QuakerInfo.com Forum

[bradleyp]

Canada is in the middle of a Federal level election, and I heard news reports of a man who had complained that it was wrong for him, or anyone of faith, to vote in advanced polls on Good Friday. I wonder, does the group feel similarly? If a voting opportunity arises and it conflicts with an observance of faith that you keep, which would you do, vote or observe?

Please remember that, in the case of the Federal election, there are three days where a person could vote in an Advance Poll, so would you find an issue with voting on a religious holiday.

Sorry, I couldn’t find any links to the story that inspired this thread.
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Bradley P.
Somewhere along the pathway back, the pathway forward, wherever it leads, I wish for an interesting walk.

[Gracie]

For me, every day is special/holy, so while I do mildly observe xmas as a family holiday, I don't think any one day stands out as more holy or deserving of observation than another. On the other hand, I'd understand if other people of faith needed/wanted to observe their own holy days.
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http://sowingmildoats.wordpress.com

When will our consciences grow so tender that we will act to prevent human misery rather than avenge it?
Eleanore Roosevelt

[Shay]

[Kiahanie]

Voting (or withholding a vote) is one of the ways I express my faith, so I don't have a conflict.

However, I approach voting for politicians with considerable hesitancy: it just encourages them, and so few are deserving of encouragement.
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"There is a field out beyond right and wrong. I'll meet you there." --Jellaludin Rumi

[wsamuel]

Quakers historically did not mark any special days and, if one doesn't, the issue doesn't come up. A different issue would be the appropriateness of a government making a day which is a holy day for a religion actively practiced within their jurisdiction an election day. It seems rather inconsiderate to me, and potentially it could result in a different election result than holding it on a day when all would feel free to participate.
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Bill Samuel, Webservant, QuakerInfo.com

[Kiahanie]

Hiya, Bill ! !

Good to see you again.
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"There is a field out beyond right and wrong. I'll meet you there." --Jellaludin Rumi

[AnnaBelle]

Interesting! I also don't see an issue, though my Catholic upbringing still occasionally causes me anxiety over such things. I was planning on going to do advanced voting today, actually, though my bigger anxiety at the moment is the fact that I don't see why any of the parties should get my vote. Part of me doesn't even want to vote. Sigh.

[Kiahanie]

Yeah, I have that problem down here every 2 years, too.

Peace and Light be with you in your decisions.
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"There is a field out beyond right and wrong. I'll meet you there." --Jellaludin Rumi

[jesse]

Fortunately, we don't (usually!) have to go through this every 2 years! Recently, though, we're pretty close to that, as our minority governments keep losing power before their 4-year terms are up.

I used to feel very excited about elections. These days, I struggle with them, largely because individual votes lose so much power in the first-past-the-post system. It's quite antithetical to Friend's values, with only the loudest voice in each region counting for anything. I deeply wish for some form of proportional representation, but I'm not holding my breath. The big parties aren't that interested in changing the system, and the little parties can't get enough seats to push the reform.

Trying not to feel discouraged! Voting on monday.

[Rob Bray]

It is a family stricture that I MUST vote, though I find it very difficult. I pray when I enter the booth, and then usually hold my nose and vote for whoever seems to be the best (least bad) candidate. But here in Canada, we seem to have a bit of a political earthquake in the making this time around. Not a bad thing I think.

[james]

I must say, I can't agree with the general sense I'm hearing (and often hear among Friends) that politicians are particularly bad or foolish or immoral people, moreso than the public at large. On the contrary, I think a substantial percentage of our elected officials got involved in politics because they want to make a better world and country. Not all by any means, but a lot, and the fact that I disagree on a lot of specific public statements and policies doesn't change that. If anything I would say there is more evidence of foolishness in the average voter than the average elected official.

That said, politicians have to be pragmatic, have to constantly keep in mind the views of average voters, in order to 1) get elected and 2) pass legislation. Except for a handful of politicians in utterly safe progressive districts, it is not a pursuit for purists, for people unwilling to pander to a certain extent.

The percentage of the US population that is strictly politically progressive across the board is quite tiny, and a politician who hews strictly to the most progressive positions is at a huge political disadvantage almost anywhere in this country. Add strict pacifism to the picture, and you can pretty much forget about getting elected or getting anything done in mainstream politics, except in a few rare "safe" districts, and even those have proven less safe than previously assumed.

We need idealistic activists to keep the pressure on, but when large numbers of activists refuse to support moderately progressive candidates with whom they have some serious disagreements, this benefits the right, not the left.

(I do see a frightening mix of rabid right-wingers in the Republican party in recent years, and some rightward drift among Democrats. But even there I think there is more political posturing than genuinely extreme right-wing principles.)
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James Riemermann
www.nontheistfriends.org
www.liberalquakers.org

[bradleyp]

Well, evidently enough people in Canada didn’t mind the Good Friday Advance Poll.

I don’t want to be partisan on the forum about my opinion about the results, at least not in this thread, but it is interesting and cause for more thought, especially when the New Democratic Party is the Opposition and the Green Party holds a lone seat (it’s leader), while the Liberals and Bloc Quebecois was severely reduced.

I pray and hope for all the men and women of the new federal government.
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Bradley P.
Somewhere along the pathway back, the pathway forward, wherever it leads, I wish for an interesting walk.