I hate war. I hate that we kill babies. These are two major issues for me. If these two issues were what I based my vote on how can I decide who I would vote for in this election? (I say would, because SD hasn't sent me my absentee ballot yet, and I doubt it will get here in time.) Would I be justifiying death and murder by voting for either side?
Do I desensitize myself to the situation and vote based off of other issues?
Or do I pick the one that will kill less people?
Here are some stats on the death toll due to the Iraq war (http://icasualties.org/oif/) :
4187 Americans Killed
176 UK killed
138 Other
4501=total Coalition death toll in Iraq in 5 1/2 years
Here are some stats on deaths due to abortion (http://www.all.org/article.php?id=10123) :
3,288 Americans Killed per day
23,016 Americans Killed per week
1.2 million Americans killed per year
The numbers are overwhelming. If you wanted to kill less people, I guess you would vote for the candidate that says he would overturn abortion. But I don't think I can handle knowing that I am responsible for one death through my vote. Maybe I would vote for the anti-abortion candidate, because at least our servicemen these days made a conscience choice (a service-focused choice at that) to do what they do and babies don't have any choice or protection when it comes to abortion.
But still, I am having a hard time dealing with the fact that whichever way I vote I will have someone's blood on my hands...
Maybe I wouldn't vote, even if I had an absentee ballot. I don't believe either of the candidates will make any real change. Why do we think we can put all of our trust in one man or woman to revolutionize our country? When are people going to stand up and get things done together? When will we reach out and help that person we know who is going to lose their home? When will we reach out and help that pregnant, single-mother, so that she doesn't have an abortion? When will we start, as real people, to really help others?
Maybe voting is just a way for me to be an active participant in this difficult, moral, and ethical process? Maybe it will encourage me to be an advocate for life, no matter the situation?
What we need is to refocus our attention and trust in the One True God and our Savior Jesus. We need mercy from God. We need to turn to Him and He will lead us; and not our selfish, self-preserving desires. Let's get on our knees in prayer for our families, our neigbors, our nation, and our world.
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Whatever you do, definitely vote (if your ballot comes). I say call that issue a wash, and look at other issues that are important to you. You've said in earlier posts that small business issues are important to you, so make your decision based on that issue if you can. You probably won't find a candidate that you agree with 100%, but maybe you can find one you agree with more than the other.
Thanks Jeremy! I kind of made this post in frustration.
I definitely will be voting (if my ballot comes) but what I wanted to highlight in the post was how I am struggling with knowing both sides are okay with death and/or murder to a certain extent. And what does it mean if I vote, or pledge my support, to either candidate?
I do see voting as a very crucial decision and not something to be taken lightly because it reflects what you believe and what you stand for. Even if it doesn't really matter to the final outcome, you are making a statement to yourself about what you stand for.
Josh,
I agree that we need to do what we can to reduce abortions, and I know that just overturning Roe vs Wade would not accomplish that. There would need to be huge amounts of effort, time, and money that would need to put towards education and poverty eleviation.
The biggest problem we run into here is that most people that are "pro-choice" are not for educating about other options, and just want to make sure that abortion stays legal and as an option for birth control.
I don't have any answers. All I know is that a lot of people are dying. In my heart and mind right now, those that die (at war, through global starvation, or by abortion) seem to be more important. It's making a life vs death decision; or ignoring that, it' a life vs. better-life decision. I have a hard time ignoring the big d-word and focusing on making American-Life better, when in reality our poor are not really poor in comparision to the rest of the world.
Don't get me wrong, if I am going to be passionate against abortion and war, I also need to be as passionately against poverty, lack of health care, and poor education.
On a side note, neither mine or Heidi's ballot has arrived yet to Panama; so it looks like we will not even be able to participate in the election this year! And that's frustrating.
We will always have war-always. Today, those that are serving in the army are willing and understand that death may be an outcome. Babies, on the other hand, don't. They are a miracle, growing exponentially every day.
God is a God of war, of injustice particularly. It isn't "just" to kill life when it is beating the odds to grow rapidly to live.
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