The pundits and the polls tell us the top concern of voters this year isn’t same-sex marriage or abortion—it’s the economy. You wouldn’t know that by just watching a new video from Value Voters USA filled with reckless right wing propaganda and bereft of Biblical values .
The video opens with an image of the Bible draped in an American flag—boldly proclaiming throughout that God and country are both at stake in this year’s election.
More images flash: Gas prices, an oil rig, a Wall Street sign. None of these are as important however as faith, family, marriage and life. Clearly, abortion and same-sex marriage still hold sway with some voters even in these down economic times.
Showing images of a fetus in the womb, the text tells us that “Innocent human life is sacred and must be protected from conception to natural death.” (Unless they’re Muslims trying to take over our country—then they’re no longer “innocent” and are fair game for cruelly wiping off the face of the earth.)
The text continues: “The family must be reinforced, not redefined.” (Never mind that there are many families made up of one parent and studies have shown that children raised in gay and lesbian households are as well adjusted as those raised in opposite sex households. Instead of reinforcing all families, Value Voters USA seeks to tear down many other families in the name of a “gold standard” family. Aren’t all families valuable?)
“Our constitutional rights must be preserved, not compromised,” we’re told. (Unless it’s the separation of church and state—that one must be compromised early and often.)
“America was built on Judeo-Christian values,” the video proclaims—ignoring President John Adams who wrote in the Treaty of Tripoli in 1796: “As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.”
The video notes that never before has our country been so divided—but Value Voters USA doesn’t seem to understand that this video only deepens the divide (or perhaps they do and that’s their goal!). It entrenches the “us vs. them” mentality that has led to Christians feeling victimized even while they victimize others by passing legislation denying equal rights to other people simply because those “others” are gay or lesbian.
I’m sure this video will be effective with the audience it seeks to connect with—but the biggest problem is that none of the concerns it espouses are the main concerns we find in scripture. The Bible never mentions abortion and the verses used to condemn homosexuality are—most biblical scholars agree—taken out of context.
What’s missing? The Biblical values of concern for the poor, the widow, the alien. In fact, the video does more to alienate even more people and by using it to line the coffers of their organization to fight against same-sex marriage and abortion, it siphons off money that could have gone to help the poor and needy.
I agree with the video’s assertion that one person does have power in this election. I only pray we have our priorities and our faith reconciled when we step into the voting booth.
