The time has come around once again for American citizens to prepare to exercise their God-given liberty to vote. If I am being honest, there certainly is nothing appealing about wading through the cesspool of candidates and issues that are being pushed on our society today. But, as believers it is our responsibility to do so. We are called to stand for the truth that sets men free. It was Jesus Himself who told us, "Render to Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's." (Matthew 22:21) This would include, of course, the matter of voting.
Beyond the biblical mandate, there is a civic mandate for the citizens of this country to vote. Our government was formed to function of the people, by the people and for the people. Men and women have died to secure this freedom for us. Therefore, it behooves us to exercise our right to vote, however much we may disagree with candidates or issues.
As you prepare to vote this November, there are several resources available to guide you. Let me share with you some of these resources you should know about.
First off, there is the 2022 State Ballot Information Booklet put out by the Legislative Council of the Colorado General Assembly. This is a non-partisan booklet that presents the issues citizens will be voting on in Colorado, explains them in detail and presents the case for "both sides."
The second resource I believe every Christian citizen should be aware of is the Church Voter Guide (churchvoterguide.org) and the iVoter Guide (iVoterguide.com). These are resources compiled by non-profit organizations that provide some detailed information on every candidate Coloradans will be voting on. Most of us struggle with simply being educated on who the candidates are and where they stand on critical issues. These resources are a great help in being able to read the opinions of each candidate on critical issues.
Above all these other resources, the single most important resource we ought to depend on as believers is the Word of God. We should allow the principles of Scripture to help us evaluate every candidate that we vote for and every issue we vote on. No one candidate will align perfectly with Scripture, but we ought to seek to vote for candidates that most align with the teaching of God's Word. Furthermore, we should allow the principles of Scripture to guide us on how we vote on every ballot measure as well.
With this in mind, let's turn our focus now to what the Bible has to say about the measures that will be placed on the ballot this year (2022). To the best of my ability, I will share what the Bible has to say first, then share with you my personal opinion on each issue.
Amendment D: Judicial District Judges
This is a measure placed on the ballot by the Colorado legislature (elected officials) in which they hope to be able to move judges from the 18th district to the nearly formed 23rd district without having a proper election.
As American Christians, we believe it is our God-given right to be able to choose moral individuals to serve as our judges and representatives in government. Taking away this freedom and handing it over to the legislature to make these type of choices independent of the people is not something we ought to get behind. Deuteronomy 1:13 counsels God's people to "Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you."
In reading about this issue, it seems to me that this is no more than a ploy to keep certain judges in office, moving them into a new district, while circumventing the voice of the people. I will be voting NO on this ballot measure.
Amendment E: Extend Homestead Exemption to Gold Star Spouses
This is measure placed on the ballot by the Colorado legislature in which they want to extend a tax break for the surviving spouses of U.S. veterans who died in the line of duty or whose death resulted from a service-related injury.
The Bible tells us in Romans 13:7, "Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour." It is right for us to give honor to those who are deserving of honor in our society. Certainly, this measure would show honor to those who have sacrificed their lives for our freedoms. I will be voting YES on this ballot measure.
Amendment F: Changes to Charitable Gaming Operations
This is a measure placed on the ballot by the Colorado legislature in which they want to allow more freedoms to those involved in charitable gaming operations (allowing managers to be paid for their services and allowing charitable organizations to get a gambling license sooner).
You can rename it however you want, but the bottom line is simple here: Gambling is a sin! The Bible warns us about the danger of pursuing money, "But they which will be rich fall into temptation and a snare (trap), and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (1 Timothy 6:9-10) Additionally, the Bible condemns all schemes to get-rich-quick. "Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase." (Proverbs 13:11) Much more could be said on the subject, but suffice it to say, God is clearly against the matter of gambling. The evil of gambling has ruined many lives and caused much devastation in our society.
Thus, making it easier for any gambling operation to run (even if it is supposedly to support a "good cause") is wrong. The purpose of government is to restrain evil in society, not to encourage it. (Romans 13:4) I will be voting NO on this ballot measure.
Proposition FF: Healthy School Meals for All
This is a measure placed on the ballot by the Colorado legislature in which they want to increase taxes by over one hundred million dollars so they can provide free school meals to students in public schools, increase the pay of those who prepare the meals and many other details surrounding this matter.
The Bible is clear that it is the responsibilty of parents to care for their children, not government. No where in Scripture do we find the mandate for government to feed or educate children. That responsibility is placed primarily upon the parent. (When I was a kid, my parents sent me to school with a lunchbox. They didn't depend on the government to feed their kids.) The Bible says, "But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." (1 Timothy 5:8) Anytime the government attempts to steal the role of the parent, it should raise red flags in our minds.
While it may seem like a noble thing for the government to want to be able to provide meals for children, this measure is nothing more than an attempt for the government to get bigger and have more control over the lives of our youth. I will be voting NO on this ballot measure.
Proposition GG: Add Tax Information to Petitions and Ballots
This is a measure placed on the ballot by the Colorado legislature. (This especially significant on this one.) By this measure, they want to require that any petition or ballot measure that comes from a citizen (not the legislature) includes a table showing how it will impact the taxes of every citizen.
