How Will Jesus Vote: Democrat or Republican or . . .?
Exclusive Interview With Jesus Christ
Recorded by W. E. Eins
INTERVIEWER:
How does a typical citizen decide whom to vote for and which party to support?
JESUS:
In a democracy like ours, the best and wisest minds have always invited people to study the issues and candidates and vote for those who best represent the voter's own positions and insights. The two major parties, Democrats and Republicans, each have good, basic principles as the core and foundation of their approach to governance. And other parties, plus independents, have additional, sound principles they promote. The first step for individual voters is to look into all these principles, to find what's valuable for good governance, no matter what party stresses them.
INTERVIEWER:
Are your saying everybody should be independent and not belong to one or the other party?
JESUS:
One can start anywhere: as a Democrat or Republican or member of another party or as an Independent. The individual learns their own party's principles and values first, including the strengths and weaknesses of those positions. I include weakness, because in human governance, there is no one set of basic principles and values that has all the answers. For example, one party promotes small government, and another promotes government intervention when needed. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each of those positions? And under what circumstances does the nation need more emphasis on one side or the other of that debate?
The second step is to look at the fundamental principles of the other parties and groups in the public debate, again looking for the strengths and weakness of each principle. Often it seems that principles from differing parties are in conflict, but perhaps it is not so much conflict as it is a matter of partial truth or reality. Each principle has an element of the truth, not the whole truth. Rather than seeing differing principles as being in conflict, people can discover that both principles are true, partially true, and together they can result in better approaches and policies.
For example, one party may stress the need for government to help the poor, while the another party may stress individual responsibility to take care of oneself. Integrating those two values will result in efforts that help the poor while enabling them to help themselves more and more.
Striving to integrate differing party values in this way does not mean one must be only an Independent. One can begin to integrate conflicting values from within one's own party first, because, even within parties, this integration can serve very effectively. Then it includes integrating sound elements of the other parties and positions. Ultimately, this integration of principles from varying parties leads to the greatest good for all the nation.
INTERVIEWER:
You are saying that people of all parties have integrating work to do. If that is the case, how could some people of the Republican Party say to their relatives and fellow citizens that religious morality requires religious people to vote for the Republican Party because of its stand for family values?
JESUS:
Perhaps another way to put this is, do I have to vote Republican? I think you can guess from what I've said during this interview that a simple yes or no answer is not in order.
Two complex issues of this campaign that are the focus of this requirement by some to vote Republican are abortion and embryonic stem cell research. Some people would like very much for me to give a final answer to these two issues, and thus claim justification for their position. My preference is to allow sincere people to continue their efforts to find how to live wisely and graciously in these areas.
I affirm again for everyone that I have come to bring Life and to increase it abundantly. In the issues of abortion and embryonic stem cell research, the question remains, when does human life begin, and how do other basic values like freedom to choose and freedom to conduct research in the healing sciences integrate with the basic right to human life? In the continuing search for answers to these questions, I urge caution in declaring absolute certainty too soon or too easily on either side of the debate. I also urge thoughtful, open exploration rather than self-righteous condemnation of the other side.
Throughout history I have refrained from coming with answers for human beings, even regarding some of the most momentous issues of contention such as religious freedom, freedom from slavery, the rights of women, and similar long standing struggles. The question of abortion has existed from ancient times and continues into these times. Embryonic stem cell research comes with the development of medical science and relates to abortion and other basic human concerns. I stand with all who sincerely search for fuller and better answers in these areas.
INTERVIEWER:
You have spoken about looking for the partial truths in what appear to be conflicting approaches. Yet in speaking to the issues above, you did not say what the better solution would be. For example, what would be a better law or legal decision than the present practice of Roe vs Wade regarding the right to life of an embryo or fetus compared to the privacy and the right of women to choose regarding pregnancy?
JESUS:
Giving answers to this or other agonizing issues in human experience is not my way. I come to show the Way, not in the sense of answers, but in the sense of how to courageously seek elements of the truth wherever they are, from whatever group champions them. Human beings grow gradually: they move from exclusive devotion to one part of the truth to a greater openness to other parts of the truth held by other people. That journey belongs to each person. That is the way I honor and support.
Keep in mind how long some of these burning issues have taken to resolve. Take slavery, for example. My heart has mourned for the evil and agony caused some human beings by others through the ages. Yet I did not step in to shout the answer and demand compliance. God did not step in. The answers reside within each person. People and cultures find their way as they develop. I stand with them each step of the way. I came to help show the way. Other great spiritual human beings and leaders have come to show the way. But not to force answers or demand compliance.
