My Conversion

[Stump]

I just wanted to write a short version of how I came to join the DU. I've grew up under two republican parents who are truly loving people and did a wonderful job raising me after an unwanted teen pregnancy. I was raised to believe republicans represented all that was morally right and stood for the working man. I also remember them going to Jimmy Swaggert crusades if this sheds some light on their views. When I was 10, my father got a job that moved us just outside of D.C. and we stopped going to church after my parents realized how legalistic their fundamental church was. During my teens I really partied all the time and wasn't too political.
I joined the Army at 17 and ended up moving to Lynchburg (Jerry Falwell's City) and worked for local government. I became a Christian a few years ago and joined a Baptist church where politics once again came to the forefront. I was told about how abortion is wrong but never heard much about the war or other social issues, other than helping the poor. I began to really try to put myself in others shoes and started to realize how hypocritical many of my beliefs were. I began to realize how the church seemed to focus on scripture that fit their political views while many of the tenants of Jesus seemed to be ignored. The turning point for me was realizing how wrong this war is. I will not lie, I voted for Bush both times believing the republicans were the Official Christian Party. After seeing how many have been killed in this war, and how the poor & disadvantaged have been largely ignored by the right...I began to question just how my Christian principals shaped my political views. I am still a Christ-follower and I know many here at DU seem to have disdain for Christians. After seeing how many Christians live their lives, I can see why.
I know I'm kinda rambling so I'll try to get to the point. I will no longer let someone tell me what I should believe and how I should interpret my religious beliefs. I feel progressives are doing more to protect our rights and more especially the rights of the poor & those who don't have all the luxuries of life such as myself. I now see that many progressive principals are more in line with what Jesus actually taught. He did not hang out with the high society and Enron executives, Jesus spent his time with sinners & the poor. I still can't call myself completely pro-choice yet, (I hope this doesn't get me kicked out, it is such a difficult issue for me though) but I now see that my personal beliefs are much more in line with the left. I spoke with a long time republican friend this week who said "if not for abortion & gun control, I would be a democrat." Well, as I said before, I'm not sure where I stand on abortion yet...I'm studying both points of view. But I know this: I will not support a party who ignores the bloodshed in Iraq and the problems in this country while rallying the "religious right" by being pro-life and against gay marriage. Spending time yesterday condemning moveon.org while people are dying here and abroad makes me sick. I'm tired of it, I'm a DUer!!!

[porphyrian]

1. Welcome aboard. Wear armor. - n/t

[Uncle Joe]

2. Welcome to D.U., Stump.

:hi:

[Bassic]

3. There is mostly disdain for Fundies who

refuse to think for themselves. :) Welcome to DU. :hi:

[malaise]

4. Welcome to DU

:D

[cali]

5. Welcome home. n/t

[benddem]

6. welcome

Great diary!

[angstlessk]

7. Well thought out conversion and being a Christian is what made you

decide you are a progressive, so do not think ALL progressives are anti-Christian. I myself am an athiest, but absolutely LOVE progressive Christians!

BTW: Welcome :hi:

[BrklynLiberal]

8. Welcome. It is always good to think for yourself.

:hi:

[supernova]

9. Welcome to DU Stump

:hi:

It's always good to see another awake and thinking person. I'm also a xtain on DU, though I came out of the Presbyterian tradition. As for the Xtian bashing here, you have to remember that not a lot of skeptical/atheist talk is permitted in our public discourse (yet), so they let it out here. Just try to understand.

If you want, check out the Xtian liberals and progressive people of faith group here at DU:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=291

[Jade Fox]

10. Welcome!!!

[ClayZ]

11. Welcome to DU!

:grouphug:

[JitterbugPerfume]

12. you are a welcome addition to DU

and I meam it from the bottom of my pro choice athiest heart.

[MedleyMisty]

13. Thank you

You just gave me a bit more faith in the species.

I'll let you slide on the choice thing for now. My personal belief is that no one else has the right to tell me what to do with my own body, especially not rich white old men who can have no idea what it's like to be poor and pregnant and alone. Just to give you another perspective on the issue.

But really, thank you. I needed this. I tend to think that the species is a lost cause and that humanity is just happily and on purpose killing itself and the planet - you know, same old same old cognitive error of thinking that everyone thinks the same way that you think, which for me means that I think everyone knows the same things I do and reasons the same way and that therefore they want the consequences of actions that they support - like I tend to think that if you support the occupation you want Iraqis and American military people to suffer and die and that if you don't support efforts to curb global warming you want the planet to become unlivable.

