Christians Can Be Democrats and Still Be Respected 

For months I have been wrestling with what I am about to share here. I have recently re-encountered the belief and associated disrespect of the idea that a person cannot be a Christian and a Democrat. I am both. Yet it has come about that “treating others as you would like to be treated” and “loving your neighbor” have been conflicted because of politics. I have actually just “come out” as a Democrat because of the treatment by some Christian towards others who might think differently than they do on a few or on many issues. This post is the most public I have been and maybe the most public I will be on the issue. I honestly don’t think it matters as much whether I’m a Democrat or a Republican as it matters how I love others, even others who think differently than I am. And I have been guilty of lacking love too.

I was raised in a Christian and Republican family. However, over the past 20 years, I realized that that party no longer represents my own Christian values and this year I have felt the need to speak as a Democrat. Jesus' parable of the sheep and goats in Matthew 25 makes it clear His followers must seek to help and protect society's most marginalized and vulnerable, including children, the elderly, the poor, and minorities. The Democratic party, with its support for food stamps, reasonably available health care for all, protection of Social Security and so many other social and economic justice issues, is the political party that best fulfills my sense of calling as a Christ-follower.

Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes, and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis, and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. On their website, an interesting statistic they show, among others, is that while only 20% of Democrats participate in prayer, scripture study or religious education groups at least once a week, only 30% of Republicans do the same. Just as interesting to me is that 26 % of Democrats say the Bible is the Word of God and should be taken literally and only 36% of Republicans say the same.

As a Democrat, I do not condemn Christians who vote Republican. I try to be respectful of people who have differing views than I do. I seek to have humility and accept the fact that I, nor any political party, have all the answers for America. I have, in fact, kept my political persuasions and opinions mostly to myself. I ask the same courtesy of you who are Republicans. People lacking humility and respect regardless of their political or religious views do not promote the gospel of Jesus, which is that God loves EVERYONE (see my previous post). I would rather be outspoken about the love of God through Christ than about any political position or candidate. It is safe to say that Early Mennonites (the denomination I was raised in) emphasized Christ and the Bible first, politics second.

The media does not help the political process. It is a vehicle of propaganda, even Fox News. But in a day and age where normal, everyday citizens have little to no opportunity to know their politicians, we end up relying on the word of someone or something else. We have experienced this concept on steroids in the last several weeks.

This is my attempt to explain my thoughts about the recent and greatest division politics has caused in my life. In a pre-election survey taken by Christian Democrats of America of over 1,200 self-identified Christian voters, 26% of Republicans and 78% of Independents polled say Joe Biden and Kamala Harris better reflects their values as Christians than Donald Trump and Mike Pence. This may be because many Christians, including some Republicans, are finally seeing they simply cannot justify supporting those whose actions are so opposite to their individual convictions as Christ-followers.

Jesus and His disciples had a radical, progressive message that called individuals and nations to feed the hungry, help the poor, heal the sick, free the oppressed, and love our enemies. It is important to point out that political agendas have little to do with Jesus on the liberal or the conservative side of the fence.  They have more to do with gaining dominance.  Having said that, we are forced to live in a society of political agendas, and the Democrats generally embrace values that resonate with me. There are many reasons Christian voters have chosen to engage as Democrats when considering important values-based ideas such as:

·         viewing the immigrant with compassion, not wanting to separate children from their parents at the border.

·         policies to help the poor, wanting to increase food stamps, housing, and programs for those who are vulnerable from the homeless to the elderly to the veteran to the single parent.

·         wanting no one that works 40 hrs. a week to live in poverty.

·         desiring greater equity in pay from CEO’s to janitors.

·         education should be an affordable option for all Americans and teachers should receive an equitable wage for the job they do.

·         reform and justice in mind for long-standing racial inequity and against homophobic and xenophobic laws, mercy, and protection for all of God’s creation; not include measures of lawful exclusion of certain American citizens.

·         safety in our schools and on our streets; children should not have to worry about their safety.

·         lobbyists should not have the ability to influence leaders through monetary contributions,

·         proper and responsible stewardship of our environment and our world,

·         healthcare available and affordable to all Americans, regardless of their socio-economic status,

·         medical decisions should not be dictated by politicians,

Now, I hear the cynical arguments for many of the points I just listed. I’m sorry for those of you who think every person benefiting the poor are taking advantage of you. I guess you have never been in need to the point where you weren’t sure where to turn. Those who have been are not perfect people, but neither are you. On these, and so many other issues, the choice for many faith voters is the Democratic Party, which is not perfect, but it is fighting for values, I can solidly back up as a Christ-follower. It is also worthy to mention that the stance many Republicans take against fellow believers is seen as contrary to Christ in terms of the lack of love and respect they seem to have for those who may think and feel differently than them, not to mention the lack of love and respect for those who are not yet Christ-followers.

