A Reader's View: Election serves as moral barometer

October 02, 2008 10:03 am

— More than any presidential election of the past, this year’s election will serve as a significant moral and spiritual barometer of our country. This year the differences between the two presidential choices are more significant than ever before. We have one candidate, John McCain, who unequivocally advocates strong moral values, which include his beliefs that families are comprised of a man, a woman and children, and that the killing of innocent unborn babies is intolerable and immoral. To further emphasize his beliefs he has selected a vice presidential candidate who shares and espouses those same high moral values. We have another candidate, Barack Obama, who supports and advocates an amoral society in which alternate lifestyles, same-sex marriages, and the killing unborn babies are all to be considered accepted standards of moral conduct. ( In fact one might conclude that those of us who do not support Obama’s views are narrow-minded, intolerant and not representative of the moral American majority.)
I have been a student of history for over fifty years and have studied the rise and fall of great world powers from the time of the great Egyptian, Persian, Greek and Roman empires to the present. The empires of the past saw their demise not because of insufficient economic wealth or lack of military might, but because of internal moral collapse, in most cases led and encouraged by selfish, amoral leaders. The Holy Scriptures in Proverbs 14:34 remind us, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” I am a concerned citizen who genuinely cares about the future of this country and whether wholesome morals and values will be maintained, nurtured and conveyed to future generations as moral and ethical compasses to guide our children and grandchildren in making righteous judgments and responsible choices.
In this upcoming election citizens of this great country will get to decide whether they will chose the most liberal president ever, who will lead us into further moral collapse and ruin, or a very conservative president who has demonstrated he will do his utmost to help prevent further moral compromise and degradation. If Christians vote in accordance with their moral values and spiritual conscience there is one presidential candidate who absolutely will not qualify for their votes. My hope and prayer is that Christians will allow their spiritual conscience to guide them as they cast their votes for the next president of the Untied States of America.
Gary P. Tucker
Mt. Vernon