With apologies to the Sojourners for borrowing the name of their pre-presidential election campaign slogan, I submit that God is not Republican or Democrat. These months later, after a divisive 2004 presidential election, we do well to let the rhetoric and emotion fade away.

If I believed what I hear at work and in church lobbies, I would believe that God is a Republican; that He is on President Bush’s side, and we should support Bush if we want to uphold the basic moral values that we hold dear. On the other hand, the Democrats say that the Republicans and the Bush administration are imperialistic power hungry rich guys who will stop at nothing short of total world domination; all in the name of God.

If I believed what I hear at work and in church lobbies, God clearly thinks like a Democrat. He is against war and upholds tolerance, just like the Democrats. On the other hand, the Republicans say that the Democrats have no moral values at all and would seek to tear down the very moral fabric of our country if given half a chance.

What political leanings should Seventh-day Adventists hold? Are you Republican? A Democrat? Maybe we should just avoid politics entirely and not bother to vote?

In our partisan times, would God limit his list of morally important issues to abortion, gay marriage and war? I rather doubt it. Scripture is unavoidably clear, however, when it comes to addressing injustice toward the poor and needy; God is always on their side. If and when our vote can make for a more just (fair) society, we have a moral obligation to vote.

Martin Luther King Jr. rightly cited Amos when he called for justice to roll down like water. The passage in Amos reads like this: “But let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (5:24).

Another prophet, Micah, made God’s political agenda seem pretty basic: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

Do we stand with God when we stand with Republicans? Do we stand with Him when we stand with Democrats? Let me suggest we stand with God when we slump down together with the poor and the needy seeking justice for them. God is always on their side.