Always good when something reminds me that it is a cognitive error and that I need to work on that and keep reminding myself that it's not true.

Anyway, I am glad that you're here and I hope you stick around, even though things get a bit heated around here sometimes. Breaks are good. I have to take long ones every few months or so.

Welcome and hugs all around. :)

[Stump]

15. Wow...

I just posted this a short time ago and the response is more than encouraging. Other than my parents, the rest of my family have been democrats all of their lives. I think my grandfather and all of my aunts & uncles will be ecstatic at the next family reunion. :woohoo:
If I could just make my parents understand that I have became progressive because of my faith, not in spite of it...

[bobbolink]

20. You probably can't "make them understand"

There's fear behind their lack of awareness, and until you or they figure out a way to deal with that fear, the block will remain.

It's not something "logical" you can talk them out of.

[POAS]

30. As a follower of Christ you

probably understand that Christ didn't try to MAKE anyone "understand". He taught and led by example.

Don't try to MAKE your parents understand, just follow Christ's example, show them love and they will come to understand on their own.

edited to add: Welcome to DU!

[Stump]

61. Thank you

That is a great point. The Book of James says something to the effect of show me your faith without works, and I'll show you my faith by my works. Faith without works is dead, I'm tired of lip-service...I want to make a difference.

[emlev]

37. Great goal, and maybe being on DU can help you meet it...

"If I could just make my parents understand that I have became progressive because of my faith, not in spite of it..."

Welcome. And thank you for sharing your story.

[sellitman]

14. Good to see you came to your senses.

I am against abortion to. I wouldn't let have my wife or children get one if I could help it BUT......what others do isn't my business. Let the woman decide. Everything isn't cut in stone and everyones situation is different. The hypocrisy is that they are trying to protect a life that hasn't been born yet think nothing of the lives wasted for the profit of their business cronies. The hundred of thousand of Iraqis mean nothing to these bastard either.

The RepubliCONS rail for less government unless it suits their needs.

Welcome to DU.

[Stump]

17. Exactly!!!

That sums up the republican response pretty well for me. Protect the unborn but when they grow up, f* 'em.

[Arugula Latte]

31. That reminds me of that old saying about the Reagan administration:

"Their concern for life begins at conception and ends at birth."

Welcome to DU! Glad you converted! :toast:

[shraby]

16. Welcome to DU

My feelings on abortion are thus: There are many reasons for a woman to want to terminate a pregnancy and none of them are my business, only her's and her husband's if she has one. I feel that if she chooses to end the pregnancy, she has the right to a physician as does anyone else who needs one. Far be it from me to deny her the right to a doctor's care.

[tbyg52]

38. I think the hypothetical husband's opinion should be listened to, of course

but I *don't* think he has any say in the final decision, as it's not *his* body. Now if the fetus could be *transferred* to his body, that'd be a different story.... ;)

Argh, where are my manners??!

Welcome to DU, Stump! :hi:

[tom_paine]

18. Welcome to DU, Stump

:toast:

One small bit of advice, though. When you type a post without line breaks every so often, it is hurtful to a lot of peoples' eyes and some may actually not read it because of that.

Other than that, excellent post. See you 'round the boards!

[tbyg52]

39. And more frequent line breaks than you'd use on a paper document.

Welcome again! :hi:

[bobbolink]

19. "putting yourself in someone else's shoes" is ALWAYS the way to understanding and peace.

But, please don't make the mistake of believing that all DUers, or even most DUers actually do that. There's plenty of condeming and judging among "progressives", too. It's all USians, not just fundies, who can't walk in the shoes of others.

As for it being an either/or of progressives or Christians, that's where you're still blinded by being involved with RW fundies. There are many traditional denominations that are both progressive and Christian. They take a lot of hits here from unenlightened angry people.

[Control-Z]

21. Hi Stump

I am so glad you found us. I'm an atheist and probably the most pro-choice woman on this site but I like your open mind and welcome you. Your religious beliefs are none of my business. I do hope you take the time to learn more about choice though, by visiting our Pro-Choice and Choice groups and asking questions. I know you'll be surprised to find out what pro-choice really means.

Welcome :hi:

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

22. Welcome

I think that a lot of the "social" issues that divide liberals and conservatives, and even divide both groups within their spectrums, are distractions from the issue of class, the dissolution of the middle class, and the chasm between the haves and the have-nots which is wider than at any time in the past 100 years.

