The Importance of Voting in 2020

Told after America's founding fathers voted to ratify the U.S. Constitution woman asked Dr. Benjamin Franklin. Well, Dr. what have we got a Republic or a monarchy Republic replied to Dr. if you can keep it in the first part of maintaining this Republic that we have in the US involves voting is a cherished tradition and a right that we have and today were to talk about the critical importance of your your hostess focus president Dr. Jim Daly and John John were in the final week before the election on November 3, make sure we know that November 3 what Rutledge to live in a country where we can participate in the formation of our government. This is a rare thing in human history and it's something that my two boys are now 18 and 20. This will be their first election so I am imploring them to get registered which they've done and get the absentee ballot and get with it and I hope that each one of you listening to me will encourage everybody in your orbit to do the same and one of the difficulties seared Focus on the Family were 501(c)(3) so we have restrictions we don't talk about who to vote for.

But we can talk about the principles of what the vote for. And you're going to hear that discussion today so it's not about our ND Republican and Democrat.

It's about biblical principles playing out in the public square and how we as Christians need to see these challenges and apply the right antidote to some of the things that are occurring in the culture today in joining us in the studio are John Stonestreet and Tim dateline and John is the president of the Colson Center for Christian worldview and speaks and writes and addresses topics of faith and culture he's covering the book called practical guide to culture and has been here a number of times Tim dateline is the vice president for external and government relations for Focus on the Family servers in our Washington DC office and I were so glad to have him here. He's also written a book called American restoration Tim and John, welcome back to focus both of you.

I was right to be here. Thank you so much. I don't know that you've ever been on together never been on to get what a misstep that's been the great day. I mean, you two are in the next scene it every day right absolutely yes for you, to the office there, which is a beautiful location right near the Supreme Court. You and I and I fly out were able to go and meet people that are making things happen in that city and unit I think to our credit, we have reached across the wheat we see both Democrats and Republicans and talk about those issues that were concerned about. Comment on that opening statement I made about the restrictions on speech Jimmy we have to be careful but still Christians have a right to express their moral convictions. By all means, and I find it liberating to be at Focus on the Family and to be partisan to the issues and not to the party. I think it gives us a much clearer view and allows us to look at the entire landscape of our country and to realize a very important principle which is that the first duty of Christian citizenship is to vote so well said that John and I admire what you have done stepping in the shoes of Chuck Colson. I mean man.

I prayed for you many times. I know that feeling breaks and who are you again Chuck Colson was such a mammoth collaborator and you know after being Pres. Nixon's hatchet man as he was called. He became such a just a pillar of working with people behind the scenes, even at his funeral. There was a Democrat that stood up at his funeral and said we were on the opposite sides of many things, but I learned so much from chuckles and chuckles in a gone to this man and asked for forgiveness for politically, tearing him down and in. The man cannot forgive him at the time, but there he was at his funeral, and he for gave him years later and they had that discussion and they buried the hatchet so to speak, and what a beautiful testimony from Chuck Colson. How do you see this and knowing Chuck the way you did in being meant toward by him how you feel. He would feel about what's going on right now you know there's plenty of issues that he foresaw right and he prophesies José.

He ate what he was and he was mostly right about about all the things that he saw coming in. In some ways were grateful that the Lord was gracious enough, given the gravity of some of the issues that we face another thing that sticks with me is that Chuck realized that there's two equal and opposite errors that people of faith make one is what he would call the political illusion which is actually he's taking that from a quirky French theologian named Jackie Lowell which is the idea that all problems are political and all solutions are political and then what we might call which I think we see more and more, maybe the political delusion right which is basically this idea that politics is is is unholy irredeemable.

It's pointless. My vote doesn't count this idea that politics you know you can't go in there without getting your hands dirty, so to speak, and neither of those are the biblical perspective yeah let me ask both of you. In that vein, there is research that shows that 70% of Americans feel it's important for Americans to vote, but only 56% of the show up that disparity right there some right yeah I like to pick up on that because I think and going back to Chuck Colson for a moment. Chuck showed us an Focus on the Family. I think even since our inception has has shown that there is a definite disconnect between many who are in public life and the American people you know Chuck famously sat and II find the set remarkably refreshing.

He said in America.

Salvation will never arrive on Air Force One and what he meant by that is that to John's great point. Don't look for the politicians of either political party to resolve or to restore you know the values that we care about that. It begins in marriage.

