Faith has become one of the hot-button topics in elections today, and all the emphasis and discussion of faith in politics can be confusing to Christian teen voters. Does a discussion of faith belong in politics? And how do Christian teens decide who is being honest about their faith and who is using faith for a political ploy? What role should faith place in casting a vote?
Is Religion the Only Issue?
The Bible clearly tells us that God can use anyone to fulfill his purposes - faithful or not. So, is faith the primary issue when voting? Certainly it cannot be dismissed, but it can easily be used by unscrupulous political candidates to influence voters. Thus, the particular faith a person puts down on paper can be an important point, but there are other things to examine before we let it be our only influence.
Does Faith Belong in Government or Politics?
This question has been analyzed, dissected, and argued to where it is a muddled and confusing mess of information. It is a highly personal question, as faith is often highly personal. While some people may not believe religion belongs in government, there is room to say that values do belong in politics. How a person's faith influences their values is an important part in choosing a particular candidate. It is up to every Christian teen voter to look at a candidate's values as they pertain to their faith.
How Can We Tell the Difference Between Real Faith and Political Ploys?
This question is one that Christian teens should be asking. Almost every candidate today has listed a religion of some kind in their political platform. They usually espouse some sort of Christian values. However, the more important question is how those values influence the candidate's decisions and leadership. There are agnostic candidates that demonstrate more Christian values than those that claim to be Christians, and there are good Christian candidates that balance their faith and values well. A label alone doesn't mean the person shares your values.
It is important for Christian teens to not get blindsided by a label and look deeper into a candidates voting record and decision-making history. Is the candidate saying one thing and doing another? What is his or her history on issues that are important to you like social security, student loan funding, health care, or abortion? How does that person demonstrate his or her faith? A close examination of a political candidate can be enlightening.
It is important that Christian teens don't make rash decisions in voting, and looking closely at each candidate can help them cast informed votes. It is easy to get caught up in all the religious labeling, but labels only tell us part of the story. Take some time to look closely at each candidate to see who really shares your values before you head out to the voting place.
