5 FiveQuestions ANon-Manipulative VotingGuide forChristians
NotetotheReader
VotingisatenderissueformanyAmericans,includingmanyChristians.Oneofthewaysit causesspiritualharmisbyintentionallyplacingmoralpressure,amoralburden,oncitizensthat fitstheinterestsofpoliticalcandidates,partiesandactivists,butdoesnotfitthenatureof politics.
Itisnotthatpoliticsisunimportantorthatweshouldnotfeelanymoralpressurewhenwe considercivicaction.Rather,thenatureofthemoralburdenwearesooftenmadetofeel—the shapeofit—isill-fitting.Itisaburdenshapedandcastdowninawaythatismanipulative.A waythatiscoercive.
Ourpoliticalsystemexacerbatestheproblem.Becauseourpartiesaresopolarizedandparty identityissoprofound,wefindthatpoliticiansandpoliticalpartieshaveinordinateinfluence overtheviewsofthecitizenry.Wehaveinvestedsuchmeaningintowhatapoliticalpartyis andwhatitmeanstoaffiliatewithone,notbecauseofthenatureofapoliticalparty,but becauseofwhatisintheinterestofpoliticalpartiesandotherpoliticalactorswhobenefitfrom them.Thatistosay:politicalpartiesdemandourallegiancenotbecauseitistheirright,but becauseitisintheirinterest.Weshouldbemembersofapoliticalpartybecausewebelieve things;weshouldnotbelievethingsbecausewearemembersofapoliticalparty.
Ingeneral,politicalcampaignsoperatebypiecingtogetheracoalitionofvoters,drawninbya tailoredpoliticalplatform,outreach,andformsofaffinitythatwillallowthemtogetto50 percentofthevoteplusone.Thatisthepoliticalmandateofanelectoralcampaign.
Thesearethemotivesofpartiesandcandidates.Thesearethetoolsattheirdisposalfor pursuingtheirobjectives.Weshouldbeawareofthem.Thisisnottomakeuscynicalbutrather toensureweʼrealltalkingthesamelanguage.Candidatesseektoframeyourchoiceaboutthe voteinwaysthatareadvantageoustothem,buttheirframeshouldnotnecessarilybeyour frame.
Politicalactors,ingeneral,wishtoconveythatthechoiceyouhaveasavoteriseasy,andthey trytoraisethemoralstakesofmakingthatchoicecorrectly—thatis,intheirfavor.Themore easilyvoterscedetheirconscienceandvaluestothepartyorthecandidate,thelessstrainit putsonthepartyorcandidateandtheeasiertheirjobswillbe.Ifpartiesandcandidatesare brandsweidentifywithratherthanarepresentationofshareddeliberation,wecanbedirected farmoreeasily.Whatpoliticalactorsneedisourwill,andthemoremalleableourwill,thebetter itisforthem.
Hereisthethingwemustunderstand:weoftenthinkaboutpoliticsasaforumforself expressionandself-actualization,fortheexertionofourpersonalwill,butpolitics,especially voting,rarelyevenapproachesthatbecausepoliticaldecisionscometouspremediatedand multivariable.Whenwevoteinanelection,withtheexceptionofawrite-inballot,wearenot votingforourdreamcandidate.
Ourvoteisnotanunmediatedexpressionofouridentity;instead,ourvoteisachoice betweenoptionswedidnotchooseourselves.Viewingourvoteasanunmediated,pure expressionofourwillcanbedebilitating.
Instead,ourvoteshouldbedirectedtowardthegreatestflourishingofourcommunity.Our voteshouldbeinclinedtowardthegoodofourneighbors,asbestaswecanseeit,in consultationwithScripture,Christiantradition,fellowChristians,andourneighbors themselves.Wetakeourvoteseriously,butwealsorecognizewearepartofabodypolitic andweseevotingforwhatitis.Andweunderstandthatinallbuttherarestof circumstances—andweshouldbehesitanttosuggestinanunequivocalmannerwhatthe exceptionsare—thereisnosingleChristianwaytovote.
