Christian voting...

[Corvus]

Why is it that so many Christian Americans vote Republican? Is it because liberal Christianity doesn't really have a hold in America?

Wouldn't more liberal policies, like charity and equitable division of wealth, be more suited to Christian principles? Or is Republican party traditionalism seen as more important than sacrificing income?

[Travis]

Why is it that so many Christian Americans vote Republican?

It is probably a futile attempt to pen down any one issue, even a short list of issues suggesting the reason. It is more a fundamental difference of worldviews between them and the democrats.

Aside from the definite interpretation schism the two parties have over the constitution, it is the philosophical role of the government.

Whether one takes the stance that problems can be solved through government intervention, or that it is the role of the church tends to be the backdrop of the debate.

Is it because liberal Christianity doesn't really have a hold in America?

I am not sure what one would define as 'liberal' christianity. We certainly have every shade here in the states, and no one group has anywhere near a monopoly. (Though some are more vocal...)

Wouldn't more liberal policies, like charity and equitable division of wealth, be more suited to Christian principles?

On the surface it would appear to make more sense. Though I am not sure materialistic equality is a christian principle.

[otseng]

Why is it that so many Christian Americans vote Republican? Is it because liberal Christianity doesn't really have a hold in America?

The Republican party platform is socially conservative: pro-life and pro-(heterosexual) marriage.

Republican politicians have also generally been more outspoken as being Christians. If there were more Democrats that are more outspoken of their Christianity, it could sway more Christians to be Democrats.

Wouldn't more liberal policies, like charity and equitable division of wealth, be more suited to Christian principles?

Republicans are for helping the disadvantaged, but the difference is in approach. Democrats favor the government solving the social woes. Republicans favor the people (the Church in particular) to solve social problems and to avoid the government stepping into things.

[Corvus]

Why is it that so many Christian Americans vote Republican? Is it because liberal Christianity doesn't really have a hold in America?

The Republican party platform is socially conservative: pro-life and pro-(heterosexual) marriage.

Republican politicians have also generally been more outspoken as being Christians. If there were more Democrats that are more outspoken of their Christianity, it could sway more Christians to be Democrats.

Wouldn't more liberal policies, like charity and equitable division of wealth, be more suited to Christian principles?

Republicans are for helping the disadvantaged, but the difference is in approach. Democrats favor the government solving the social woes. Republicans favor the people (the Church in particular) to solve social problems and to avoid the government stepping into things.

That means it's left up to the individual, who can choose whether or not to donate to charities. The government is the people, and liberals see it as a social responsibility for everyone to help out, and to make sure the people with greater wealth do the most.

[otseng]

That means it's left up to the individual, who can choose whether or not to donate to charities.

But in socialist policies, the individuals have no free choice on who to help. It is the government that decides the allocation of funds.

The government is the people, and liberals see it as a social responsibility for everyone to help out, and to make sure the people with greater wealth do the most.

But one problem is for people like me. I freely give a large percentage of my time and money to various charities. And now on top of this, the government expects me to pay even more money for programs that I don't want to support.

I strongly believe it is up to individuals to help other individuals. I do not want a third party bureaucracy who has no stake in the matter to be involved. If all individuals would give their time and money to help others, there'd be far less problems in the world. Or even if the Church would obey the Bible and help the disadvantaged, that in itself would probably solve all the problems.

When I give money, I try to give directly to the organization and without going through some middleman. It is much more efficient use of funds to give directly. And the government is even more inefficient than private organization such as the United Way.

Also, private charities are much more effective than governmental agencies. One reason is that the people who work in the private charities have a personal passion for their cause. Often pay is little, so there has to be some personal overriding reason for them to be involved in it.

Anyways, I believe that it's up to individuals to care for others and it's not the role of the government to do it.

[juber3]

I know why my church is a republican, because we believe in pro-life. We will not allow an unborn baby to die just because the mother wants the baby to die. We are a heterosexual church. We dont HATE gay people but we dont condone it either. We also believe that Government should stay sepreat from the church. My church has a Baptist school right behind it. The government offered funding to the church to fund the school but it was denied by the pastor and decons because we dont want the involvment of the federal government. This is basically why i support the republican partie.

[Quarkhead]

I disagree with the premise. A vast majority of the people in the US claim to be Christians. Of those people who bother to vote, the split is usually roughly equal, tipping one way or the other. I think that conservative Christian groups are more cohesively vocal and political about their causes. Since our government is strongly center to center right (no matter who is in power), the politics of conservative Christians tends to be more closely aligned with political power. Liberal churches do abound, though. But their works tend to be more focussed on actual faith activism, rather than attempting to influence the government to adopt their beliefs as policies - perhaps, as we are seeing today, to their detriment.

