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Monday, November 10, 2003

While I am in a grumpy mood - why does it seem like you have to be a Republican if you are a Christian? Boise just elected a Democratic mayor (a first, I believe?), and talking to some people they make it seem like that is the end of civilization as we know it, time to move to the Montana hinterland. Now I am pro life, and it seems like the Republicans have that issue pretty much sewn up - but what about all the other issues? Why can't a Christian be for gun control, or a national health care system? My sister was diagnosed with breast cancer this spring, and underwent surgery, reconstruction and rehabilitation, including a 6 week therapeutic stay on a beautiful island that included everything needed to make her recuperation successful - all while drawing full pay, and all covered by the terrible "socialist" health network. Now, if the church would be able to get its act together to where they would have money to spend on caring for each other instead of huge overheads and big buildings, then maybe people in the same scary situation here wouldn't have their stress compounded by having to worry about being uninsured and how to pay for treatment. But until then, a national healthcare system doesn't sound like such a bad alternative.
And the environment - I happen to think that taking care of the earth and our resources is actually a good thing (especially since, see post further down, I am not certain that Jesus is returning in the next 50 years.) Yet talking to other believers it seems like there is only one line to take for evangelical Christians, and environmentalist is usually prefaced by "wacko". And don't even think about criticizing President Bush for anything....
Now lots of people disagree on these issues - but my point is, shouldn't we base our stands and opinions on informing ourselves about each individual issue, looking at facts, and thinking them through? Instead of just buying that "evangelical Christian = Republican voter"? As I am going after US citizenship, and actually might get to vote one of these days, I am thinking more about this....

posted by Birgit
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