Recently, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry addressed the importance of voting, calling it a Christian duty. Not only are we obligated to vote, but we must help get “souls to the polls.”
Bishop Curry went on to say that he was not going to tell people who to vote for because the law prohibits that. And it should. Allowing churches to become partisan vehicles for specific candidates is a recipe for disaster. The Trump administration tried to change the law through executive order and failed.
We certainly can speak to the issues, even as charities. And we as individuals have broad protections under the First Amendment.
However, the bishop did make a statement that stuck with me. He said,
“Partisan neutrality does not mean moral neutrality.”
Even though the church is neutral on supporting candidates, the church’s faithful must always vote according to what we know is right—with moral conviction.
I worry that we have become so cynical, disgusted, or defeated by immoral behavior that we no longer feel the need to call out immorality when we see it.
Political Theology Matters is not a charity, so the rules that prohibit speech about candidates do not apply to us. I’m going to list several issues and events that have occurred over these past nearly three years. However, I have dropped the names so that we can weigh the morality of conduct and issues.
Babies in Kennels
The caging and detention of immigrant children, separating even infants from their parents and housing them in such squalor that a federal court had to intervene.
Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire
The Washington Post documented over 20,000 false or misleading statements issued by the president.
The Boor-in-Chief
Crass, sexist, racist rhetoric and insulting comments about disabled people poise this president is the most unpresidential elected leader in our history. His offensive speech and conduct are well-documented and indisputable.
Abuse of the Executive Order
He has allegedly violated the constitution in multiple ways. He has blocked the operation of checks and balances and repudiated the emoluments clause. Further, he has fired or constructively discharged high-ranking officials trying to do their jobs by calling out corruption.
Impeached (almost two years ago)
And oh yeah, this president has been impeached for withholding Congressional monies appropriated as foreign aid to create leverage for illegal investigations against political opponents. Substantial evidence proved the articles of impeachment. Predictably, the lackeys in the Senate let him off the hook.
Using the Military to Break Up a Peaceful Protest
The US attorney general and the president orchestrated the violent breakup of a peaceable assembly in front of the White House during a Black Lives Matter protest. Unbelievably, Trump and his minions sicced at least 12 different police departments on the crowd. Police used tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash-bangs to disburse the assembly that had been peaceful for hours and hours. While not proven in a court of law yet, people were injured while exercising their rights under the First Amendment. This was morally wrong, to say the least.
Signaling the Onset of a Right-Wing Evangelical Theocracy?
Astonishingly, the AG and the president caused all of this harm and chaos so that the president could walk a Bible over to a church to hold it up for a photo-op.
Taxes, Well, Not Really
Glorioski, we finally have the president’s tax records after nearly four years of legal wrangling. These are the same tax documents that Trump’s campaign should have released. And now we know why Trump withheld them. How does a billionaire pay $750 in taxes for a calendar year? He is proud of himself and thinks this makes him look smart.
Woven through this morass are direct correlations to fascism:
- Ultranationalism
- Charismatic Leadership
- Dictatorship
- Interfering or attempting to interfere with an independent press
- Interfering or attempting to interfere with the judicial system
- Racism
- A single [acceptable] party
- Paramilitarism
- Violence, actual or threatened
- Anti-socialism and anticommunism
- Anti-liberalism
- Anti-constitutionalism
How are these characteristics showing up in American society?
I have boiled down some of what I think are the worst facts about this administration. Never have I been so disappointed and angry. I’m resolute and ready to rid this country of such outrightly immoral leadership. Thankfully, I have voted already. My vote rests safely ensconced in the city clerk’s vault until an election worker counts it.
I urge you to vote your moral conscience. Vote for what is right.
