HOW DO YOU THINK BEFORE AN ELECTION?

 

HOW DO YOU THINK BEFORE AN ELECTION?

 

I write this the day before we have election in Sweden, the country where I live. The different parties are putting their programs in my mail. On television they have debates between the different leaders of the different parties. When friends come together, we talk about the different issues. An election is supposed to be secret, but many talk about the party they vote for and they talk about their favorite issue.

Yesterday I received a big paper from one party saying that they were against further development of the area where I live. Many parties will take away the forest and build lots of apartments there and they must make roads for all those people. I love to watch the greenery around me and I have protested against further development of my area. Shall I allow this single issue to decide which party I should choose?

Before I was asking the different parties about their policy for abortion. No one has dared to say totally no to abortion, but some dare to say that it is a baby in the stomach of the mother. Some parties are only allowing abortion in an early stage of the pregnancy. Most people talk about the women’s right to control their bodies, but very few are saying anything about the child’s right to live.

How do the different parties think about Israel? That is very important to me. The Bible says that we should bless Israel. I do not want to curse Israel by voting for the wrong party. Even Christians can be against Israel so voting for a Christian party is no guarantee.

During the last years we have gotten another issue to think about and that is how the parties deal with homosexuals. We should treat them with love and respect so that is important to me, but do they participate in Pride and do they dare to say that the Bible says that homosexuality is sinful? Before we might have treated homosexuals wrongly, but now we are almost forced to undermine the Word of God in order to be respected by homosexuals. I do not say that it is an easy issue, but those behind Pride are almost forcing children to use their flags in pre-schools. When big posters are hanging in pre-schools with pictures of two kissing girls and two kissing boys, something is wrong and that is a fact in Sweden.

Many people vote according to the party’s program for the environment. Is it better to travel with train instead of plane? What is making most energy and what is giving least pollution? How should factories get rid of their rubbish? How can we reduce the use of cars? Many want to keep the forest and want to prevent building there. The fishes are dying from the poison in the water. What can we do? Others get sick from the pollution of the air. These are some questions to think about.

This year the expenses of the electricity has been extremely high, and the question was: Which party is willing to do something about that? May private people get some compensation or what kind of firms and factories will get some compensation?

In Sweden the crime rate has increased a lot. There are certain areas where the police do not dare to enter. We read about wars between gangs, but also about people being stabbed and shot. Some want more police while others want more preventive works, especially among the young people.

How does the party think about immigration? Some want to welcome a lot while others want to be more restrictive. How do they receive them once they are in the country? Do they get help to be assimilated? Are they willing to export children that have been here for many years? Which country and what groups should have a priority?

I have mentioned some questions that we think about when we are voting. We have many more. Families with children ask if they can get some money when they stay home with their children. Are pre-schools available for everybody? How long can parents stay home after a birth and can they themselves decide if it should be the mother or father?

Some people choose a party on the ground of its tax-policy. Money is important for all of us and that is therefore an important issue.

Our health is also important to all of us, especially for those getting older. Do you get help when you get sick? Are there places at Old-age homes?

When you read this, the election in Sweden is over, but maybe you are in another country where they are having election and the same questions might be relevant. Each country has its own specific problems also.

I have been writing about problems one should think about before an election, but we are daily confronted with issues we have to deal with. What is important to you then? What kind of priorities are you making then? Do you ask the Lord what is important to Him? Do you ask for guidance? The Holy Spirit is called our Helper and we can use Him as our Helper in our small as well as big choices.

ALLOW THE LORD TO HELP YOU WHEN YOU ARE CONFRONTED WITH A CHOICE!

Mother Else