Living in Utopia

So, here we are... it's 2008. Most progressives think that we are on our way to a self made Utopia. I think the closest thing we've come to making is tapioca.

The past 14 days in the political realm have been very interesting to say the least. Liberals have had their jaws drop at the sight of a conservative woman being named as a vice presidential running mate for the Republican ticket. After all, women running for office does not usually happen there.... that's a claim to fame usually reserved for liberals and progressives, but [insert gasp] A conservative? It has thrown their little world for a loop. At the same time it has also upset some conservatives and caused division within it's ranks. Some conservatives have been quite busy blogging about their disdain and displeasure of a female candidate for vice president. They've also expressed with great fervor the problem with other conservatives jumping on the bandwagon and supporting this candidate.

How conservative is conservative enough? We have an opportunity to have a more conservative choice before us, versus the number one and number three MOST liberal senators in Washington. You would think that looking at the statistics, this would be almost a no-brainer. It would be, IF we were looking at only resumes and statistics and nothing further. Going beyond the resumes and statistics, there becomes some mud in the waters.

Statistically speaking, we have two real choices of whom we want to put into the office come November.... oh, yes, there are a few other choices, but the microwave is nearing "ding" on those snowballs.... but back to our story. We all know that it will either be McCain/Palin, or Obama/Biden. There really is little chance of anything else.

We are seeing some very interesting things that are going on. Things that are energizing for some, and aggreviating for others. In a nutshell:
Some Conservative Christains seem to have their knickers in a knot about Sarah Palin. She is accomplished, has a great record, and an awesome approval rating. Sound good? Yes, but.... you see some have a problem with one little detail. That detail is, she is not a man. Gasp?! Yes, it's true.

Now before you think that I've jumped off the deep end, please realize that I too am not especially excited about this situation. I agree, this is true, women are not supposed to be forefront runners and leaders, and really and truly, men are supposed to be there. I agree that it is God's best for women to be keepers at home and that in both in the church and civil magistrate it is God's plan and intention that those offices be filled with men. I also believe it's His best and greatest intention that those men be Godly men of integrity. We all know that often, that isn't the case. Now, with that blank filled, let me go on.

So what to do about Sarah Palin, you ask? Well, you've got a choice in front you, now don't you?

It boils down to principled decision making. We can throw stones at all the things that we don't like about all of these candidates, and the list can be very, very long. If we looked at that list long enough, we would not vote for anyone and just stay home. Many do just that, but that's a different blog post for a different day.

Principled decision making comes down to the fact that you have two choices. Actually three. You can vote for Obama, McCain, or do nothing/vote for someone that has no chance of winning. Now, do nothing requires nothing more than voting "present." If you are not voting present, then you'll need to gather your thoughts together and say "which is most important." Which principles are the greater ones? It is obvious that none of these Candidates are God's best...

Let's put you in a political frame of mind for a moment. You've been elected to office. Two things that you've told your district are this 1- that you are prolife and 2-you are against pork barrel spending. A bill comes up that will allow almost an entire shut down of the abortion industry. The vote is going to be close. You are going to be the one that makes or breaks this bill. Before we get too excited here, someone adds an amendment. An amendment for spending. Spending on an unnecessary project. A project you call "pork barrel." You are torn. You've got to either vote against the bill to avoid spending, or vote for the bill to get the prolife aspect of the bill. Which is the greater principle?

Are you just going to vote present?

To my dear brothers and sisters... we are electing a very high office. We have been given a responsibility to vote and to select the best person for this role given our less than ideal choices. The office that may appoint more conservative prolife justices to the supreme court. An office that will be fighting evil nations across this world. If we merely just stand back and thumb our noses at the fact that we may have a woman vice president, then we may be ACCEPTING a greater evil.

There is no perfect pick for the office. We are sinners electing sinners. Case closed. You can either complain about what you don't like and allow the greater evil to assume the office, or you may choose to use your vote to do the opposite. Remember, the office is we are electing for is the President, not the Messiah. That office has been taken by the only One who could rightfully assume it.

Let's say you are in a flood. The flood waters are rising. A boat comes up to rescue you from your housetop. Do you then ask the one in the boat about it's manufacturing? Ask the boat operator for their operator's license? Insure that the boat is seaworthy? Ask about the boat operator's forefathers to see if they were seaman and a long standing family tradition of boat operation? You then find the boat operator is a woman. Do you vote present, or wait for the chance for another boat operated by a man? There are no men to be found in the flood at the moment, and this is the one before you. Do you get in the boat, or make it a matter of principle that you will not.

My dear Christian friends, you can argue. You can complain. You can throw you Bibles open and point to verses. But this has not caught God by surprise. I believe He is well aware that neither of our choices are His best. I also believe He is not surprised, but is saddened by the division this has caused in the church.

It has surprised the media. It has surprised many of us. It hasn't surprised our Lord.

So what will you do? Sit by idle and then complain later at what the world will become if you don't take part? Or are you going to take this chance to make a difference? We truly have two choices, not three. What will yours be?

As for me, I will stand on the principle that God's best begins with us valuing human life. For that reason alone, I will cast my vote for the candidates that will begin to upheld God's standard in that regard. Maybe not to my standards. Definately not to the degree I believe is right, but it's a start. It's a far better choice than a candidate who responds to the question "when does life begin" with a disingenuous answer of "that's above my paygrade". This answer was disingenuous only because of the voting record of practicial infanticide.