Election Day is upon us. For good or ill, we pick our next president on Tuesday. Now, as the head of a 501(c)(3) organization, I cannot endorse any one candidate. However, I will give you a few principles to think about as you decide for whom you will vote.
I’ve been studying elections for well over a decade. My undergraduate degree is in political science. If you have ever met me personally, you also know I have a special needs brother who is the most knowledgeable person I know on presidential history. Seriously, he’s corrected an encyclopedia. So I have given a lot of thought to this.
So, without further ado, here are the principles:
1. “You cannot legislate morality” must be retired
This phrase is either a malicious lie or a statement made from extreme ignorance. The fact is all laws legislate morality. In fact, the phrase “you cannot legislate morality” is itself a moral statement.
The socially acceptable morality the world likes is secular humanism or secular hedonism. Christians who allow for this fail to understand that not all morality is equal and that Christianity is the only form of morality that leads to human flourishing.
“You cannot force everyone to be Christians,” the age-old argument goes. I agree! But unless someone is arguing to make a law requiring every person to go to church each week and register as a Christian, I don’t see this argument having any relevance to the conversation.
Any true Christian will tell you it is not moral behavior that makes us Christian. Requiring someone not to take the life of another is not forcing them to be Christian, but rather legislating a moral that leads to human flourishing. The same argument can be applied to gay marriage, transitioning a child’s gender, or any other thing. Outlawing transgender surgeries does not force people to be Christian, but it does promote a moral that is better than secular humanism and is better for society, the obvious reason being that children who transition have a much higher rate of suicide.
2. All elections are the lesser of two evils
Sorry, it just is. As long as you have two sinners on the ballot, you will always have the lesser of two evils to pick. There isn’t even a third-party candidate that is going to make that better.
3. Not a single person on the ballot is Hitler
This is not a new election tactic. Many other presidential candidates have been called Hitler during the election season. Reagan was one of them. To call anyone Hitler-esque is to cheapen the horrible figure Hitler was and belittles the pain of families who lost loved ones in concentration camps. To liken half the country to Nazis and Nazi sympathizers is to weaken the lesson Germany taught us. This tactic is truly a dangerous game for anyone who employs it.
4. Christians passionate about politics are not placing politics over religion
It is not incompatible to be politically involved and firmly hold Christ as King overall. I have been fascinated by politics most of my life. I’m a passionate woman and speak with conviction. But I am also not ultimately worried about the outcome of this election. I acknowledge that the outcome will dictate the comfort of the next four years, but that doesn’t mean it will bring about the apocalypse or foil the plan of our sovereign God. Of course, not being a Dispensationalist helps me with this view, but I think even Dispensationalists and Pre-millennialists can make that distinction. So posting on social media as if passionate advocacy is a bad thing just earns you a well-deserved eye roll. And before you start screaming or thinking “Christian Nationalism,” just don’t. Do your research instead.
5. Any candidate is going to be divisive instead of unifying
That’s just where we are in the political landscape. Even if Jesus was on the ballot, he would be divisive. He absolutely would not bring unity. In fact, when He came to Earth, He said He didn’t come to bring unity but division. (Matthew 10:34-35) So if you are voting for the least divisive president, pick a new goal.
Those are just a few of my principles for elections. I hope this helps as you decide what to do on Nov. 5. If you vote, vote not with your conscience but with the Holy Spirit that is within you as a Christian. If you choose not to vote, do so in freedom because it’s not a salvation issue.
See you guys after Election Day!
Laura Clark is a wife, mother, and community activist. She currently serves as the interim president of Alabama Center for Law and Liberty, a conservative nonprofit law firm that fights for limited government, free markets, and strong families in the courts. Anything written by Laura for this publication does not constitute legal advice.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to Commentary@1819News.com.
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