I have few memories that come from any earlier period of my
life than those of going with my parents to political fund-raising meals. In
fact, even to this day it is hard for me to eat sausage and pancakes without
thinking of some of those breakfasts as a young child. My parents set a great
example for us of the importance of voting, being involved, and impacting the
public square (even though that phrase was not used then).
Some of you might ask, “To which party did your parents give
such allegiance and hard work?” Well, let’s just say you would see a lot of
donkeys and no elephants! I have often
said that the R word was hardly even allowed in our house. Of course, that is a
little exaggerated, but not by much. I was taught that Democrats were for the
little guy and Republicans were for the rich through their “trickle-down
economics.”
So, with a background like that, you can imagine how
traumatic it was for me to pull the proverbial R lever for the first time! It
truly was. Now, you might ask, “Tom, why would you have ever made such a change?”
Let me explain.
I can remember having conversations with my mom in the late
seventies (high school) and early eighties (college) over the dilemma of
politics. You see, even by then, just a few short years after the 1973 Roe v.
Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion, the Democrat party was leaning
heavily in that direction. Especially once I was in college, I remember opining
to my mom, “Somehow, I wish we could take the social conservatism of the Republicans
and the Democrats’ compassion and put them together!” This view of the Democrat
party was so much part of the air I breathed, along with a mistrust for
Republicans, that I vowed to stay a Democrat while at Liberty Baptist College
(now Liberty University), an institution where the vast majority of students,
faculty, and administration voted Republican (and most likely still do).
Yet, especially while I was there and thinking more and more
about my view of the world, I had clearly become a social conservative and, here’s
the shocker, my views on what compassion is and how economics work began to
change.
By the time I graduated from college and seminary, I had not
only gone through the trauma of voting Republican for the first time, but was
voting in that direction more and more. Somewhere along the line, probably after
moving to Nebraska in 1988, I registered as a Republican for the first time,
although I always remained committed to voting for the person (regardless of
the party affiliation).
And, as I have progressed in my views during the years on what
is truly compassionate, how economics work, what kind of governmental approach
helps people flourish best, and which leaders come the closest to supporting a
view of marriage, family, and culture that will benefit people the most and
promote the welfare of our towns, cities, and country, I have been convinced
that, for the most part, Republicans come far closer to my views than Democrats.
By the way, though I have progressed in my thinking, I am still convinced the
Democrats left me (and many people like me). I did not so much leave them. But
that is a discussion for another time!
Why bring all this up?
It is not to make the point that you cannot be a Democrat or vote for a
Democrat, if you are a Christian. I have vehemently disagreed with people
through the years that have said that or something similar! The reason I bring all this up is that I want
to use my background as a starting point for clearing up a misunderstanding I have
heard—first many years ago—and that now has been revived, especially among
young adults who identify as Christians.
Over the past few months some bloggers have suggested that evangelical
Christians have a blind allegiance to the Republican party, as if most
evangelical Christians are not thoughtful and are simply following what their
pastors do, parents did, and just assume, “Gosh, we have to vote this way.”
Now, to a small degree, I get the misunderstanding. After all, the majority of
evangelicals have voted Republican at least the past three decades (in this
recent election 81% voted for Trump/Pence)—but it is precisely for the reasons
I just mentioned. And for most of that time, I have heard from those same
Evangelicals we cannot be “in the back pocket” of the GOP, which is right! In many ways, evangelical Christians have
bent over backwards to prove we are not “in their back pocket” and to
demonstrate that we are not one-sided. (And by the way, we do need to bend over
backwards to make sure we communicate you do not have to be a Democrat or
Republican to be a Christian or part of our churches!)
The idea that evangelical Christians blindly tie themselves
to the Republican party is just simply not true! Clearly, I personally know
very few evangelical Christians who are Republicans first and Christians
second. And, I do not personally know any Christians who supported Trump, when
there was still a choice (though there were some national figures who did).
Obviously, most eventually made that choice—as the least of two evils.
Why do I think this discussion is important? Because when we overreact and accuse each
other of things that simply are not accurate, it does not help us engage in
civil, Christian, and helpful dialogue about things which are important and
about which we disagree. I was reminded in this election that there are some
Christians who disagree with me on which candidate and/or which party platform
comes closest to supporting a Christian worldview and thus would benefit others
most. Though I can disagree with those who took a different position than
myself, I don’t want to ascribe ill intent to them, nor do I want to ascribe to
them something that is not true.
It is time we return to a place where we can land somewhere
between not being able to hear and discuss an opinion we disagree with and
jumping immediately to name calling or violence.
So, for those who disagree with me, I’d love to discuss the
details without some thinking automatically that because I am conservative I am
a racist, not compassionate, or don’t think through my political positions and
have a blind allegiance to the GOP. Though I do not necessarily doubt the
intentions and good will of progressives (regardless of party affiliation), I
do not believe they hold to the positions that will benefit our country or help
it flourish. I am a social and fiscal conservative precisely because I love
others, precisely because I am for true social justice, and precisely because I
want to advocate for those policies that will do the most good and least
damage.
If this old gray-haired pastor-theologian is wrong, please
show me where and I will listen and dialogue with you.
