Election Day is almost here! Some people are excited about what the future holds while others are ready for advertisements and random text messages to cease. Soon enough it will all be over and we will move forward with those we have chosen to represent us. 

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I see voting as a civic duty.  Its sharing your opinion on who you think can attack the relevant issues taking place both locally and nationally.  Voting has become a mechanism for people to make change.  It is where the collective voice is heard not just mine individually.  Sometimes my voice will be with the majority while others it may not. Despite the outcomes it is in the act of voting that is important because it deliberately declares I have a voice and it will be counted.

How does this all relate to Christianity?  Jesus wanted everyones voice to be heard. He overthrew the systems in place to turn everything upside down. He understood the discrimination and injustice and wanted to end it. Jesus healed the unclean, worked on the Sabbath, and spoke with woman and those outcast. He did this because he loved them, wanted them to be in relationship with God, and for them to have basic rights. Their voice mattered to him and he wanted the best for them. Today when so much matters on the resources available, economy, etc. voting matters.  It gives people a voice and is a mechanism for change in this world. To me it seems like something Jesus would have advocated for.  


Let's look closer at few things regarding voting. ​

Voter Suppression 

Preventing individuals from voting has been happening since the beginning of the country.  It was originally only white males that could vote unless you lived in New Jersey.  New Jersey allowed single woman to vote up until 1807 when the state restricted their right to match the rest of the country. African Americans were unable to vote until 1870.  And women who had campaigned for 70 years finally were given the right in 1920. You can read more about this in Erin Geiger Smith's new book "Thank You for Voting" which talks about the history and current dynamics of voting in America. One interesting fact is that voting is on Tuesday because of farmers schedule back in the 1700's.  

​Today allowing individuals to vote has become a political game. This comes with closing down polling stations so people have to stand in long line for hours at a time. Creating additional registration requirements or deadlines for people to access their right to vote. Moving polling stations outside of town so those without transportation are unable to vote. This strategy impacts the poor and impoverished by creating more difficulty for them to vote. Dodge City did this in 2018 which received national news. My point is Jesus fought for the poor and when we continue to create divisions to prevent people from acting on a constitutional right then I think we are not living up to our ideals.

Early Voting/ Mail In

Early voting or mail in ballots have been done state wide in Oregon since 1996 for all elections. They saw an increase in voting percentage meaning more people get to have a voice in what is happening.  Washington moved to do this in 2011. Utah and Colorado started using mail in voting in 2013.  The accessibility also saw an increase in voter percentage. In today's busy world and election day being on a working Tuesday, it only makes sense to give people additional options to fulfill their constitutional right.  


For those worried about voter fraud with mail in ballots check out this New York City of Law report. You can also check out heritage.org and look at the numbers. It's not saying it doesn't happen its saying the number is so insignificant that it has no impact.  Most voter fraud comes from clerical errors.  Kansas, Kris Kobach only prosecuted 4 cases of voter fraud after indicating it was a major problem.  Obviously we all want safe elections.  We have been having elections for some time and I believe we do this well. In the middle of a pandemic we need to look at all options to keep people safe but we should be doing this anyways just to increase peoples rights.  

VOTE!

The whole point of all this is for you to go out and vote and advocate for others to vote! If you really believe in the constitution and that everyone should have a right as equal people to have a say then get out and vote.  Get your friends, neighbors, and anyone you can to fulfill their civic duty either by mail or in person. 

This week advocate for others to vote!

Recently my wife and I took a trip to the country of Iceland for our ten year anniversary. It was an amazing trip with awesome views, wonderful people, and great food. We loved learning about their culture and country.

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One interesting thing is Iceland has eliminated the use of plastic bags. Every supermarket required you take your own bags in or just take the groceries to the car. When I researched this I found the supermarkets in Iceland vowed in 2018 to eliminate all plastic bags by 2023. Check out the article here.  It appeared to me they are already very close to reaching that goal. The people we talked to had positive things to say about removing plastic bags from their country. It was apparent that it happened very quickly and people just adapted. 

So why is plastic so bad for the world?

1. Plastic doesn't biodegrade so it photo degrades to small pieces covering the ocean. Marine animals mistake it for plankton because there is 6 times as much, which ends up killing animals when they eat it.