Jesus didn’t paint the tax collector to be some type of radical, unlovable, liberal criminal. He invited Himself over to his house for dinner. Jesus openly called out the Pharisees for their actions. Like it or not, God is not a Republican or a Democrat. Jesus was surprisingly detached from the political institutions of His day. One can imagine He looks down at the broken systems (political or otherwise) in the same way He looked out at the temple courts prior to overturning all the tables. The Son of God was not sent to be a political savior. This is one of the things Jesus made perfectly clear as He taught people about the love of God. Americans also need to remember that He was a non-English-speaking, brown-skinned, Middle Eastern Jew; those traits alone break stereotypes ascribed to Him by vast portions of the modern American church.

Some will say I am supporting "baby killers." I am far from a fan of abortion, but history makes it clear abortions will continue even if illegal; they will simply be more dangerous. I believe giving women adequate means to support their children is far more likely to help desperate women choose life. I am not called to play God or to be anyone’s conscience.

This pet issue of evangelical conservatives represents the sword on which many will fall at the top of the hill on. It is this habit, the picking and choosing of sins, that is actively destroying the Great Commission in 2021. Morality cannot be legislated. That is not God’s plan for His Kingdom. Freedom of choice comes down to the very choice of whom a person will serve, God or Satan. Jesus’ example of freedom is exchanged for control, His hope exchanged for fear, His love exchanged for hate, and His divinity exchanged for idolatry. God has not mandated nor legislated that people follow Him. Look back through history and see how legislating morality has failed.

Leaning on the crutch of abortion completely misrepresents what it means to be pro-life and using it as a marker of true Christianity diminishes the power and grace of a loving Father. Rather we should address the gap between the angry, outspoken opposition to abortion and the Godly definition of a pro-life worldview. This should be the chief priority regarding this complicated and deeply painful matter. Pro-life should be pro-ALL life, not just unborn babies. We should be addressing starving people, capital punishment, justified killings, not to mention a human’s ability to really live. Nothing is black and white about abortion itself or the implications of supporting a candidate who believes the government should leave a woman’s body to a woman.

At this moment in time, the evangelical church is rapidly losing its authority and credibility on how to think deeply, act justly, and live wholeheartedly as Christ’s agents of renewal in the world, despite the authentic efforts of many who truly are salt of the earth people. Many Americans are concerned by Former-President Trump’s actions and his reflection of what Christianity supposedly looks like, which does not reflect me as a Christ-follower. Ironically, it’s Christians that must have a “come to Jesus moment” reconciling their broad support for Trump and the phenomenal damage done to their ability to witness in the name of Jesus to those who need them. In fact, many have moved away from calling themselves “Christians” and are using the term “Christ-follower” exclusively. Christian and Republican are not one and the same. They never have been and they never will be.

It’s important to recognize that some of those who take this questioning of their integration of faith and politics are some of the same types of people who crucified Jesus two thousand years ago, minus the political labels. Jesus wasn’t crucified because he said things like, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light”, “Love one another as I have loved you” etc. He was crucified because he said, “See the Pharisees? Look at those hypocrites.”

It is also important to note that some would see Former-President Trump as a thrice-married, twice divorced, porn-star adulterating, amoral, racist, narcissistic, sexist cheat who is wholeheartedly incapable of telling the truth. Those that take offense to this description are some of the same people that fully disrespect, criticize, and name-call those who believe in political and religious ideologies different than their own. The fact is that we are all sinners. While the office of President of the United States is not a religious office, it is meant for a person of integrity. It does not require a faith or persuasion that exactly matches yours or mine. I know that no one is perfect. That is not what I’m saying.

Though my politics lean left of center, my vote goes far beyond policy alone. I voted for President Joe Biden because of the deep love I have for people of all persuasions and for their future. I voted for President Joe Biden because character, integrity, and the truth should still matter. I voted for President Joe Biden because I believe he most aligns with principles that form my understanding of what it means to be a Christ-follower. I voted for President Joe Biden because I do not believe those on the far left or the far right or those who are promoting outrageous conspiracy theories. I choose to not be that cynical. I do not believe that the courts of this land, all the way up to the Supreme Court, have been overcome by radical, un-American ideals, and are choosing to ignore facts and allow frivolous inquiries.

Political parties are tasked with many things but carrying out the Gospel isn’t one of them. Voting for Biden did not represent an illusion that he will “fix” everything or that he is perfect, but a signal that, of the two candidates, he was my choice to lead the country based on the choices we were given in this system called Democracy. Since you can be so bold in your support of your choices, I can be so bold in mine.

As usual, thanks for reading.

RESOURCES

https://christiandemocratsofamerica.org/blog/2020/11/03/in-new-poll-80-of-christian-voters-say-biden-represents-their-values-more-than-trump/

https://www.hollandsentinel.com/opinion/20201101/my-take-christians-can-vote-democrat-too

http://goodnewsplanet.com/what-it-means-to-be-a-christian-and-a-democrat/

https://christiansforsocialaction.org/resource/christianity-is-neither-democratic-nor-republican-its-better-than-both/

https://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/party-affiliation/