I have so many questions for you! (My answers in parentheses)
Are you going to vote? (Yes, once) Have you voted yet? (Nope) Who are you going to vote for? (Not sure yet) Who’s going to win? (Only God knows, and He’s not telling me!)
[If you’ve no concern for the upcoming U.S. election, please forgive this national-centric Muslim Connect.]
Since you’re a part of the Muslim Connect tribe, I can make three somewhat educated guesses about you: 1. You wish there were fewer abortions in our country. 2. You’re more concerned about immigrants as people than “immigration” as a political issue. 3. You’d like the Muslims you know and those you don’t, both here and abroad, to suffer less.
If those guesses are even ballpark accurate, you may be wrestling with this election. If you are, guess what: You’re on the struggle bus with many Muslim Americans!
• Polls show Muslims not voting Democrat in the numbers they did in the previous election.
• The mayor of Hamtramck, MI, the country’s only Muslim-majority city endorsed Trump!
• This Reddit discussion shows some of the angst, the variety of perspectives and challenges Muslim voters face in next week’s election.
Do you sense the challenge Muslims face? “If I vote for Harris, am I abandoning my brothers and sisters in Gaza and Lebanon?” “If I vote for Trump, am I asking for Travel Ban 2.0?” If I vote for Jill Stein, am I just wasting my time?” (These, of course, are just a sampling of the perplexing issues.)
It’s gut wrenching, isn’t it? May God give us all wisdom. And may Christ have mercy on us all.
My election prediction? Whether we walk through the valley of the shadow of death or sit at a table in the presence of our enemies, God will continue his kingdom building work. Christ will have mercy on us all.