The following are portions of an editorial commentary submitted by Dr. Alveda King:
While I no longer endorse political candidates, I do pray to God for guidance when deciding how to cast my votes. If I attend prayer meetings featuring candidates, or political rallies, such as Herschel Walker, I attend to lend moral support for issues, rather than to endorse candidates.
I try not to make the mistake of voting according to favor or disfavor of the personalities of the candidates. I also do not vote in favor of political party lines. I vote my conscience.
Instead of being party driven by my vote, I tend to agree with my uncle, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who said: “I don’t think the Republican party is a party full of the almighty God nor is the Democratic party. They both have weaknesses … and I’m not inextricably bound to either party.”
I also resist labels that box me in and prevent me from making prayerful decisions about my votes. Too many people fight over and defend current polarizing political labels of either being liberal or conservative; Democrat or Republican; and so on. Sadly, even attempts to play it safe or sensible by embracing the label “Independent” don’t escape the vitriol of not choosing the “correct” party of choice; thus the ire and strife blaze on.
There is no time to expound on how polarizing and divisive labels can be in this post. For instance, when people ask, “what is your zodiac sign?” some often answer, “I’m born under the sign of the cross.” Or, when some are asked “what is your political party?” some reply “I vote Christian.”
Currently America is undergoing fever pitched strife and arguments over the upcoming elections. Some people seemingly are trying to separate their moral and spiritual beliefs from making decisions as to how to vote. For example: By taking cover behind the barricade of politics, which separates morality from reason, some are deliberately voting for candidates who support abortion up to nine months of pregnancy; even though those voters say they don’t agree with full term abortions. A logical question would be “why vote for abortion candidates if you believe abortion is wrong?” This is surely a serious disconnect.
While I no longer debate people over these or any political positions, I do “Pray for Spiritual Enlightenment, Justice and Integrity for 2022.”
As a Christian evangelist, I “know my lane,” which is the prayer lane. I pray over the governments of the world and over the nations. Here in America, there are still many who believe “in God we trust.”
As an African American woman, born in America over 70 years ago, I pray that we will remain or become one nation under God. I vote Pro Life and I pray for every candidate. In the prayer lane, I am not employed by any political party nor any political campaign.
I pray for myself and everyone that “the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints…” — Ephesians 1:18 KJV
We should not invite God out of the voting booth. We need to pray and vote for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; for every human being; for human dignity; from the womb to the tomb into eternity.
About Alveda King: Dr. Alveda C. King is the daughter of the late slain civil rights activist Rev. A. D. King and the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and a Christian Evangelist.
(SOURCE: Alveda King Ministries via Christian Newswire)