Perhapsifwedidnʼttreatpoliticslikeonemorecommercialenterprisethatmustbebranded —likesomanyproductadvertisementsthatsaturateourlives—asawaytoexpressour identityorachievepersonalstatusorimprovement;perhapsifwetreatedpoliticallifeasa limitedbutvitalareaofresponsibilityforcitizensthatderivesitsimportancenotfromhowit makesusfeelbutfromthedignityofthepeoplewhoareaffectedbypoliticaldecisions; perhapsthenweʼdseemorepeoplewhoarewillingnotjusttovotebutalsotoparticipatein politicsinanother-centeredway.
Thesequestionsareintendedtoserveasanon-manipulativeguidetohelpyoudojustthat: tohelpyoupositionyourvotewithintheflowofthelifeyouarelivingwithandunderthe Lord.
IwouldencourageyoutobringthedecisionaboutyourvotetotheLordinthecontextof community,consideringyourownexperiencesalongwiththeneedsofyourcommunity,and seektostewardtheresponsibilityyouhavebeengiveninawaythatexpressesyourgoodwill towardyourneighbors.
ThefollowingpagescontainfivequestionsIbelieveChristiansshouldaskthemselvesas theyheadtothevotingbooththisNovemberandinsubsequentelections.Thesearenotthe onlyquestionsyoushouldaskyourselfbeforeyouvote,butweofferthemasanalternative totheanxiety-ridden,fear-drivenrhetoricaroundelectionsthattendseithertodissuade peoplefromvotingorsendsthemtothepollsforallofthewrongreasons.
WeaimnotforpoliticaluniformityamongChristians,butaspiritualintegrity.MayGodusethe timeyouspendwiththisguidetohelpyouinthatpursuit.
MichaelWear PresidentandCEOoftheCenterforChristianityandPublicLife
ThisintroductionhasbeenadaptedfromTheSpiritofOurPolitics:SpiritualFormationand theRenovationofPublicLife.
Letʼsstarthere.Anelectedofficialmakeshundreds,eventhousands,ofdecisionsdirectly andindirectly(throughstaff)eachday.Weshouldconsiderthefullsweepofpositionsa candidateholds,andactionsacandidatemighttakeinoffice,tothebestofourability. However,itisnaturalandacceptabletoalsoconsidertheexperiencesyouhavehadandthe passionsGodhasplacedonyourheart,andhowthosealignwiththecandidatesonthe ballotandtheofficestheyseek.
Ourpoliticalprocessbenefitsfrompeoplewhobringtheirheartstobearonthatprocess. Youdonothavetoleaveyourpassionsoutsidethevotingbooth.Nordoyouhavetobe ashamedthatyourpassionsarenotthesameasthoseofothers.Infact,youshouldbewary ofanyonewhotriestotellyouotherwise!
Becausethereisnoalgorithmbywhichyoucandeterminethe“rightvote,”itcanbevaluable toconsideryourownlifeandexperiences,thepoliticalissuesyoureallycareandknow somethingabout,andhowthecandidatesseektoaddressthoseissues.
Yourexperiencesandpassionsoftenhavepoliticalimplications.Andourpoliticsneeds peoplewhoarepassionateaboutissuesandwhousewhattheyhavelearnedtoinfluence ourpoliticalprocess.
Iwonderedwhethertoincludethisquestion,becauseifthereisonepoliticalincentivethatis consistentforallinvolvedinpolitics,itistoprioritize(orseemtoprioritize)theneedsofeach individualvoter.Ifapoliticiancould,heorshewouldcampaignintheheartsofeach individualvoteraloneandensurethatnotwovoterseverspoketoeachothertosharewhat theyhadheard.Thetechnologyfor“heartcampaigning”hasnotbeendevelopedyet,but directmailanddata-directed,targeteddigitalcampaigning,aswellasothertactics,do increasinglyallowcandidatestotellvotersexactlywhattheywanttohear.
