The election is two days away, and while I see little hope for the candidate I have chosen, I feel compelled to write.
I am seeing a shocking wave of liberalism sweeping over my own generation. My own friends, my own family, and my own brothers and sisters in Christ. This disturbs me. Am I one to believe that the Republican party is the “Christian” party? No. By no means do I believe that. Perhaps I have been raised somewhat in this mindset, but I have recently taken a good hard look at my own values and convictions, my own political beliefs, and cannot come to any other conclusion. Barack Obama is not the man to lead this country. He will be, by far, the most liberal President we have ever elected. No doubt in my mind.
What are the central issues, the core values of what is attracting people to vote for this man? Is it his charisma, his popularity, his good looks? Or is it his record, his values and beliefs, where he lines up on the issues?
And why am I casting my vote for John McCain? Because of his bravery, his experience, the fact that he is the “comfortable” candidate to go for (i.e. he is older, more wisdom, etc)? Or is it his beliefs, his values, and his record? Is he the perfect candidate? By no means. Do I vote for him simply because I was raised Evangelical and am a Christian, my parents have always voted conservatively, and Sean Hannity tells me to vote for him? No. What foolishness for a person to vote using that method.
But even more, what foolishness it would be for me to have evaluated my political beliefs using Scripture, and find them lined up with liberalism. My beef is not with high taxes so much as it is with welfare and socialized healthcare. It is not with a person choosing to live the lifestyle of homosexuality so much as it is with the government changing the definition of marriage.
A friend, recently appalled at my opposition to such accessible welfare, wondered how I could be against it. She told me that I do not understand what it is like to come from that, and sometimes for people it is easier to go on welfare than to try to strive to make ends meet and not have healthcare, etc. Though that seems like a good argument, I think it goes to the heart of the matter. That is exactly why I am against it. While I know that there are legit reasons for select people to receive help from the government, what motivation do many people have to work when they can just get hand-outs from the government? Look at the generation that came from the depression. They pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and many of them made something of themselves through hard work.
The government has gotten too big and if Barack Obama is elected, it will get even bigger. My line of work will become living hell if healthcare becomes socialized. I have yet to see an empty hospital bed, yet we think socializing medicine will work? Many healthcare workers are underpaid, yet once we hand medicine over to the government that problem will increase. You think there is a nursing shortage now? You ain’t seen nothing yet because that problem will get worse. Barack Obama had better have a plan for funding nursing and medical schools. And if so, that is more government than should ever be allowed into our lives.
And you think he is going to cut taxes across the board? Wait until he takes the Bush tax cuts away. They’re going to go up. And for the rich, they will go up even more. Spread the wealth, that’s the way to go! You won’t have to help the poor anymore! The government will do it for you- with your money!
And we all know how Barack Obama feels about abortion. I struggle with this one the most. How can we justify not protecting the lives of the innocent? Yes, I realize that nothing can be done to overturn Roe vs. Wade. I realize that the church has dropped the ball in helping these women who end up pregnant and wanting abortions. I also realize that people are able to make their own choices about what to do with their babies- I’ve heard every argument in the book as to why abortion shouldn’t be a central issue. Yet, we are still not protecting our most powerless citizens. We all have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness- except for those parasitic fetuses feeding off of their mothers’ bodies (please excuse that wording… but I have heard it described that way by pro-abortionists). How in the world have we come to the point where a mother’s preference comes before her child’s life? How have we come to the point where we are willing to stand by and allow this holocaust to take place?
How have we come to the point where rights come before responsibility? I’m looking around at the selfishness within our society (myself included, honestly)- me first, my rights, it’s my life, it’s my choice, don’t step on my toes, live and let live, etc... Yet in the same breath many people turn around and demand that the government fix their problems when they suffer the consequences of those choices which we so often speak of. Oh, you’re pregnant? We’ll give you abortion on-demand. You have HIV after making a choice to have unprotected sex? Don’t worry, we’ve got doctors for that, we’ll cover the cost! Don’t worry if you don’t work hard, you can just go on welfare with the hard-earned money of your fellow Americans.
I just can’t believe we are coming to a point where people expect this from the government. I’m not pretending that the Republican party is a Christian party. I don’t fool myself into thinking that it will ever be that way. But my Christian worldview leads me away from liberalism and leans more towards conservativism. I can’t in good conscience allow myself to vote for a candidate who pushes for abortion, higher taxes, socialized healthcare, gay marriage, or allowing defeat of our troops, and an America where the new patriotism is liberalism. I just can’t bring myself to do it, no matter how popular, charismatic, or good-looking Barack Obama may be. Do I think he’s a likeable guy? Sure. I don’t think he’s the anti-Christ, or some evil person who is out to get me. I think that he sincerely is doing what he believes is right. But I can’t bring myself to vote for him because the things he stands for are so contrary to my beliefs as a Christian.
I hope that this is not an offensive post, but I have been really frustrated with this and wanted to get my thoughts out there. I know this is a ridiculously long post and I don’t blame you if you stopped at the first paragraph- I’d have done the same! I sure do know that God has a plan and I can rest in that. My mom pointed out to me today that sometimes God gives people exactly what they ask for, and that may be what we see happening. We ask for an easy, instant-gratification lifestyle, a give-me government, and that is what we’re going to get- and everything else that goes along with it. And so I ask you to think twice before you cast your vote this election. We are at a cross-road, and I think that whichever one we as a country choose, this time there is no going back.
I got the Dark Knight for Christmas- probably my favorite present! Surprising, I know, because I was scared to death of the movie- but it's not so bad when I'm not sitting in a scary dark theater!
My nursing buddy Tatyana got married the day before I left for STL. This is Natalia, me, and Bela at the wedding. It was a lot of fun, and it's always awesome to see a good friend get married.
Me and Bela. She was kind enough to take me to the airport at 4:30 in the morning when I flew up to St. Louis. She's an awesome friend and I don't know many who would do that for me.
Me and Melissa. This picture was taken and it was seriously six degrees outside. I don't think I have ever felt temperatures that cold in my life. I always had to catch my breath when I stepped out and it took awhile to get accustomed to it. I am sad that it warmed up a lot and the weather was too similar to FL weather most of the time I was there.
This picture says it- I drank a lot of coffee while I was there, and read a lot of Twilight. This was taken when Hannah, Melissa, Kat, and I all went to Starbucks before we picked up Allison.
Good family times at Jan and Dave's.
Me and Grandpa, the greatest person I have ever known.
