Christian Centrist

[christiancentrist]

Jesus could run for office against Satan, and as long as Satan was a “pro-life” Republican, the religious right would run to the polls to vote for him.

-DaggerMouth

[christiancentrist]

Christianity and Nationalism

Greetings and salutations, my fellow Christians and children of God.  This is not going to be an easy thing for me to write. I’m not someone who often stands on a soapbox.  I try not to be preachy, and I’d be the last person under normal circumstances to tell anyone how to live their life, but I see the state of Christianity in our nation today and feel compelled by the Holy Spirit to speak up.  I pray that by the grace of God these words will be true, and that those who need to hear them would receive them and heed them.

There’s a new form of nationalism sweeping through the United States and through many Christian circles.  Like all forms of nationalism, it promises to put its people first, to look out for their interests ahead of those of all others.  And as with all forms of nationalism, the problem with this is that it is exactly the opposite of what Christians are called to do.

A lot of people spend a lot of time trying to determine God’s purpose in their lives.  What is God’s will?  What is it he wants us to do?  As with all things involving God, one easy place to find answers is in his word. God has made very clear what his ultimate goal for us is, and as Christians, what our ultimate purpose should be.  “18Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’” (NIV Matthew 28: 18-20)  These were likely some of the last words Jesus said on Earth.  This was his last command to his disciples, and perhaps his most important.  Jesus didn’t say to make disciples of the people of one nation, or of a select few nations, but of all nations.

If anyone still doubts that we as Christians should strive to unite all nations in Christ, there’s the prophesy of Caiaphas and what is written about it in the Gospel of John: “51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.” (NIV John 11: 51-52)  Jesus came for all nations and all races, to unite all nations and all races of people in his kingdom.  We as Christians should strive to do the same.  This should be our number one goal, for it is God’s will and God’s purpose for us as put forward by Jesus in the Bible.  If we are nationalists, we are falling far short of this goal.

So how can we know for sure if we are falling into the trap of nationalism?  One of the symptoms of nationalism is a fear and distrust of foreigners.  This fear and distrust is sinful and goes against God’s will.  Remember the parable of the sheep:

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

(NIV Matthew 25: 31-46)

 When foreigners seek asylum, a Christian nation will do what it can to assist them.  Many use the argument, when dealing with illegal immigrants, that they are breaking the law and should therefore be punished. They are often referring to women and children who are fleeing hostile nations and seeking shelter in a nation that claims to be Christian.  In response to this argument of law and order, I say if the laws are unjust, then they should be changed.  And any law that dehumanizes those seeking shelter and sends them away is an unjust law according to God’s word.  We can weed out true criminals without punishing all those seeking shelter.

We can see whether we are truly a Christian people and a Christian nation by our fruits.  “18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” (NIV Matthew 7:18-20) The Bible makes it very clear how we can tell an evil person from a righteous person.  Matthew gives explanations of both sin and righteousness: “19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (NIV Galatians 5: 19-21)  A lot has been said of the first sins mentioned here, so I draw your attention to these: hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, and factions.  The hatred and division that thrive under nationalism fall into this category of sin. Conversely, there are the fruits of the spirit, the things we should strive for: “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (NIV Galatians 5:22-23)  These are the fruits a Christian nation will exhibit when dealing with other peoples, other nations, for its ultimate goal should be to unite the world under God.

There are those who say we need to follow our governing authorities, but if these governing authorities are opposed to God, we need to stand up to them.  This following authorities argument sounds an awful lot like the “just following orders” excuse used by scores of Nazi soldiers in the aftermath of World War II.  In the United States, we the people are the ultimate governing authority under God as put forth in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.  Our leaders need to listen to us and serve us.  If they don’t, we’ll find new leaders.  This excuse of submitting to the authorities or just following orders is just that, an excuse.  “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” (NIV Matthew 5:13)  If we use these types of excuses, we lose our saltiness as Christians and become sheep who are being drawn away from Christ.  We must always put Christ ahead of country, for he is our shepherd, our ultimate leader.  “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” (NIV Matthew 6:24)

All sin comes from Satan, and one of the vilest sins that accompanies nationalism is that of racism.  Throughout history, this hatred of the other, the other political party or the other nation or the other group of people, has morphed into hatred of a race, hatred of a skin color or set of cultural and/or religious beliefs. Let’s look at two of the most significant cases of nationalism in recent times, Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, the Axis forces we were at war with during World War II.  Many of the people in those nations wouldn’t have considered themselves racist, but the nationalism exhibited by both countries eventually took the form of devastating racism.  In the case of Imperial Japan, they were racist against other Asian peoples, especially those of the Korean race.  Their treatment of Koreans helped lead to the revolution and formation of North Korea, one of the most notorious left wing nationalist nations in history.  On the far right we have Nazi Germany, and we all know about the Holocaust and their extermination of six million Jews.  There were those in Germany who never believed this happened.  Some still don’t believe it, and now in the USA, there are many far right alt right extremists who also don’t believe the Holocaust ever happened.  This shows how nationalism can become devastatingly brutal without all of the people in the nation even realizing it.

