Faith Through the Journey

This year’s presidential contest has been one we may never see the likes of again–thankfully! Having voted Republican all my life, I have been very dismayed as the primary season unfolded and the candidate who, in my estimation, should NEVER have even been on the stage emerged as the eventual nominee.

Let me say up front that many of my fellow Republicans have felt the same way, and we have commiserated about how base and disgusting the nominee of our party seems to be. However, they are choosing to take a deep breath and work for the good of the party and will vote for the nominee. That is their right and privilege, and  I will NEVER criticize them for doing so! As an election official, I understand very deeply that a citizen’s vote is one of their most important rights and I would NEVER presume to tell anyone how to exercise that right! Everyone needs to research and evaluate for themselves which candidate best represents them in every elective office. The voter turnout in presidential election years is always higher than in non-presidential ones because the president is very visible and people seem to believe that the most important vote they cast is for president. I will pontificate on that subject at a later date!

As much as it hurts, I will not be casting a vote for president/vice-president this year. There is no Democrat candidate I would consider voting for on so many levels, but I cannot vote for the nominee of the Republican party either. I realize many of my friends and acquaintances will tell me I have to do this for a multitude of reasons, and yet in my heart I know that my conscience will not allow it. Over the course of many elections, I have dropped certain plumb lines, used litmus tests to decide which candidates I will support. For instance, there were many years I didn’t vote for a popular incumbent officeholder because I disagreed with his position on abortion. The character of a candidate is far more important to me than anything else. It has nothing to do with “establishment” or “status quo”. A candidate may say things we want to hear, but if in his dealings with people he seeks not to defeat but to destroy anyone who opposes him, who will not admit to ever making a  mistake, who will not listen to the counsel of others, who feels the need to answer with ridicule and retaliation anyone who dares to disagree with him, he is NOT the kind of leader I want to follow! Those who support Donald Trump enthusiastically do so because they say he speaks the things they want to hear, that he stands up to “the establishment”, that they’re angry and that “something has to be done”. I can’t help but think that the presidential race looks more like a playground fight, complete with bullying and name-calling!

It is such a grief to my heart that I can’t vote for president this year. And friends, please save your texts and your exhortations about what could happen if I don’t vote for the Republican nominee! I respect your right to vote for whomever you choose and I will not judge you, and I would be grateful if you would also respect my right to withhold my vote. Psalm 106:15 says: “He gave them exactly what they asked for–but along with it they got an empty heart” (The Message). Because of the way we’ve treated Him, we don’t have the right to ask God to bless America–but may He still have mercy on us.