Voting Bible

god-vote-trump

Voting Bible

It was November 2008. Election season in the U.S. I was a sophomore at the University of Alabama – a public, state university in a region known as “The Deep South.” The South is often characterized by its religious devotion, so as a devout Christian it was not difficult for me to find a church to call home during my Alabama stay. One of the churches I frequented was contemporary in its architecture and culture. For instance, in the foyer a small café sold warm beverages, pastries, and breakfast sandwiches. A large digital clock was projected on the screen in the sanctuary, counting down the seconds to the start of the service. There was no pulpit with a choir stand and chairs for the ministers, but instead a stage with ample space for several worship leaders, liturgical dancers, and even theater productions. Traditional lighting was replaced with little to no lighting, and the semi-dark sanctuary was illuminated by colorful show lights. After worshipping and singing along with the latest in Contemporary Christian Music, the pastor took center stage and began his weekly greeting of the congregation. Although I was aware that Election Day was only a week or two around the corner, and I knew the overwhelming majority of the U.S. South to be conservative Republicans, I had not prepared myself for what came next. Somewhere in the midst of welcoming newcomers and cracking jokes about football, the pastor stumbled upon politics, “I don’t know about you”, he emphatically proclaimed, “but I’m votin’ Bible!”

 

Voting Bible
Source of image: https://www.redletterchristians.org/christian-utopia-and-the-body-politic/

 

Under the surface of his pledge to “vote Bible” was an implied understanding that he would not vote for Obama or any other Democrat, but he was voting for the candidate(s) who opposed abortion and same-sex marriage.

Before I could stop the flow, a cascade of thoughts in opposition to his understanding of “voting Bible” rushed my mind:

Vote Bible?

Doesn’t Jesus want us to show compassion to the oppressed?

Defend the helpless? Fight for justice?

What about the scripture that compels Christians to invite marginalized groups to dine?

And the command to show mercy to the poor?

Am I voting Bible when I support policies and candidates who fulfill the scripture, “For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to me?”

Although there are many scriptures that compel Christians to show mercy, love, and compassion towards oppressed individuals, the final scripture mentioned above beautifully summarized the marginalized groups I thought of when voting: the poor, immigrants, and those who would benefit from access to healthcare and criminal justice reform.

I had no political agenda. No passion to use the Bible as a weapon to prove anybody wrong. No desire to go on the offensive and argue the scriptures. I was genuinely discouraged that “voting Bible” had become synonymous with “voting Republican.”

Fast forward 8+ years from the charge to “vote Bible,” and the intertwined culture of U.S. politics and religion still often leave me feeling like I’m like an illegitimate Christian. For instance, it is a common occurrence for an advertisement to interrupt my Christian worship music to remind me to, “vote for Christian values.” Am I not really carrying out the will of God when I vote, since I do not faithfully vote for Republican candidates?

I have noticed that this feeling of disloyalty to the faith is more poignant when I find myself in areas predominantly occupied by White Americans – be it physical spaces, such as a church building, or advertising channels, such as a radio station that plays Contemporary Christian Music. On the other hand, in the midst of predominantly African American forums I don’t feel guilty of being an imposter Christian.

There is no denying that there is a long-standing, yet silent, racial chasm in American Christendom. The divide is evident in the various ethnically homogenous clusters of Christians – Black churches, White churches, Latina churches, Asian churches, etc. However, this piece focuses on the oldest of these rifts, namely, the rift between Black and White congregations in the U.S. Are divergent political views at the root of the church’s racial segregation?

Of course not all church-going Blacks are Democrats, and not all church-going Whites are Republicans. However, generally speaking, Black congregations and White congregations prioritize policy preferences differently. Before going any further, I’d be remiss if I did not concede that many Black Christians are socially conservative concerning abortion and homosexuality. But the difference between many Black churches and their White counterparts lies in the prioritization of the issues. Abortion and homosexuality are the political headliners for the majority-white, Christian right; and all other issues are of second-class importance. However, as a Black woman who as a child experienced hunger and homelessness; whose past generations lived in poverty; who grew up thinking dental braces (read: healthcare) were only for “the rich kids”; and whose loved ones and close friends live in communities where they are more likely to be arrested, or to experience police mistreatment; there is an urgent responsibility to show the compassion of Christ by endorsing a “hand-up” to those who look like me, or struggle as I once struggled. The responsibility to show compassion toward marginalized groups is more urgent than making sure I leave my “Christian footprint” of having voted for a candidate who only condones heterosexual marriage, or is anti-abortion.

In short, it feels as if conservative Christians value outlawing gay marriage and abortion at the expense of the well-being of blacks, immigrants, the sick, and every other oppressed group. And that hurts. However, I’ve come to realize that historically, the Christian right (not necessarily “Republicans,” but the Christian, conservative voting bloc) has not supported political causes that were necessary to uplift African Americans. I have yet to read a historical account of the Christian right (referred to as “Democrats” at the time) endorsing the abolitionist movement; Dr. King lamented the lack of support for the Civil Rights Movement from his peer white ministers and Southern white churches; and present-day conservative evangelicals have been unwilling to empathize with the pain behind pleadings that, “Black lives matter.”

I once heard a conservative Christian remind our Bible study group, “God is not Republican or Democrat.” I just wish my feelings, which are shaped by experiences, would consistently submit to this truth.

Note: source of featured image – http://www.breitbart.com/2016-presidential-race/2016/06/14/god-vote-trump/

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