Now in the USA, our form of nationalism also has strong racial undertones.  We’ve seen an upswing in racism against Hispanics, people from Muslim countries, Jews, and African Americans.  Some fringe extremists are already starting to commit acts of violence in the name of nationalism.  We’ve recently seen a rash of shootings where white nationalists killed people of other races.  There was also a person who mailed out bombs to various opposing political figures. Nationalism leads to violence.  It led to violence in Nazi Germany even before the holocaust, when Adolf Hitler incited fringe groups to commit violent acts against Jews and others they perceived as communists long before the advent of World War II.  This violence escalated until six million people were murdered.  And nationalism isn’t a partisan thing.  We’ve had nationalists on both the right and the left.  For every Adolph Hitler, there’s Joseph Stalin, a Pol Pot, or a Kim Il-Sung.  Nationalism has never ended well for the country practicing it.  All of these nationalist nations were either defeated in wars and destroyed or suffered economically and fell apart.  The same will happen in the USA if we chose to continue down that road.

None of us are perfect.  I struggle with sin as much as the next man, and I am in constant need of God’s grace and his forgiveness.  If we weren’t hopeless sinners we wouldn’t need Christ, and I understand that.  However, when we know we are sinning, we need to repent and seek God’s forgiveness.  If we don’t and continue going down the road of evil, we risk cutting ourselves off from God.  When we ignore the rumblings of the Holy Spirit within us, we put our salvation at risk.  “28 Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.” (Mark 3:28-29)

Nationalism is bad for the USA and it’s bad for Christianity.  It draws people away from God and destroys nations.  It is a tool Satan uses to divide and conquer Christians.  He has used it in this way throughout history and will continue to do so. Nationalism eggs people on to do horrendous, sinful things supposedly in the name of their countries, but in reality, sin can only be done for Satan.  As Christians, we must stand against nationalism in all its forms for the good of our country and for the good of our souls.  By the grace of God may we be strong and learn to always put love and forgiveness first.  I love you all, for you are my brothers and my sisters in Christ, even if we don’t see eye to on all things.  Let us remember that we are all children of God.

[christiancentrist]

Christianity and Nationalism

Greetings and salutations, my fellow Christians and children of God.  This is not going to be an easy thing for me to write. I’m not someone who often stands on a soapbox.  I try not to be preachy, and I’d be the last person under normal circumstances to tell anyone how to live their life, but I see the state of Christianity in our nation today and feel compelled by the Holy Spirit to speak up.  I pray that by the grace of God these words will be true, and that those who need to hear them would receive them and heed them.

There’s a new form of nationalism sweeping through the United States and through many Christian circles.  Like all forms of nationalism, it promises to put its people first, to look out for their interests ahead of those of all others.  And as with all forms of nationalism, the problem with this is that it is exactly the opposite of what Christians are called to do.

A lot of people spend a lot of time trying to determine God’s purpose in their lives.  What is God’s will?  What is it he wants us to do?  As with all things involving God, one easy place to find answers is in his word. God has made very clear what his ultimate goal for us is, and as Christians, what our ultimate purpose should be.  “18Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’” (NIV Matthew 28: 18-20)  These were likely some of the last words Jesus said on Earth.  This was his last command to his disciples, and perhaps his most important.  Jesus didn’t say to make disciples of the people of one nation, or of a select few nations, but of all nations.

If anyone still doubts that we as Christians should strive to unite all nations in Christ, there’s the prophesy of Caiaphas and what is written about it in the Gospel of John: “51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.” (NIV John 11: 51-52)  Jesus came for all nations and all races, to unite all nations and all races of people in his kingdom.  We as Christians should strive to do the same.  This should be our number one goal, for it is God’s will and God’s purpose for us as put forward by Jesus in the Bible.  If we are nationalists, we are falling far short of this goal.