This was a tough one for me to consider. On one hand, the accountability for how ballot measurers will impact our taxes sounds like a nice thing. On the other hand, the legislature only wants to provide this accountability for citizen-based measures (and not those that come from the legislature). If this measure included accountability across the board for both the measures that are presented by the legislature and those presented by citizens, I would be more inclined to support it. However, this seems to be a ploy to discourage people from voting for citizen-based ballot measures by showing the tax impact it would have on them. In doing this, this would further suppress the voice of the people.
The Bible is clear that we are not to show respect of persons in the way we handle matters in life. This is especially true for those who are in leadership. A leader must serve those who leads without partiality. "My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons." (James 2:1)
In the future, I would like to see a measure like this that includes accountability across the board for both the legislature and the people. As it stands, I will be voting NO on this ballot measure.
Proposition 121: State Income Tax Rate Reduction
This is a measure placed on the ballot by citizen initiative in which they want to reduce the state income tax rate from 4.55% to 4.40%.
The Bible commands us to pay our taxes and to be good citizens. However, whenever we can see those taxes reduced, there is nothing wrong with doing so. Individual citizens can more wisely invest their money for themselves than the government can for them. Thus, taking money back from Uncle Sam and giving it to the people is always a good thing. I will be voting YES on this ballot measure.
Proposition 122: Access to Natural Psychedelic Substances
This is a measure placed on the ballot by citizen initiative in which they want to require the state to establish a regulated system for accessing psychedelic mushrooms and to decriminalize the use of said psychedelic mushrooms. (Yes, you read that right...that is really what they are trying to do. If it wasn't so horrible, it would almost be comical that they are actually trying to do this.)
The Bible is very clear that we should not partake of substances that are abusive to our bodies. "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) Furthermore, God is clear that we should not put anything into our bodies that takes power over our conscious choices. "All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any." (1 Corinthians 6:12)
I will be voting NO on this ballot measure.
Proposition 123: Dedicate Revenue for Affordable Housing Programs
This is a measure placed on the ballot by citizen initiative in which they want to provide statewide funding for additional affording housing by using the money citizens normally get back from TABOR limitations.
The Bible says "if any would not work, neither should he eat." (2 Thessalonians 3:10) There is no place in Scripture where the government is instructed to provide housing for individuals. The welfare state that has been created in our country is entirely unbiblical and it has been detrimental to the character of our nation. While the housing situation in our country is an issue, the answer is not to provide more free housing for people (many of whom aren't working to pay for it); the answer is to make people get back to work and provide for themselves a roof over their head.
Additionally, for reasons listed before, taking money from the people and giving to the government is never a wise decision. The TABOR laws were put into place to limit big government. Let's keep it that way. I will be voting NO on this ballot measure.
Proposition 124: Increase Allowable Liquor Store Locations
This is a measure placed on the ballot by citizen initiative in which they want to increase the number of retail liquor store licenses progressively over the next fifteen years eventually allowing an unlimited number of licenses.
The Bible, in no uncertain terms, condemns the use of alcohol: "Wine is a mocker, strrong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." (Proverbs 20:1) Alcohol is a scourge to our society today. It enslaves people in addiction, it tears apart families and it is the leading cause of death among all abused substances. To allow for alcohol to be available in more abundance will not be to the benefit of society, but to its detriment. I will be voting NO on this ballot measure.
As a side note, it is sadly disheartening to me to see even conservatives take a neutral position on this matter. Alcohol is devastating communities all over our nation, but those who should be taking a stand against it aren't. Edmund Burke once said, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." I strongly encourage the good people all over this state to do something about restraining the evil of alcohol in our state.
Proposition 125: Allow Grocery and Convenience Stores to Sell Wine
This is a measure placed on the ballot by citizen initiative in which they want to allow any grocery store or convenience store that sells beer to be permitted to also sell wine.
Wine is alcohol. For the same reasons listed above, as believers and conservatives, we should not be for making it easier to access alcohol in any form. I will be voting NO on this ballot measure.
Proposition 126: Third-Party Delivery of Alcohol Beverages
This is a measure placed on the ballot by citizen initiative in which they want to allow third-party companies (such as Door Dash) to deliver alcohol from grocery stores, convenience stores, liquor stores, bars, restaurants and other such businesses and make take-out of alcohol permanently available.
Once again, for the same reasons listed above, we as believers should not be for making it easier to access alcohol in any form. This is not a neutral issue. If we keep giving up a little ground year after year eventually we will get so far away from what is right to our own ruin. I will be voting NO on this ballot measure.
A Final Word
There can be a tendency when we go to vote to get a little discouraged. Sometimes it is because of the issues we are being forced to vote on. At other times, it is because of the poor candidate choices we are presented with. It is easy during such times to be left thinking how much of a difference your vote will actually make.
Yet, in the face of these uncertainties and doubts, let me remind you that our ultimate hope is not in an elected official of the approval of a law of man; rather, it is in the Lord. It is Almighty God who is the Sovereign over all the affairs of men. Psalm 75:6-7 tells us, "For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another." It is our great God who reigns over all those whom He allows to sit in positions of authority. Proverbs 21:1 says, "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will." Take comfort in the fact that, no matter how bleak matters may seem in the affairs of men, there is still a God in Heaven governing over them all. He rules and, when necessary, He overrules.
Our hope is in the gospel of Jesus Christ. No matter what the outcome of the election, we must continue to proclaim the good news of Jesus to a world that desperately needs to hear it. Ultimately, it is the gospel of Jesus alone that can bring about the lasting change that our nation and our world needs.
Comments
Post a Comment