It begins in family.

It begins in parenting.

It begins in local community. It begins in our churches. It doesn't begin in a political fulcrum it begins. Frankly, at the most local organic place and I find that very Merry so true need to think about in the context God created three institutions, the family, the church and government, each with its own specific role government basically in Scripture is given the task of restraining evil is not amazing. And yet that's becoming more and more blurry. In some cities in our country today. Why have they lost their way.

I think you have between the federal government and the top of the culture he might say in the individual citizen. Historically, America has always had this really robust strong middle families and and and community groups and local civic governments, and so on. But one of the things we've seen over the last hundred hundred and 50 years.

I think especially the last 20 to 30 years is an awakening of the middle and emptying out of the middle you guys spend so much important energy looking at one of those, which is the family with the family is weak. The society is weak and this is why voting matters finally get there right because so much of our attention when it comes to a national presidential election like ours is due to people at the top of the ticket right and and and and is an example of the political illusion that if my guys and all is well with my guys, not in all is lost every ballot you know is a Colorado citizen, especially in our state right now on every ballot down ticket. There are local races.

There's a lot of ballot initiatives. There are things that will determine the future of policy and policy either threatens the existence of these very important nonpolitical of what we might call pre-political institutions, or it will create space for these things to flourish and so this is in a very real way, just kind of become struck, especially the selection.

Jim that Christians need to take seriously the task of voting because it is a real and tangible way to fulfill the great Commandment loving God, and second, like unto it, loving our neighbor welcomes him let me ask you you been involved for over 30 years in that wonderful city. I say in air quotes Washington DC yapping for Sen. Dan coats course you worked with the Bush White House and you seen it you seen it all. You seen how parties manipulate and they're trying to get in for all kinds of reasons.

Mostly power and we get that and we understand that but for the Christian who feels like you know what God's in control a little bit apathy here probably is a good deep spiritual truth. What you say to the persons is what does really matter anyway and you know in the end God's in control so I don't care who goes in the power yeah I would say that that was St. Augustine that those who are discouraged and despairing need to understand that discouragement and despair is a sin because it negates the help of Jesus Christ. We are hopeful lists it out where the Easter people and are vote matters. It definitively matters and I think to John's point and to your second question we are facing one of the most important elections of our lifetime. The future of our country. The future of our culture and civilization is definitively on the line and I think Jim without overstating it. This is the most important election since 1864, because in 1864 by a cats whisker Abraham Lincoln, one if Abraham Lincoln had lost his reelection in 1864 to George McClellan. I think that hours after McClellan's inauguration.

I think he would've sued for peace and I think we would've ceased being the United States of America. We would've been at least two countries and maybe three. There is nothing written in the stars that the United States of America shall henceforth always be the United States of America, and it matters people of voting matters because you are.

Sometimes it seems voting against and sometimes you're voting for. But our founding fathers genius was that Silicon Valley and Hollywood and Washington and Wall Street. It's not their country. It's our country and it's important that we step into the voting booth as men and women of faith and make a decision and we want to help you become better informed and better equipped as you do that so stop by your website for details about the books from her guest him gig line and John Stonestreet and then we also have a helpful voters guide which you can find really useful as you can untangle all the different campaign rhetoric and the ads out there. A stop by your website. The link is in the episode notes. You can also call us for numbers 800 the letter a in the word family. In fact, when it comes this idea of you know God's in control so you know, voting is kind of optional. I have a clip from Dr. Tony Evans a wonderful pastor from Dallas is been on the broadcast many times than the let me play the clip and then get your response to what he saying… Like to wind the football field. It was sidelined the goal line at an old nonnegotiable line you get a call please with in bold lines little play could be good play play could be bad place you don't mess with the fiber lines but you do get freedom of playcalling God gave Adam any freedom in the garden they could to God or not she's got God's already didn't stop and not using God so you are new never used God's sovereignty as an excuse to be a responsible woman. What can you say that, other than a man.

I think I give a football analogy and it's been so long personally that were that's right at me but but he's exactly right. Nowhere does God's control negate eliminate remove trivialize human action. Humans are still responsible for what they do and what they choose not to do and I would only add that underneath all of this is a question for every follower of Christ, and that is do we believe that Christianity is actually true not just true for me, maybe not for you, but literally the best description of the contours of reality itself because if we do then voting and coming down on certain sides when it comes to policy issues and how best to structure education and work in international relations. What to do with issues like abortion and marriage and religious freedoms and so on and so on and so on. This is like dealing with gravity.

