MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT FOR CHRISTIAN VALUES

August 2010

APN Feature Article

Voting Christians have a responsibility to act as gatekeepers of the nation by casting their vote and using their influence to keep out the bad and let in the good. It is a very great privilege and responsibility under God to have the opportunity in a democracy to vote for and elect those who will rule over us. It is therefore very important that we pray diligently and vote wisely when that opportunity is extended to us this Saturday.

The preferential voting system under which we operate in Australia allows Christians to maximise the influence of their vote by firstly supporting those candidates who stand on a Christian platform then secondly preferencing the major party of their choice to whom their vote will finally be given if the Christian candidate is not elected. Voting in this way allows the Government that is finally elected to know that hundreds of thousands of voters cast their first preference vote in favour of a candidate standing on a platform of Christian values.

This has significant impact when further down the line we wish to lobby the Government for Christian values, as it proves to political leaders that the Christian vote is strong enough for them to take our concerns seriously. Indifference by Christians towards politics eventually leads to dysfunction, abuse and injustice in the political culture of our nation. It is important therefore that as Christians we take seriously our responsibilities in the voting process.

It is important to research and understand what each party, or independant standing for election, stands for.  Parties will elect leaders who they think will best appeal to the voters, but once in power it is the party that decides the policies of the Government. Christians should therefore make sure they understand the full policy platform of each party and not just those aspects which are publicly released. It is often the unspoken policies of the parties that have the most potential to damage the fabric of the society in which we live.

An example of this are the Greens who many pundits predict could hold the balance of power in the Senate thus giving them a leverage for the implementation of their radical agenda. They have a number of environmental policies that are attractive to some Christians. However the full range of policies which they publish on their website include policies that would radically change society as we know it. According to their website their policies include:-  the removal of tax exemptions for Christian organizations, the enforced employment of non-Christians in, and withdrawal of government funding from, Christian schools, the total removal of Christian content and influence from government organisations and schools, and fully recognising homosexual relationships as marriages. They also want to remove from the Australian constitution that as a nation we rely on God. They want to remove the Lord's Prayer from the opening of parliament and remove all Christian influence from the Australian parliamentary debate. These philosophical and anti-Christian determinations are ones that as Christians we should oppose.

We must therefore become acquainted with the policies of all parties who seek our vote. Fortunately in the electronic age in which we live such information is available via various sources at the press of a button. How do we find out what these party platforms and policies are?

There are three key organisations that are really worth engaging with and being informed by.  Firstly, the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) www.acl.org.au who are NOT aligned to any political party, outline very clearly the track record, policies and platforms that lie behind each party at http://www.australiavotes.org/  This is a very important tool for us, because ACL highlights issues as far as broad Christian convictions are concerned.

Another tool that is available is from the Australian Christian Values Institute, the 2010 Federal Election Checklist, http://www.christianvalues.org.au/ which also aims at helping us make informed decisions based on party policies.

And lastly, Family Voice Australia gives the results of surveys sent to all candidates (not all responded however) which can be found at http://www.fava.org.au/

So as we approach Saturday let us pray as Paul urges us to in 1 Timothy 2:1-4, He encourages us to pray for our leaders and for governments, for those in power so we can get on with the business of living peaceful and godly lives in a way that will bring people into the knowledge and love of God.  So, we not only need healthy political parties, but powerful Christ-centred spiritual influence that brings about fairness, hope, real resources, vision and the kingdom of God for all people in our society.

On Saturday, be wise and vote for those who stand for Christian values. Leading up to Saturday pray diligently that God's perfect will be done through the election result and that our new Parliament will be filled with men and women committed to maintain and enhance the Christian values of our nation.

Brian Pickering
National Coordinator
Australian Prayer Network
Source: Australian Prayer Network