Don't Vote for Me!

“I believe that the Bible is the Holy Word of God and I base my entire belief system upon it.” – Bob Williamson

When I ran for the U.S. House of Representatives as a Republican in 2010, a local megachurch hosted a candidate forum. My opponent, a 10-term incumbent running in one of the safest Democratic districts in the country, refused to debate me one-on-one. Instead, he insisted on including all of the fringe candidates in order to limit my speaking time.

After the opening statements were made and the moderators had asked a few questions, it was time for the audience to ask some questions themselves. And so, they lined up at different mics spread throughout the massive sanctuary and took turns grilling us on various subjects.

One young man, an Army veteran who had served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, posed the following question: “What do you think about the separation of Church and State?” My opponent danced all around the issue, trying to portray himself as a man of deep faith while, at the same time, saying that religion had no place in the public arena.

Finally, it was my turn, and I felt like Br’er Rabbit when he used reverse psychology to convince Br’er Fox to throw him into the briar patch. In other words, I was in my sweet spot. Answering from my heart, I told the veteran that my faith was so integral to who I am as a person that there was no way I could compartmentalize it or place it on a shelf. If you can, I said, your faith isn’t worth a plug nickel.

I went on to set the record straight about the separation of Church and State, a phrase that President Thomas Jefferson coined in his 1802 letter to the Danbury Baptist Association. Jefferson assured the Baptists that a “wall of separation” existed protecting religion from government, not the other way around.

I concluded by telling the veteran not to vote for me because, as a human, I would eventually let him down. “Vote instead for the principles that I believe in,” I said. “They are found in the Bible and the U.S. Constitution… and they will never let you down!” I then sat down to thunderous applause.

My friend, it is critical to know what you believe and, even more importantly, in Whom you believe.

“For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.” 2 Timothy 1:12 (NKJV)

- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President