The Not As Bad Candidate<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
Dr. Randy White
In this election season, many in the evangelical world have gone from not supporting Romney in the primary season to endorsing him in the general election.  In my personal circle of influence, I donft know of any of my friends and associates who voted for Romney at the primary, but many--even most--are supportive of him in the general.  The typical rationale for a Romney vote is that he is not as bad as Obama.
Perhaps he is not, and at least on a few issues, he is clearly not.  For example, his support for Israel and diligence against Islamic aggression seems to be secure.  This is a welcome change from the current administration.  On other issues he is at least currently not as bad, though his record is not as firmly conservative as I would prefer. Before the primary, in fact, one would have considered Romney to be the moderate to liberal in the field of Republicans. 
The question really comes down to this:  when do Christians need to quit voting for the not-as-bad candidate and begin voting for the good candidate? I fear that the Christian pragmatism that has trumped doctrine in local churches has spilled into a pragmatism of vote as well.  I can understand this pragmatism to an extent.  After all, who wants to allow America to continue on its current trajectory toward disaster?  The path we are on is so dangerous that part of me wants to say gdo something, do anything to slow us down!h  Romney appears to be getting the gI want things to slow downh vote.  But is the fact that we will give Romney our vote on this basis alone a sign that we ARE the frog in the kettle?  And if we are that frog, can we be comfortable with a slower boil, or should we do something drastic to get out of the kettle?
To analyze the issue, let me present this question:  how far does the gnot as badh argument go for you?  What if Obama was the not-as-bad vote.  Would you vote for him?  Suppose the only viable choices were he and the Loony Party candidate Rosanne Barr.  Would you give Obama the vote?  If not, why not?  What about other not-as-bad scenarios: 
œ     Would you vote for Fidel Castro if Vladamir Lenin was the other front-runner?
œ     Would you vote for Hugo Chavez who is not-as-bad as Adolf Hitler?
Of course, these are false scenarios, but they display my argument that somewhere, somehow, someday, Christians are going to have to quit giving pragmatic votes and begin giving convictional votes.  Until then, the not-as-bad candidates will get our votes and our country will continue on the can-it-get-any-worse track it is on. 
The Christian reconstructionist crowd has led us down this path, I believe.  They have taught for years that America is a Christian nation and needs Christian values, and the way to get those values is through the political system.  Therefore, vote for whoever looks most Christian.  The argument is usually heavily frosted with misused Scripture verses about Godfs blessings on Israel, as if America was the new Israel. 
Because I am not a Christian reconstructionist (that is, dominion theology that believes Christianity will someday usher in a Christian society), and because I read the Bible literally, I am convinced that Ifll be on the losing side of more votes than the winning side as gthe dayh approaches.  I may have to get used to gthrowing away my voteh in order to be comfortable answering to God for my vote.  I may also have to stand and fight against an increasingly intrusive government, possibly even to the point of giving my life for my principles. Should that need arise, I pray I will be faithful.
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Dr. Randy White is Pastor of First Baptist Church of Katy, Texas and preaches daily on the Word for the World radio program.