Why Christians Should Support Gary Johnson for President
Many of my Christian friends, both Catholic and Protestant/Evangelical, have asked me how I can support Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson for President.
My Christian friends on the right say he is too Liberal — his stance on abortion is weak; his acceptance of gay marriage is too strong; his support of the legalization of marijuana is too, well, too Liberal, they say.
Christians on the left tell me he is too Conservative — his emphasis on reducing taxes, balancing the federal budget and, if possible, even abolishing the IRS, is too hard on social programs; his strong support of the second amendment is backward for our times; and his stance on the "viability of the fetus" is too, well, sounds too anti-Roe vs Wade.
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The Right tells me I must support Trump, if not Hillary will place Justices of the Supreme Court who will take us further away from Christian values.
The Left says I should support Clinton to prevent an extremely dangerous Donald Trump — a man who has shown the opposite of Christian values, insulting women, veterans and immigrants — from securing power.
For me, this election should not be about choosing the lesser of two evils. I must vote my conscience.
Truly, the Republican and Democratic parties have failed voters by putting politics first. I have decided to support Gary Johnson because, in my opinion, he is the only candidate in this election who puts people before politics … and as a Christian, I like that!
On the issue of abortion, Republicans have often used the pro-life stance to appeal to Christian voters, but the Republican pre-election rhetoric never matches the Republican post-election action. During the majority of Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush's presidencies, (two presidents I greatly admire), the Republicans controlled the Senate and House of Representatives but did not truly promote overturning abortion as the law of the land.
And this year's Republican nominee Donald Trump is not much better than his counterpart Hillary Clinton. In 1999, Mr. Trump told Tim Russert that he would not support a ban on partial-birth abortion. In this election, he has praised Planned Parenthood. And, demonstrating his lack of understanding of the issue, he has vowed to punish women who abort, even though today's laws allow abortion.
While Gary Johnson feels that abortion should be left up to the state, he is not "pro-abortion." Please look at the abortion laws he promoted as governor of New Mexico; they were, arguably, the strictest in the nation!
In a 2001 interview, Governor Johnson said, "If my daughter were pregnant and she came to me and asked me what she ought to do, I would advise her to have the child." Nevertheless, considering that it is now legal in our nation, he continued, "but I would not for a minute pretend that I should make that decision for her or any other woman."
As governor, Mr. Johnson would have supported a ban on late-term abortions and has supported parental notifications for minors seeking abortions, and counseling as an alternative option.
Over and over again, Gary Johnson promotes the delicate balance between his personal convictions and the rights of the state and the individual citizen. I don't know if Gary would agree, but ultimately, just as we advocate saving the life of the unborn, we must put great effort into caring and nurturing women who have unwanted pregnancies or lack the means to care for their child. If we truly want to stop abortions we must lovingly work to change our culture … and the laws of our land.
As with abortion, Gary Johnson feels that legalization or decriminalization of marijuana should be an issue in the hands of the states. Like most Americans, I have seen friends' lives torn apart by drugs, so, this is a particularly difficult issue for me.
My father, a lawyer and a Christian, supported the legalization of most drugs. He didn't take that stance because he felt that drugs were harmless but because his heart was broken for the kids who needed help not jail.
My former boss, President Vicente Fox, also always says that we have not come up with a solution in decades, why not put legalization/decriminalization on the table for discussion?
Gary Johnson understands that there is no compassion and no wisdom in turning a harmful addiction into a criminal record. While there are some who truly deserve to be behind bars, do people struggling with the disease of addiction deserve jail time?
While the debate of gay marriage was going on, Gary Johnson always supported that it be left up to the states. Nevertheless, now it's the law of our nation; homosexuals can marry in any state they choose. So, what can Christians who disagree do today?