We don't want a world that denies gravity because as Dallas Willard once said, you can't step off the roof and then choose not to hit the ground. We don't want a country that denies created realities like the dignity of every single life for the sanctity of one man one woman for life marriage because this stuff is like gravity and and to deny this is going to have brutal consequences for individuals and for our nation that is really well said John. And it reminds me of the important responsibility. A president has a nominating federal judges that mean that's probably the most important thing the president will do and we now have this opening on the Supreme Court judge Amy Tony Barrett has been nominated by Pres. Trump speak to the importance of judicial nominees in relation to the upcoming election is so much that the president does these days ends with his term in office, executive orders, and so on that. The thing you have Laster judicial appointment Ashley to the Supreme Court. This is why people say elections have consequences. Pres. Trump and his first term has now nominated three Supreme Court Justice, 39 3/9, and two of them have been seeded and will see you know whether the Senate can push this confirmation through in time for the election or not it's it's not clear, at least at the time that were having this conversation, but that has significant consequences me right now that the volume has gone through the roof on this nomination of Amy Tony Barrett because of what it actually might do to the central political and cultural reality of our nation for the last four decades, which is Roe V Wade minutes since Roe V Wade was passed every confirmation hearing has been a fight as if it were over life and death. Starting with orchestra starting with boric because it's been a fight over an issue that has to do with life and death, etc. check I have thought about it in that context that Roe V Wade was the beginning of judges being bore as they talked about that becoming a verb now absolutely it it it Roe V Wade was the sort of sweeping culture shifting decision that you don't often see from the court. I'd argue that the Oberg if a decision on same-sex marriage was similar and the sense that states decided one thing and the court has decided something else and impose that will on the nation. The Supreme Court is usually very reticent to do that. But in the case of Roe V Wade, that's what it did and I would argue, along with some others that that Roe has poisoned a lot of our cultural discourse. The reason that it's at such a fever pitch. The reason that we have to make may be some sort of Prudential unit decisions that were not super happy with between candidates or elections or whatever else has to do with the fact so much is at stake and that's why think loosing the fever pitch where it's been course is not just the Supreme Court. We talk about the lower courts and the president has seeded as you know, scores of judges. This is proof elections have consequences, and this is our chance to speak into that process. Let me let me ask you this, and to him you realize this working with me when I do an interview on the subject of politics.

I'm trying to express the fact that Christians have every right to have a voice in that arena. We live in a Republic where we can express ourselves as part of our freedoms that we believe are God-given. It seems to me, and I know some people are going to be really put out by this but it seems to me the Christian community has become more politically sophisticated, not speaking spiritually I'm saying purely politically more sophisticated in that we realize that a presidential candidate may not possess attributes of being our pastor or priest and that policies become more critical freedom of religion. Pro-life those kinds of things talk about.

I'm sure there's danger in that, but at the same time human beings are imperfect people. Yes, both Democrats and Republicans.

Nobody has the corner on perfection. Only Jesus and so when you look at it in that context. Have we become a little smarter about electing people that put good policies forward that allow for human flourishing versus simply control and power. Yeah, I love that question because I think the 1960s and the 1970s were essentially a moral and social upheaval in the United States, maybe even both extremes. Both extremes unprecedented in the history of our nation, and I think many Christians until that point could, with some comfortability say well both political parties, you know essentially agree on the largest questions.

There are, and whether I participate or not is not yesterday's news, but it doesn't feel as consequential. You come through a moral and social upheaval like the 60s and 70s and you realize. Wait a minute. The result of these decisions has narrowed my religious liberty and conscience rights. We are now at 63 million abortions since 1973, 63 million 63 million of our fellow citizens are not with us and I think Christians have said wait a minute. This matters. It matters maybe more than ever, and I think that as a direct result of these both political and cultural currents American Christians have said it's important that I stand in the public square. Engage as never before. At the local, regional, state and federal level because actually voting matters.

You know I'm on a practical level. Like Jim I got adult kids who are voters and we have had some if I may put it this way, robust conversations, I think that the social media platforms in the news media have have distilled this down to you know there's one one thing in the selection and executor candidate a candidate be and is the personality of the candidate and somehow it seems there are younger people that are are making it about that.

