On November 1, I was fortunate enough to vote early, thanks in part to Republican Florida Governor Charlie Crist’s executive decision to extend voting hours. Governor Crist might be happy to know that both my husband and I voted for more Republicans than Democrats.
While waiting in line (nearly 3 hours total), I was handed numerous pamphlets and information sheets by actual candidates and some volunteers, most of whom had set up camp in one spot and waited for the line to reach them. It was a wonderful experience. I got to meet many of the candidates themselves and listen to them present their points of view in person, something you can’t get from a TV ad or a newspaper article.
Unfortunately, all experiences were not pleasant.
I was handed a 2008 Christian Coalition voter guide by an older gentleman. I read the lines one by one in disgust, pointing out differences between presidential candidates, Barack Obama and John McCain. “No, that’s not true,” I told the man, “This is misleading. Barack Obama IS in favor of Charter schools. And he’s NOT in favor of teaching sex education to kindergarteners!”
With each statement, the man nodded his head and said, “Thank you.” He was not interested in discussing the accuracy of his flyer.
“It’s not that I mind people feeling differently than I do,” I said loudly, “but to lie about the issues, that’s something else.”
“Thank you,” said the man.
“Most of your facts are wrong,” I said. “If you’re going to put this out, at least tell the truth,” I pointed out.
He still would not say a word.
“You call yourself a Christian. Thou shall not bear false witness,” I said.
Still the man wouldn’t budge.
Instead, a young boy heard me and assumed I was talking about him. He had just handed me a flyer himself about a Democratic candidate running for a local office. “What’s that? Bearing false witness?” he asked.
“It means lying about someone else,” I said, “In order to hurt them. It’s one of the Ten Commandments!”
“Oh,” said the boy. He was not happy with himself, why, I don’t know, but he put his flyers down. The female candidate who was running against the candidate the boy was promoting came up personally and thanked me. She said her opponent was breaking the law with his flyers by putting the Florida State seal on them and cited the actual code and penalty.
The line moved and I went forward, away from the older “Christian” man, but the female local candidate stuck like glue, telling me about her hopes for rebuilding the area, attracting businesses and bringing in more jobs. Her speech was so positive, others around us listened in, learning more about her dreams for our beautiful state.
The line had moved forward, but the older man was still back there, still handing out his false flyers, still sticking to it. I was so disgusted with him, so unhappy that he was spreading such lies and even more unhappy that others were buying it.
I am very conflicted on two counts. First, what the Christian Coalition is doing is heresy. By bearing false witness, they are breaking one of the Ten Commandments, one of the sacred laws both Jews and Christians must follow, which is stated in the Bible as being equally as bad as stealing, committing adultery, and worshiping other Gods. Perhaps the coalition feels the ends justify the means, for they consider the act of abortion as breaking the sixth commandment, “Thou shalt not kill.”
Second, as a Christian myself, I am ashamed to be classified in the same category as these people who call themselves Christians. They are giving Christianity as a religion a very bad name. Jesus himself asks his followers to be loving, accepting, and empathetic of our fellow man, to be truthful and peaceful people who care for others.
Shame on you, Christian Coalition! Shame on you! Shame on you!
