Ted Cruz and the 54 Million Evangelicals

“”In this last election 54 million Evangelicals stayed home,” asserted Cruz on Tuesday. “If we can simply bring Christians to the polls, is it any wonder that we have the government we have, we have the leaders we have, if believers stay home and leave electing our leaders to unbelievers? We get exactly what we deserve.” christianpost

I’ve enjoyed the last few days of our readers defining my political positioning, though I am afraid that some of the erudite comments are rather misleading. I am a conservative libertarian constitutionalist, or a constitutionally conservative libertarian, or some variance thereof. I’m also a Christian and unlike many of my more libertarian brethren I am unafraid of Christianity playing a role in my political thinking. I absolutely oppose the imposition of any religion by virtue of government action, but I also look for Christian principles in my politicians. I think Ted Cruz is absolutely correct when he says that we need to get the 54 Million Evangelicals that didn’t show up to vote in 2012 to the polls in 2016. I absolutely believe that when deciding on a candidate for the most paramount position of power within our executive branch, that it is perfectly reasonable for Christians to desire a President who prays, who seeks Christ, and who loves God.

Furthermore, I think we would all be doing ourselves a great disservice if we ignored the fact that religion or the lack thereof does play a role in the political opinions of the vast majority of Americans, be they protestant, catholic, pagan, muslim, or atheist. Why are only Christians meant to be ashamed of their religion? Why are only Christians not allowed to have their religious faith influence their political reasoning? It seems to be fine for Atheists and Muslims, does it not?

I suppose the fundamental threat of religious belief entering into political reasoning is the potential for religious sects to use government to force their religion down the throats of everybody else. No one wants that, except for theocrats and atheists of various Statist persuasions. Which is why, while I look for men and women of faith to represent me, I temper that with an uncompromising demand for them to respect the Constitution of the United States of America, to respect our history, our liberty, and our individual rights.

I’m not sure there is anyone in our government today who better exemplifies the balance between deep religious faith and constitutional commitment than Ted Cruz; and because of this, he is both attractive to evangelicals and feared by non-evangelicals alike. We’ve learned not to trust our politicians over the years, because we’re constantly lied to, manipulated, and then when all is said and done, ruled over. The idea of nominating an Evangelical Christian is frightening to some, because, deep down, we all recognize that our Constitution is no longer protecting us, that our government does whatever it wants to do, and that we only have the rights and liberties that a small collection of old men and women in Washington DC allow us to have.

But isn’t that the argument for a nominating a strict Constitutionalist for President? After watching these last two debates, I am convinced that the only candidates running for President that understand the United States Constitution (or who are actually willing to live under it) are Ted Cruz and Rand Paul. Every other candidate gets squishy whenever a political issue with some demographic importance arises. And who is leading the fight to defund Planned Parenthood? Rand Paul and Ted Cruz of course.

Let’s not fool ourselves. We Evangelicals are the only ones trying to hide our faith and religion in the political sphere. Do you think it is any great mystery that so many of our Catholic friends are looking for amnesty for millions of Catholic immigrants in the country illegally? Which strikes me as odd, since so many of the illegal immigrants in this country have come from Asia, Russia, and Saudi Arabia on overstayed Visas. Are we really willing to do nothing about the more radical illegal immigrants who are here from non-Catholic countries because we want more Catholics at Mass? Obviously, this isn’t the only reason why folks support illegal immigrants. Some folks just like the cheap labor. Some folks like the fact that if naturalized that vast majority will vote Democrat. Some just like that they seem to work hard (at least the ones who work).

The point is, religion does play a role in our lives, and if Evangelical Christians are the only ones who have to be ashamed of their religion, the only ones who aren’t allowed to say, “You know what, I really love that this candidate has a strong prayer life”, then we are giving our country away to every other religious group, over to every other non-religious group, because they have no qualms with making their decisions on the basis of their religious or non-religious faith.

I don’t always agree politically with my Christian brethren either. I don’t always agree with Rand Paul and Ted Cruz. I get very uncomfortable when folk begin legislating morality beyond what the Constitution allows, but I do know that Ted Cruz has as deep a commitment to the United States Constitution as he has to his religious faith, so I am not frightened by his faith. Instead, his faith encourages me, because I do believe that people led by God, who have an intimate spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ, can be used for Gods’ will, which sees much further and is much wiser, then if it were lacking. I also know that Ben Carson and Mike Huckabee are actively courting evangelicals. But I don’t see the same commitment to the Constitution in them.

Imagine, 54 million Evangelicals joining the Republican Party in 2016, across all 50 States, because, for once, we were not afraid of our faith. I think Ted Cruz is right and I think if we considered it, it would change everything. All the electoral math goes out the door at that point. Not even The Donald could acquire so many new voters. Just something to think about and consider.