Millions of evangelicals and Catholics may decide this very tight election simply by … not voting. Please don’t be one of them.

People long to be led well — and for people of faith, character, morals, and values matter. So it’s demotivating when the choices on both sides of the aisle rankle. As Peggy Noonan wrote in the Wall Street Journal, “The race is deadlocked with [three] weeks to go and if you’re an undecided, unsure or wavering voter, it looks like Awful vs. Empty.” Actually, I would add that Kamala Harris is far more Awful than Donald Trump. But first, on the Empty issue…

In the article, Noonan tried to make sense of Harris’s decisions not to take many substantive media interviews and to respond to probing questions with “I grew up in a middle-class family” word salads. Noonan asks, “Why does she dodge away from clarity? Why doesn’t she take opportunities to deepen public understanding of her thinking?”

Noonan offers a couple of possibilities (“Because she’ll figure it out later,” “Because she’s just not that into policy”) before landing on the one that makes the most sense to me: “Because she doesn’t want you to understand where she stands. Because she’s more progressive than she admits, and there’s no gain in telling you now.”

Noonan continues, “

Failing to speak plainly and deeply now about illegal immigration [or taxing, spending, regulation, or faith-based issues] is political malpractice on a grand scale … She owes us these answers. It is wrong that she can’t or won’t address them. It is disrespectful to the electorate.

Or Is It Intentional Deception on a Very Large Scale?

From what I know about Kamala Harris’s past, I think she has much to hide that should seriously concern evangelicals and Catholics. Trump tends to be a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of guy. Harris’s joy-and-hope persona masks her deep contempt for pro-life, pro-biological-sex, -pro-traditional-marriage, and pro-faith people. She also wants to hide her fierce use of her office to persecute them.

I first became acquainted with Kamala Harris in connection with David Daleiden, a citizen journalist who suspected Planned Parenthood of profiting from the sale of the organs of aborted babies. You may recall that back in 2015, he posted online his undercover lunchtime interviews of a Planned Parenthood staff person who was sipping a glass of wine while discussing the procurement of the body parts. This trafficking in human body parts was against the law.

The videos prompted congressional investigations and played havoc with Planned Parenthood’s fundraising. The organization accused Daleiden of editing the videos to alter their meaning. But they didn’t stop there. Here is Daleiden’s story in his own words:

As the Center for Medical Progress reported in a press release:

Beginning under the leadership of now-U.S. Senator Kamala Harris, the California Attorney General’s office targeted Daleiden’s speech under the video-recording law at the urging of Planned Parenthood [and other abortion related businesses]…. While running for U.S. Senate, Harris had a secret in-person meeting with Planned Parenthood executives in Los Angeles, including witnesses in her investigation, to discuss issues in the investigation as part of Planned Parenthood’s political agenda in California.

Two weeks later, Daleiden’s home was raided by the California Department of Justice. California DOJ reports reveal that they were instructed by Planned Parenthood’s attorney Beth Parker, a defendant in the lawsuit, to seize “the computers used to produce the videos.”

Eleven lawmen descended on Daleiden’s home and carted off his computers and files.

This seizure effectively ended the posting of videos online. Not content with that outcome, Harris prepared criminal charges against Daleiden for taking the undercover videos, even though she had commended undercover citizen journalists for filming and exposing animal welfare abuses. Those charges against Daleiden eventually resulted in convictions and fines exceeding $2 million dollars.

As for those chopping up the unborn and illegally selling the organs, Harris launched no investigations, no raids, and no charges.

Harris Gave the Appearance of Asking “Religious Test” Questions During Senate Confirmation of Prospective Judge

The Knights of Columbus is a prestigious Catholic service organization for men. It is also strongly pro-life, in accordance with the teaching of the Catholic Church. In 2018, California Senator Kamala Harris engaged in what seemed like a prosecutorial grilling of judicial nominee, Brian Buescher, about being a long-time member of the Knights. She asked, “Were you aware that the Knights of Columbus opposed a woman’s right to choose when you joined the organization? Have you ever, in any way, assisted with or contributed to advocacy against women’s reproductive rights?”

The clear intent was to communicate that answering “yes” to either question might endanger his confirmation. In the land of Roe v Wade, Harris held in contempt a nominee holding a faith-based belief in the sanctity of human life. And yet the Constitution specifically bans any “religious tests” to qualify for office.

This offended so many senators that soon after, the Senate passed a resolution saying it would be “unconstitutional” to consider membership in the Knights of Columbus a disqualifying criterion for public office. The resolution passed unanimously by voice vote.

Harris Was the Lead Sponsor of Bill That Would Have Gutted the Protections of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act

When our religious freedom is threatened or violated, the Religious Freedom Act guarantees we can seek relief in court. Without it, abortion mandates would force people to act against their own conscience. Harris, while still serving in the U.S. Senate, disagreed and said her bill, the Do No Harm Act, would “prevent discrimination.” Even though our country is founded on religious liberty, Harris seems keen to set that founding principle aside in favor of placing a greater value on nondiscrimination.

In his second letter to Timothy (1:1-2) the Apostle Paul writes,

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior….

What God wants is for us to pray for everyone, especially kings and leaders, so we can live Kingdom lives in good conscience and peace. When we consider how Kamala Harris has targeted Catholics and evangelicals with the full power of her office — unjustly accusing them, challenging their fitness for public office, and wanting to deny them relief in the courts if their freedom of conscience before God is trampled — how can we simply not vote?

Given the full powers of the presidency, it’s not hard to imagine that she would make it very difficult for many believers to lead godly, peaceful and quiet lives. As we have prayed for David Daleiden and given to his legal defense, I can attest that Harris has certainly persecuted him. Made his life very unpeaceful. Opposed his godly desires. Why?

To defend the taking of innocent lives. To get elected to higher office. To protect Planned Parenthood. We know that, as the time for the Lord’s return approaches, the persecution of Christians will increase.

But let’s not vote to enable it.

As good stewards of our citizenship, we can still vote our values and vote for an America where life and faith are cherished and our freedom of worship and speech is defended and not attacked.

Originally published at LaelArrington.com. Reprinted with permission.

Lael Arrington is a national speaker and author of four books — most recently, Faith and Culture: The Guide to a Culture Shaped by Faith.