abstract: Most of the reasons offered for voting for evil candidates are humanist reasons, and they have been around for a long time.

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by daniel lance herrick

Ohio Right to Life is opposing the campaign of Joe Slovenec (formerly of Operation Rescue) for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Howard Metzenbaum. Slovenec is running as an independent. Ohio Right to Life says that any votes that are cast for Slovenec would have been cast for pro-life candidate Mike DeWine. DeWine opposes abortion except in cases of rape and incest, his position is not entirely clear when the "health of the mother" issue is raised. Thus anyone who votes for Slovenec is increasing the probability that pro-death, Metzenbaum son-in-law Joel Hyatt will be elected.

Basically, the position is that we should accept half a loaf from the Republicans because that is the best we have any hope of getting from the humanists in charge. This position is probably consistent with the theology of the leadership of Ohio Right to Life, who really haven't appreciated Slovenec's other campaigns, either. This article is an attempt to suggest that the position is not consistent with biblical theology.

Samuel told Saul that "Obedience is better than sacrifice." Shamgar went out alone with his ox goad and killed 600 Philistines. Gideon had too many in his force because he was only outnumbered 4 to 1. The Lord whittled those odds to 400 to 1 before proceeding to rout the Midianites before Gideon. Barak went out trembling against the chariots of Jabin, King of Canaan, and the Lord sent rain to mire the chariots in the mud, but gave the credit to Jael because of Barak's trembling.

In all these cases, the conflict went against the conventional wisdom: the Lord honored those who were obedient and did away with the covenant- breaking opposition. I believe the position espoused by Ohio Right to Life is best presented by the 3000 (!) men of Judah who said to Samson (after he had been annoying the Philistines), "Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? What is this that thou hast done unto us?"

A biblical position is: The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof. Mike DeWine and Joel Hyatt are both pretenders to the Lord's property. The Lord's people should not be joining them and lending legitimacy to their pretensions.

We should be saying, with David, "Thou comest to us with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield [with endorsement of major party, with all the newspapers and television stations on your side, with the sure knowledge that our cause is hopeless]: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee . . . that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands."

While God's people remain content with the leavings from the humanist's table, that's what God will let us have.

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