INTERVIEWER:
Are there other complex issues in this election you'd like to speak about?
JESUS:
The war in Iraq has absorbed your country for a long time.
Those supporting the war claimed it was the right thing to do and said God was on their side. Those opposing the war claimed it was illegal and wrong, and said God was on their side.
Both sides do well to search their hearts and their religious traditions to find help in deciding whether to go to war or not. What happens in this debate is the same thing that happens in all momentous debates. People on each side find support for their position and listen only to evidence that justifies it. What's needed, again, is the courage and ability to look at the other side's position and find the partial truths that are there, while doing the same in looking at one's own position. Integrating the partial truths from both positions leads to a wiser understanding of the whole picture. From there a better decision can be made about how to resolve the conflicts from every possible human approach. People then see more clearly what it really means to make war only as an absolutely last resort.
Bringing Peace in the broadest and richest sense has always been a special emphasis for me. I mourn the tragedies caused by war throughout the ages, especially those fought in the name of religion. Yet, I understand that the human family develops gradually, and that not every individual or group easily finds ways to resolve conflicts without violence. Those who discover peaceful ways to resolve conflict need to lead those still dominated by fear and use of force. And when people with peacemaking skills predominate in national and international organizations, then those agencies can find ways to manage and moderate those who would resolve conflicts by force and violence. And this might even include, as an absolutely last resort, a war of containment of those who initiate war.
INTERVIEWER:
But what about voting in November? If a person takes to heart what you have said about looking for truth in one's own party and in other parties, how does one sift it all out and finally reach a decision on how to vote? In fact, I would still like to ask how you will vote on election day.
JESUS:
I will vote for those who are learning better how to integrate partial truths from all perspectives in the development of policies and decisions for the good of our people and of the peoples of the world.
Which candidates and which party that will be I'll not say now, and I think I'll keep it that way, even if you ask me on election day. Better each voter does his or her own good work in deciding, rather than just voting as I would vote. By the way, after the election, citizens must continue to look for the partial truths, wherever they can be found. Both the party in power and all the other parties must seek to integrate partial truths into a fuller truth that will result in the best policies for all the nation.
INTERVIEWER:
Thank you for taking the time for this interview. I would like to do it again soon.
JESUS:
Thank you for being available to me. I like the idea of doing it again, too.
Copyright 2004 by W. E. Eins
Exclusive Interview With Jesus Christ
Recorded by W. E. Eins
INTERVIEWER:
How does a typical citizen decide whom to vote for and which party to support?
JESUS:
In a democracy like ours, the best and wisest minds have always invited people to study the issues and candidates and vote for those who best represent the voter's own positions and insights. The two major parties, Democrats and Republicans, each have good, basic principles as the core and foundation of their approach to governance. And other parties, plus independents, have additional, sound principles they promote. The first step for individual voters is to look into all these principles, to find what's valuable for good governance, no matter what party stresses them.
INTERVIEWER:
Are your saying everybody should be independent and not belong to one or the other party?
JESUS:
One can start anywhere: as a Democrat or Republican or member of another party or as an Independent. The individual learns their own party's principles and values first, including the strengths and weaknesses of those positions. I include weakness, because in human governance, there is no one set of basic principles and values that has all the answers. For example, one party promotes small government, and another promotes government intervention when needed. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each of those positions? And under what circumstances does the nation need more emphasis on one side or the other of that debate?
The second step is to look at the fundamental principles of the other parties and groups in the public debate, again looking for the strengths and weakness of each principle. Often it seems that principles from differing parties are in conflict, but perhaps it is not so much conflict as it is a matter of partial truth or reality. Each principle has an element of the truth, not the whole truth. Rather than seeing differing principles as being in conflict, people can discover that both principles are true, partially true, and together they can result in better approaches and policies.
For example, one party may stress the need for government to help the poor, while the another party may stress individual responsibility to take care of oneself. Integrating those two values will result in efforts that help the poor while enabling them to help themselves more and more.
Striving to integrate differing party values in this way does not mean one must be only an Independent. One can begin to integrate conflicting values from within one's own party first, because, even within parties, this integration can serve very effectively. Then it includes integrating sound elements of the other parties and positions. Ultimately, this integration of principles from varying parties leads to the greatest good for all the nation.
INTERVIEWER:
You are saying that people of all parties have integrating work to do. If that is the case, how could some people of the Republican Party say to their relatives and fellow citizens that religious morality requires religious people to vote for the Republican Party because of its stand for family values?
JESUS:
Perhaps another way to put this is, do I have to vote Republican? I think you can guess from what I've said during this interview that a simple yes or no answer is not in order.
