Carissimi,
The election for President of the United States that will take place on Tuesday has been preceded by one of the most contentious campaigns; perhaps the most contentious in history. It has come in a time of great division in America and around the world. The election has created even more polarization, as it has brought to the surface many of the underlying issues.
The issues that voters face in this Presidential election are extremely serious. Many have not decided for whom to vote as they weigh the two leading candidates.
For a Christian, it cannot be a matter of finding the perfect candidate. Who among us is perfect? God has used flawed people to do His will many, many times. The notion of of a perfect candidate must be permanently banished. Rather, we must look for the candidate that is the better of the two, even if only by a small margin. To do so, we must look at the issues at hand and compare the candidates, starting with the most important issue. Voting based on attactiveness, race, sex, or any other factor is foolish and irresponsible, both to yourself and to mankind.
The most important issue is always right to life. All other rights and considerations assume that a person is alive, and therefore life must be considered before any other factor may be considered. If both candidates do not support the right to life, then the candidate that is proportionately more supportive must be chosen. Such decisions are often difficult and require a lot of discernment. On the other hand, if one candidate does not support right to life, then that candidate must be disqualified in the minds of the voters.
When a candidate for office openly supports abortion, that candidate must be disqualified in the minds of the voters, for such a candidate is not fit for office. Christian people cannot vote for a candidate that supports abortion when there is a pro-life candidate available. Such is the case with the present election. Those who vote for a pro-abortion candidate in this election commit grave sin. No other issue can be considered if the issue of right to life is not considered first, and the choice indeed makes itself based on the consideration of right to life. A healthy economy, an effective foreign policy, and many other things being discussed during this election are all irrelevant if the nation that possesses them continues to murder over a million and a half unborn children each year.
People of faith, you will be held accountable to almighty God for the way that you vote. It is not a personal choice independent of others. Your vote is your voice, and it impacts millions of people in the United States and around the world. Do not forget that the United States does not exist in a vacuum. Its actions impact others, and the people of other nations cannot simply be disregarded as irrelevant. We cannot claim to respect life if that respect stops at a national border.
Our duty to God is always first. Any national duty must be merely an extension of our duty to God. Therefore, pray for guidance that you may make the right choice according to the laws of God.
