Stand Up and Vote

“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong (1 Corinthians 16:13). Christianity’s Apostle Paul wrote these words approximately two thousand years ago, but when you consider current world events, you have to acknowledge that the time to live them is now. The 2020 Presidential election highlighting incumbent President Donald Trump and Presidential nominee, Joe Biden is an unusual but important election. So, if you vote on Christian values in America, be sure you embrace Christianity according to the Bible.

Everyone must stand for something. Someone who stands for nothing will fall for anything. What I am about to say may make some Christians uncomfortable, and it is sure to arouse anger in the hearts of many non-Christians. I rarely write about politics. But it is important to me that I take a stand on the issues confronting the Christian community as it relates to voting in America.

This Election Is About Leadership, Not Attitude

Any house, team, company, or nation can only be as productive as its leader. The leader circumscribes how followers react to his or her authority. It is no secret that the world recognizes that President Donald Trump presents a leadership problem for America. The whole world is watching us. The world recognizes that our leader only leads until things go amiss. When trouble arises, rather than lead us to safety, Donald Trump undergoes a metamorphosis and transforms from leader to accuser. As a Christian, I have decided to stand on Christianity’s values.

The reason I am writing this blog is that it troubles me that a large portion of America’s Christian community supports this president’s divisive rhetoric and is comfortable with it. I believe it is impossible to be a Christian without emulating Christ. In my opinion, President Donald Trump has done nothing to unite America. Whether democrat or republican, black or white, rich or poor, we are Americans, and from coast-to-coast people are struggling to find a straight path through the minefield of division that this president has created. Nevertheless, we must find a way to stand united.

America’s Perspective of Christianity

Many Americans lay claim to Christianity. But Christianity is not just a word. Christianity is a lifestyle. The word Christian suggests that one must be Christ-like. So, to my Christian brothers and sisters, I ask: Do we really practice Christianity with a Christ-like attitude? In dealing with America’s obstacles, as Christians, we must ask ourselves what would Jesus do in our given situation.

Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They answered, “Some people say you are John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say You are Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” Then He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Many Americans view Christ and Christianity based on what others say about Him. But the time has come for Christians to take a stand. To identify with Christ on a personal level by distinguishing who Christ is to you.

A Different Outlook

I am of African descent, but I was born in America. And while I am proud to identify with my African ancestors, I am also proud to be an American. America’s Constitution begins with the words, “We the People.” However, when America’s founding fathers wrote the Constitution, they did not include people like me. Nevertheless, I love my country. Perhaps many Christians are unaware that Christ gave His life for all people (John 3:16), even black people whom America’s founding fathers considered three-fifths human when they wrote the laws by which this great nation would be governed. 1787 was a good year for America, but 2020 is a better year for me.

If we are true to ourselves, we would see that we are a divided nation of Christians. The Bible says: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand” (Matthew 12:25). So I ask, “How will a Christian nation that is founded on Christian principles stand without first standing on Christianity’s Constitution—the Bible?”

Our Point of View of Pro-Life and Pro-Choice Matters, But So Does Our Constitutional Rights as Citizens

I am in favor of pro-choice, and I agree that the unborn have rights that should be protected. But that unborn child may someday become an adult black man. If it is unlawful to abort the unborn baby, shouldn’t it be unlawful to delete the same baby, all grown up? Now as it relates to pro-choice, the circumstances matter. For example, a single mother has three children, all under the age of twelve. She is raped and conceives. But the child she conceives has major health issues that threaten the mother’s life, and unless the pregnancy is terminated, the mother will certainly die. If the mother dies, the state will be responsible for raising her remaining children. In this instance, rather than have some old man in Congress determine the outcome, I believe the mother should have the right to be a part of the decision-making.

So, what does it mean to take a stance on pro-life and pro-choice? Definitions matter. Depending on who you ask, the terms pro-life and pro-choice each have their own distinct and prejudiced meanings.

Pro-Life

The anti-abortion movement of the 1970s gave birth to our current pro-life movement. Interestingly the term pro-life stems from the belief in the right to life which states that a human being has the right to live, and should therefore not be killed by another entity, including the government. Whether life is a preborn baby, a newborn baby, a disabled person, or a senior, the sentiment is the same. All human life is equal, and therefore all life matters, not just unborn lives.

Pro-Choice

Pro-choice is the belief that every woman should be endowed with the right to her own life and body. Therefore, denying a woman an abortion is denying her the right to make decisions concerning her bodily autonomy.

