As I watch the evening news, I listen to the arguments going on between political parties.

As a child of the ’80s I don’t remember anything like this. What I do remember is candidates presenting their platform in a respectable manner through debates, commercials, rallies and town hall meetings.

Now, debates are like wrestling matches, the use of vulgar language is accepted, and interrupting the person speaking is almost mandatory to get an opportunity to talk.

I’ve thought a lot about politics over the years, and I often wonder what God thinks about politics in general. We all know that Jesus and God are love and that we need to love our neighbors and families, but in reality we will always have enemies. Although we must love, we have an obligation to protect our neighbors and families.

I believe that our political system is broken and that the two parties have been forced to be more and more extreme. As a result, we have lost the moderation that balances the parties.

I think we’ve gotten ourselves to a point in history that the parties no longer want to represent their constituents, but simply desire to destroy the other party.

It is God who “sets up kings and deposes them,” (Daniel 2:21) because “the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.” (Daniel 4:17). What this means is that politics is merely a method God uses to accomplish His will.

I now vote, not by party, but by policy. Ultimately, God is our leader, so I follow His principles, and apply them to the candidate’s voting record and I vote for that candidate simply on the Godly policy they support.

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Rick Stanfield is a syndicated columnist, motivational speaker and author. Email him at rickstanfield1@yahoo.com. His website is rickstanfield.com.