In Which I am a Single Issue Voter | Dreaming Beneath the Spires
I was brought up Catholic, but made a real commitment to Christ when I was 17. Since then, as a Christian woman, I have been a citizen of three countries—of India, of the US (a citizenship I retain) and of the United Kingdom—we were sworn in last month, and are now dual citizens of the US and the UK. That’s appropriate—my thinking is mid-Atlantic; the English I write is mid-Atlantic; and the English I speak, oops, is a melange of words, usages, expressions and pronunciations I’ve picked up from both nations I retain citizenship of.
This is pathetically simplistic perhaps, but I have always supported political parties on one basis—and that is not gay rights or abortion rights.
The question I ask is: Whose policies will be best for the poor? The poor of their own nation, and the global poor, for as Christians, we do have to realize that we are on this earth for a few decades more at best, and then will, we hope, gain citizenship in heaven with those of every race, and tongue and people and language, and so must begin acting as citizens of that everlasting kingdom.
How have we treated the least of these?: That is the great question we will be asked on the last day (Matt 25:31-46).
And that should surely be a major issue as we gather to bestow earthly political power.
Politics, like sex or money, is, of course, an intensely personal matter. In England, in particular, it is impolite to mention them socially, leave alone in a blog!!
But, how about you? Are you a single-issue voter? Does your faith affect your voting practices? Should it?If so, what do you look for in a politician or political party?
