Some readers have been inquiring about the fact that Rick Santorum and I have come to opposite conclusions about supporting Mitt Romney as the Republican nominee. Some who agree with him and some who agree with me are seeing this as Rick Santorum versus Lisa Graas. The contraception mandate issue, which is the most important issue to the Catholic Church, of which both Rick and I are faithful members, makes this disagreement all the more confusing for people. It seems to signify a lack of unity which both the Republican Party and the Holy Father are calling us to. The GOP wants “unity” behind their nominee. The Holy Father wants the unity which Christ died for within the Church. If Rick Santorum and I disagree, does that not mean there is no unity? No.
Rick does the things he does because he thinks it is what God wants. I do the things I do because I think it is what God wants. It is our hearts that God wants, and God has my heart and Rick’s heart even though we have chosen different things in this election. It’s clear to me that God does not have the hearts of either Mitt Romney or Barack Obama. I will not vote for anyone whose heart God does not have.
Sarah Palin is an example of someone who I could vote for despite disagreeing with her on some important issues, because I know that God has her heart. I have Mormon friends whom I could support for office because I know God has their hearts. I have Jewish friends whom I could support for office because I know God has their hearts. If God has your heart, you will govern with integrity, transparency and with authentic fairness. If He does not have your heart, you will certainly fail to rightly govern the people.
Rick dropped out because it became clear that he could not win the GOP nomination and he had promised to support the nominee. A good Christian keeps a promise. I made no such promise, so I am not supporting Mitt Romney. God has my heart. God has Rick’s heart. We came to different places in this precisely because God has both our hearts.
If God has our hearts, American cannot fail no matter who the president may be. This is the lesson that America needs more than anything else. E Pluribus Unum — out of many, one – will never, ever happen in America, nor any country, on the political level regarding issues and parties because people — even good people — have diverse opinions about things. It can only happen if God has our hearts. Only when God has our hearts can we have freedom in America because a Godly people will live in peace and freedom, no matter who is at the helm of leadership.
This is why Rick Santorum is my friend and still my choice for president. Despite our coming down on different sides on such an important question, I know with everything I have that God has his heart, and so, I still love and support him just as much as I always have. He has assured me that the feeling is mutual. We have Christian unity even if we do not have political unity. He would tell you, as I do, that you MUST DO what you, as an individual, believe in your heart that God wants you do, no matter what others may say. If we each do that….if we each spend time in prayer and ask the Lord what we must do, and decide based on that, America cannot fail, no matter the outcome of this election.
