by June Griffin

There are three ancient rights, William Penn stated, of which Magna Charta was a reaffirmation - these: 1) Right to life, liberty and property; 2) Right to determine law as a juror; 3) Right to take part in civil government.

These three rights are a bar to tyrants, kings, and clergy, the despotic and unholy trinity fears and works against a nation which holds these truths and pillars. These rights came to us by way of England, and this because of the preaching of the Gospel from the time of the Reformers and back to the apostles to the law of God at the hand of Moses. Only free nations hold all three of these pillars.

Serving as juror allows one to determine law because of privilege of acquittal. If Congress passes a bad law, a sound jury who knows our foundational law and the Bible will not find the charged guilty, which negates any bad law. Serving as elector in the voting booth sustains the third pillar. Thus it is vital that you uphold the first pillar with the other two.

In a nation founded upon such a rock, it would be impossible to overthrow a people who were in their right mind and alert. Here are some wrong reasons for voting:

1. Merely because you feel it is your civic duty.

2. Fear of criticism.

3. Personal advantage - potential personal jobs and favors. "He will get more money for me or my county." The government is not Santa Claus.

4. A show of power. By the use of much advertising, it looks like the candidate is wealthy or has important people behind him.

5. Personal style - "He looks Presidential" - or other vanity or created image.

6. Merely for the sake of a change.

7. Vague personal knowledge. I once knew a lady who voted for a man because she knew his cousin who was a dentist.

8. Prejudice of locale. Merely because he is from a certain town or section of the country does not constitute good principles.

9. Party loyalty - "My dad was a Democrat (or Republican) - my family has always voted such and such a way."

10. Mandatory benevolence - we are not to make our government take care of someone.

11. Fear of being a loser. This rates a minus zero on the principle scale. Integrity never loses; conscience testifies in Integrity's favor.

12. All images created by cameras, either TV or newspaper, which will warp your sound judgment.

13. Payback votes - "He voted for me; I must vote for him."

Charles Finney, who was probably responsible for the salvation of half a million Americans, once declared: "The time has come that Christians must vote for honest men and take consistent ground in politics, or the Lord will curse them. God cannot sustain this free and blessed country, which we love and pray for, unless the Church will take right ground. Politics are a part of religion in such a country as this, and Christians must do their duty to the country as part of their duty to God."

We must vote according to Principle, not Pragmatism. The devil has no principle, for all he has is for sale. Americans must vote because of integrity, concern for future liberty, to oust leaders who have opposed the Bill of Rights and love socialism and favor high taxation. We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, the right to life, liberty and property, which guarantees the pursuit of happiness, which is liberty from tyrants, kings, and clergy.

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