Yes I might be a bit more liberal than you, so what?

I was originally thinking of calling this something similar to "No, I'm not as conservative as you think I am" but that paints conservatives in the negative, to which I don't have a problem with y'all (but there ARE some conservatives I have problems with...read on)

Disclaimer: this might piss of some of you homeschoolers that know my family and me, you might say "isn't that Phil and Nancy's son and wasn't he homeschooled?" Yes, it is I, Nathanael, and yes I was homeschooled from K-12, but I have changed some views of my homeschooled days since I've been to College AND started thinking for myself.

I was talking to a friend of mine earlier and we were discussing one of those "hot buttons" that exists within our culture, especially among Christians. Now I won't get into it because I know a lot of you won't see eye-to-eye on it and instead of discussing it like civilized human beings some of you are going to raise hell and act like little children. Anyway, my friend realized and exclaimed "wow you are more liberal" to me, not in a bad way, but just in a way to say "hey, you're thinking for yourself, you're a winner" or something close.

See, that's where my guff lies with some people, it's not in reference to whether you're conservative, liberal or somewhere in the middle, it's that these views aren't yours, they're someones elses. Now I'm fine with conservatives, liberals, middle peeps, etc. but when I hear you open your mouth and say something similar to "Well my Mom says or well my Dad says..." it just floors me, haven't you a mind? (yes) haven't you a heart? (I hope so) So come out and state views from YOUR perspective, no need to ride on the coattails of your parents anymore.
So if you say "well I am a conservative/liberal/etc. because ________ and __________" and these things you share with me are from your perspective, bravo! I am happy that you have opinions that are your own, more power to you.

Now another issue I might face with some of you might be wrapped around Christianity; saying “Well God won’t ___________” or “God doesn’t love ___________” and I’m going to hell in a hand basket because I’m a bit more liberal than you, so what? Since when do you know the mind and heart of God COMPLETELY to the extent that you think God doesn’t like the same stuff you do, Anne Lamott said something in this vein of thought; “You can safely assume that you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.” Ouch fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, doesn’t that sting you, at least a little bit?

Now lastly if you're reading this over and just nodding your head in disagreement, okay, let's discuss this like adults...but if you're reading and nodding your head AND questioning whether I am a follower of Christ, I just gotta say God loves you even if I do not. Because seriously, we are not called to be Cookie Cutter Christians! We all have different thoughts, ideas, backgrounds and so much more that makes us an odd family (yup, putting the FUN in dysfunctional at times). There are some things that remain the same, to my brothers and sisters, John 14:6.
But don't question my salvation based upon my liberal stances, you don't see me judging and poking and prodding you over some difference from my own, now do you?

Love God, Love Others, nothing else matters.

I might be more liberal than you, so what? "nothing else matters" as I said above.

Think and make your opinions from what YOU believe, don't ride coattails, okay? :)

[n][v]