That my politics is constantly under attack and derision from my (predominantly) right-wing acquaintances is possibly more frustrating than you can easily appreciate. There's a high level of both misunderstanding and (unsurprisingly, given the right-wing leanings) intolerance. I am constantly being informed that "Tim, oh Tim, you sound awfully liberal to me!" as if that's a bad thing. But here's the kicker: I'm not liberal. Perhaps in contrast to my conservative buddies I am... But in contrast to the two or three neo-socialists I know, I am "awfully conservative."
Why is that?
That's because I sit in the middle, dear reader. However 'political centrism' is not synonymous with 'bench-sitting' by any means. All this means for me is that I, unlike most people, am strong enough, smart enough, brave enough to ascertain for myself what fits with the Bible. What fits with my deep rooted sense of justice, ethics and morality. What fits with my own beliefs. I am not afraid to figure things out for myself.
Because of that, I don't need to believe what my parents tell me. I don't need to believe what my church tells me. I just choose to believe what God tells me. And not what my parents or my church or my social circle tells me God is telling me... But what I believe God is telling me consistent what what I read in His word. I make up my own mind irrespective of political or religious extremes, stigma, dogma and so on and forth.
But why do I defend the liberals? Why do I so hypocritically deride the conservatives?
That's because if the world truly was a black and white place, if it were not filled with so many shades of grey, if I absolutely had to choose left or right... I would choose the left. Because then at least I would be free to truly love. To love compassionately. Honestly. Freely. Truly. I would be able to love someone even if I didn't believe what they believe, or even agree with it. I would be able to love someone even if I didn't agree with some things they do. I would be able to love without passing judgment. That is the most pure form of love.
And I wouldn't have to feel guilty for it.
But I like where I am right now. Here I am free to be honest with myself, with no conflicting beliefs. Here I don't have to call myself pro-life and yet still support the death sentence, or support wars and violence in the name of peace, justice and truth. Where I sit, I can be pro-life both before and after birth. Because I am free to believe what is right. Because I am not held back by the constraints of left and right. Liberal and conservative.
Do yourself a favour and think. Read your Bible. Pray. But don't do that through the lenses of many years of thinking through things from one specific angle or another. What do you really believe about things? What does the Bible really say about things? What seems to be the most logical and reasonable explanation?
If I were not constrained by years or decades of one particular way of thinking (be it liberal or conservative, it doesn't matter) what would I really believe?
P.S. I'm not answering any comments, I think I'll make that quite clear in advance. This will probably get very heated,and I'd rather say out of it. I'm not trying to offend anyone, I'm just offering an alternative, or something for you to think about.
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