Editorial: Use your vote to start anew

["Taiwan Church News" <enews@pctpress.org>]

3123 Edition

January 2-8, 2012

Editorial

Editorial: Use your vote to start anew

Translated by Lydia Ma

According to a CNN report, 59 of the world’s 193 countries will hold elections 
in the year 2012 – a figure that amounts to one-third of the countries of the 
world. No matter where they are held, these elections will impact the lives of 
53% of the world’s population. 2012 is an election year for Taiwan as well, 
with the presidential and legislative elections scheduled for January 14.  

The campaign season in Taiwan has reached its final chapter this week. 
Candidates are pulling out all the stops to impress and convince people to vote 
for them while warning supporters about possible dirty tricks from the opposite 
camp, which could jeopardize their hard-won support.

As Christians living in this world, we are not immune to the political and 
economic troubles of our day. Our involvement in social issues is inevitable. 
In the past few months, we’ve seen the infamous “compulsory no-pay leave” issue 
make a comeback and force many manual laborers to stay at home. We’ve also seen 
a legislator support the idea of spraying water on homeless people to drive 
them out of sight. 

As if these news items weren’t disheartening enough, this campaign season has 
been marred with a series of controversies. The Ma administration has not only 
failed to fulfill previous campaign promises, but it has also resorted to using 
the Yu Chang Biologics Co. scandal to attack DPP Presidential candidate Tsai 
Ing-wen at the expense of Taiwan’s bio-technology industry. In another scandal, 
it abused its power by calling on the investigating bureau, which is funded by 
taxpayers, to spy on Tsai. Even the PCT was smeared and slandered by the KMT at 
one point during this election campaign.

All of these instances are unfortunate examples of the negative aspects of 
politics. We hope that Taiwanese people will use their votes to give Taiwan a 
clean slate and a fresh start. We also pray that God’s justice will reign in 
this land.

God reigns over creation and the history of mankind. He reigns over everything 
that exists in this world. Though the Church has been called by God to save 
souls from sin by proclaiming the gospel, this is not all that God has called 
us to do. He has also called us to speak out based on our understanding of his 
will wherever he places us, so that his love can be channeled through us. 

The PCT has been speaking out since the 1970s, in spite of the dangers of doing 
so during the Martial Law era. When the PCT issued 3 renowned statements, 
proclaiming that the Taiwanese people would determine Taiwan’s future through 
the virtues of democracy, it did so at great risk and despite ridicule from 
other church denominations. However, a look at Taiwan’s democracy today proves 
that the PCT was leading the nation into the right path. A review of the rights 
we enjoy today proves that the PCT did indeed discern God’s will correctly then 
and fulfilled its prophetic mission.   

Old Testament prophets such as Isaiah, Amos, and Micah received and proclaimed 
God’s words. They discerned the times in which they lived in and advanced God’s 
justice during their lifetime in the land where they dwelled. Through these 
prophets, God’s people learned that God wanted them to live out their faith by 
advancing justice, fairness, and human rights, and changing prevailing values 
and institutions so that God’s will would be done on earth as in heaven. 

In light of these new realities facing Taiwan today, the PCT is determined to 
stand by its convictions. We urge other churches in Taiwan to change and not 
remain aloof when it comes to politics. It is our hope that Taiwanese will 
support candidates that “act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly” and who 
“support and protect Taiwan’s sovereignty”.

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