Last night, August 6th, 2015, I watched a portion of the first debate between declared Republican candidates for the Presidency of the United States of American. Republicans should be embarrassed by the performance and the opinions of some of the candidates, fortified by others. Republicans must have realized last night that the election will be an arduous challenge. Conservatism on all issues was unmistakable. So was the Christian orientation evident with more candidates than I had expected. But here is where the electorate must be judicious. Voters must be discerning. That a candidate is a professing Christian does not mean that he should receive your vote. It is a mistake to weight shared faith beliefs so heavily that your vote goes to the professing Christian almost by default. Some of the largest wingnuts are religious people. Neither conservatism nor Christian profession cannot routinely be associated with brilliance, perspicacity, or common sense. Consider Fox News, some of whose news journalists are the maddest group of people on television. Vote by listening to candidates speaking directly to the pressing issues of the day. Vote on the basis of openly declared party positions on all that matters to you and your country.
In Canada we face a Federal election this year after the longest campaign in our history. I have a sense that most Christians feel it obligatory to vote Conservative because after all, aren't Christians, people with conservative convictions? Listen prudently to what the Liberals, the New Democrats, the Green Party and the Conservatives are saying. Watch to learn which candidates are most believable, trustworthy, inspiring, unselfish, honourable. Be wise. Vote for the best candidate.
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