Journal Reader Responses 35.06

Author:

Reader Responses

Article ID:

JARE356

Updated: 

Jul 31, 2022

Published:

Oct 12, 2015

Same-Sex Marriage


These reader responses first appeared in the Response column of the CHRISTIAN RESEARCH JOURNAL, volume 35, number 06 (2012). The full text of this article in PDF format can be obtained by clicking here. For further information or to subscribe to the CHRISTIAN RESEARCH JOURNAL go to: http://www.equip.org/christian-research-journal/


Mormonism: Christian, Cult, or ???

Editor’s note: the reader responses below were all received prior to the November 6 election.

I want to commend you on your fair and balanced JOURNAL article on Mormonism (vol. 35, no. 3). It accurately focused on what should be the most important issue to Christians, and that is the person of Jesus Christ.

I am an ordained minister and serve at a large church in Georgia. It has been very discouraging how many in the so-called evangelical arena are essentially denying the Jesus that they have so long preached about for the expediency of a political season. I personally have no issues with anyone choosing to vote for a candidate, be it Republican or Democrat. However, it is appalling and sad at the same time to consistently hear prominent evangelical preachers who I have respected for years whitewash Mormonism as if it is the same as Christianity for the sake of trying to get a political candidate elected. What these leaders fail to realize is that the Nov. 6 election day is going to pass, but they will have to deal with the after-effect and damage to their reputations when it comes to standing up for the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

It is absolutely disingenuous for them to rail against homosexuality and abortion but be silent concerning the different Jesus and different God that the Mormon doctrine embraces.

These evangelical leaders saying that they have no position on Mormonism when being interviewed by the media, or that “it is up to God to decide one’s salvation,” is a political cop-out. These leaders can never again say with conviction to the public that they believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ according to the Bible.

The question I would like to ask them all after Nov. 6 is: “Was it worth it to compromise your calling for a political election?”

Greg Holt
Warner Robins, GA


Should Christians Vote Straight Ticket?

In response to “Should Christians Vote Straight Ticket?” (vol. 35, no. 5), I, being a supporter of Sojourners, Bread for the World, and World Vision, believe that God calls everyone, and most especially all forms of government, to first meet the needs of the poor, hungry, homeless, and immigrants in this country and then supply food aid where it is needed in the world. The health and lives of the living are just as important as the unborn.

Gutting programs like WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) and food stamp nutrition programs and international food aid so the rich can get bigger tax breaks as found in the Romney/Ryan budget is why I will be voting for President Obama. As a Christian I also feel abortion is wrong. As stated in the article, I am a Democrat who supports fellow Democrats that are working for pro-life policies. However, in the past Romney has said he would support a woman’s right to an abortion and said he supports Planned Parenthood. Now, in order to get support from the Republican right wing, he states he is against abortion and Planned Parenthood. Like on so many issues, he says whatever a particular group he is talking to wants to hear. I just don’t know what his core beliefs are. That is why I will be voting Democratic. At least I know what President Obama actually believes in.

Ronald Hocking
Flushing, NY

 

Elliot Miller says it is okay for a Christian to support a political party that advocates, supports, encourages, and demands that we pay for abortion on demand; encourages homosexual behavior; demands the acceptance of homosexual marriage, even though there are more than ten thousand studies that show that a child needs a mother and a father; is destroying our country with its irresponsible spending; thwarts the free exercise of religion…on and on.

How is this man fit to be editor-in-chief of a Christian organization?

Jim Sukach
Ypsilanti, MI

Elliot Miller replies: My article essentially made two modest proposals: (1) voting is supremely a matter of individual conscience and therefore one Christian should not dictate to another Christian how he or she should vote; (2) the strategy of always voting across the board for the party whose platform is pro-life, even when its candidate is pro-choice and the opposing candidate is pro-life, is both unreasonable and counter-productive. If you believe the mere airing of these proposals, which I clearly distinguished as my opinion and not the position of CRI, should cost me my job, I refer you to my editorial on the need for Christians to develop nuanced discernment (p. 4).


We welcome your feedback. To have your response considered for publication, please keep it within 250 words, include your full name, city, and state, and send it via e-mail to [email protected]. Reader responses will be edited as needed for readability and space.


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