How to Love Your Neighbor in 2020? Vote.
By: Catherine C. C. Martin
Tags: Christianity, Vote, Love, Faith, Election 2020

How to Love Your Neighbor in 2020? Vote.

Carrying out the Great Commandment this year involves doing our civic duty.

Photo by Cyrus Crossan on Unsplash

Matthew 22:37–40 gives us the Great Commandment: “Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Love God and love others.

In this time of the pandemic and social unrest, there are lots of ways that we can love each other, but one of the easiest is to vote.

People don’t often think of voting as a religious or spiritual duty, but I would argue that it falls into the category of loving others, so it is vital. I first registered to vote in 1985 when I turned 18. I was a Reagan Republican and was all in for small government, low taxes, and pro-life. I believed that the government had little role in people’s lives except when it came to ensuring traditional sexual morality (yes, I see the irony in that now).

Throughout my life, I have been in churches that have been politically active to keep their congregants voting for the conservative (read: Republican) candidates with the hopes of getting Roe v. Wade overturned and keeping gay people from getting married along with other socially conservative policies.

Through the years, I’ve noticed that these socially conservative policies don’t match with my religious values. Jesus tells us to take care of the poor, the sick, and those in prison. I was always told that the church was to take responsibility for this. Yes, many churches do have ministries to help people in poverty or who are sick, however, they are not able to completely take care of this problem. This is why we still have government benefits and even they are not adequate.

The government will never solve the problem of poverty, but it can make life better for those who live in poverty. I will vote for candidates who are willing to harness the power of government to make sure that those without food are able to access the appropriate programs and that those programs are funded properly. Public education and Head Start programs along with senior meals are integral parts of our communities.

Jesus told us to care for the sick. There are very many people in poverty who cannot access the health care system. ObamaCare helped, but our current Administration is trying to actively tear down ObamaCare. What we need is universal healthcare. During a pandemic, the lack of universal healthcare is tragic. With 200,000 people dead, this administration has failed the American people. We need a government that will provide appropriate healthcare even during a pandemic. When people don’t get timely healthcare, they enter the system far later and in much worse shape, costing more time and money. We will all benefit from universal health care

We also need our candidates to be the hands and feet of Jesus in prison and law enforcement reform. We’ve seen this summer that violence toward Blacks by police is not an isolated event. However, rioting and looting that has destroyed the center of some of our cities is creating social instability that is not sustainable. We need leaders who are willing to put some tough love out there and take on the police violence but also stop the racial violence. And our current administration is not it.

Being a Christian does not mean that I am voting Republican. In fact, since the 2016 election, I’m not sure that I can ever vote Republican again. I have taken a hard look at my political views over the last ten years and realized that not only do I not like President Trump, but I’ve become liberal on almost all my stances. I’m voting for Biden/Harris because they will support the things that are important to me, and that, I believe, are important to Jesus. No, they aren’t going to Washington to satisfy my Christian soul and I’m sure they’ll do things I don’t like. But, my conscience is clear in voting for them.

The best way for me to Love God and Love Others is to vote. And for me, that vote is Biden/Harris.