To help state my case, I’d like to start with a parable from the Bible, it’s the “Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector”. “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, “God, I thank You that I am not like other men-extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess”. And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast, saying, “God, be merciful to me a sinner”. I tell you, this man (tax collector) went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself
will be abased and he who humbles himself, will be exalted”[1].
The Pharisee is the Republican Party and the Tax Collector is the Democratic Party. Don’t get me wrong, I am not naïve to think every Republican is hard-hearted and every Democrat has a heart for the voiceless, however, the Republican Party uses the platform of religious/moral values and they’ve become so good at it, many alleged Christian citizens are fooled. I remember when GW Bush was elected, how many alleged Christians stated, “God wanted Bush to be president”, how egotistical. Where in the New Testament does it show God or even Jesus Christ getting involved with the mechanisms of the political process in any shape, form or manner? Not only that, in the temptations of Jesus Christ by the devil, there’s a specific point when the devil takes Jesus to a high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and said to Him, “all these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me, for this has been delivered to me and I give it to whomever I wish”[2]. Can that be any clearer and if it’s not here’s another one for you. “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame and the blind”[3]; which party would be more willing to honor such a statement? Reality check readers, again the Democrats are not perfect, far from it, they’re flesh and blood just like the Republicans and prone to making mistakes but they make an effort to do for the poor, the maimed, the lame and the blind; “he who oppresses the poor reproaches His maker, but he who honors Him has mercy on the needy”[4], unlike their Republican counterparts who would rather look good on the outside to garner votes. The other interesting thing is that Republicans cow tow to the party line while Democrats, who act from their hearts, have different thoughts and ideas, sometimes stumbling over each other in their quest to do for those with no voice or power, to right a wrong After Jesus told His disciples of His impending death, Peter made a comment to which Jesus’ response was, “get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men”[5]. The Republicans are not mindful of the religion they allege to follow, which makes them far more hypocritical than the Democrats. Do you remember the story of
I don’t have the power or the wealth to help those in need, so I vote for those with the power and the heart to help the weak of our society, that’s my responsibility as a Christian and a citizen, however, as a Christian, my life is not contingent on the actions or inactions of the Democrats, my party of choice. My life is contingent on my personal, spiritual relationship with Father because “my faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God”[7]. Choices should not be made according to what one says but what one does and having the wisdom to see the difference, that’s how I vote because we are warned, “beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world and not according to Christ”[8]
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