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And then there's people like me. I'm a millennial; I was super Republican in high school, and over the course of my first few years as an adult I moved pretty quickly to just right of center; largely because I met people who weren't like me. I stopped voting straight-ticket and even voted for my first Democrat (down-ballot) in college.
Between college graduation and Trump, I stayed pretty much where I was politically while the GOP ran full-tilt to the right of me; to the point where I wasn't really comfortable voting Republican nationally anymore after about 2013 or so; Mitt Romney was the last Republican I ever voted for on the Presidential ballot.
Then Trump happened. I was immediately a never-Trumper, basically at day one. But as I was researching candidates and seeing what they were all saying, cross-referencing things, knowing and understanding what was reality and what was spin, I discovered how much of the right was just a rickety facade of lies held up by a willing right-wing media and being used to cover up corporate malfeasance and actual fascism.
Almost right away, my political affiliation slammed to the left; at first I was happy to be a Democrat, but I've been moving left as the GOP has been showing off what that side stands for. Now, at almost 39, I'm to the point where I wouldn't necessarily be uncomfortable with the "socialist" label.
Meanwhile, starting in college, I started becoming more religious. From being nominally Christian in high school (though I talked a big game), I started really taking my faith seriously in college; and as each year went on, I found myself getting deeper and deeper into it. Yes, a lot of it was watching in anger at people who claimed my faith showed that they didn't actually know what it meant (a feeling that remains), but as I'm staring down the barrel of 40 years old next year, I'm actually taking Christ and the Bible more seriously than I ever have before, though I'm reading it for myself--and realizing that the bill of goods that the "Christian" Nationalists tried to sell me in high school was absolute hogwash.
Seems like an unusual course in life, so thanks for sharing that!
Just turned 53. I was a bit conservative in my late-30s/early-40s, or thought I was, mainly because I listened to a lot of talk radio in my car. Caught myself one day thinking, "Dad would be ashamed of you, taking all your news and opinion from one side." Started reading news like CNN and found it wasn't blathering idiocy. Lots more to talk about on that.
Unlike you, I had been edging further and further away from Christianity. Even though I was a regular Sunday school kid, an every-Sunday church kid until my late teens, it never set right with me, never made sense. (Talking white-bread Presbyterians, no snake handling or anything nuts.) I kept backing up the truck, and long story short, I finally gave up around 40 and admitted to myself that I simply didn't believe in anything supernatural. Went from deist -> agnostic -> atheist, with a lot of fine tuning in between. Took two decades+ chewing on it all.
How about all that? People don't tend to fit well in preconceived boxes. Ain't that something?
Unusual course to say the least! Your dad sounds like a smart guy.
Yeah, I recognize that a deepening faith doesn't usually go along with a leftward political slide; but every year I find myself more authentically me, less conflicted between my labels and my values, and always more thoughtful about the world. I'm not claiming to be some genius that figured it all out, but I do like knowing that, like yours is or would be, my dad is proud of me.
On the contrary, those with true faith and an understanding of their religion are often leftists because they understand the importance of "love thy neighbor". The political right has somehow stolen and bastardized religion, Christianity in particular, into a disgusting mockery of itself that has lost touch with its roots and core values, and a significant portion of American Christians have been indoctrinated into that without ever even knowing better.
I'm not religious myself and I often have particular issues with "the church" as an organization but I welcome you. I hope that your faith can continue to show you the righteous path forward. You show an understanding of the intention and values of your faith that is becoming sadly rarer as time goes on. Much of my, and many others', general beef with religion is directly tied to its affiliation with the far right and the bastardization of what once may have been very sensible advice, into a blood cult of rage and hatred.
Spread love my friend. We as a human species need more people like you now more than ever before.
Thank you. All of what you have said is basically what I hope to be. I appreciate it!