So how can we know for sure if we are falling into the trap of nationalism?  One of the symptoms of nationalism is a fear and distrust of foreigners.  This fear and distrust is sinful and goes against God’s will.  Remember the parable of the sheep:

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

(NIV Matthew 25: 31-46)

 When foreigners seek asylum, a Christian nation will do what it can to assist them.  Many use the argument, when dealing with illegal immigrants, that they are breaking the law and should therefore be punished. They are often referring to women and children who are fleeing hostile nations and seeking shelter in a nation that claims to be Christian.  In response to this argument of law and order, I say if the laws are unjust, then they should be changed.  And any law that dehumanizes those seeking shelter and sends them away is an unjust law according to God’s word.  We can weed out true criminals without punishing all those seeking shelter.

We can see whether we are truly a Christian people and a Christian nation by our fruits.  “18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” (NIV Matthew 7:18-20) The Bible makes it very clear how we can tell an evil person from a righteous person.  Matthew gives explanations of both sin and righteousness: “19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (NIV Galatians 5: 19-21)  A lot has been said of the first sins mentioned here, so I draw your attention to these: hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, and factions.  The hatred and division that thrive under nationalism fall into this category of sin. Conversely, there are the fruits of the spirit, the things we should strive for: “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (NIV Galatians 5:22-23)  These are the fruits a Christian nation will exhibit when dealing with other peoples, other nations, for its ultimate goal should be to unite the world under God.

There are those who say we need to follow our governing authorities, but if these governing authorities are opposed to God, we need to stand up to them.  This following authorities argument sounds an awful lot like the “just following orders” excuse used by scores of Nazi soldiers in the aftermath of World War II.  In the United States, we the people are the ultimate governing authority under God as put forth in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.  Our leaders need to listen to us and serve us.  If they don’t, we’ll find new leaders.  This excuse of submitting to the authorities or just following orders is just that, an excuse.  “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” (NIV Matthew 5:13)  If we use these types of excuses, we lose our saltiness as Christians and become sheep who are being drawn away from Christ.  We must always put Christ ahead of country, for he is our shepherd, our ultimate leader.  “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” (NIV Matthew 6:24)

All sin comes from Satan, and one of the vilest sins that accompanies nationalism is that of racism.  Throughout history, this hatred of the other, the other political party or the other nation or the other group of people, has morphed into hatred of a race, hatred of a skin color or set of cultural and/or religious beliefs. Let’s look at two of the most significant cases of nationalism in recent times, Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, the Axis forces we were at war with during World War II.  Many of the people in those nations wouldn’t have considered themselves racist, but the nationalism exhibited by both countries eventually took the form of devastating racism.  In the case of Imperial Japan, they were racist against other Asian peoples, especially those of the Korean race.  Their treatment of Koreans helped lead to the revolution and formation of North Korea, one of the most notorious left wing nationalist nations in history.  On the far right we have Nazi Germany, and we all know about the Holocaust and their extermination of six million Jews.  There were those in Germany who never believed this happened.  Some still don’t believe it, and now in the USA, there are many far right alt right extremists who also don’t believe the Holocaust ever happened.  This shows how nationalism can become devastatingly brutal without all of the people in the nation even realizing it.

Now in the USA, our form of nationalism also has strong racial undertones.  We’ve seen an upswing in racism against Hispanics, people from Muslim countries, Jews, and African Americans.  Some fringe extremists are already starting to commit acts of violence in the name of nationalism.  We’ve recently seen a rash of shootings where white nationalists killed people of other races.  There was also a person who mailed out bombs to various opposing political figures. Nationalism leads to violence.  It led to violence in Nazi Germany even before the holocaust, when Adolf Hitler incited fringe groups to commit violent acts against Jews and others they perceived as communists long before the advent of World War II.  This violence escalated until six million people were murdered.  And nationalism isn’t a partisan thing.  We’ve had nationalists on both the right and the left.  For every Adolph Hitler, there’s a Joseph Stalin, a Pol Pot, or a Kim Il-Sung.  Nationalism has never ended well for the country practicing it.  All of these nationalist nations were either defeated in wars and destroyed or suffered economically and fell apart.  The same will happen in the USA if we chose to continue down that road.

