Tuesday, November 7, 2006 at 1:01am
Listen to God and 'Abraham' before voting
Column: All Paths
How many times during this campaign cycle have you heard politicians and the leaders of political parties intone the name of God? I am sick and tired of hearing political leaders say God Bless America or our great city-state-party-president, etc. Many of these same politicians who invoke the name of God in this manner, usually do it at the end of speeches, that included supporting unjust wars, statements dividing our communities, and policies that are injurious to some of the most vulnerable populations, such as the poor, elderly, and children.
When these politicians use or let's say "abuse" the name of God in this manner, they are actually saying God has blessed their campaign and the policies they espouse. What troubles me about this is that this tactic has been effective. Many voters in this country fall for this tactic over and over again. So I say to these voters, if you are going to be duped by this rhetoric, make sure that what you hear from these politicians is based on dictates that actually come from the almighty.
Since we are being asked to believe that God is on their side, let's apply what I will now call my version of, "The God Test" to them. This test is based on a quote by a famous historic figure named Abraham. Yes that's right Abraham, you know the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln.
The quote I am referring to offers a simple criterion for determining if a campaign, candidacy or policy is blessed by God. Mr. Lincoln said "My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right."
If you follow Mr. Lincoln's criterion my version of "The God Test" becomes an easy instrument to apply. From now on, when you hear a politician invoke the name of God, look at their record or what they are actually saying. Then reflect on the of part of Mr. Lincoln's quote that states, "God is always right."
If you believe God is always right, then you can easily assess where a politician stands with God. If you are on God's side, then you should have a set of core beliefs that guide your life and interactions with others.
These core beliefs or the shared moral values of justice, compassion, peace, love and understanding are divine guiding principles. They are supposed to be the cornerstone of public policy and the foundation for just governments to rule. So the candidates that support unjust wars, or work to enact policies that foster divisiveness and fail to meet the basic needs of vulnerable populations are not on God's side, and therefore are not worthy of your support.
My friends it's that simple — look at what they do, and not what they say.
So when you go to the polls today, I ask you to remember Mr. Lincoln's quote and "The God Test." This will enable you to make the right decision. I know which candidates I will vote for today. I am using the God test. And I can only hope that those members of congress, mayors, governors, etc., that we elect today, apply The God Test to themselves when they take office and proceed with enacting their agendas.
I would like to remind them that this is an extremely divided country that needs to stop growing apart and rally around the shared moral values of our religions, the Constitution and The Declaration of Independence.
Finally, in the following quote from his Second Inaugural Address near the end of The Civil War, President Lincoln left us with a blueprint on how to proceed with rebuilding a national sense of community, that I hope those who will be elected today will read.
"With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."
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Rev. Jay Speights is an interfaith minister and main United Nations representative for The New Seminary in New York. He has an MA in public policy. You can learn more about his work at the UN at The New Seminary website His email address is {email jayspeights@newseminary.org}jayspeights@newseminary.org{/email}. © copyright 2006 by Jay Speights
When these politicians use or let's say "abuse" the name of God in this manner, they are actually saying God has blessed their campaign and the policies they espouse. What troubles me about this is that this tactic has been effective. Many voters in this country fall for this tactic over and over again. So I say to these voters, if you are going to be duped by this rhetoric, make sure that what you hear from these politicians is based on dictates that actually come from the almighty.
Since we are being asked to believe that God is on their side, let's apply what I will now call my version of, "The God Test" to them. This test is based on a quote by a famous historic figure named Abraham. Yes that's right Abraham, you know the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln.
The quote I am referring to offers a simple criterion for determining if a campaign, candidacy or policy is blessed by God. Mr. Lincoln said "My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right."
If you follow Mr. Lincoln's criterion my version of "The God Test" becomes an easy instrument to apply. From now on, when you hear a politician invoke the name of God, look at their record or what they are actually saying. Then reflect on the of part of Mr. Lincoln's quote that states, "God is always right."
If you believe God is always right, then you can easily assess where a politician stands with God. If you are on God's side, then you should have a set of core beliefs that guide your life and interactions with others.
These core beliefs or the shared moral values of justice, compassion, peace, love and understanding are divine guiding principles. They are supposed to be the cornerstone of public policy and the foundation for just governments to rule. So the candidates that support unjust wars, or work to enact policies that foster divisiveness and fail to meet the basic needs of vulnerable populations are not on God's side, and therefore are not worthy of your support.
My friends it's that simple — look at what they do, and not what they say.
So when you go to the polls today, I ask you to remember Mr. Lincoln's quote and "The God Test." This will enable you to make the right decision. I know which candidates I will vote for today. I am using the God test. And I can only hope that those members of congress, mayors, governors, etc., that we elect today, apply The God Test to themselves when they take office and proceed with enacting their agendas.
I would like to remind them that this is an extremely divided country that needs to stop growing apart and rally around the shared moral values of our religions, the Constitution and The Declaration of Independence.
Finally, in the following quote from his Second Inaugural Address near the end of The Civil War, President Lincoln left us with a blueprint on how to proceed with rebuilding a national sense of community, that I hope those who will be elected today will read.
"With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."
— — —
Rev. Jay Speights is an interfaith minister and main United Nations representative for The New Seminary in New York. He has an MA in public policy. You can learn more about his work at the UN at The New Seminary website His email address is {email jayspeights@newseminary.org}jayspeights@newseminary.org{/email}. © copyright 2006 by Jay Speights