Written by Ryan
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A lot of people, especially conservative Christians, have somehow got the idea that the words ‘Democrat’ and ‘Christian’ are opposites, or that they don’t belong in the same sentence.  I witnessed this firsthand after reading a comment on an LSM poster, which quipped: “Religious left, isn’t that a contradiction?” and another, which read: “more like atheistic left.”  Where did this idea come from?  When did the bulk of the Christian Right decide that “Left” equated to “Atheistic” and “Right” meant “Righteous”?  Besides the obvious conclusion that right, as in correct, forms the root of “righteous”, there is no reason to conclude that any area of the political spectrum has sole control over the thoughts of God.

It doesn’t make me less Christian because I believe that everyone has a right to make their own choices about what happens to their body; it is perfectly in line with my Christian values to say that I don’t have the first clue what it’s like to be a woman, let alone to be a woman in a tough situation.

I identify myself as closer to a Christian ideal because I believe that everyone has a right to expect a minimum of care from the Government, that I earn enough money to give part of it away for the greater good.

I don’t see myself as less Christian because I believe that the state should tax our “hard-earned” wages; conversely, I see myself as closer to my Christian ideal because I see the state as a benevolent force that ought to take care of us, and that the more I contribute to that state the closer I feel to it, and the more it feels as if it’s mine.

I don’t see myself as less of a Christian by thinking that homosexuals are NOT ungodly or sinful; I see myself as closer to my Christian ideal because I believe that love in all of its various forms is ultimately precious and society has no right to tell people that what they feel is right or wrong.  To the contrary, it would be ridiculous to criminalize any aspect of the greatest gift God has given mankind, love, between two consenting adults.

Any person, in any position on the political spectrum, is capable of maligning the teachings of Christ through a lack of compassion: Democrats by failing to recognize the powerful force in people’s lives that faith is; Republicans can by failing to remember that Faith cannot exist without compassion, and that self-sacrifice is an essential part of Christ’s life and teachings.