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In Sunday School this week, we talked about how we can disagree about politics and still respect one another as Christian brothers and sisters. We used Jim Wallis’ Plea for Christian Civility as one tool for witnessing in the political realm.
Other Christian bloggers are saying similar things. Scot McKnight has studied the issues and candidates and give his take on the matter in several blog posts: Public Issues.
Regardless of which side we’re on (and we can also not be on any side, really) it would be nice if we would check facts. Sarah Palin has her faults, as do all the candidates, and focusing on those faults is fine. We should be aware of the political missteps and maneuvering that fill us in on how these people will lead. However, taking issues and fabricating new stories from small details is just wrong, regardless of to whom it’s being done.
The specific issue is with Palin’s alleged banning of books while Mayor of Wasilla (If you’re looking for a name for a band, Mayor of Wasilla is pretty great). Simply, she didn’t ban any books. Didn’t happen, no evidence, no books gone. Did she dismiss the librarian? She asked her for her resignation, along with several other Wasilla employees, but she didn’t leave until nearly the end of Palin’s first term.
You can read the details here: Boston Herald. The feed comes from McClatchy, which is a smart news source and can help us follow up on stories we’ve “heard.”
Obama’s religion, McCain’s wife, Biden’s train rides, Palin’s children: all are topics being discussed by people all over America, yet lies are being spread instead of truth. Our best witness as Christians may not be for whom we vote, but how we speak about those for whom we choose not to vote.