Recently, Democratic Vice-Presidential candidate Joe Biden made the observation that past is prologue. Perhaps that’s why the Obama camp is courting Christians so hard this election year.
Certainly, there is evidence from the past showing clearly that evangelical Christians can make the difference in the Presidential race. Back in November of 2004, the Washington Post ran a story that included this telling statement: “…Christian activists led the charge that GOP operatives followed and capitalized upon.”
Staff writers Alan Cooperman and Thomas B. Edsall noted that grassroots activists in Ohio, Michigan, and Florida praised President Bush’s political adviser, Karl Rove, with insisting that, in order to win, the President needed to attract four million more evangelicals to the polls than he managed to do four years before.
In that critical 2004 election, in key battleground states, churches conducted voter registration drives and millions of voters’ guides were handed out by Christian and pro-life organizations. Christians were energized and motivated to take part in the political process in an enthusiastic way.
As the Washington Post writers observed, “…Bush’s conservative Christian base was essential to his victory.”
Some political pundits had predicted that evangelical Christians would sit out this election, disenchanted with some of John McCain’s maverick ways. Those fears were heightened when McCain seemed to be leaning toward a pro-abortion running mate.
But then, along came Sarah. And evangelical Christians roared back.
In Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, Christians see one of their own—a faith-filled woman of traditional values, who’s not ashamed to pray for Divine guidance. Sarah sees the Bible as a blueprint for life and she’s not afraid to talk about her desire to have a “servant’s heart.” The excitement among Christians for Sarah’s candidacy is palpable.
This may be the most important election of our generation. It is a referendum on Barack Obama—one of the most liberal candidates for President we’ve ever seen. Obama has said his first order of business as President would be to sign the radical Freedom of Choice Act, which would wipe out virtually all restrictions on abortion. In one outrageous act, Obama could eliminate decades of progress by the pro-life movement.
Obama can claim that his faith is important to him, that he prays to do God’s will—but actions preach louder than words. His policies speak volumes—and they are contrary to the wisdom imparted by the Bible. If he really believes what the Bible says—that before He created us in the womb, God knew us—how could he possibly support abortion on demand? His appeals to Christian voters ring hollow as a result of his anti-Christian stands.
Both civic duty and Biblical imperatives demand that Christians show up at the polls in force this November. Despite what the polls may say, evangelicals can, indeed, turn the tide in the right direction. We have the power to elect a ticket that will be in keeping with God’s game plan. After all, the only poll that counts is the one on Election Day.
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