Monday, February 29, 2016

Why I can't belong to a political party and feel right about myself

Most people I know belong to a political party.

Most people I know think I do, too.  The liberal democrats I know think I'm a conservative republican. The conservative republicans I know think I'm a liberal democrat.  Funny, right? This has gone on since I was in high school. Except back in high school everyone thought I was in the same party as they were, and now they all think I'm in the opposite.

Officially, I guess I do. I register as a Republican so I can vote in the primaries and participate in the caucuses. Tim registers as a Democrat for the same reason. But I switch parties to vote in the primaries that I think need voters the most (this year, someone needs to vote against Trump, so I'm a registered Republican).

But the reality is I'm neither. When I take political quizzes and tests, they place me dead center. On ISideWith.com, I agree between 60% and 75% percent with everyone but libertarians and green party candidates.

Why not? Why not pick a party? you might ask.

Well, most of the people I know pick a party and then buy into all that party's rhetoric, supporting all their stands carte blanche, and I can't do that.

I can't be a Republican because of this: Book of Mormon's admonition not to say, "They brought it upon themselves."

And this: Elder Holland's talk "Are We Not All Beggars?".

And this: http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/immigration-church-issues-new-statement

And this: http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/church-apostle-joins-other-faith-leaders-in-meeting-with-president-obama-on-immigration

And this: http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/church-members-encouraged-assist-refugees

I can't be a Republican or a Democrat because of this:
https://www.lds.org/topics/abortion?lang=eng

I can't be a Democrat because of this:
https://www.lds.org/church/news/elder-christofferson-says-handbook-changes-regarding-same-sex-marriages-help-protect-children?lang=eng

And this: http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/top-church-leaders-counsel-members-after-supreme-court-same-sex-marriage-decision

And this: My experience with both second- and third-wave feminism cannot jive with this: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/10/a-plea-to-my-sisters?lang=eng

And this: https://www.lds.org/manual/building-an-eternal-marriage-teacher-manual/mothers-employment-outside-the-home?lang=eng

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