I’m listening to the radio, waiting for the election results. It looks like another Conseravative government. I asked a Christian man today what the main factor is that decides his vote; he’s a stalwart supporter of the Coservatives, as are most Christians around here. It seems that the Tories are the Christian party, just like the Republicans in the U.S. The man answered that it’s because of the values of the party, since, as he says, their values are mostly Christian values.
I wish people would stop saying that. It’s not that the Conservatives have necessarily poor values, or that I think that a Conservative vote is a bad choice. There is a lot of good that they have to offer our country. For most Christians, though, our votes go to the Tories by default, because voting otherwise is unchristian. And what are the issues for the majority of these people? Homosexuality and abortion. For real. Last time I checked, true religion was about looking after the widow and orphan – the oppressed and disadvantaged. As for the issues, the Conservatives’ official stand on abortion is that they won’t bring it up. Bringing it up splits votes, and it’s not worth bringing up. Very Christian. And giving gay people rights? If Christians are really concerned about preserving “the sanctity of marriage,” we should lead by example, not by legislation. We forget that this is not a Christian nation, and dictating morals to non-Christian people doesn’t seem right to me.
A Conservative government is a great choice for people who are middle class, and can more or less take care of themselves. Shouldn’t those who can easily take care of themselves look to how they can take care of people who can’t? I know that churches do some of that, but shouldn’t we be happy to pay taxes for social programs and environmentally friendly incentives? And yes, taking care of the earth is a Christian duty, not an option we consider when the economy is looking good.
I know that the issues are much more complex, and the party platforms actually don’t look very different from one another for this 2008 election. I’m just focusing on a certain trend that bothers me quite a lot. Christians are supposed to stand for love and peace and justice, not just against some nearly non-issues. Am I right?
October 15, 2008 at 3:38 am
You are right, though these people would probably tell you that you’re wrong. To them the ” non-issues” are major issues, they think that if they “take a stand” for their interpretation of morality, then they are also ” taking a stand for christ.” They would say,” we aren’t against gay people or people who are pro choice, we are against sin” That’s how they justify everything.
October 15, 2008 at 3:41 am
I agree. Great post and blog — I am really enjoying your latest posts!
Here’s a post I wrote on campaign strategy (I am 13) that you might like to check out, I think, judging on your blog, you will find it pretty interesting:
October 15, 2008 at 12:44 pm
we need to, as christians stop fighting against things and start making new, good things happen. That’s our problem in politics. We are seen as protesting activists that use our religion as a way to push our politics on people!
Well said Dominick, you wrote down my feelings on all this stuff pretty much.
I think you voted liberal? I voted green. It’s silly that you mentioned about the gay and abortion thing because when people hear green, especially Christians, they think “baby killers”, or “pot heads”. It’s so ignorant of them!!
Read their platform people!
October 16, 2008 at 5:16 pm
sorry for all the comments, I guess I’m your superfan! haha
So here is a passage from the book “Unchristian”.
This is about what you were referring to when you wrote about abortion and homosexuality:
“Do we really want the government regulating the sex lives of it’s adult citizens?Our concerns about preventing the advancement of homosexual rights often translate into a desire for unrealistic boundaries on people’s lives”……….”Human beings are easily alarmed, and Christians often respond to their fears by exaggerating the danger and by seeking solutions that do not appropriately address the problems.”
October 17, 2008 at 6:15 am
@ Adam – all right wing positional folks respond like that, don’t they. Islamists, Jews, Mennonites, school trustees… 🙂
@ Dom – thanks for your thoughts. Yes, the valley’s outspoken political/religious environment is quite clearly black or white. Not much room for a charcoally swirl, that to me looks so much better. There are groups though, that ask questions like your’s. Out loud. And the questioning is welcomed.
October 18, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Who? Where?
October 19, 2008 at 6:20 am
Abbotsford Mennonite Fellowship, is one. http://mcbc.ca/churches.html
You’ll want to talk with people like Dave Kroeker and Karl Olfert.
October 23, 2008 at 12:27 am
@rudy, to which of my comments were you referring to? I hope your answer was not sarcastic. For some reason it sounded that way to me?
October 24, 2008 at 5:26 am
I’m pretty sure he just meant what he said.
October 25, 2008 at 6:14 am
Hi Adam,
~Human beings are easily alarmed, and Christians often respond to their fears by exaggerating the danger and by seeking solutions that do not appropriately address the problems~
I won’t write the essay in my head on Dominick’s blog comment space but will summarize by saying I have noticed that those who have the most to lose, or feel they have the most to lose tend to be more alarmist than those who don’t. So, when we speak of faith based or faith originating conflict, it stands to reason that those who have the most rigid walls of (in)tolerance and the strictest dogma will react most severely when threatened, or when they perceive threat.
This is what came to mind when I read your post with that quotation. Anyway, nuff said.
Dom, thank you for providing this discussion space, and I don’t want to hog space.
Adam, I was not being sarcastic to you. If I disagree sufficiently with your thought, I will happily engage overtly or avoid completely.
I’m only on here sporadically when time allows to hear Dominick’s thoughts that he’s chosen to share, and am glad when he does.