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The idea of not voting according to your faith is tantamount to voting without conscience, which is a morally irresponsible act that diminishes the fundamental virtues of democracy.

Faith is the foundation of most world views.

That is why James, presumably the brother of Jesus and leader of the first church of Jerusalem, a very competent, astute and well respected leader, said: "Show me your faith without your works and I will show you my faith through my works". Faith, according to James is inseparable from works, but the works he refers to are those that display and articulate our faith. Accordingly, people of faith daily do things that reflect their faith: this includes praying, obeying God, living appropriate lives, raising children well, maintaining wholesome marriages, leading homes, being good workers, extending themselves for the poor and voting for leaders who reflect their values.

This is not an exclusively Christian behavior, it is a principle. James was a very pragmatic man so his teaching had practical and universal relevance.
Thus, Muslims see the world through their faith and make choices about governments, national and local laws, values and cultural practices, entirely from the perspective of their faith.

Jews have established a political state that is essentially Jewish in its values, cultural norms, spiritual bias and customs. It is their home, something that fighting for, goes to the very heart of their politics. It is not just a country, but a deeply religious society that cherishes its history and legacy more dearly than life itself.

Christianity, a cornerstone of European and American politics for centuries, was for most of that time inseparable from the state and thus a key player in day to day social formation. Christians also brought modern freedoms through direct social action, leading to the end of religious oppression (Luther), liberation of the bible (Gutenberg), the demise of the slave trade (Wilberforce) and the introduction of democracy (Cromwell), to name just a few examples.

America itself was built on a deep spiritual heritage, when the pilgrim fathers ventured into the new world, rose up against colonial oppression and established businesses that were the hallmark of their religious views. The same America was torn into two by a civil war that to a large extent reflected antagonistic religious views, but which was settled by the religious pragmatism of great men like Lincoln.

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Although we may not always be able to vote for a

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