Forthisreason,Iamhesitanttoemphasizevotingbasedonself-interest.Yetthebasicfact remainsthatyourvoteisyourvote.Nooneelseisgoingtovoteforyou.AndIhavefound thatbygainingclarityonourownself-interest,wealsogainclarityabouthowtheinterestsof othersmightruncountertoourown,andcanthengainagreaterappreciationforthe complexitiesofgoverningandaconceptionofthecommongoodthatisnotjustavalorized rearticulationofourownself-interest.
Sothinkabouthowgovernmentcurrentlyaffectsyouandwhatyouʼllneedintheyears ahead.
•Iswork/familybalancegoingtobeimportanttoyou?
•Howabouttaxesandregulationsaffectingsmallbusinesses?
•Orhowthegovernmentsupportseldercare?
Thesequestions,andotherslikethem,canhelpyouidentifythewaysgovernmentpolicies intersectwithyourlife,andhowyouandthoseclosetoyoumaybepersonallyaffectedby politicaloutcomes.
Howwillthecandidatesmeet theneedsofyourcommunity?
Somepeoplebelieveavotebasedsolelyonself-interestisnotonlyacceptable,buteven expected.Representativegovernment,theywouldsuggest,ismerelytheexpressionofeach individualʼsself-interest.Somepeoplethinkwecannotexpectvoterstoconsideranything else.Butself-interestismorecomplicatedthanwemightthink,anditshouldbelesscentral thanwetooeasilyaccept.
Dr.MartinLutherKingJr.wasrightwhenhespokeofthe“webofmutuality”thatbindsus, thatmakestheinterestsofothersourownintereststoo.Inaprofoundway,thequestionof howgovernmentwillserveyourneedsisdependentonhowitwillservetheneedsofthose aroundyou.Forexample,ifyouownaretailbusiness,yoursuccessisnotjustinfluencedby howthegovernmentregulatesyourbusiness,butalsobyhowthegovernmentʼsactions affecttheabilityofthemembersofyourcommunitytobuyyourproduct.
Beyondandmoreimportantthanabroadernotionofself-interest,Christianshavethe opportunity,andeventheresponsibility,tobreakoutofself-servingpoliticalengagement. Ourfaithgivesusresourcestoconsiderthewelfareofourneighborsinwaysourfellow citizensmightnotbeabletodo.
Askyourselfthesekindsofquestions:
•Areyourneighborsstrugglingrightnow?
•Iscrimeravagingareasofyourcityorstate?
•Arechildrenreceivingasubpareducationsimplybecauseofwhere theylive?
•Isthefostercaresysteminyourcountyfilledwithchildrenwaiting foradoption?
Thesearequestionsyoucanaskandseekanswertointhecontextofcommunity.Getto knowyourneighbors,aswellasthoseinyourcommunitywhomightfacedifferentchallenges thanyoudo.Seektheexpertiseandinsightsofelectedofficials,journalists,nonprofitsand othercommunityvoicesabouttheneedsyourcommunityfaces.
PoliticsshouldbeaforumforChristianstoexpresstheirlovefortheirneighbors.Government caneitherperpetuateinjustice,oritcanbeapartnerinfurtheringjustice.Whileotherspursue nakedself-interestinpolitics,youcanbesomeonewhoconsidersthegoodofyour community,allofyourcommunity,whenyouheadtothevotingbooth.
Politicsareaboutmorethanjuststatisticsandpolicyoutcomes.Politicsareaprimaryshaper ofourculture.Whenwevote,weneedtoconsidernotjustthepoliciesacandidateis promoting,butthecandidateʼscharacterandthekindofnationthatcandidateenvisions.
Wecannotrationalizeawayasinsignificantthespiritualandculturaleffectsofpolitics.Itisnot asecondarymattertocareaboutthetoneandtenorofacandidateʼsrhetoric,aboutthat candidateʼstendencytostokefearordivideAmericans,orwillingnesstowallowintrivialities andself-aggrandizement.Asourpoliticstakeupmoreandmoreofourpublicspace— somethingweshouldreflectuponand,perhaps,discourage—theculturalaspectsofpolitics areincreasinglyrelevant.
