Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.

As a practicing Christian, I have frequently been troubled by the seemingly low interest in politics in churches. Since this country was founded on Judeo/Christian principles, it is essential that those principles be proudly and consistently displayed and promulgated. If Christians would consistently vote in high percentages in every election, then those who want to remove Christian principles from our schools and culture would fail. In fact, John Adams, one of the original Founding Fathers, wrote that our country would not be successful if the people did not continue to practice Christian principles.

Let me give you an example. While attending church service a couple of weeks ago, I reminded the congregation that the upcoming election was crucial and that they should get out and vote and base their candidate selection on which candidate(s) advocated Christian principles. I did not specify any particular candidate.  A week later, I was informed that a married couple told the pastor that they would never again attend that church because politics were mentioned. Now you have to ask yourself, if practicing Christians do not stand up for Christian principles and values, who will? Fortunately, our pastor was not intimidated by the couple leaving and advocated exercising our constitutional right to vote and to select candidates with biblical teachings in mind. Good for him.

How did we ever get to this point? Throughout most of this country’s history, pastors routinely discussed what was happening in the political arena because they realized our freedom and welfare depended on who was elected. In 1954, Democrat Lyndon Johnson (who later as President would author The Great Society, a leftist program that destroyed the black family structure as well as making people dependent on the federal government welfare programs) introduced an amendment to a spending bill that prohibited churches from advocating for specific political candidates or they would lose their tax-exempt status. Note that even though no church has ever lost their tax-exempt status since the restriction was enacted, the majority of churches have caved in and restricted their own freedom of speech. The amendment only prohibits churches from formally endorsing or raising money for a specific candidate. The impact, however, has been the silencing of many churches on any matter that even appears in anyway to be political.

This is very unfortunate since issues in the political realm frequently reflect values and principles that are prohibited by the Bible. For example, homosexual marriage, abortion at any stage of pregnancy, and transgender mutilation of children are contrary to Judeo/Christian values and teaching, but are now rampant in our increasingly secular society. And we are the worse for it. A recent survey reported that 94% of atheists voted Democrat in the last election. It is past time for Christians in general and pastors in particular to stand up for the values and principles that are essential to the survival of this country. The invasion at our borders by people who do not share our values will destroy this country just as it destroyed other countries throughout history. This invasion is being facilitated by Non-Government Agencies (NGOs) many of which are religious organizations that are being paid to assist the flood or aliens into this country.

It is time for true Christians to stand up against this.