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| Yes | 60% | 2182 votes | Total: 3634 votes | |
| No | 40% | 1452 votes |
Should one's faith influence a citizen's vote?
To vote according to the foundation of your morals, beliefs, and convictions is something that should come naturally. Your life is lived according to a guide or set of beliefs that come from the Bible or some other writing that you feel gives you the standard to live by, therefore those standards should set the boundaries for your votes.
The Bible is the standard for many people in this country. They use the Bible as the foundation to build there life around, it is the standard to live by. The Bible teachings are what they use in their relationship with others, how they do their job, and the standard they expect from there leaders. Take as an example, if you believe that life is precious and abortion is wrong, why vote for candidates that support abortion?
This is not the only issue to consider, but it is important.The candidate that has a moral foundation that most closely reflects your own morals and beliefs may not be the best qualified, but should be considered. After all, the moral value of the person running for office says a lot about the person and can be a reflection on how they will perform their duties. To vote according to the foundation of your morals, beliefs, and convictions is one that should come naturally. Your life is lived according to a guide or set of beliefs, should those beliefs be thrown away or set aside to vote for a candidate that you know has opposing views on those beliefs?
Consider the person who has been know to take bribes, but never taken to task. Would that person make a qualified leader? If your faith says this is wrong you would hopefully vote against that person. Conversely, there are some voters with no moral foundation and believe it is fine just so he gets things done, no matter how. However, this person might have excellent leadership qualities; this is where your faith and the moral foundation are put to the test.
Every person has faith, it is a question of where that faith is placed, in a God who cares about humanity, or in themselves and what they can do. If your faith is in the God of the bible who cares about the people who call on Him for their salvation, should not your vote support the person who put their faith in the same God, and stand for the same things as you?
Going back to the question, "should one's faith influence a citizen's vote?' Yes, the voter should vote his or her morals, beliefs and conviction, putting someone in office that has a foundation that speaks to the voter's standard of living, which will be evident in office.
We can always read the writings of the founding fathers and their views of the leadership of our nation, like John Jay,
John Jay:
"Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers." Source: October 12, 1816. The Correspondence and Public Papers of John Jay, Henry P. Johnston, ed., (New York: Burt Franklin, 1970), Vol. IV, p. 393.
"Whether our religion permits Christians to vote for infidel rulers is a question which merits more consideration than it seems yet to have generally received either from the clergy or the laity. It appears to me that what the prophet said to Jehoshaphat about his attachment to Ahab ["Shouldest thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord?" 2 Chronicles 19:2] affords a salutary lesson." [The Correspondence and Public Papers of John Jay, 1794-1826, Henry P. Johnston, editor (New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1893), Vol. IV, p.3
Let us therefore pray about our votes.
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