Askthesequestionsaboutthecandidate:
•Dothecandidatescalltheirvoterstoamindsetofscarcityorcompassion?
•Dotheyinspirefearorhope?
•Dotheypromotetheprofaneorthedecent?
Asmuchasourpoliticsrepresentsus,thecultureinwhichweraiseourkidstakesmanyofits cuesfromourpolitics.
Question5
Ifyourvotedeterminesthe outcomeoftheelection,would youregrethowyouvoted?
Votingisanactofconscienceamongoptionslimitedbythedemocraticprocess.Asavoter,it iscriticaltokeepinmindbothclausesinthatsentence.Votingisbothan“actofconscience” andone“limitedbythedemocraticprocess.”
ChristianstoooftenspeakaboutourpoliticalchoicesasifGodisunawareofhowourpolitical systemworks,asifJesusisconfusedbythestateofourpolitics.Spoileralert:Heʼsnot.Jesus graspsthecontoursofourpoliticsbetterthananypoliticalscientistoutthere.
Whenyouvote,youarechoosingbetweenoptionsthatresultedfromaprocessoutsideof yourtotalcontrol.Youareresponsibleforyourvote,butyourvoteiscontingentonanarrayof factorsaswellasthenatureofourpoliticalsystemitself.Yourresponsibilityliesin undertakingasincereprocessofdiscernment,ledbyprayer,perhapsusingthequestionsI havesuggestedhere,alongwithothers.
Whenyouvoteforacandidate,youarenotsigningoveryourconsciencetoeveryactionthat candidatetakesoreverypositionthatcandidateholds.Thatisnotwhatavotemeans.You shouldholdwhoeverisinoffice,whetheryouvotedforthatpersonornot,accountable accordingtowhatyoubelievetoberight.Thatelectedofficialrepresentseveryoneinthat city,district,state,orcountry,notjustthosepeoplewhosevotesheorshereceived.Nor doesyourvoteobligateyoutosilenceonareaswhereyoudisagreewiththatofficial.
Again,yourvotenotapure,unmediatedexpressionofyourwill.Yourvotemightbetheleast personallyexpressivepoliticalactionyoucantake.Wedonʼtvotetoexpressourdeepest desiresoridentity:thosearenʼtontheballot.Weseektostewardourvoteinawaythat reflectswhatwehaveimperfectlyconcludedwouldbebestforourneighbors.
MoreResources
Yourvoteshouldnotbeareactive,emotionalresponse,butratheranactofcivic responsibility.YourvoteshouldalsobeanexpressionofyourloveofGod,yourneighbor, andyourdesiretoseeyourcommunityflourish.Yourvotecanandshouldbeinformedby whoyouareandwhatyoucareabout.Politicswillchangewhenthosewhoaredisappointed withitdecidetogetinvolved.
Youcanmakeatruedifference,andourpoliticsneedsyou.Checkoutthesewaystoget involvedaswemoveintoelectionseason:
ListentotheFortheGoodofthePublic Podcast
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ReadTheSpiritofourPolitics
ReadCCPLʼsPresidentʼslatestbookanddiscoveranew paradigmofpoliticalinvolvementrootedintheteachingsofJesus. Downloadafreediscussionguideatccpubliclife.org/bookto discussthebookwithyourchurch,smallgroup,orcommunity.
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Establishedin2022,theCenterforChristianityandPublicLifeisanonpartisannonprofitin Washington,D.C.withthemissiontocontendforthecredibilityofChristianresourcesinpublic life,forthepublicgood.Weadvanceourmissionthroughtwostreamsofwork:ChristianCivic FormationandPublicInfluence.
Ourworkisgroundedintheconvictionthatspiritualformationiscentraltocivicrenewal.As Christians,wecannotsellwhatwedonothave,andwecannotofferalifewearenotliving ourselves.Inafrantic,anxiouspublicsquare,CCPLadvancesamodelofjoyfulconfidencein Jesus,whichopensuppossibilitiesforamoregentle,just,andother-centeredpoliticsand culture.
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