Expert: Susan Milillo - 2/23/2010

Question
How do I deal with so called Christians who determine whether you can be a Christian or not by how you vote? I lean Democrat while many others lean Republican. The Democrat side has views that I find consistent with the Bible and views that are not consistent either just like with the Republican party. It irritates me when Republican Christians judge me and pretend to be Jesus by saying I can't be a Christian because I don't think like them nor vote their way. It just seems wrong and hypocritical. It sometimes makes me ask if I should bother being a Christian since many are trying to make it exclusive and hateful.

I tried the conservative route before and I ended up walking away. I have met only a few conservative Christians that understand one can be Democrat leaning and a believer at the same time.

What do I do with those that use politics as their determining factor?

Answer
Dear Julie,

   I'm so sorry to hear about the grief you have been getting from other Christians about these political matters.  It's really such a shame, because you are absolutely right.  I believe it has nothing to do with the state of your relationship to the Lord.    It should be a personal thing.  I guess it is something people are more or less vocal about depending on where you are, and the bunch of people you find yourself around.   I honestly don't even know if most of my friends vote Democrat or Republican... Next to our relationships with the Lord, politics is just one thing we really don't even discuss !   Please believe when I say it has nothing to do with salvation, and little to nothing with whether or not you are putting God first in your life.

    As far as how to respond, I would personally not go out of my way to declare myself any one direction or another, as far as political party goes.   Especially when people are behaving 'belligerently' about it.  In that case you are not likely to sway their opinion anyway, and you will only be giving them someone to 'attack'.  If I were you I would just try to hold my peace and not enter the 'general conversation' at all, among such people.   
    If however you get the chance to speak with someone who is more thoughtful about the issue, and more comfortable with evaluating different points of view, take advantage of that opportunity to ask them what values they prize highest, and what leads them to value the priorities of the one party, over the other.   If they say something about which you disagree, try not to 'argue', just suggest different ideas for them to consider, like, 'But what about.....'?  This way you can have a respectable conversation with the person and each of you will probably come away having learned something from it.

As far as the 'attacking' of the people you have been encountering, it truly is a shame that Christians sometimes act this way towards one another. Please believe me, not all Christians are like this !!   God definitely values you so much that He only wants you to be close to Him, and all else pales in comparison.

       So glad to get the chance to share with you. Thanks for giving me the chance, and I apologize for the length of time it took me to respond !!

     Love in Jesus,
            Susan M.