Customer Reviews

How Would Jesus Vote?: A Christian Perspective on the Issues

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

It's an election year, as you've probably noticed. The candidates all want to tell us how wonderful they are and how they can solve all of our problems. But how do they measure up in God's sight?
So how would Jesus vote, Democrat or Reublican? If you said neither, you got it right. Contrary to popular opinion, Jesus doesn't belong to any political party, but he does care about how we stand on the issues and how they compare with God's Word. The authors cover a lot of topics we need to consider when deciding how to vote: abortion, stem cell research, suicide and euthanasia, war, education, health-care, environment, etc. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of a campaign, and forget the important things, like where does that candidate stand on the issues, and what is acceptable to God.
The authors don't tell you how to vote. They just examine the issues from a biblical point of view, back it up with scripture, and leave the rest up to you. Very thought provoking, especially for an election year. Recommended.

The authors go out of their way to say that clearly Jesus is not on one political side or the other, but then the conclusion at the end of each issue is that Jesus would indeed vote in the way that is typically conservative -- or Republican.
At one point the authors insinuate that if we weren't wasting so much money on social programs for the poor then we would have enough money to protect our country and win the war more effectively. Aak! My blood pressure is going up just thinking about it again!
I've read other books that argue biblically that Jesus would probably vote the opposite way, so really, all these books are just finding a way to make Jesus say what they want Him to say. If you're a Christian Republican, read this book. If you're a Christian Democrat, read God's Politics by Jim Wallis (which, while being on the liberal side, does a better job of giving a nonpartisan examination of the issues).

I am an evangelical Christian. I am conservative on many social issues (especially abortion), moderate on most civil liberties and foreign policy, and liberal on a few economic issues. I thought I'd check this book out, based on its claim of nonpartisanship, to see what scriptural wisdom might be applied to political issues that have an element of ambiguity, like entitlement programs or the minimum wage.

Well, there's little help in that regard here. On moral issues, things are pretty clear but whenever there's no scripture to directly back up a claim (some chapters quote no verses to support their position) the authors merely default to a conservative position and try to make it sound like God agrees with them. This is especially true when it comes to economic issues.

I think many honest Christians unconsciously mistake a cultural influence toward conservatism for a scriptural position without really examining it. This book either falls victim to that or takes advantage of it.

How would Jesus vote, according to this book? Straight ticket Republican.

**** The upcoming elections present voters with a challenge, and for Christians, it is even more true. If we are to be imitators of Christ, we need to know how He would deal with all that is before us, on all electoral levels. In a clear, concise manner, the authors lay out Biblical principles on the issues before us such as poverty, immigration, heath care, and a plethora of others, with each opinion backed by Scripture and or examples from the lives of the Reformers. Though possibly someone of other opinion could find verse supporting their views, the style and content strike me as being balanced, fair, Biblical, and while not without bias, with a definite Christian perspective. ****

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore for Huntress Reviews.

I have always been a fan of author D. James Kennedy, however the most recent book that he has co-authored and published with Jerry Newcombe is one that is both timely and powerful.

It's no secret that the 2008 election is upon us and that it is shaping up to be one of the most important political contests in American history. The polls constatly show one candidate ahead, while the other candidate is gaining points. So who do we as good moral followers of Jesus Christ vote for? Does it matter? These are questions that we all want answers for.

In the book, "How Would Jesus Vote?" many of these questions are answered. Kennedy begins by discussing the importance of getting out to vote. He urges us to understand that even in scripture we are told that it is our duty as Christ followers to be salt and light to the world, and that one way of doing that is by fulfilling our civic duty. He then moves on and discusses important topics and issues that are on the front lines today. Issues like the right to life, social issues, the sanctity of marriage, immigration, education, health care, and many other important topics. Without saying who to vote for, Kennedy tells us what kind of candidate we should vote for. Dr. Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe bring a clear, compelling, and nonpartisan exploration of what God's Word has to say on these critical matters. This book is not intended to tell readers who to vote for, but rather it is to offer a Christ-centered understanding of the world to help readers draw their own political conclusions. AND this book does just that.

Therefore, during this election season - you need to have this book. It will prove to be useful not just for this voting year, but as a resource for many years to come.

I'm giving this book two stars instead of one because it isn't the worst book imaginable, but, as others have stated, it is pretty bad. In what I believe to be an honest attempt to instruct the reader where Jesus would stand regarding certain issues, it gives a very one-sided evaluation of an issue, followed by a concluding paragraph that states (literally) "Jesus would vote for (insert position)." Amazingly, Jesus ends up taking the Republican stance on every issue, and the author's "evaluation" of the issues do nothing more than give the author's reasoning for why he believes that Jesus would take said stance. This is basically a book telling you the author's stance, and his [weak] arguments for why he believes Jesus would agree with him.

For instance, the author states that Jesus would not believe that global warming is caused by humans, and the support he gives to this argument is that most evangelicals do not believe so. The author argues that scientists are divided on the issue of whether or not global warming is caused by human activity, and that it is only due to the [liberally] biased media that we aren't aware of this. On the "issue" of education, the author forgets about the premise of the book and spends a chapter trashing public education. Using a few random statistics that are supposed to show why he believes the American education system is completely ineffective (and let's admit, we aren't world leaders in public education, but his statistics are weak support for his argument) and he then claims that the downfall of public education lies in its secularization. According to the author, any good Christian who can afford it should home-school their child or send them to a private Christian school. The author concludes that Jesus wouldn't be happy with the American public education system, and ends the chapter saying little more that that Christians will be held responsible for the education that their children receive.