So many people think that if they have a crumb more than the next guy, that they are part of the ruling class; and if the next guy gets hold of a crumb, he must have taken it from someone else's mouth. We are set up to think that way by people holding the whole fucking cake. How those people laugh to see us split apart on issues that make not one bit of difference to the gilded quality of their lives. How they snicker over racial hatred and religious bias, knowing we will never band together against them.

I am not a believer, but still I agree that the way we treat the least among us enriches or impoverishes us all.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[immoderate]

59. Very well said.

I was looking for a place to insert a post that talked about the wedge issues. Death penalty, flag burning, abortion, prayer, etc., do not affect our lives. They are distractions from the real questions that face civilization.

Anyway, I couldn't have said it better than you did.

--IMM

[Vilis Veritas]

71. Very succinct.

I permanently linked to your post. If it could be kicked and rec'd, I would do it. For now, know this, I shall obey..;-)

Peace.

[SpiralHawk]

23. WELCOME

I salute you for exercising your own intelligence, discernmnet, and free will

[zippy890]

24. Hi and welcome!

very nice post. good to hear from you.

there are a lot of differing views here on particular issues - but thats what makes it interesting. the important thing is keeping an open mind, and focus on what we have in common - the notion that we can work together to make our country,the world a better place. more tolerant, economic and social equality, caring about the least among us, and believing in the common good.

:hi:

p.s. I'm an atheist and pro-choice. I respect people with different views than I have. Lets keep that stuff out of the public square and we'll all get along just fine.

[phillysuse]

25. Welcome to DU.

There are plenty of Democrats who do not support gun control - Jim Webb and Jon Tester among them.

Myself, I think Democrats and people on the left should be buying guns because if Bush puts through a fascist coup and doesn't leave office in 2008, we are going to need our guns to protect our homes and families from Blackwater mercenaries.

I guess I had too much tin foil on my head. Maybe not.

[ima_sinnic]

43. digression: Jim Webb is not a Democrat

He voted to extend FISA, he voted to condemn We The People for criticizing the government, and he voted NOT to defund the war. So far he has done almost entirely the opposite of what he was elected to do.

He is a republican who posed as a Democrat, otherwise known as a trojan horse. He stole money from people like me who supported his candidacy. He is a goddamned con artist. He is also extremely unintelligent, almost as dumb as Sen. Allen who he "replaced."

He's supposed to be some big war hero, courageous and all that, but somehow his "courage" got bought off by payola and he's too cowardly to do anything except what his new paymasters tell him to do. Apparently *co says jump and he says, how high. Jim Webb can kiss my butt. He SUCKS and is as phony as a $3 bill.

[gaspee]

62. agreed (N/T)

[Wilber_Stool]

26. Welcome aboard...............n/t

[Yael]

27. I could have written this post

Welcome from another DU noobie. :hi:

You are not alone out there (or in here).

[madmom]

28. welcome...hope you enjoy your stay!!

[The Doctor.]

29. There's no going back.

Once you've realized that this isn't about 'good vs evil' or 'Republicans vs Democrats', but rather 'the people vs strife & greed', you begin to realize just how terribly artificial the divisions in this country really are.

It's done on purpose. They (corporations in control of government) need us to be at each-other's throats over issues that are of no consequensce to them.

The issue of abortion is exactly one of those issues. If you ask anyone here if they are 'pro-abortion', the answer, across the board, would be 'no'.

Why is that?

If the whole 'pro-life' 'side' realized that the 'pro-choice' side is also interested in putting an end to the need for abortions, they might actually try to formulate practical solutions.

Hell, I'm a gun-owning registered Republican and I haven't been kicked out yet, I guess that says that labels are meaningless in the light of dialogue.

Welcom to DU.

[TheDoorbellRang]

45. Exactly!

"If the whole 'pro-life' 'side' realized that the 'pro-choice' side is also interested in putting an end to the need for abortions, they might actually try to formulate practical solutions."

Well said! :applause:

[lildreamer316]

48. Wish I could nom that response, don't you?

I so agree with that!!

[Stump]

63. I never really thought of it like that

You can be pro-choice and anti-abortion. Working together to figure out how to reduce the rate of abortions makes great sense to me. But I've spent my entire life on the right, and talking rationally about this one issue with conservatives is not an option.
:crazy:

[NMDemDist2]

67. most people I know are pro-choice and anti-abortion. we want women

to be able to have access to medical care which includes affordable birth control

I have NEVER met a woman who uses abortion as birth control, every woman I know who has had an abortion it was a gut wrenching time and a horrible emotional choice. but a necessary one.

no birth control is 100% effective, the women I know who made that decision had overwhelming financial, medical or emotional reasons why they choose that path

and the one thing I will tell you is that women WILL have abortions, legal or not. they always have and they always will.