Constitutional Rights of an American Citizen

The Bill of Rights is the first of ten Amendments to the United States Constitution. The Bill of Rights guarantees civil rights and liberties to American citizens. Among these rights is the right to prevent the government from creating or favoring a religion.

God’s Given Right to Free Choice

Pro-life and pro-choice are important issues to me, but as a Christian, I also believe we have the right to exercise free choice from God’s viewpoint. According to Christianity’s Bible, sin entered the world through the disobedience of the first man, Adam. God gave Adam only one commandment: “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat, but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat” (Genesis 2:16-17). He could have forced Adam to obey Him; God could have made it difficult for Adam to disobey, by placing bees or some other obstacle to deter him from eating from the tree. Instead, God simply gave him the law and let Adam choose for himself.

I am a Christian and I believe the word of God to be infallible. My question to fellow Christians is this: If God gave us the right to choose our own destiny, why do we attempt to force people to keep God’s commandments, as though we have to defend God? Why in the name of Christianity do we believe we have to write laws to prevent people from exercising their right to be gay or lesbian? I believe as Christians, we should simply love, and leave the judgment to God.

Love Without Condemnation

America is a nation of diverse ethnicities and religions. Christianity is only one of many religions practiced in America. Our part as Christians is to love and not condemn. When we judge people, we not only condemn them, but we condemn ourselves as well. God’s desire is that Christians warn people of impending judgment. Nowhere in the Bible does God command us to force people to obey His commands.

When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul

Ezekiel 3:18-19

The Stakes of This Election are High

I don’t believe we can endure another four years of President Donald Trump. Instead of leading he points the finger and tries to blame everyone else for his disastrous decisions. This president lies for the sake of lying; he makes things up and then spends all day and half the night tweeting them to non-fact checkers, who of course, believe him. He uses the rest of his time defending his lies. This president insults everyone who does not agree with him, he incites division and is without empathy for anyone. The lives of American service personnel and covid-19 victims mean nothing to him.

Coronavirus

Although coronavirus originated in China, it arrived in America on President Donald Trump’s watch. Needless to say, President Trump constantly reminds us that it’s China’s fault that we have coronavirus to deal with. The President knows he has lots of followers that love him and they will do anything he asks them to do. Yet, he refuses to ask citizens to do a simple thing like wearing a mask. He constantly tells us that coronavirus will go away. But with more than two hundred thousand people dead, and people still dying from the pandemic, I don’t believe him.

Racism

President Donald Trump says that he is the least racist president that America has ever had. I honestly do not think his stance on racism is anything but racist. When asked to denounce racist groups that are known to have racist agendas, he tells them to “stand back and stand by.” WHAT? Stand back! Stand by! What is the message here? By not publicly denouncing racism and racist actions, it is obvious that President Donald Trump is in agreement with their tactics.

Progress is at stake in this election. We must not be sidetracked by this president’s unscrupulous words and actions. When President Trump says, he is going to make America great again, to what time period is he referring? I was born in 1951, and today’s America is a much greater America than the America of the 1950s. We live in a land of freedom and opportunity. We must not allow this president to take us back in time to his fairyland America.

If I could ask President Donald Trump one question, I would ask, “What kind of leader would suggest that the members of his own household turn against each other? What can we possibly gain from such division?”

We Are Better Than This

I am a musician, so I understand rhythms pretty well. In a band, the drummer sets the rhythm. Everything in life, including your heartbeat, has a rhythm. You don’t have to be a musician to know that the rhythm of life has changed. Life is supposed to sound like a sweet song of progress. But lately, the rhythm of life is beginning to sound like noise. The drummer is MIA (missing in action), and without a drummer, everyone is playing to the sound of their own beat.

America, can’t you tell, that the beat to the happy song we once sang is off? Future generations will look back and wonder what really happened. They will ask, “Why did we go to sleep at the wheel?” Our time on earth can only be measured by how we managed our reality. Quite frankly, I think we are doing a terrible job. But we can do better because we are better than this.

To the body of Christ, a/k/a “the church,” be reminded of your position and authority. You are equipped with spiritual weapons. Do not become entangled in the hatred that is quickly spreading throughout the world.

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5

Gather your thoughts, and pray for our president and our nation. Pull down the stronghold of racism through prayer. Resist everything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. And please… EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE!

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Exercise your 1st Amendment right. I welcome your reply.