2. 10% of the plastic we use each year ends up in the ocean. The rest of it becomes waste we cannot get rid of.  FYI the world uses somewhere between 500 billion to 1 trillion bags in one year.  

3. The production of plastic uses about 8% of our oil resource. 

4. Toxic chemicals leak out of plastics affecting people's health, groundwater, and environments. 
                     (Facts from The World Counts)

For more information you can also check out this video by Discovery Channel talking about the impact of plastic on our world.  It tells you what the Great Pacific Garbage Patch really is.  ​

For instance I enjoy going on adventures and exploring new things. I think one of the greatest things we can do it is explore and experience others cultures. However does the consumption of resources for this to happen become greed at some point? Should we be happy and at ease with what we have? I'm not sure there is a correct answer for this but something each of us have to figure out for ourselves. What do you think?


Caring About Our World


​When we feel apart of the world or creation around us our spirituality is enhanced. We realize its not just me but we! We are in this together and we all are parts of the whole. Our spirituality can actually be connected to the environment. Jocelyn Mercado talks about this some in her article "The Spiritual Side of Environmentalism." Dr. Roger Gottlieb also discusses this in the article "Why Spirituality and the Environmentalism Need Each Other."


It seems when we work towards positive solutions for the earth we are also deepening our spirituality. What does it mean to be spiritual? Is it not also being connected to our environment? I find caring for the earth and trying to conserve what I can, enhances my spiritual life. Its what we do as a society which shapes the culture we live in. If we choose to be more environmental friendly than there is a better chance others will too.  


Ways To Care For The World

Here are just a few ways we can care for our world in our everyday lives. 

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1. Eliminate plastic straws from your life - Straws get stuck in marine animals noses. Check it out on youtube.  You can buy reusable metal straws instead! 

6. Avoid Printing - Get digital receipts, make notes on iPhone or ipad, and if you do print reuse the paper. I love reading actual books but digital books and audio books are excellent ways to save paper.  


​7. Do Not Use Styrofoam - Avoid cost saving efforts and get something that is able to be recycled. It's not that much more and is much better for the environment.  

10. Fix Things - Fixing things yourself does two things. It prevents other material from having to be used and you feel self accomplished.  ​

I'm so glad you all care so much about God's creation! Thanks for following along.  

This week take up one of these or some other way to care for the world! 

Sacredness of Creation Defined
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Sacredness of creation is highlighted in five parts of this principle. 

1. In the beginning, God created and called it good - Nature holds the spirit of God within it. Upholding all of creation as good and sacred helps us understand everything is spiritual. It's not just about us but about everything around us.   

2. Spirit and material, seen and unseen, are related - Everything is intertwined together. Creation is a divinely interconnected web throughout the world. How it works is a beautiful mystery. I like to think of Newton's third law "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction." How does this apply, or does it to the interconnectedness of creation?  

​Living Sacredness of Creation

What does it mean to live this principle in our discipleship? Should being good stewards of the earth be a part of Christianity?  Ecotheology is a theology focused on the relationship between Christian faith and the environment. It connects our response as individuals to ecological crises to our discipleship. An article by the Student Christian Movement titled "Loving the earth means being good stewards of creation" discusses the connection between love and stewardship of the environment.  

It seems there is much thought given to how upholding creation in our daily lives can become acts of connecting and following the divine. The blog No-Fuss Healthy Living discusses this very idea with "3 Ways to Exercise Creation Stewardship from a Gospel Perspective."  It also provides some simple ways to get started at the bottom of it.  You can also check out this article by Devon Baynes titled "Being Good Environmental Stewards No Matter Where You Live" which discusses the importance of doing what you can for the environment.  


We have a responsibility to take action and respond to the things in this world that create injustice with creation. I encourage you to google or youtube ways in which products are hurting the environment. I will never forget a video I watched of scientists pulling a straw out of a sea turtles nose. Simple things we do make a difference to the sacredness around us. What will you do about it?

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter! Please follow us on instagram or twitter if you haven't already.  

This week do something good for the environment. Plant some flowers, make a garden, or just celebrate life in the creation around you.