[Crixus]

Why is it that so many Christian Americans vote Republican?

The terse answer is, because the political system in america is a disgrace.

To be a bit more expansive, I would have to say the answer to the question is rooted in why so many americans vote for republicans or democrats when both parties are rotten.

Wouldn't more liberal policies, like charity and equitable division of wealth, be more suited to Christian principles?

The phrase liberal is rather ambiguous, yet since you seem to be pointing toward fiscal and humanitarian policies I'll interpret "liberal" as meaning Leftist.

I whole-heartedly agree that Christianity is a very Leftward religion, yet there has been failure on both sides to embrace the other. Elitists have been using Christianity as a weapon against the people since Constantine embraced Christianity and subsequently conquered Rome. Since then Christianity has been seen as the religion of the empire, and that would certainly not have been an improper view to have. So the right (or the aristocracy) has had a long time to wield the will of Christendom to their favor, which has made the idea of rightwing Christianity a rather ingrained notion amongst the people.

Being wholly a child of the largest imperial power ever to disgrace the planet (ie, the British Empire) america has inherited many of the bad habits, and more unfortunately many of the imperialists, that existed in Britain at that time, america has naturally been favorable to the aristocrats of the world. One needs only to look as far as the later half of the 19th century to see that the Left in america has always been despised and thusly it stands to reason that american Christians would follow suit.

Christianity however began as an extraordinarily Leftist religion, none can demonstrate that better than the teacher himself. Christ said, "Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 19:23
"And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."
Matthew 19:24

Yet, these passages are blown off by the aristocrats as meaning some elusive gate in Jerusalem, which was pointed to in an obscure 9th century sermon as being the origin of these words, even though this gate, as yet, has no historical basis. Aside from the gate and the needle the passage just prior is the interpretation of this scripture, though often conveniently missed by those hoping to dismiss Christ's true meaning, this verse captures well the message that Christ is trying to convey.

Or is Republican party traditionalism seen as more important than sacrificing income?

Tradition is the largest pull of the republicans, for those who want to return to "better times", which to me implies times when the suffocation of political freedoms was prevalent, the republican party offers that false hope that they seek.

While I am pro-life, and hold that homosexuality is a sin, I also consider the appeasement of the wealthy and the exploitation of the working class a sin of equal measure. Greed kills just as quickly as any weapon of war or physicians scalpel. Unfortunately there is a duumvirate of ruling parties in america, neither of which truly support the people, both are equally corrupt and the success of one simply perpetuates a cycle which puts the other back into power.

As a Christian I cannot in good conscience support either party, nor any government of man for that matter, I must concede that in my reading of the bible, the only Christian thing to be is an Anarchist, as I am. Not to seek separation of church and state but separation of state and man.

Tolstoy says it best, "A Christian, by promising unconditional obedience to the laws of men in advance, would indicate by that promise that the inner law of God does not constitute the sole law of his life."

But in socialist policies, the individuals have no free choice on who to help. It is the government that decides the allocation of funds.

What form of government have you found that allows you choice of where your money is spent? Certainly a Christian should be given greater pause when his money is spent on nuclear weapons or an execution, then when it is spent to give help to the sick or hungry.

Socialism is a wonderful thing, but as was said by Bakunin, "Liberty without socialism is privilege and injustice, socialism without liberty is slavery and brutality"

Of course what most consider socialism is not honestly socialism at all. Socialism is recognition that all people are entitled to certain treatment as human beings. It is only just that the government does its job and helps its people before helping itself to build arsenals. Socialism is flawed however when put under the guidance of a state, because governments are run by men, and mostly those men who seek power. Having thusly such a predisposition to corruption by the failings of man, such an institution could never manage socialism for long before turning the acquired wealth into war machines. To properly achieve socialism and liberty one must end the state, and return the industries to the workers.

[otseng]

Welcome Crixus. You do bring some very interesting thoughts to the table. Would you mind if you started a topic to debate on "Christian Anarchy"? I've never met a Christian anarchist and would love to discuss that.

[adherent]

I can't even vote, but, what does a christian anarchist believe in? I hope you create that thread that otseng mentioned so I could learn something new. I think most christians vote for the President who is christian in beliefs and policies. My parents, who can't vote either, are for Bush. Was it Gore that had one of those anti-christian policies?