DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 21 (MExN): Bishop of Nagaland, Rev Dr James Thoppil on Wednesday called for a peaceful and responsible election, abjuring all forms of violence and aggressive campaign and to follow the principles and values underlying the Clean Election Campaign.
It said voting for money or material gain (selling one’s vote), proxy voting, exerting force, fraud or inducement for voting for a particular candidate, etc., are acts contrary to Christian values and principles.
While distancing the church from any particular party, individual or ideology, the bishop in a press statement appealed to the conscience of individuals to exercise their fundamental rights with utmost seriousness and responsibility. The bishop maintained that voting is one of the fundamental rights of a citizen in a modern democratic state. “In fact the church teaches that there are three primary responsibilities as citizens: to pay taxes, to defend the country and to vote. Each of these responsibilities asks one to put the good of society and of the fellow citizens above that of an individual desires and needs.”
And even though the church does not tell to whom to vote for, nor endorse an official list of candidates or tell which party one should join, the bishop said Christians are to use their right judgement and follow their consciences as they apply the teachings of Jesus and the core values of Christian faith to the choice they make in the voting booth.
“Voting is a serious moral decision that will affect not only the future course of the country and many innocent lives, but our own salvation as well. One cannot intentionally support moral evils or vote for a candidate who does such evils,” the bishop pointed out.
Since one cannot objectively and subjectively know all the overt and covert intentions and aspirations of different ideology proposed by various groups and individuals, the bishop appealed to the conscience of every individual to exercise his/her fundamental right responsibly and with utmost seriousness, knowing well that one’s vote counts not only for the present but for the future.
“Voting is a means by which one lay the foundation and direction for the future. As you sow so shall you reap!” the bishop stated.
