Will you vote your faith?

[Nikodemus]

I'm not sure this is in the right section since it has to do with both politics and religion, but it leans more toward the political end I think. If I'm wrong, I'm sure the mods will move it.

My question is: Will you vote according to your faith on Tuesday?

Obama is not against abortion or gay marriage, for example. McCain is.

Will things like that make a difference in your vote, or will you concentrate on secular issues like the economy and the wars and such?

 

[Storm]

FTR, Obama is indeed against same-sex marriage. He favors civil unions.

 

[lunamoth]

Where do you draw the line between 'faith issues' and 'secular issues?' The economy and war are 'faith issues' too I think.

My faith played a key role in my vote.

 

[Nikodemus]

FTR, Obama is indeed against same-sex marriage. He favors civil unions.

Thanks. My apologies.

 

[Storm]

Where do you draw the line between 'faith issues' and 'secular issues?' The economy and war are 'faith issues' too I think.

My faith played a key role in my vote.

Good point. I'd have to say the same.

 

[Nikodemus]

Where do you draw the line between 'faith issues' and 'secular issues?' The economy and war are 'faith issues' too I think.

My faith played a key role in my vote.

Okay. Fair enough. I suppose anything could be a faith issue.

Ah well, that's what you get for making topics after midnight.

 

[lunamoth]

Okay. Fair enough. I suppose anything could be a faith issue.

Ah well, that's what you get for making topics after midnight.

Nah, it's OK. I can guess at where you really wanted to go with the OP because some Christians seem to act like abortion and same-sex marriage are the only two issues that are important. I think those folks make a lot of noise, but most Christians see caring for widows and orphans, and the just and proper use of creation, as really important faith issues.

 

[Elessar]

My faith has very much importance as to how I vote - but not the minor issues like abortion and gay marriage. Sure, they matter, but they're not as important as other, much more important issues such as poverty, the war, the environment, and numerous more complicated issues.

But my faith, which permeates every sector of my life, includes who I vote for - and I am voting for Barack Obama.

 

[lilithu]

My question is: Will you vote according to your faith on Tuesday?

Will things like that make a difference in your vote, or will you concentrate on secular issues like the economy and the wars and such?

I always vote according to my faith. Just as I eat according to my faith. I work according to my faith. I make buying decisions according to my faith.... My faith is not parceled into some tiny corner of my life.

The economy and the war are both moral issues, and possibly of more moral imperative at the moment than same-sex marriage and a woman's right to choose (altho I think those very important too).

I find your dichotomy strange.

Do you not think that there are religious reasons to be either in favor of or against the war?

Do you not think that there are religious reasons to care whether people are suffering from a poor economy?

And do you not think that there are secular reasons to be either in favor of or against abortion and same-sex marriages?

 

[The Voice of Reason]

As a devout agnostic, I always vote my faith.

That is, my faith in rational thought and our crushing need to be guided by knowledge and information, rather than dogma.

I realize that the OP used abortion and gay marriage as examples, but the truth is, they are wedge issues of low importance (abortion) or no importance (gay marriage). In my opinion, if you are voting based solely on those two issues, you have completely missed the boat regarding what direction this country is heading.

 

[Nikodemus]

Wow, I went about this badly. Sorry folks.

I'm seeing many traditional Christian and/or conservative voters turn from McCain to Obama, even though McCain is more supportive of their views politically. I'm also seeing die-hard Democrats turning from Obama to McCain even though Obama is more supportive of their views.

I'm trying to figure out what is motivating people to vote against their traditional values. I used the two examples of gay marriage and abortion because they are easy to grab onto. Personally I don't think a platform should ever be based on those things, but many do. There are people forming prayer circles for McCain expressly for those reasons.

I will be voting for Obama because I honestly think he'll be better for the country than McCain. For me it's mostly a business decision. In my opinion the party in power has mishandled my country for the last eight years, so I won't be giving them another four. No different than the private sector really. If you can't do the job right, you need to go.

But many people are emotionally involved with this election. Race and gender certainly have a lot to do with it, even though no one really wants to say that out loud too much. Religion does too. The thing is, the line's aren't splitting up like they normally do and I'm trying to figure out why. Being curious is a curse.

So now I hope you can figure out what I was actually trying to get at with this thread. I'm not trying to draw lines about where faith ends. That's a personal thing. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[The Voice of Reason]

I'm seeing many traditional Christian and/or conservative voters turn from McCain to Obama, even though McCain is more supportive of their views politically. I'm also seeing die-hard Democrats turning from Obama to McCain even though Obama is more supportive of their views.

Like you, I see many people turning from McCain to Obama, and just for the reasons you cite at the end of your post (i.e. the pathetic butchery that has been done to our country over the last eight years).

On the other hand, unlike you, I see almost no flow in the other direction. I honestly can't think of one person that I know that normally supports the more centrist or liberal positions that is now turning toward the McCain campaign. Not one. I'm sure that there are some out there that are doing so - but I don't know of any at all.

Had McCain stayed true to himself, and held the positions that he did in 2000, and as late as 2006, he would have been a much stronger opponent for Obama. He might well have won this thing. As it is, his transparent play for the votes of the religious right has forced him to abandon the centrist positions he held on so many issues - one of which was abortion rights (as an example).

McCain has spent the last 18 months shooting his own toes off, one at a time, until he is now crippled by his own platform of intolerance.

Hoisted by his own petard, if you will.

 

[lilithu]

On the other hand, unlike you, I see almost no flow in the other direction. I honestly can't think of one person that I know that normally supports the more centrist or liberal positions that is now turning toward the McCain campaign. Not one. I'm sure that there are some out there that are doing so - but I don't know of any at all.

There are people who traditionally vote democratic, but will vote against Obama because he's black.

I know at least one, and have heard of others.

 

[No*s]

I'm not sure this is in the right section since it has to do with both politics and religion, but it leans more toward the political end I think. If I'm wrong, I'm sure the mods will move it.

My question is: Will you vote according to your faith on Tuesday?

Obama is not against abortion or gay marriage, for example. McCain is.

Will things like that make a difference in your vote, or will you concentrate on secular issues like the economy and the wars and such?

I don't see a good candidate for faith. McCain has shown himself a warmonger, hateful in this campaign, and quite capable of abusing tax dollars. If I am going to vote on my faith, I will do so for someone who upholds the whole shebang. There are none forthcoming.

 

[lilithu]

I don't see a good candidate for faith. McCain has shown himself a warmonger, hateful in this campaign, and quite capable of abusing tax dollars. If I am going to vote on my faith, I will do so for someone who upholds the whole shebang. There are none forthcoming.

No*s!! :hug:

Having not seen you in so long, and being so happy to see your smiling green face on RF, the last thing I want to do is argue. But I still have to say I'm surprised, because to me the alternative candidate does uphold the whole shebang. He's the first candidate I've really believed in in my adult life, as opposed to just voting for the lesser of two evils.