Time to Vote
On Saturday March 18, an election to determine who will govern Tasmania will be held. Where I live, we go and vote in the tiny hall pictured above. It is a short walk from my home.
In Australia voting is compulsory. Richard Herr, my former political science professor, said this is undemocratic. I agree. Forcing individuals to vote forces them to make decisions they may be uninformed about. I only want to vote if I can do so in good conscience, knowing that the candidate I am supporting does represent my values in key areas. Thankfully, the Australian Christian Lobby does find out and provide voters with details of candidate's positions.
Voting for the most “conservative” party is not an answer. In Australia, the conservative party (Liberal) controls both houses of the Federal government. However, a law was recently passed to remove restrictions on the importation of the abortion drug RU486. It is essential to find out what individual candidates believe on matters like abortion, because party lines usually allow a conscience vote.
Most people vote for the party that promises to do more about education, or health, or the environment. There is a strong tendency to blame the government for many things, and ask them to fix them. As the government is handed more and more responsibility, they are also given more authority. A booklet I was required to study to work at the school where I am employed says: “Responsibility and authority are interrelated and must be kept in balance. The weight of responsibility should be equal to authority. For example, when parents turn the responsibility for training their children over to the state, they also turn over a measure of their authority.”
To me, the things people often focus on are far less important than the matters the Bible directly says the government should be involved in. To often, these things are neglected while the government takes on responsibilities and authority that should remain with church and home. I want to do more study on what tasks God has appointed for government, home, and church. At this stage, I believe the Bible tells us that the central task of government should be to reward good and punish evil.
Righteousness exalts a nation,
But sin is a reproach to any people.
Proverbs 14:34
For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.
Romans 13:4
As John Adams, second President of the United States, wrote, “Suppose a nation in some distant region should take the Bible for their only lawbook, and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited! ... What a Utopia; what a Paradise would this region be!”
Something Doug Phillips said on a Jamestown to Jubilee Faith and Freedom tour CD keeps all this in perspective. He said it is 10,000 times more important to honour your parents than to be politically active. He hopes we will all be politically active, but that is no where near the most important thing. The seemingly small things we choose to do each day in relationship to our families and churches have a much greater impact for eternity.
P.S. I was happy to discover last year that while it is compulsory to turn up to a voting booth, it is possible to legally choose not to vote: put your voting sheet in blank.