None of us are perfect.  I struggle with sin as much as the next man, and I am in constant need of God’s grace and his forgiveness.  If we weren’t hopeless sinners we wouldn’t need Christ, and I understand that.  However, when we know we are sinning, we need to repent and seek God’s forgiveness.  If we don’t and continue going down the road of evil, we risk cutting ourselves off from God.  When we ignore the rumblings of the Holy Spirit within us, we put our salvation at risk.  “28 Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.” (Mark 3:28-29)

Nationalism is bad for the USA and it’s bad for Christianity.  It draws people away from God and destroys nations.  It is a tool Satan uses to divide and conquer Christians.  He has used it in this way throughout history and will continue to do so. Nationalism eggs people on to do horrendous, sinful things supposedly in the name of their countries, but in reality, sin can only be done for Satan.  As Christians, we must stand against nationalism in all its forms for the good of our country and for the good of our souls.  By the grace of God may we be strong and learn to always put love and forgiveness first.  I love you all, for you are my brothers and my sisters in Christ, even if we don’t see eye to on all things.  Let us remember that we are all children of God.

[christiancentrist]

Division without compromise ultimately leads to violence. Compromise is the fruit of love which leads to peace.

-christiancentrist

[christiancentrist]

I believe in balance. When one extreme is empowered, it only serves to also empower the opposite extreme. We are seeing this in the current political situation in the USA, Europe, and throughout the world. As centrists, we strive to empower the center, so we can help keep the extremes from exploding into chaos.

Daggermouth

[christiancentrist]

Never blindly follow anything.  Always struggle.  Always question.  And if and only if that which you follow answers your questions in a way you agree with and can live with, then do you follow.  But still question continuously, for that which you follow must always stand up to this questioning.  It must always prove true.  Otherwise, it was only a temporary deception, or a truth that changed into a lie. For me, Christianity is the only truth that has stood the test of time against this scrutiny.  When I say Christianity, I mean the version put forth by Jesus and the Apostles, not the the version put forth by the Religious Right or the social Christianity that seems to have overtaken many circles.  I speak of the Christianity of love and forgiveness. The Christianity that is slow to judge others but quick to help those in need.  True Christianity.

Daggermouth

[christiancentrist]

Happy Birthday, USA!

The United States of America turns 242 years old today. Think about that for a minute. We're still a very young nation. We aren't even 250 years old yet. A person who's 100 has been here for nearly half of our nation's history. And yet we are the most powerful and influential country in the world. That's an amazing feat.

We've done lots of great things in this 242 years. We were the nation that discovered electricity, that invented the cell phone, the computer, the microwave oven, and the chocolate chip cookie. We helped spearhead the industrial revolution and developed the assembly line. We're the nation that spawned great art and literature, the blues, jazz, and rock and roll. We helped the world stop the evil of Nazi Germany and Adolph Hitler. We should always remember the great sacrifices people have made to make our great nation what it is today. The world would be a very different place if not for the USA. Our stamp is everywhere, throughout the Earth. We've always had great potential and have sometimes taken great strides towards reaching that potential. But remember, we're still very young. In a world where some nations are a thousand or more years old, we're a child.

We aren't perfect. There are some major blemishes in our history, some huge mistakes we've made. We invented the cotton gin and the atomic bomb. We stole our land from Native Americans, built our agricultural power on the backs of African slaves, imprisoned Japanese Americans in internment camps, and killed thousands upon thousands of civilians with atomic explosions in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. At our best, we represent freedom and liberty and we are driven by a will to help others and do what's best for all people. At our worst, we oppress people who aren't of white European descent and are driven by greed and lust for power. But we can learn from our mistakes to ultimately become an even greater country. We must make sure we never repeat them.

Our founding documents envisioned a nation where all people live freely with liberty for all, even if the men who wrote those documents didn't fully realize what those words meant at the time. We are now in a position to live up to that potential. We can learn from our short history, and from the world's long history. I don't believe we've yet reached our golden age, but if we follow our greatest motives, the motives of freedom, liberty, and love for all mankind, we can get there together. We can work towards building a peaceful world where all men and women can experience true liberty and freedom. So today let's not only celebrate our nation's short history, but our unlimited potential. I believe that our best years are ahead of us, not behind us. Let's work to get to that golden age, together.

[christiancentrist]

Proposal: The Centrist Doctrine

The Centrist Doctrine

 We believe that balance in all things is important.

We believe that there is always a compromise for every issue somewhere between far left and far right which will be the best solution for the nation as a whole.

We believe that it is sometimes necessary to either put aside temporarily or change permanently our personal political dogmas for the betterment of the nation as a whole.

