Special greetings to my blog readers today. I trust you are well and highly favored.
I have invited you along on my journey of grappling with the issues of applying my Christian faith, Judeo-Christian world-view, and understanding of the Bible, to my vote on Tuesday.
A friend has encouraged me to vote, not for the candidate, but for the party platform. I am not sure we are electing a platform, so I am not convinced this is a most valid argument, but, I thought I would give it a go.
One of the most important moral code documents of all time is the Ten Commandments. So, let’s take the first commandment and work our way through the two party platforms.
I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.
Exodus 20:2, 3
Since the Ten Commandments starts with “I am the Lord your God,” and has as our first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me,” let’s look for any mention of God in the two platforms.
If my copy of “Moving America Forward: 2012 Democratic national Platform” is accurate, there is one mention of God in the platform. The platform calls for a government that gives…
“…everyone willing to work hard the chance to make the most of their God-given potential.”
From my reading of the platform, this is the only mention of God.
Now to the “2012 We believe in America: Republican Platform.” It is significantly longer (my copy is 59 pages) than the Democratic Platform (my copy is 32 pages).
According to my reading of the 2012 Republican Platform God is mentioned twelve times. The first two are in the Chairman’s Preamble.
“. . . humility before God and before a nation of free and independent thinkers.”
“. . .ever grateful to Almighty God for the political, religious, and civil liberties we enjoy. . .”
The next ten are in the party platform.
“. . .Reaffirm that our rights come from God, are protected by government, and that the only just government is one that truly governs with the consent of the governed. . .”
“. . .May God continue to shed his grace on the United States of America. . .”
“. . .We offer our Republican vision of a free people using their God-given talents. . .”
“. . .God-given individual rights. . .”
“. . .the primary role of government is to protect the God-given, inalienable, inherent rights of its citizens. . .”
“. . .defend the law-abiding citizen’s God-given right of self-defense. . .”
“. . .taking advantage of all our American God-given resources. . .”
“. . .God-given natural resources. . .”
“. . .We condemn decisions by activist judges to deny children the opportunity to say the Pledge of Allegiance in its entirety, including “Under God” in public schools. . .”
“. . .the God-given natural beauty and resources of our country. . .”
My very simple Party Platform Ten Commandment Analysis must give commandment one to the Republican Party Platform.
Next up, because I don’t see anything in either platform about worshiping images, misusing the Lord’s name, or Sabbath rest, is “Honor your father and mother.”
PS
Could you imagine a party platform that says, “The United States of America is great because of God and in keeping with His command, the nation will remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.” :0)