Rejecting the False Choice
Part One: A Christian Perspective for Navigating the 2024 Presidential Election
Four years ago, I wrote a series of posts on Facebook explaining my decision not to vote for Donald Trump or Joe Biden.1 Those posts sparked a pretty strong response at the time. They upset a lot of people. Choosing not to vote for either candidate feels like a cop-out and, given my usual support for Republican candidates, seems like a betrayal to my Republican friends.
In eleven days2, we are all faced with a very similar choice once again. This election, like every one before it, is being called the most important of our lifetime. We've heard that refrain with each passing cycle, and yet every new election somehow manages to feel even more consequential than the last. While the stakes are undeniably high, we must recognize that this pattern shows how our political system continues to fail in offering real solutions, perpetually leaving us to choose between deeply flawed options.
Once again, I have reached a difficult decision: I cannot in good conscience vote for Donald Trump or Kamala Harris. Again, I know this will not be a popular decision. Many of my Republican friends and family will again take this as a betrayal of our shared beliefs and values. Many of my Democratic friends and family will again see it as a cop-out and half-measure.
I understand the frustration. Elections matter. Voting is a sacred right and civic duty. As the popular saying goes (often misattributed to Edmond Burke), “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
"The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything." - Albert Einstein
It would be a profound failure of responsibility to consider the stakes in this election and, out of apathy or indecision, simply throw up your hands and say, “I’ll just ignore this and focus on something else.” Ignoring the weight of this decision undermines our duty to engage with the issues that affect our communities and our future.
Let me be absolutely clear: apathy is not my position. I am not checking out. My track record speaks for itself. Over the past eight years, as I’ve grappled with the troubling direction of our political landscape, I have consistently supported candidates at the local, state, and federal levels who better align with my values and positions—both through my vote and my financial contributions. Last year, I helped found a Young Republicans chapter in my community. I have not withdrawn from politics; I simply chose not to vote for Donald Trump or his Democratic opponents in the last two presidential elections.
Ultimately, my position is one of deep conviction. It is based on intense research and lengthy thought and prayer. Over the next week, I would like to share some posts that elaborate on my thinking. Before I do, I’ll add the same disclaimer from my 2020 posts:
I am under no delusion that my thoughts will sway any minds out there. I am also painfully aware that I may be wrong and will attempt to communicate my thoughts with all due humility. Moreover, I do not expect many to agree with all that I write here. In fact, I expect that just about everybody who reads will find something in this post to take issue with. I welcome any comments, whether you agree or not. My goal is to speak with clarity, boldness, and gentleness to better structure my own thoughts on the subject and provide them as a resource, that they may serve as a means by which you might better refine your own position, even if it is different (and quite possibly better) than my own.
Also, without repeating everything in those 2020 posts, I want to provide a refresher regarding how I think about politics. My Christian faith, mediated through scripture, informs everything I do. If you want to understand how I think about politics, then, you have to start there. David Platt published a book back in 2020 that does a great job of elaborating on what that means. In it, he attempts to answer the question “Does God call me to vote?” by pointing to six scriptural commands:
Reflect his just governance by working to promote good, punish evil, and protect all people from harm. (Genesis 1:27-28; 9:1-7; Psalm 8:5-8)
Subject ourselves to and support government for the flourishing of all people. (Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17)
Do justice – that which is right for all people as exemplified in the character of God and expressed in the Word of God. (Jeremiah 22:3; Micah 6:8)
Pray and work for the welfare of the nation in which we live. (Jeremiah 29:7)
Love God and love our neighbors as ourselves. (Matthew 22:37-40)
Steward any responsibility we have in governance for the good of all people affected by our government. (Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17; Daniel 4:27)
Ultimately, as with all the commands of scripture, these can be summed up more simply as (1) love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind, and (2) love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:36-40) In the words of Paul, we are to do everything “for the glory of God,” not seeking our own benefit, but the benefit of many “so that they may be saved.” (1 Corinthians 10:31-33)
As a Christian, then, glorifying God and pointing others to a saving relationship with Christ is not just the first priority; it is the only priority. Everything we do must be part of this overriding mission. That includes voting and political activity, which, for a Christian, is a means of ministry. We do not vote for the sake of improving the economy, for securing the borders, for maintaining the Biblical definition of marriage, or even for preserving the sanctity of life as an end of itself, but rather as a means of glorifying God and bringing men and women of every tribe and every nation to a saving relationship with Christ.
I believe we do that by voting for the candidate who reflects God’s character. They can do that in two ways: (1) taking policy positions that administer justice and serve our “neighbors” (as defined by Jesus in Luke 10:36-37), and (2) reflecting the fruits of the spirit in their personal lives. There’s a lot of overlap between these two ideas, but they are not the same thing. While policy positions are a vitally important expression of character and cannot be divorced from it, character encompasses much more. While poor character as demonstrated in policies which devalue life and disregard God’s design for marriage and gender are deadly, other character traits in a political leader, passed down to its people, can be just as destructive.3
Personal character is important for any public official, but it is especially urgent for the President of the United States. The President is more than just a public official with policy positions. He is the leader of our nation. He makes speeches that are heard by millions. When disaster strikes or great turmoil or debate erupts, we turn our attention to him for direction. His words have power, not because they are law, but because they are heard. They shape our culture. They shape public opinion. They chart our course into the future.
That does not mean that we should demand that Presidential candidates be perfect. After all, as many supporters of Donald Trump like to point out, we aren’t electing a pastor. We’ve had many effective Presidents who had various personal character failings. My personal belief, though, is that there is a minimum standard. There are some people so egregiously unprepared for the demands of the office, so hopelessly adrift at sea without a moral anchor, that putting them into that position of leadership represents extreme recklessness amounting to indifference toward the administration of justice and service of our neighbors.
I refuse to pick a side that I believe will only take us further down the self-destructive path our nation has followed for the last 20 years. I refuse to pick a side that will support policies that lead to death, poverty, and war. I refuse to pick a side that fails to recognize the equal dignity of every man, woman, and child on earth, from conception to natural death, regardless of race or nationality, as image-bearers of God. I refuse to pick a side that recklessly stokes fear and hate at the expense of truth and love.
Over the next week, I will elaborate on why I feel neither Donald Trump nor Kamala Harris meet the minimum standard on matters of policy or personal character. I will start by reviewing the candidates’ positions on a few key policy areas: abortion, economic policy, foreign policy, and immigration. Next, I will take a deeper dive into the personal character of each candidate. Finally, I will explain why choosing not to vote for one of these candidates is a practical, strategic decision and not just a pointless exercise.
Early voting has already begun in many states, including Tennessee. Tennessee voters can find their sample ballot, polling location, and other useful voter information through the GoVoteTN app.
Dr. John Piper wrote a great article elaborating on this point back in October 2020.