Back in July, I challenged Christians and other Republicans to ask Michelle Bachmann and Rick Santorum whether they would actually keep the FAMiLY Leader vow they made before God not to endorse or support any GOP candidates who did not make the vow, such as Mitt Romney. Here is the vow that citizens were then asked to sign:
The Vow of Civic, Religious, Lay, Business, and Social Leaders:
We the undersigned do hereby solemnly vow that no U.S. Presidential primary candidate – nor any primary candidate for the U. S. House, Senate, Governor, state or municipal office – will, in his or her public capacity, benefit from any substantial form of aid, support, endorsement, contribution, independent expenditure, or affirmation from any of us without first affirming this Marriage Vow. Furthermore, to uphold and advance the natural Institution of Marriage, we ourselves also hereby vow our own fidelity to this Declaration and especially, to our spouses. (emphasis mine).
Michelle Bachmann has now broken the vow she took by endorsing Romney. Oh how politics tempts Godly people! We make foolish vows, and then for the sake of politics break them without thinking twice.
Will Rick Santorum follow suit, even though he wrote an article defending his sacred vow? I have written*:
In recent election cycles, Republican candidates have been asked to sign an increasing number of pledges to keep their campaign promises in certain areas. Rick Santorum defended this practice in a USA Today editorial
, after he vowed before God that he would keep the 14 points of a pledge developed by the Iowa-based FAMiLY Leader.At a time when voters have grown skeptical about politicians and candidates who run on a certain platform only to backtrack once elected, signing a pledge is a good way to strengthen our political promises….the pledges we see today are oaths to voters.
This is the problem. The oath that Santorum took, was not made to just voters, it was made before God. Santorum went on to say:
To me, in a time when our nation’s problems are so vast and so deep, a candidate should be able to meet that serious responsibility with something more than just promises…. I know I speak for my fellow candidates who have signed these pledges in saying it is an honor to be able to do so, because that is what a pledge is: an oath to honor our word. It shouldn’t be a lot to ask for in a candidate.”
I will assume the good folks at the FAMiLY Leader will not violate their own vow and endorse Mitt Romney.
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*David J. Shedlock, With Christ in the Voting Booth (Kindle Locations 4344-4354). Xulon Press.