A colleague sent me a link to today’s edition of Zondervan Academic’s Koinonia blog. One of the blogs by Roger Olson is entitled “10 Questions to Consider Before Voting”. Quoting from the site: “Roger E. Olson (PhD, Rice University) is professor of theology at George W. Truett Theological Seminary of Baylor University in Waco, Texas and author of the recent book, How to be Evangelical without being Conservative.”
Olsen was asked to give "food for thought" in guidance of how to vote in the upcoming elections. He put his advice into the form of ten questions, five for Republicans and five for Democrats. They are:
5 Questions to consider before voting Republican:
1) What will happen to the poor in a Republican administration?
2) Will a Republican administration pursue world peace?
3) How will a Republican administration promote mercy, compassion and justice for all?
4) Is a Republican administration likely to be unduly influenced by large corporations?
5) Can a Republican administration show respect for every human person's dignity and rights?
5 Questions to consider before voting Democratic:
1) What will happen to the not-yet-born in a Democratic administration?
2) Will a Democratic administration keep America and others safe from terrorism?
3) How will a Democratic administration promote security and safety for Americans and others?
4) Is a Democratic administration likely to be unduly influenced by liberal special interest groups?
5) Can a Democratic administration show respect for traditional family values?
See the full blog here.
I think these are very good questions that everyone should ask. I only have one problem with them and that is the way they are divided into political parties. For some time I have been troubled by those who in stereotypical fashion divide questions like this. I have seen very similar stereotyping from evangelical watchdog types, people I highly respect, but who seem to think they know what all Republicans and Democrats are concerned about. List like this reflect what they believe are the concerns of those on each side of the political debate. Quite frankly, I think they are wrong in their assumptions and by doing this commit the very sin they hate the most -- the categorizing of people according to some preconceived notion. The fact is that when I talk to my democratic friends, most of them are concerned about all of the things that are on the “Republican list,” and the same can be said when I speak to my Republican friends. They too are concerned about the things on the “Democrat list.” There is a broad mainstream in this country that is concerned about the whole list. I know of few Democrats who like abortion, and few Republicans who are not concerned about world peace. The idea that Republicans are not concerned about the poor is just as ludicrous as the idea that Democrats are not concerned about terrorism. The problem that I see with lists like this is that they perpetuate a mythical idea about the differences between people in this country. It’s a shame. It makes me think that some of these people never get out and talk to their neighbors, or more probably that they have chosen to live and work among people who think only like themselves. I don’t know if this is true of Roger Olsen, but I do wish that the list didn’t include the party divisions.
