A Request From a Republican

This election has been going on for a very long time; long enough for people to get really fired up about their candidate. Since the results came in I have seen many responses from many different people.

Conflict comes when people deeply care about an issue but see the solution in different ways. I did not vote based on not wanting the poor to be taken care of or not being the "right kind of" Christian. Rather, I saw my vote as what would be best for our nation.

Fellow McCain voters, we need to take the time to work through our frustration and dissapointment and embrace what lies ahead.

Those who voted for Obama, if he had lost you would be frustrated and maybe a little hurt too. This process has been too long for the feelings of the McCain supporters to go away overnight. To those of you who have used such tactics, please stop putting Christians in quotations or throwing us Bible passages. We are human, we must process.

At the same time, fellow Republicans and/or McCain supporters, please stop throwing Bible passages at those who support Obama. Why are we using the Bible as a tool of combat for politics? We believe and obey the Bible, but lately our usuage of the Bible has been to make our own points and the Bible wasn't written so we could use it to push our own agenda....unless our agenda is completely God's agenda with no man-made interference and I don't see how any human being can claim that.

Obama supporters, please don't believe that it is the Christian duty to vote Democrat because of the poor.

McCain supporters, please don't believe that it is the Christian duty to vote Republican because of the unborn.

It is a Christian duty to care and act on both of these issues- and tons more- in a godly and self-sacrificing way. A vote can be a start, but that does not mean either vote is the best or only way to fulfill one's calling as a Christian.

In heated times such as these we all say things before thinking; myself included a million times over.As much forgiveness and compassion as we expect from other people we must be willing to show ourselves.

I do not fault people for being so emotionally involved in politics....because I know I am. I know I have said things that aren't the most diplomatic or polite out of frustration.

At the same time, no one should expect either side to heal from this division overnight.If it takes me a while to process and accept this whole ordeal, I ask you for that time.

If I fail to show compassion and express hope, I ask you to point that out.