African-American Christians: What is there to waver about?

I read a very disturbing article this morning titled African-American Christians waver over vote. I have been hearing mumblings about African-Americans who are planning not to vote because they disagree with Obama on gay marriage and they can’t bring themselves to support Romney because they disagree with Romney’s policies. I’ve been ignoring those mumblings because I was dismissing them to media hype, but after a recent conversation with a family member, I know that it is more than hype. There are some people out there who are seriously considering not voting in the election because of Obama’s stance on gay marriage. I can’t speak about other areas, but I have seen billboards in Ohio and in Michigan in which the Republicans are pandering to these people. The billboard reads: Obama supports abortion and gay marriage. Do You? What the sign should say is: Dear ignorant people, thanks for your support.

This is a presidential election. Agreeing with each candidate 100% of the time is next to impossible. I haven’t made it a secret that I’m not a big fan of either candidate, but I am a big fan of me. I want the candidate who I believe will look out for my best interest. For me that candidate is Obama, for some people that candidate may be Romney. Whoever it is, everyone should go out and vote. Obama supporters who opt out of voting because they don’t want to vote for a guy who supports gay marriage might as well go out and vote for Romney because that is essentially what they are doing. Technically speaking, I should be voting for a third party candidate because my beliefs and policies align more with them (yes I took the survey), but I’m a realist. Voting for a third party candidate in this election is worse than a wasted vote, it’s the equivalent of voting for the candidate that you don’t want because this election is predicted to be close which means that literally every vote counts. 

To the African-American Christians who are thinking about not voting in this election, I present one simple question: what would Jesus do? Would Jesus turn away a gay man who came to him asking for help? Would Jesus pass judgment on a woman who has had an abortion? 

This type of hypocrisy is part of the reason why I no longer attend church on a regular basis. As a child, I was taught that God is love and that everyone is welcome in God’s kingdom. I believed that we were all sinners and that God would forgive us of any sin if we simply humbled ourselves and asked for forgiveness. Jesus welcomed murderers and prostitutes with open arms. Yet we as people do not. My pastor used to love to say, “Judge not lest ye be judged,” but as I grew up, I realized that he didn’t truly mean those words. If he did, he wouldn’t be able to say that quote in one breath then damn gays to hell as abominations in the next. I never lost my faith in God, but after a few too many church scandals I did lose my faith in the people of my church. 

According to the article “pastors say their congregants are asking how a true Christian could back same-sex marriage” to those congregants I ask, how can a true Christian not back same-sex marriage? If being gay is a sin, then it is a sin for God to judge. If you think homosexuality is wrong then don’t get involved in a homosexual relationship and continue living your life, but stop passing judgment on others. 

As for the election, here are a few pointers: Don’t vote for Obama because he is black, don’t vote for Romney because he is white; don’t vote for Obama because he’s a democrat and don’t vote for Romney because he is a republican; vote for who you believe is the best candidate to secure American beliefs and remember that our country recommends the separation of church and state for a reason.

If you choose not to vote then you are choosing to accept the consequences of your inaction so do not open your mouth to complain about the results of an election in which you decided to sit out.