I for one am more than ready for this election to be over. However, it is not so much the election that bothers me—I consider voting to be a genuine privilege—as it is the low level to which political campaigning has now sunk. The continuous onslaught of vicious ads (filled with lies and half-truths) that we find coming from both of our major political parties has destroyed my confidence that major candidates from either party can be trusted.

As a conservative Christian, I also find it difficult to place the full weight of my confidence in either major party platform. Certainly, I do like the general Republican emphasis on morality and the right to life, but I also find their marriage to big business to be very disturbing, if not immoral. On the other hand, I think that the general Democratic concern for the poor is worthy of attention, as is the emphasis on promoting education. Other aspects of the Democratic platform, however, fly in the face of Biblical principles. Thus, I find it very difficult to choose either major party candidate, knowing that regardless of how I vote, I will somehow be violating principles that I hold to be valuable.

That is why I have decided to write in Mitrak Obamney for President of the United States of America. Yes, on November 6, I will be able to walk out of the voting booth with my head held high, confident that I was able to make my voice known according to my principles.

Now, I suspect that there are a few skeptics out there—those of you who think such an approach will amount to nothing more than a lesson in futility. You will tell me that even if I do write in Obamney for President, mine will be a wasted vote because in the real world such an option would be meaningless. You would, of course, be correct.

Photo by C.P.Storm — CC BY 2.0

How is it, then, that when it comes to religious beliefs, many rational, intelligent people feel that they can simply pick and choose what they like from various belief systems? As a case in point, I recently read an article in which the author spoke of a new and improved emerging form of Christianity—one which does away with unpleasant topics such as blood sacrifices and sexually immoral behavior. And while such approach may appeal to many people, it speaks of a religion that isn’t real.

You see, if Christianity is nothing more than a human construct, then we are free to mix and match and rearrange according to whatever seems right. After all, a religion invented by humans should serve to accomplish what humans desire it to accomplish—provide a sense of comfort and vague hope for the future. But if Christianity is real, if the Bible is truly the inspired Word of God, then we have absolutely no right to attempt to recreate the Christian faith according what we do or don’t like. The task, then, falls upon us to seek God in an effort to clearly understand what He desires to communicate through the sacred Scriptures.

Personally, I desire to whole-heartedly embrace the Christian faith, but not because I like its every aspect. In fact, I find concepts such as blood sacrifice, loving one’s enemies, and self-denial to be terribly unpleasant at times. No, I embrace the Christian faith because I have found the Bible to be true; and it has pointed me to a God who, even though terribly mysterious, loves every one of us beyond measure.

Photo by boellstiftung — CC BY 2.0

You probably figured out by now that I am not really voting for Mitrak Romney—no, I will choose a specific candidate for Tuesday’s election. The future of our nation is too important to squander. I ask you to please recognize, however, that the ramifications of our religious beliefs reach far beyond this life and into eternity. What we choose to believe matters too much to accept any type of buffet-style belief mumbo jumbo.

banner photo by Poster Boy NYC — CC BY 2.0