children. It determines the financial, medical, and social rights of spouses. Marriage creates families and some of those families take place later in life, are between people who would not otherwise find love, or individuals suffering disabilities. Additionally, many persons discover that they are not attracted to persons of the opposite sex after they have already been married within their religious communities. Therefore the narrow interpretation of marriage as between a man and a woman was applicable during earlier times but now it has been weaponized in the current political arena. I hope your readers will consider these things when they go to the submit their ballots. The main teaching of Jesus was to love one another as he loved us. Jesus never supported actions that harmed anyone Jew, Gentile, or anything in between.

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