Some thoughts on politics

WARNING: This is the first (and very possibly the last) blog post regarding politics. I don't claim to be an expert nor am I a professional political commentator by any means. But, I do have a few thoughts I thought I'd share (which I might fully regret).

There are some who might be surprised to know I'm a total political junkie. I regularly check the top news sites and go straight to the political section. But, I rarely mention anything related to politics on here, and I rarely engage in conversations with friends about it either. Let's just say I value the relationships in my life more than getting into a heated debate over some political topic or figure out there.

You might be interested to know that Marc and I aren't registered with the same political party, and yet I feel most comfortable in my discussions with him about politics. We talk openly about our positions on different issues and there are times when we don't agree. But, we know how to be respectful of each others' opinions and I really appreciate that about our relationship. In fact, I think having us see things so differently has actually helped open my mind to consider other opinions than what I might normally consider on my own.

I've had some moments in recent months when I've wished there were more civility and respect among different supporters of different candidates. I've read a lot about the different presidential candidates currently running and there is a lot of garbage out there that tries to support one candidate solely by trashing another. I really dislike that part of the political process, even though I know the arguments that claim to support its role in the overall game. I guess it's one thing for the candidates themselves to find the need to distinguish between themselves, but I wish more supporters would leave the trash-talking to the politicians.

Marc sent me a thought-provoking article written by someone a couple of years ago, who addressed this to a certain degree, quoting a well-respected leader of my Faith (from a few decades back). It's well-known that a large majority of the LDS population is Republican, but I am always grateful for the reminder that there is room for people of all backgrounds, all opinions, all political parties who are seeking to be one in following Christ, regardless of who we support for the office of President.

One of my favorite quotes from the article is this:

"Strive to develop a maturity of mind and emotion and a depth of spirit which will enable you to differ with others on matters of politics without calling into question the integrity of those with whom you differ. Allow within the bounds of your definition of religious orthodoxy variation of political belief. Do not have the temerity to dogmatize on issues where the Lord has seen fit to be silent. I’ve found by long experience that our two-party system is sound."

If you're interested in reading the article you can find it here. (Within the article itself there are links to other articles referenced that are also worth reading.)

And, if you're still reading at this point, head over to read what my friend Jessica wrote about her thoughts on Politics. I could have just re-posted her blog post and called it my own.