We believe in the liberty and human rights of all people, regardless of race, gender, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, or personally held beliefs and practices (assuming these beliefs and practices do not violate the liberty and rights of others), and this belief can never change for it represents the underlying values of our nation as put forward in our founding documents.

While the above statements will always be our foundation as a group, when it comes to specific issues, we are willing to look at and change our stances when new research or changes in our national identity require it.

 On specific issues (listed alphabetically, not in order of importance):

Abortion: We believe in the rights and liberties of both mothers and their children.  We as a nation must decide when unborn children should be allowed legal rights under the Constitution separate from their mothers.  As Centrists, we believe that this point most likely lies somewhere between the extremes of conception and birth.  A good starting place could be when a child’s mind begins developing or when the child can feel pain, but this is open for civilized debate.  We believe in erring on the side of caution when human life is involved.  The safety and wellbeing of the mother should also be a major consideration in each case.

Allies verses Hostile Nations: We should ally ourselves with nations that have similar beliefs and practices and similar global objectives to our own, especially when it comes to human rights.  Nations that trample over the human rights of their citizens should be considered hostile nations and treated as such.

Business: We believe that as much as possible, the government should stay out of business and economics.  However, we cannot let any business have undue power when it comes to our government.  For this reason, we need to look closely at our system of lobbying as well as our systems of patents and copyrights and corporate/business law.  We need to make sure that businesses do not have unbalanced power over consumers, and that big businesses do not have unbalanced power over smaller businesses.

Civil Rights: The rights of all citizens should never be in question.  We believe in the rights of all groups and identities.  Therefore, we will never favor any one group or identity over any others.  When considering policy, we should make sure as much as possible that our policies and actions do not help one specific group or identity while hurting another. This equality is essential to our national well-being.

Environment: We believe that it is the government’s duty to take measures to protect our environment and our world.  We also believe in the liberties and rights of businesses.  We need to come up with solid environmental practices that can be put in place while doing as little harm as possible to businesses and the economy.  As with all of our policies, human life and human rights must be put front and center.

Freedom of Religion: Each person should be free to practice religion as he or she sees fit, as long as these practices do not harm other individuals or threaten their rights or liberties.  No religion should be favored over any others by the government. Also, people should not be forced to take actions that would go against their religious beliefs.  Conversely, people should not be allowed to take actions that attack the rights or liberties of others in the name of religion.

Freedom of Speech: We should be free to speak or voice our opinions in any matter, even if, perhaps especially if, we are criticizing actions of the government or specific political figures.  This freedom should not cover speech that threatens the rights or liberties of any individual or group, however.  More specifically, it should not cover hate speech, speech that incites violence, speech that supports terrorism, speech by public employees, defamation, speech that steals intellectual property, or threats to physical wellbeing.

Gay Marriage/Gay Rights: As with all groups, we believe that members of the LGBT community should have the same rights and protections under the law as all others in the nation.  When it comes to marriage, however, a church or private organization should not be forced to participate in a ceremony that goes against their beliefs as long as the same benefits can be provided elsewhere. Public servants are obligated to perform such ceremonies, however, regardless of their beliefs.

Gun Control: We believe in the second amendment and are staunchly for defending gun ownership rights.  However, gun control laws may need to be changed or put into place regarding certain types of weapons depending on current events and situations.  The safety of the nation’s citizens should always be a top priority.  Any laws need to take into account their effect on the freedoms and liberties of our citizens, however.

Immigration: We need secure borders and public safety is paramount.  That being said, an influx of immigrants is necessary for a nation to grow and maintain a healthy population.  Immigrants are what has made the USA the great nation it is today.  There should never be any merit requirements or other requirements put on immigrants other than those that preserve our public safety and attempt to keep out criminals and those who would do us harm.  We should secure our borders in such a way that is as small a burden to the taxpayers as possible.  Still, we want to be a welcoming environment for refugees and immigrants from other nations.  We want to remain a great nation that people are proud to migrate to.

Localized verses Central Government: In almost all cases, local government knows what’s best for its local citizens.  Local government should be first and foremost in making decisions for its citizens, followed by state, and finally the federal government.  Whenever possible, the federal government should not step on the toes of local decision makers.  It must intervene in certain cases of national security, immigration, national economics, civil rights, and public safety, but that intervention should be kept as minimal as possible.

Military: A strong military is a necessity for a nation to preserve its autonomy.  That military should be used mostly as a non-interventionist defense entity, but it can also be used to defend our allies from attack or invasion.  During any military operation, civilian casualties must be avoided at all costs.

