How You Can Effect The Largest Election in History

India, the blue whale of democracies, began voting today in a national election to choose its prime minister. On one side is Narendra Modi, the incumbent PM and head of the Hindu nationalist BJP party. On the other side is Rahul Gandhi, the youthful, current crown-wearer in the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty and leader of the opposition Congress Party. On the still other sides are a dizzying variety of candidates from some 2000 political parties!

This election, which continues until May 19, will see nearly twice as many people vote than the entire population of the USA! Who will win is anyone’s guess right now, although a young professional and musician friend from the south said he sees a general dissatisfaction with Modi among his peers.

Besides its mind-boggling hugeness (There are 1 million polling stations!), here’s why I think we should care about the India election: Its outcome will, to varying degrees, affect the lives of 200 million Muslims and 30 million Christians. (Tweet this.)

Modi has allowed or fomented, depending on who you ask, the increased marginalization and abuse of religious minorities. Some Muslims have been lynched by radical Hindu groups on suspicion of smuggling cows. Many fear his re-election will only continue these trends.

This election is as complex as it is huge and I know almost nothing about what’s actually going on. But God is not puzzled. He knows the good guys, the bad guys and every bit of gray in each candidate and voter. And I believe he welcomes our participation in prayer.

Let’s pray. . .

. . .that violence will be minimal.

. . .that God will guide the election in such a way that his kingdom comes more and more in India.

. . .that our Christian sisters and brothers would be wise, safe and smelling like Jesus.

. . .that our Muslim cousins would be heard, protected and invited to ever increasing life.

Thank you. Dhanyavaad. Shukria.

Can you respond to a question for me? (Seriously, just “click, click, submit!): Do Muslims and Christians serve the same God? Or another way to consider this: Is the same being petitioned when Muslims pray to Allah and Christians pray to God? Please go here to click on a multiple choice answer.

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One Response to How You Can Effect The Largest Election in History

  1. Penny

    The reason I voted in your survey for ‘same God’ is that I believe they have different views of what God the Creator is like. The Muslims are deceived as to what He is like.

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