My title for this Blog post is inspired by the 1965 song “Eve of Destruction” by Barry McGuire. Eerily, McGuire’s song continues to be descriptive of current global events that might have us on: “The Eve of Destruction”.
You can watch McGuire perform the song at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdWGp3HQVjU
Preface
I was educated in a “Free Church” theological tradition. Our slogan is “A Free Church in a Free State”: A Free Church that is free from state control and a state that is free from church control.
The Unjust Second Iraq War
As a “Free Church” Christian I was, and have been, reluctant to make political opinions and pronouncements from the pulpit or during the programming activities of the churches I have pastored. However, I made an exception one Sunday. It was on the occasion of the eve on the Second Iraq War. On that day I stood in front of my Church and declared our Nation’s intent to go to war with Iraq as “unjust”. I predicted that the Second Iraq War would unjustly bring massive and unnecessary death and evil instability to the Middle East.
I still believe that the occasion of the Second Iraq war was a time for “free” pastoral leaders to speak out against a grossly unjust action by our nation’s governmental leaders. You can decide for yourself if my declaration was correct.
However, at the time of my pronouncement, many in my congregation were PRO-IRAQ WAR, and at the end of our Sunday worship service I was confronted by two men who chastised me for making my declaration. In the end, I lost some parishioners for speaking out on my pastoral convictions.
On The Eve of Destruction/Election
As a free church pastor, priest, and bishop I have been speaking out about this 2024 Election. Namely, I have contended that supporting Harris/Waltz cannot be reconciled to our Christian faith. Their “progressive agenda” on abortion, education, family rights and civil liberties (constitutionally guaranteed freedoms), and their authoritarian inclinations are antithetical to a Free Church in a Free State, and to historic biblical Christianity.
As such, I advise faithful Christians to do the following:
· You must VOTE. Not voting is NOT an option. Some well-meaning Christians believe that voting for the “lesser of two evils” is voting for evil. I assure you that voting the lesser of two evils is voting against the evil that WILL happen, and not voting will be an abstention vote for whatever evil the current progressive Democratic Party will inflict on our nation and our churches. Therefore, you must vote to counter the evil progressive political agenda of the democratic party.
· Vote Down Ballot. My dad was a registered Democrat. He once told me, "I'm a Democrat, but I vote the for the person and not a party". In spite of my dad's "old school" wisdom, I write the following with much hesitation, thought, and resignation: The situation is so dire that you must vote down ballot for Trump/Vance and the Republicans. The current expression of the Democratic Party can no longer be trusted with control of any of our nation’s institutions.
Finally, THIS IS NOT THE HOUR FOR MILLIONS OF FAITHFUL CHRISTIANS to remain silent by not voting. Certainly, ONLY CHRIST CAN SAVE US, but faithful Christians must be faithful in our civic duty to democratically resist the authoritarian progressive agenda of the Democratic Party.
Father (Bp.) Jon Aamodt
Edited and revised on 11/4/2024