Since 1972, the average percentage of the voting age population which actually votes has been 53% in presidential election years. It's even worse in non-presidential election years: 37%.
That means 47% of those eligible to register and vote in 2016 most likely won't.
So why should the Christian who is uncertain for whom to vote this year feel torn about not voting? There is no reason to feel this way. That's the opinion of none other than St. Paul, whom we call a saint to imbue his words with more authority than they otherwise would bear, but whatever . . .. He says in his letter to the Romans:
But he who has doubts is condemned, if he eats, because he does not act from faith; for whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
-- Romans 14:23
That's a great principle, which seems to be followed by an awful lot of people in view of the fact that 75% of us claim to be Christians of some sort but a bunch routinely don't vote.
I knew such a man once, very devout and principled, whose admission that he would not vote shocked me. I was young then, and passionate. Now that I am old and passionate, I am not shocked, mostly because I have observed that what happens in human affairs is of little consequence in the big scheme of things. So the principle is a good one, and it even works well in a number of other areas.
For example, in investing: If you don't understand what you're investing in, you probably shouldn't be buying it. Same with politicians, off-label foods in the grocery store, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
Works every time . . . because the Bible tells me so.
