I began to write this eCrozier about 40 days from the election. I thought: “How appropriate, I feel quite Lenten right now.” I also feel the need to take a hot bath to rid me of the stench that has enveloped me during this election season. As candidates play to our selfishness and suck up to our xenophobia, There’s a particularly foul smell in the air. So, I offer these six observations now that election day is less than a month away.

First, as a Christian formed in the Anglican Tradition, I understand my vote primarily as “damage control.” Given that all of us are flawed by our sin (including our political parties), I ask myself: Which political party will do the least damage to the poor and vulnerable among us? In my judgment, the policies of both political parties damage the poor and vulnerable, so I seek to discern which will do the least damage? Any other measure of my vote simply becomes a rationalization for my own selfishness.

Second, governments can do a lot of good by making laws, but laws can’t legislate love, compassion, or mercy. In other words, only God can change the human heart. Many Christians place way too much faith in government and even more faith in their affiliation with a particular political party or candidate. Many politicians talk a lot about their faith in God, but then while they’re in office they mainly act as if God might as well not even exist and thus won’t judge them for how they exercised their elected offices. They’re de facto functional atheists when they do that.

Third, in Matthew 25 Jesus tells us that God will judge the nations by how each cares for the poor, for those in prison, and for the immigrant in their midst. The Gospel says that God will judge “the nations,” not the Church and not individuals, by this particular standard. So, God will judge the United States, just like every other nation for how we treat the poor, the prisoner, and the immigrant. America does not have a special exemption from God’s judgment. As the Prophets of the Bible tell us time and again, neither did David and the other kings of ancient Israel.

Fourth, in Luke 6, Jesus declares: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” Jesus doesn’t say: “Blessed are you who are middle-class.” Yet, that’s all we hear from the political parties this year. Where’s the voice for the poor in this election? It’s glaringly absent from our political conversation and concern.

Fifth, Democrats & Republicans are estimated to spend well over 3 billion dollars in this election cycle. I don’t know who’ll benefit from that $3 billion, but my hunch is it won’t be those who are hungry or those who are in need of healing from disease or injury. The amount of money in our politics is corrupting for all of us.

Lastly, we can’t wait for politicians to change the world, because they won’t. We can’t wait for governments to legislate love, because they can’t. And we must not allow our politics to determine the means by which we love and honor one another. How we love and honor one another must determine the means of our politics.

+Scott

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