The presidential race is heating up. I try not to get too political on this blog, but, when issues of faith jump out at me, I really feel compelled to say something.

I just read Bishop John Shelby Spong’s weekly column and he observes that people on both sides of the political fence have been invoking the name of God in some interesting ways. Evangelical leader Dr. James Dobson encouraged his followers and allies to pray for rain to drench Barak Obama and the attendees at the Democratic Convention during the senator’s acceptance speech at the outdoor stadium in Denver. Spong also observed that "Democrat Michael Moore called the hurricane 'an act of God' visited on the Republicans…”

That kind of exchange is nothing new, or even surprising, but I am always disappointed when political speakers try to use God in this way.

Of course the person most in the news this week has been Sarah Palin. The analysts say that Senator McCain chose her largely to woo the Religious Right, a voting bloc he has had difficulties with. Governor Palin certainly seems to be delivering in that regard. She is strongly opposed to abortion rights and gay rights. She believes in teaching creation science in schools alongside evolution, and in scrapping traditional sex education classes in favor of abstinence-only classes.

While I haven’t heard her make this claim, I know that there are many in the Religious Right who claim that these are the “Christian positions.”

I have seen Governor Palin quoted as saying that continuing the war in Iraq, and drilling for oil in the Alaskan North Slope are both the will of God (see the article at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080904/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_palin_iraq_war).

I know that Governor Palin’s views are shared by many Christians, and I don’t with to call her faith, or the faith of her supporters into question, but I feel compelled to point out that it’s not that simple. There are a huge number Christians (myself along them) who question many of these positions.

- I believe that following Jesus means championing the basic rights of all people, gay as well as straight.

- I believe we need to work to prevent teen pregnancies, liberalize adoption laws, and follow other avenues to make abortion as safe and as rare as possible. All life is precious to God, but banning abortion rights is neither humane, nor effective.

- I believe that God is the creator of all, but am aware that that neither Creation Science nor Intelligent Design are valid scientific theories. It makes no sense to me to try to defend the God of truth with pseudo-science, no matter how pious it tries to be.

- I believe that we need to be honest with young people about sex, even when it makes us uncomfortable. The evidence is that abstinence-only programs have no effect in reducing teen sexual involvement, but that comprehensive sex education does.

I may be wrong about some things, and I’m certainly not saying that all Christians have to be in lock-step with me on these issues. What I’m saying is that you can’t assume all Christians must agree with you on any of these issues. Christians have a faith, not a platform. What we are called to do is to live out an ethic that is beautifully summarized in Micah 6:8

He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?

It’s possible for people of faith and conviction to be on opposite sides of an issue. If you come to different conclusions than I do, but you reach them out of a genuine regard to see justice done and people treated with love and kindness, I will respect that. More than that, if each of us is genuinely humble, we will be able to discuss our differences honestly. We will even be able to change if we see that the other person’s ideas work better.

Sadly, there’s not a lot of humility in American politics, though some shows up from time to time. The discussion this week made me think of my favorite presidential quote. When he was told that God was on the side of the North in the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln said:

“Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right”

Instead of claiming God’s will, I wish more leaders could mirror Lincoln’s humility.