I'll stop with the examples, but read this book for yourself and you'll see how clearly biased it is. The author gives no perspective whatsoever on these issues, many of which are far more complex than he would ever lead you to believe, and clearly argues from a very conservative standpoint why, in his opinion "Jesus is on our side." We all know these arguments, and this book is not what America needs. We need truth and earnest dialogue; this is not conversation, this is a soapbox.

Not near as objectionable or balanced as it claims to be in the intro. This book is simply interpreting Scripture through the republican values with a spirit of attack to those who oppose.
I agree with some of the stances of this book but was still offended with the manor it was written.

Dr. Kennedy has some great info about the history of our country and even makes a decent case for why we should be involved in the political system but his argument is poor at best towards showing through the Bible that we can know that Jesus would in fact participate in the political system.

He states statistics on how few christians vote and yet does not give any reference point for where he got that info.

Here is an example of how his argument appears to have holes throughout.

On pg 31 He says "Let me first say what I do not believe: I do not believe that we should have an established state church in America. I think the idea is abhorrent, even if it were a Presbyterian church. I do not believe we should have a church state. I do not believe that preachers should endorse candidates from the pulpit, even though that is perfectly legal. I do not believe that preachers should become embroiled in partisan politics. In fifty years I have not, to my knowledge, ever mentioned the name of either one of those political parties whose names I will not mention now, or I could not make that statement again."

1st problem with that is that on page 21 he said "So can anyone be so bold as to say how Jesus would vote? I think the answer is yes." So, how can you say a pastor who is being paid to share applicable Biblical principles should not share how Jesus would vote?

2nd problem with that is that on page 13 he said "When I vote, do I please Jesus with my vote? One example comes to mind: how could He be pleased if I vote in a way that promotes the destruction of innocent human life? If a politician does not get the issues of life and death right, how is he going to get the other things right?" So, on page 31 you say a preacher should not share his political party tendencies with the congregation but here on page 13 he says that we should vote pro-life (which I agree with but that is not the point the point is that he makes a horrible argument for his stance with holes throughout).

3rd problem is that it is illegal to promote a political candidate and/or party from the pulpit if it is registered as a 501 (c) (3) which I think all churches are (just means not for profit basically). In all fairness I don't know that illegal is the right way to put it they would just loose there status as a not for profit and then they wouldn't be a church that you could tithe and write off your giving :).

In conclusion... I think that I agree with what he values in a political party (at least some of it), I agree with the history that our country has but the problem with the book is that even if I agree, if it is a bad argument it is a bad argument. It feels as though not much real research was done prior to writing the book and that he just sat down and wrote what he felt, which is fine. The problem I have is when you throw out statistics and share things from an authoritative perspective as if it was truth without the research and Biblical backing it is weak. I think that the book has some things to offer but I don't know that I would buy it again. I have had a very difficult time finishing it.

This is an excellent book for those looking for a Christian perspective on the issues of the upcoming election. It does not tell you for whom to vote, but rather lays the groundwork of what the Bible says about the issues and then encourages you to align your vote accordingly.

As we enter into the final days before the elections, reading How Would Jesus Vote? was a great reminder of our God-given right to participate in the political process. Right from the start of the book Kennedy, and co-author Jerry Newcombe, challenge the church to stop trying to cast blame and consider our role in the state of the nation - "...we have to acknowledge that a great deal of the blame for the state of the nation must fall upon us. It must be placed at the doorstep of the church. We have failed to obey the Great Commission in this country. We have failed to obey our cultural mandate to be involved in every sphere of social activity. We have retreated from politics, from social involvement, from the media, from higher education. Now chaos has broken loose, and we look at the scene before us with horror....We may not have created this monster with our own hands, but we have allowed it to grow and take power."

Kennedy then reminds us that it is not a matter of whose side God is on, but rather a matter of whether or not we are on God's side - are we being shaped by God's standard - are the decisions we make based upon God's Word. He quotes Abraham Lincoln who, in response to whether the "`Lord was on the Union's side,' said, `I know that the Lord is always on the side of the right. But it is my constant anxiety and prayer that I and this nation should be on the Lord's sid."

As is typical when I find a book I like, my copy of How Would Jesus Vote? is filled with highlighted sections and fold over corners (for particularly good quotes). So I could go on and on with quote after quote that challenged me personally. The first part of the book (the first three chapters) issues the challenge of considering our role in politics, the second part addresses several "controversial" issues being impacted in our world today, and the third part offers some closing thoughts. With tactful force, Kennedy & Newcombe address issues such as

1. Abortion, Stem Cells, Suicide and Euthanasia - "...the great divide is between those who believe man is a special creation of God and those who believe he is just the product of time and chance.
2. Crime & Punishment
3. War - A quote from Robert Morey who said, "The use of force to overthrown tyranny is blessed and sanctioned by God Himself. People have the moral obligation to take whatever action is necessary to fight for the freedom and liberty of all the oppressed peoples of the world."
4. Education - "For the first two hundred years of this nation's history, education was explicity Christian, and it produced amazing results."
5. Economic Concerns
6. Health-care
7. Environment
8. Immigration
9. Marriage - "...we need to choose wisely, marry wisely, and live wisely. Politically, we need to vote in ways that protect the sanctity of the family. At the very least, we should oppose those things that would subvert families, like same-sex marriage or pornography or no-fault divorce."
10. The courts

In the closing chapters, Kennedy & Newcombe remind us again of our responsibility to be active in the political process, as well as sharing the important role prayer has played, and will continue to play, in the days ahead. They provide some interesting insight in our prayer-filled roots as they quote David Barton who said, "Throughout the Continental Congress...you'll find that the Congress called for fifteen nationwide days of prayer and fasting, or days of prayer and thanksgiving....Between 1633 and 1812, there were over 1,700 prayer proclamations issued in the colonies...."

Prayer & participation...are you doing both?