I support a woman's right to clean, safe and medically supervised procedures instead of woman dying in alleys

and BTW, welcome to DU :hi: you might find our handy DU glossary both informative and entertaining

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_oet&address=358x190

[Stump]

81. Thanks for the glossary...

Many of these democratic terms are new to me. I spent a great deal of time yesterday tying to figure out what a DINO was. :hi:

[Lucinda]

32. Welcome!

I'm very conservative on some issues and very liberal on others.
Tell your friend there is room for him here as well...We cover the spectrum on both issues here.
Dont take anything personally until you get your bearings. It can get crazy here, but it's a great place to be.

L

[Karenina]

33. The KEY...

"I will no longer let someone tell me what I should believe and how I should interpret my religious beliefs."

HOLD THAT THOUGHT and Welcome to DU!

[Cha]

34. Another one of those threads

that gets me right here ! I always get a lump in my throat and beyond at "getting out the dark stories"!

Welcome to DU, Stump..I think you'll like it here..we don't all think alike but we know the difference between right and wrong(mostly:)

[SeattleGirl]

35. Welcome to DU, Stump.

:hi:

[w4rma]

36. Jesus's Beatitudes seem to be outright ignored by many right-wing "Christians".

They are some of the few actual direct quotes from Jesus that have been written down and they are not followed by too many right-wing "Christians".

[southerncrone]

40. Welcome to DU, Stump!

:hi:
WE don't disdain Christians........Just the hypocrisy that many of them blindly demonstrate.

Glad you've opened your eyes & brain cells to think for yourself.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

41. Welcome to DU

I am glad that you share the tenets that Jesus exemplified. :thumbsup:

[11 Bravo]

42. Welcome! Good to have you here!

[ima_sinnic]

44. welcome! I look forward to more of your posts!

and as far as abortion goes: save yourself agonizing over it and just know you personally would never have one. That's all you need to know. The reason Roe v. Wade even happened was that literally millions of women had died from complications after botched back-alley abortions. I "came of age" in the 60s and remember the horror stories only too well. It was legalized in order to make it a safe medical procedure, no matter what the reason it would be performed. It would be ridiculous and unenlightened to make it illegal again. That would be like returning to the Dark Ages after the Renaissance had occurred. It just can't be undone and there is no reason to undo it. Women have been aborting fetuses since caveman days, so it might as well be done safely and under the care of a doctor.

[Forkboy]

46. Did you just call us "sinners"?

:P

Just kidding.Great post, and welcome to DU.It's pretty rough and tumble here, but stay to true to those thoughts that guided you here and you'll be fine no matter where yo go.

[tblue37]

47. Welcome, Stump! (eom)

[theredpen]

49. Welcome to DU

Don't let the Christian bashers get you down, and no, they have no excuse for dumping their emotional problems on the believers on DU, but what'ya gonna do? It's a big tent and we're all trying to fight the good fight, ultimately.

Come over to the Catholic Group if you want to discuss pro-life positions. It's not illegal to be a pro-life Democrat there.

[Liberal In Texas]

50. Welcome aboard.

There'll be people you agree with here, and people you don't.
Skinner gave us a "hide thread" button for a reason.

[Redneck Socialist]

51. Welcome to DU

Some space between those paragraphs would make your post much more legible.

[Stump]

55. Sorry

This is my first thread...I did it in paragraph form but I didn't break the lines. I'll know next time. Thanks. :shrug:

[Flabbergasted]

58. There are actually a fair number of Christians here. Welcome

[AlecBGreen]

65. Welcome Stump!

There ARE many Christians here (:hi:) and you can find us here.

[TheFarseer]

52. Welcome and always remember

the things that some people who profess to follow Jesus do that we feel are wrong, hypocritical or whatever else, should not diminish anything that Jesus did or said.

about the Pro-life / Pro-choice debate - There are a considerable number of Pro-Life Democrats and personally, I always say that I see both sides of the argument and leave it at that.

[Stump]

53. Once again...

The responses to my post have been awesome. It's great to have a place to express my beliefs with people who understand what I'm trying to say. I really did drink the Kool-Aid that said the republicans are THE party for Christian people. I'm glad I actually realized the right has totally ignored the parts of the Bible that are inconvenient to their agenda. I really do care about our troops and the poor & downtrodden and want to make a difference in this country...I do not see that motivation being demonstrated by the republican party. That's why I left.