How do have a conversation about policies and all the things you've mentioned thus far there below the surface of candidate a and candidate B yeah III must say, as a father of two sons ages 24 and 22 Tim and Paul who are also making these decisions. John what you say you know is in our echo chamber and I think it in part, the answer is an honest dialogue and honest conversation and a really robust exchange of views and ideas, but I feel very confident that when there is a whole lot less opinion and a lot more discussion of data and and what the cases I think young people and the rising generation of young Americans are actually quite open and excited about what's coming for the next generation in our country. I feel confident you let me continue to throw Scripture in here because it's so important. This is what we believe. Romans 13 once is let every person be subject to the governing authorities.

There is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Nepal get it, give it some context. Paul is writing this when Nero is the Emperor. I mean, you gotta wow really Paul, you sure I mean he was the Caesar of Rome at the time right and he was evil and wicked and yet Paul still wrote that I love the fact that a pastor wrote a letter to the primary architect of the American Constitution. James Madison, he was a New York pastor and he sent a letter to Madison and was essentially including a sermon in his envelope to the former president and he said, essentially, is there a unique duty for the state and a unique duty for the church and is our Constitution make this distinction what the pastor is asking is, is the American founding an accurate reflection of this idea of the city of God.

On one hand, and the city of man and Madison rights back and essentially says you've got it exactly right. I find that a remarkably nourishing reality in 21st-century America that we live in an exceptional and extraordinary country that in fact in our very founding is a reflection of what the Bible is teaching us that is good. I mean, I think that is good. I'm just sorry that but it's important to understand that even though we are having's time right now.

Such incredible conflict on so many levels in the sort of nation we want to be. Which by the way my mind is this downstream upstream is the question the sort of people we want to be what's happening culturally and so many different ways we said we don't send folks to write EC or to our state capitals to rule over us. We send them there so that they can reflect the sort of culture and community.

In ruling that we want as we govern ourselves. That's the great idea.

I think that has been lost, and this is something we began with Chuck Colson and I'll go back to him because he will be reflected on the slot. If we are a people that can't govern ourselves, then there's not going to be enough police officers to solve the problem.

It's the conscience. Or it's the constable and that that such an important distinction to make and and and this then is an opportunity for Christians when they vote to reflect that sort of self-governance, the sort of community and culture. We want to have together.

The sort of people we want to be the sort of vision we have for the future. Will I think you both have made a great statement about why it is important for us to take this seriously, so I want to say thank you. Attend. Thank you for coming in from DC a real honor.

John, thank you for coming down the now all I think it might be a little jealous but seriously folks, I think that this is been one of the best discussions that I participated in in terms of the need to vote certainly take a look at the voter guide that Focus on the Family has prepared, we obviously can't save vote for this person or vote for that person were putting out the principles the policies and speaking to that were Christians were conservative Christians.

There's no question about that.

We get it. People have different views about what should be done. This is our view, we should protect religious liberty. We should protect as a social justice issue. The most vulnerable among us. The pre-born child. We believe in this and I hope that this discussion has prompted you to register and to vote and let your voice be heard and in the end it really whether your vote for this party or that party that's between you and God. What we want you to do is exercise your right and vote and to be informed as Jim said we have this great voters guide. It's been months in the making. I'm there so many things going on that you gotta think through and we've distilled it all condensed it all into this grade. Voters guide that you can find on our website as well. You'll find American restoration. The book by Tim gig line. We talked about it a here in the broadcast before and would love a free pick up a copy of that which exudes Tim's hopefulness and then John Stonestreet has co-authored a book called a practical guide culture which includes his great insights about what's going on and how we can be biblical citizens. In today's current culture of those are great resources and we want to encourage you to get in touch with us. For those make a donation of any amount and when you do will say thank you for joining our support team by sending a copy of either those books so whichever one you choose are numbers 800 the letter a in the word family or check the episode notes for more and then finally were making a CD available of our conversation can include additional content that just would not fit into the confines of this radio broadcast, Tim, John, what a great reminder to get out and vote. Thank you for a real honor.

Thanks and once again get in touch with us for any of the resources I've mentioned additional questions about what's coming up around the corner on November 3 are never once more 800 a family and on behalf of Jim Daly, and the entire team. Thanks for joining us today for Focus on the Family I'm John Fuller inviting you back once again help you and your family thrive in Christ