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Asking a citizen whether faith should influence the way in which he votes is like asking a man whether his belief that his chair will support his weight influences his choice to sit in it. A man's faith is the lens of life through which he views his future and the vehicle that takes him there. Faith turns theory into practice. When a citizen casts his vote, he is merely applying what he believes. Faith is what brings a man to the ballot box on voting day.

How can faith not influence a citizen's vote?" Doesn't everyone believe in something? There are those who esteem a higher power and look to Him as a yardstick by which to measure the correctness of their actions. Others claim to have faith in nothing, which is really the same thing as saying, "I believe only in myself." Given the option, is it not preferable for a man to cast his vote for the candidate he believes in? Such a question hints at the fundamental reality that faith is what makes an individual's actions intentional and not arbitrary. Faith does influence an individual's vote.

The Bible, regarded by many as a source of great wisdom, teaches that faith is a gift that is imparted to the human spirit. Without it, there is no spiritual life and no way to communicate with the Giver of the gift. Hebrews 11:6 lends significant weight to this argument because it warns that without faith, it is impossible for a human being to please God. If this is true, then faith is a necessary ingredient in making those kinds of decisions that hold a man accountable to the God of the universe.

In a post-modern culture where few absolutes exist and where human reason takes precedence over Divine truth how can men and women of faith anchor themselves into such winds of change? How do they withstand the phenomenal influence of those who believe that faith is an exercise in futility and that spiritual practices should be divorced from daily living? And how can those who have faith address the misconception that reliance upon an object of conviction is a misguided notion that should not be allowed to influence the choices that are made?

The real uncertainty behind questioning whether faith should influence any aspect of life, let alone the privilege to vote, potentially stems from a subliminal and disquieting fear related to the source of one's faith. Should a man's faith in Islam be allowed to influence his vote? What about faith in Jesus Christ? Can I trust you to be influenced by the object of your faith and still make

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