[madamesilverspurs]

83. Welcome, Stump!

Like you, I'm fairly new here. Your story is so similar to mine that I had to respond.

That part of the other side of the aisle that advertises itself as THE example of Christian morality -- well, they kind of have to keep telling us that, because there is nothing about their lives to suggest any such thing, y'know? It's like all those businesses that put Christian symbols on their signs and in their ads in order to draw people in, then proceed to rip them off.

It's an interesting experience, living your faith while surrounded by those who claim to share it but clearly do not. When I encountered my own place of breaking, a very wise friend advised that "you have to walk your own path, and your shoes can only contain one pair of feet at a time."

And since then, another friend has wagged that "the greatest liberal message the world has ever known rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, not an elephant!"

Keep walking into the light!

[AuntPatsy]

54. An honest and heartfelt welcome, I have been trying to get my husband to do more research

and to think for himself instead of parroting faux news for almost seven years now, I have been a complete failure in that regard and I don't tell him what is fact and what is not, I just ask him to research and think more but he just refuses and I don't understand why.

As far as the christian thing, I had always thought of myself as one until these people in office began destroying my faith day by day, luckily I was able to come to a personal decision in my life where and I simply choose to believe in my way without using that particular title as to what I represent, It really saddens me though that I feel they have destroyed the very meaning and once good feeling I used to possess with regards to feeling what I once called christian, I no longer do and can't handle others saying that they are.

I guess that is wrong to feel that way but I just cannot seem to help it. They have made it almost a dirty word.

[immoderate]

56. Welcome, Stump. Glad you found us.

The abortion issue is complex, and Republicans would have you believe that Democrats think of abortion as a recreation. Just implying that is odious.

Whatever one's feelings, the worst thing you can do is make abortions illegal, especially early ones, where the fetus is arguably not yet a person. (If you think it is, don't have an abortion.)

The problem with the word Christian is that it means many different things. And there is no authority who decides who makes the cut. So anybody can say what they want to do is Christian, find some biblical reference, and claim some special right. And no Christian is immune from that accusation from somebody, including other Christians. It's kind of a blowback from Christianity claiming to be synobymous with morality itself, or the exclusive key to salvation. It's a tough role to fill.

--IMM

[in_cog_ni_to]

57. Welcome to DU, Stump! On that abortion issue....

Anti-Choice supporters love to protect the FETUS, UNTIL it's born. Then they vote to take all social programs away that could help a poor single mother or poor family raise that baby. They have made health care costs too expensive to afford for poor mothers/families, childcare is outrageously expensive, food, clothing, education, dental, and doctors cost a bloody fortune and unless and until every single homeless, unwanted child, foster child on this earth has a loving home, no one should be demanding anyone brings another one into this world.

Plus, why is it anyone else's business what I do with MY body? I wouldn't ever dream of telling YOU what to do with yours.

I just thought I'd try to give you another perspective.....from a pro-choice woman's POV. :hi: Just some food for thought.

Welcome to DU! It's nice to have you here and your post is wonderful!:hi:

[Vektor]

60. Great post, welcome!

Nice to have you here. :hi:

[laylah]

64. A warm welcome

to DU, Stump. You have come to the right place. Thanks for sharing.

[Geek_Girl]

66. Welcome to DU

Thank you for sharing your story.

[martymar64]

68. Welcome aboard, Stump!

I loved your post. I'm an atheist myself, but that doesn't invalidate the teachings of Jesus as a person, just like it doesn't invalidate the teachings of Mohammed or Buddha as people. I just draw the line at the supernatural aspects of religion (virgin birth and resurrection). If one regards them as philosophical and moral teachers as opposed to deities, one can then pull the positive aspects from those teachings without having to succumb to the suspension of disbelief that is required by many religions.
I appreciate that you are courageous enough to air your doubts in a public forum. One cannot choose the environment in which they are raised. Your parents sound wonderful, they sound like people with consciences and principles. I tend to differentiate republicans of the nixon/ike era to the reagan/bush variety. Nixon was a snake without doubt, but he did start the EPA and signed the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts under his term. I think at least back then, they still retained a sense of answering to the people. It's a completely different game now. The Reagan/Bush republicans are the most un-american bunch I've ever seen since the confederates. In fact, I view them as neo-confederates through their efforts to disenfranchise minorities and enacting repressive policies to control an increasingly desperate public.