As my Latino friends can attest, in many countries around the world, when a couple wishes to be married, they must have two ceremonies — a religious one and a civil one. The U.S. is one of the few places I know that allows clergy members to sign a legally binding government document. The Catholic church has clearly stated that just because a couple has a state-issued marriage license does not mean they are married in the eyes of God and the church. In this regard, I believe Gary would say, we can respect those who live a different lifestyle than us and protect their civil rights, while simultaneously recognizing that the church has a different definition than the state when it comes to marriage.
Gary Johnson has said over and over that he wants to keep the government out of our bedrooms and … out of our churches — a balance that is completely absent from Mr. Trump and Senator Clinton's platform on religious liberty and marriage equality.
So, what about the giving government the power to "punish" Christian business owners if they refuse to participate in a same-sex wedding ceremony? To be honest, I don't think Gary Johnson has a solution to this issue. I think Gary would say we must continue the debate, especially at the state level. One thing I am sure of, until a fair solution is reached, our main job as Christians is to show love!
Finally, as a Latino, and as Christian, the issue of immigration is near and dear to my heart. Immigrants come to the United States to find a better life, which includes for many religious freedom.
It wasn't long ago that Republicans Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush took the debate stage and agreed with intense compassion that immigrant families shouldn't be separated. Sadly, the Republican Party's position on immigration has completely reversed. Instead of a delicate balance between security and empathy, the GOP has chosen an isolationist candidate who promotes hate and fear, building walls and treating people inhumanely.
The Democratic Party isn't any better. Despite the perception that President Obama is sympathetic to immigrants, he has deported more immigrants than any other President in U.S. history. With 2.5 million deportations under his watch (23% more than George W. Bush's administration), President Obama is poised to deport more people than the last 19 Presidents combined.
In a recent CNN op-ed, Gary Johnson stated, "[Americans] know that the only realistic and … humane policy is to find a fair and safe way to allow non-criminal, undocumented immigrants to get right with the law and go about their lives, paying taxes, having a valid Social Security number, and earning a legal status. No cutting the line. No 'special' path to citizenship. Just a common sense way for undocumented immigrants with jobs, families, and a clean record to come forward and live by the same rules as the rest of us."
Gary Johnson understands that the answer to solving the illegal immigration problem is by reforming our immigration processes.
Trump's anti-Muslim rhetoric reminds me of the inhumane treatment that was levied on Japanese-Americans during World War II. Just as I wouldn't want my Christian faith to be characterized by the shameful acts of the Westboro Baptist Church who protest the funerals of fallen soldiers, we shouldn't assume all Muslims are terrorists. On the contrary, with compassion, we ought to recognize that many immigrants, some Muslim and some Christian, come fleeing torture and death. With Christian compassion we should give them protection and comfort.
Many Christian organizations send help to churches where Christians are executed in war-torn countries for sharing the Gospel. I agree we should send help. However, when people come to the United States, whether they are Muslim, Hindu, or Buddhist, it is wonderful that they have the right to any religion!
Christians should say "the mission field has never been closer to show Christ's Gospel of love to all who come!"
Government should not be a tool to exclusively promote Christianity nor a tool to tear it down. We ought to heed the warning God gave regarding Israel's desire to have a king. If a leader is given the authority to exclusively promote a religious or social agenda, then he or she (or a future leader) has the authority to strip it all away.
When we use the government as a tool to discriminate against non-Christians, we reduce our faith into nothing more than a lobbying firm that gets associated with the divisiveness of political parties. I am sure Gary would agree.
Neither Donald Trump nor Hillary Clinton offer a hopeful solution to these very difficult problems in our society. I believe Gary Johnson is the only candidate in this election who understands the importance of placing people over politics, the constitutionality of individual and state rights, and the value of creating a culture characterized by choice not coercion.
Does everything Gary Johnson believes fit comfortably with my Christian faith? No! But he is the only presidential candidate that is fighting so that I can have the freedoms our nation's founders envisioned.
As a Christian, I cannot support Trump's message of hate and fear nor Clinton's big government and extreme liberal policies. Like the Bush family, Mitt Romney, Charles and David Koch, and so many others, I will vote based on conscience, as my Christian faith directs me.
