Across the country today millions of Americans will head to the ballot box and vote for the candidate of their own choosing, or will they?  My fear is that many of the millions voting today will not select the candidate they feel best represents their beliefs, but who have the best chance of winning.

Here in Massachusetts we have four candidates on the ballot for governor.  Each candidate is pro-choice, supports stem cell research, supports homosexual rights, and supports easier access to gambling.  What is a conservative to do?  But more than that, what is a Christian to do? 

The first solution some suggest is to just sit this one out – don’t vote.  I cannot do that.  I do believe that as a citizen of this nation, I ought to be involved in electoral process.  Whomever controls the state house will set the legislative agenda (or at least attempt to) for the next four years.  The amount of power and influence this person wields is too much for me not have a voice in the selection of this person.  If I do care about any of this issues I mentioned above, I must head out to polls and have my vote be counted.

The second solution some suggest is to hold my nose and vote for the lesser of two (or in this case four) evils.  In this election Kerry Healey(the Republican candidate) is seen as the lesser of the evils.  A vote for her would take away another vote from the front-runner, Democrat Deval Patrick.  A Patrick win would spell disaster as a reign of liberal terror holds the Bay State hostage.  Yet, I would counter that the lesser of two evils is still in fact evil.  A vote for Mrs. Healey is still a vote for abortion, homosexual rights, stem cell research and more gambling.  Either way the election turns out, my values are rejected.  Voting for Healey may bring in economic relief and judges who are not as liberal as Patrick nominees would be, but still unborn children will be executed, homosexuals will marry and slot machines will be installed throughout the state.  This is the ultimate lose-lose situation.  Again, what is a Christian to do?

Allow me to give you my solution – Vote your conscience!  I have decided to cast my vote for the write-in candidacy of Rev. Michael Carl of the Constitution Party.  He is a conservative Christian with the right ideas of how government should run.  He is pro-life, defends the Biblical definition of marriage, and will stand up for the values and principals I hold dear.  How can I not vote for such a man? 

I know, this man probably does not stand a chance of winning.  I know, I am splitting the Republican Party and opening the door for a liberal Democrat to wreak havoc (although I think some who have accused me of this greatly overestimate my influence here among the MA electorate).  However, I must do what is right.  What is not right is voting for people who promote ungodly and anti-Biblical policies.  I want nothing to do with them.  I am a fundamentalist.  I make no apology for that.  As a fundamentalist, I preach the Biblical doctrine of separation.  What I preach from the pulpit, I live out in the ballot box.  I will not support candidates of any party who promote abortion or homosexual rights.  I cannot do it. 

May I remind everyone reading this post that my decision to do what is right is not dependent upon its outcome.  I am not to vote for the person I think has the best shot of winning.  I am to vote for the best candidates with the right stance and the right philosophy
For those suggesting that a truly conservative third party candidate would only serve to split the GOP and throw us into liberal hysteria – let me say this.  Why would anyone want to work so hard in campaigning and supporting a candidate only to have a not-so-bad outcome?  The truth is the end result of electing the not so bad candidate is to support the same liberal agenda supported by Democrats. We have surrendered the issues we deem important.  That to me is worse than electing the liberal Democrat straight out.

Am I just throwing away my vote?  No!  I look at it in a different light.  First, how can I use my precious vote, the largest voice I have in politics, and waste it on a candidate who despises my views?  Second, why would any conservative, Biblically-minded candidate ever chose to run for office in the future if he knows he cannot even count on his own base to support him!  Wasting my vote on candidates I disagree with only lends them support and encourages others of their kind to run in the future. 

 I cannot fathom how people plan to defend their Biblical position by supporting candidates who directly and actively oppose them.  How will anyone ever take us seriously as we defend the right to life and then hypocritically usher in candidates who defend the right to execute these unborn children?  We will never have our values and principles stood for in government if we refuse to back those who support them!  If we vote for pro-choice pro-homosexual agenda candidates, the only possible and logical outcome will be more pro-choice and pro-homosexual agenda candidates winning and running our government.

 Let me stop here and say the real change we need is not political but spiritual.  The only way this country will ever change is if you and are zealous in our evangelistic efforts.  Even under Conservative Republican rule, people die and go to hell. People who are pro-life and anti-gay marriage still have a sin nature.  Even the issues I mentioned here are spiritually discerned.  The greatest need of our country, state, city and street is the gospel of grace through faith.   I do believe that my soul-winning efforts are more important than any political campaign I may ever be involved in.  In fact, just this week I turned down an invitation to attend a political rally because it conflicted with our church’s visitation night. 

So, why would I even bother mentioning any of this - Because I have no desire to shoot myself in the foot.  I have wept at times thinking of the millions of abortion committed each year.  I will preach form my pulpit with all my might against this heinous from of execution.  Yet, if allow candidates to waltz into office thinking there will be no protest of their wicked agenda, those execution numbers will sky rocket.  I cannot preach one thing from pulpit and idly stand by as it happens almost before my eyes.  Action is needed.  I am not calling for another political action committee or national movement.  But, the very least I can do is show up on election day and vote my conscience.

Please remember that your vote counts!  Let YOUR voice be heard.  Don’t allow inferior candidates to drown out your right to have your vote count.  Imagine what we could do as Bible-believing Christians if we all just decided to vote our consciences!  These candidates who at one time never stood a chance would all of a sudden at least have a grass roots effort that could lead to real change.  But instead of real change, we throw away our vote and allow anti-Biblical voices to rule the day.  How sad.  You would figure that Christians ought to at least vote like Christians…

(Let me interject here that what I am espousing here are my own views.  This is not necessarily the view of the other contributors here on Fundamental Perspective.  Good men, men I deeply respect and admire, disagree with me and adamantly so!  But the purpose of this blog is to spark discussion, so let the discussion begin!)

Read my other posts from Delve into the Depths on the MA Governor’s race:

My Endorsement for Governor
To Go Against Conscience
To Vote, or NOT to Vote, for Kerry Healey?(Posted on the MassResistance blog)

Listen to these audio files to “hear” my further thoughts on this Topic:

My Appearance on MassResistance Radio this weekend (mp3)
My Interview with Gubernatorial Candidate Michael Carl (mp3)

(Originally posted on Fundamental Perspective - 11/07/06)