Two complex issues of this campaign that are the focus of this requirement by some to vote Republican are abortion and embryonic stem cell research. Some people would like very much for me to give a final answer to these two issues, and thus claim justification for their position. My preference is to allow sincere people to continue their efforts to find how to live wisely and graciously in these areas.
I affirm again for everyone that I have come to bring Life and to increase it abundantly. In the issues of abortion and embryonic stem cell research, the question remains, when does human life begin, and how do other basic values like freedom to choose and freedom to conduct research in the healing sciences integrate with the basic right to human life? In the continuing search for answers to these questions, I urge caution in declaring absolute certainty too soon or too easily on either side of the debate. I also urge thoughtful, open exploration rather than self-righteous condemnation of the other side.
Throughout history I have refrained from coming with answers for human beings, even regarding some of the most momentous issues of contention such as religious freedom, freedom from slavery, the rights of women, and similar long standing struggles. The question of abortion has existed from ancient times and continues into these times. Embryonic stem cell research comes with the development of medical science and relates to abortion and other basic human concerns. I stand with all who sincerely search for fuller and better answers in these areas.
INTERVIEWER:
You have spoken about looking for the partial truths in what appear to be conflicting approaches. Yet in speaking to the issues above, you did not say what the better solution would be. For example, what would be a better law or legal decision than the present practice of Roe vs Wade regarding the right to life of an embryo or fetus compared to the privacy and the right of women to choose regarding pregnancy?
JESUS:
Giving answers to this or other agonizing issues in human experience is not my way. I come to show the Way, not in the sense of answers, but in the sense of how to courageously seek elements of the truth wherever they are, from whatever group champions them. Human beings grow gradually: they move from exclusive devotion to one part of the truth to a greater openness to other parts of the truth held by other people. That journey belongs to each person. That is the way I honor and support.
Keep in mind how long some of these burning issues have taken to resolve. Take slavery, for example. My heart has mourned for the evil and agony caused some human beings by others through the ages. Yet I did not step in to shout the answer and demand compliance. God did not step in. The answers reside within each person. People and cultures find their way as they develop. I stand with them each step of the way. I came to help show the way. Other great spiritual human beings and leaders have come to show the way. But not to force answers or demand compliance.
INTERVIEWER:
Are there other complex issues in this election you'd like to speak about?
JESUS:
The war in Iraq has absorbed your country for a long time.
Those supporting the war claimed it was the right thing to do and said God was on their side. Those opposing the war claimed it was illegal and wrong, and said God was on their side.
Both sides do well to search their hearts and their religious traditions to find help in deciding whether to go to war or not. What happens in this debate is the same thing that happens in all momentous debates. People on each side find support for their position and listen only to evidence that justifies it. What's needed, again, is the courage and ability to look at the other side's position and find the partial truths that are there, while doing the same in looking at one's own position. Integrating the partial truths from both positions leads to a wiser understanding of the whole picture. From there a better decision can be made about how to resolve the conflicts from every possible human approach. People then see more clearly what it really means to make war only as an absolutely last resort.
Bringing Peace in the broadest and richest sense has always been a special emphasis for me. I mourn the tragedies caused by war throughout the ages, especially those fought in the name of religion. Yet, I understand that the human family develops gradually, and that not every individual or group easily finds ways to resolve conflicts without violence. Those who discover peaceful ways to resolve conflict need to lead those still dominated by fear and use of force. And when people with peacemaking skills predominate in national and international organizations, then those agencies can find ways to manage and moderate those who would resolve conflicts by force and violence. And this might even include, as an absolutely last resort, a war of containment of those who initiate war.
INTERVIEWER:
But what about voting in November? If a person takes to heart what you have said about looking for truth in one's own party and in other parties, how does one sift it all out and finally reach a decision on how to vote? In fact, I would still like to ask how you will vote on election day.
JESUS:
I will vote for those who are learning better how to integrate partial truths from all perspectives in the development of policies and decisions for the good of our people and of the peoples of the world.
Which candidates and which party that will be I'll not say now, and I think I'll keep it that way, even if you ask me on election day. Better each voter does his or her own good work in deciding, rather than just voting as I would vote. By the way, after the election, citizens must continue to look for the partial truths, wherever they can be found. Both the party in power and all the other parties must seek to integrate partial truths into a fuller truth that will result in the best policies for all the nation.
INTERVIEWER:
Thank you for taking the time for this interview. I would like to do it again soon.
JESUS:
Thank you for being available to me. I like the idea of doing it again, too.
Copyright 2004 by W. E. Eins