But anyways, glad to have you here!

[lumberjack_jeff]

69. Thank you.

It makes me very happy to see more people of faith speaking exactly as you have.

Traditional Christian moral values are also progressive values. Fundie-ism is a relatively new phenomenon.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

70. Welcome to DU, Stump!

:hi: cheers :toast:

[Blue Fire]

72. Welcome to DU.

[lligrd]

73. Thank You For Seeing The Truth

Republicans have hijacked my country, my religion and "freedom" and are using them to satisfy their own greed and need for power.

[gateley]

74. Just keep following your heart, and you'll always make the love-based choice.

And from one newbie to another, Hi! I'm so happy I found DU, and I have no doubt you're experiencing the same sigh of relief. Amazing people -- like you, for example!

[femrap]

75. IMHO, the religious

right is Pro-fetus....not pro-life. Look at the huge number of children who want to be adopted. I never hear a peep from them about this.

If you are male, how can you even understand what having an unwanted pregnancy is like? The religious right is based on keeping half of the population under control...that would be women.

Anyway, I'm glad you see the hypocrisy of their ways.

[otherlander]

76. Welcome to DU.

[JustAnotherGen]

77. I'm somewhat of a posting newbie

Here too - I've read DU for years. But welcome anyways. And if it makes you feel better - I'm not a big fan of abortion either. ;-) My parents are life long Dems . . .and they aren't fans of abortion either. But to have everything else I DO believe in? I'll throw that issue under the bus.

[Cabcere]

78. Welcome to DU, Stump!

:hi: And thanks for an excellent post. :thumbsup: I look forward to hearing more from you!

[Plucketeer]

79. Welcome to the fold.

There were times in the past (over 20 years ago) that I voted Rethug. I confess it had to do more with my immersion in the military-industrial complex than anything to do with party ideals.
Thing is, my inner self - part artist, part realist - kept nagging at me that OUR ideals were at odds with GOP ideals. Read that: Conflict.
NO religious upbringing here (and MAN, am I thankful never to have been fitted with THAT yoke!), I was free to question things all along. For me, it boils down to the hypocritical actions of the faithful vs. the reality of what my own two eyes can see and decipher.
I had friends that DID get taken to church every Sunday. Occassionally I'd get invited as a guest and it was confusing to me that whereas one's religion held dances and fostered gambling as a way to raise funds, another might condemn both those practices as tools of evil! And yet they BOTH had the same book open in front of them.
I can recognize when compassion's warranted - I don't need to be told. I can see where the greater good is in caring for EVERYone, not just worrying about my net worth. That's why I'm here at DU. That's why you're here as well.

[kestrel91316]

80. I betcha you really ARE pro-choice. You just don't realize it yet.

Pro-choice means the decision to bear a child is left in the hands of the one who knows best whether or not she is physically and mentally up to the task. It's NOT a decision for some bureaucrat or religious mullah or anyone other than one doing the childbearing.

NO ONE HERE is "pro-abortion". We all know it is a difficult, painful decision. I for one am glad I have never had to make that decision, and while unequivocally pro-choice, I don't know if I would be able to go through an abortion. I DO know that abortions will happen regardless of laws against them, and that deaths due to unsafe illegal abortions are unacceptable in any civilized society.

[Stump]

82. Possibly...

It's like someone stated a few posts back, I cannot continue to support a party that is against all I stand for except abortion. And the idea that many (if not most) democrats are actually opposed to abortion and want to find rational solutions to reduce the abortion rate is surprising to me. Remember, I live the Greater Falwell Area of VA...the opinion of the left is not really embraced in this region.

But I know at least one former Republican who will begin to vocally question their positions!!!

[Maat]

84. Welcome!

I encourage you to visit the Liberal Christians group. To able to use the groups, only a small donation is needed.

We also have the Seekers on Unique Paths group, which is for those of us who don't fit into a tight spriritual category. We ultimate explorers!

I love DU - I'm constantly mentally enriched. The most valuable part of DU, to me, is hearing about all sorts of personal experiences.

Thanks for sharing yours.




:hi:

[Vinca]

85. Welcome to DU.

I don't think I'd describe any of us as "anti-Christian." It's more a live and let live kind of thing. I won't push my atheism on you if you don't push your religion on me.

[Stump]

86. Thanks...

I don't push my Christianity on anyone, I instead attempt to live my life according to my beliefs.