Police Brutality: Police are mostly hard workers and brave men and women who are there to keep us safe, but like anyone else, they can make mistakes from time to time.  There can also be some bad apples in the police force who may need to be weeded out, and some institutional changes may be needed from time to time to deal with ongoing issues.  We will not tolerate police brutality against any individuals.  This is a public safety issue.  If such actions tend to target specific groups, we need to take added measures to make sure such targeting ceases to happen.  Public safety and the preservation of the rights and liberties of all people is the purpose of the police force, and if members of the force are threatening these rights and liberties unjustly, that situation must be remedied.

Press: A free, independent press is an absolute necessity in a functioning democracy.  The government and its officials should never place restrictions on the press through their words or actions, except in cases involving classified information and/or national security.  The free press is a necessary proponent for the people, keeping them informed of the actions of the government.

Separation of powers: No government institution should ever attain unbalanced powers.  Separation of powers and checks and balances are necessary in a functioning democracy to keep the power out of the hands of a concentrated group or individual.

Spending and size of government: We believe in keeping government spending as low as possible and the size of the government as small as possible.  The government should be a streamlined, efficient entity.  We can’t gut necessary functions, however.  The government should always be able to defend the nation and its citizens, and see that the freedoms and liberties of all citizens are preserved.  The government must also look out for the public safety and welfare of its citizens.

Welfare: Welfare is a necessity if the personal security and wellbeing of our citizens are to be preserved.  We must take steps to make sure that such welfare accomplishes the goals it sets out to accomplish, however.  Systems must be put in place that prevent people from taking advantage of the system.  However, a nation that doesn’t look out for the wellbeing of its most vulnerable citizens, including the sick, the handicapped, the elderly, and children, is not doing its job and is failing to live up to its promises.

Some Final Thoughts:

We will always listen to you, the citizens. We believe it is our job to hear people of all walks of life and respond to their wants and needs.  We will make changes and additions where necessary based on your input.  We are here to serve you and we will never forget that.

[christiancentrist]

On Charles Manson and conspiracy theories among other things...

I look at the world sometimes and see a major problem with people's overall ability to analyze data and draw conclusions from it. This, to me, explains the rise in conspiracy theories recently. People see certain things happening that they don't like and draw conclusions that just aren't there. They're making false connections, seeing things they want to see instead of the truth.

I believe when we analyze data, we need to do it in as unbiased a way as possible. What's there and what does it mean? Aside from our outside opinions and beliefs being drawn into it. Then, once we see the truth in the facts, we make a conclusion, and that's when outside opinions and beliefs come in. Based on this conclusion, how do I feel about the situation. Not, here's what people are saying. I'll agree or disagree depending on their religious or political beliefs and whether they agree with my own. There are both good people and liars who are Christians, atheists, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, etc. Just like there are both good people and liars who are conservatives, liberals, and independents.

I watched some Charles Manson videos recently to re-familiarize myself with him after his death. He was a fairly intelligent man but he lacked the ability to analyze data and draw conclusions from it. Those connections just weren't there. He saw the corruption in the world. He saw the problems with greed and lust for power that we have in this country. But his thinking said the country is a sham based on money and power, everyone in a position of power is immoral, so let's go kill some actresses.

Now obviously not everyone is a murderer or cult leader, but these issues with drawing conclusions from data will always cause problems. If we draw the wrong conclusions, we'll take the wrong actions, and the results will not be good, unless by dumb luck. I believe this is something we can all conscientiously work on. We need to try to look at data in an unbiased way. We need to make sure we are getting our data from sources that are as unbiased as possible. That means not conservative or liberal. And once we get that data, we should look at it for what it is. Draw conclusions from the facts. And then act on those conclusions to make the world a better place.

[christiancentrist]

The ACA

Under the Affordable Care Act, millions of people who pay for their own insurance are seeing their premiums skyrocket. Republicans want to repeal it and push through legislation that would cause millions to lose their health insurance and that would cease protecting people with preexisting conditions. As usual, Republicans and Democrats are refusing to work together. Republicans won't support any legislation that doesn't repeal the Affordable Care Act completely. Democrats won't support any legislation that doesn't keep the Affordable Care Act in place. Meanwhile, Trump is doing what he does best. Basically, his executive orders amount to him holding the American people hostage so he can score political points with his base. If there were a strong Centrist Party represented in Washington, numbers would dictate that both sides would have to work with us and/or each other in order to pass any legislation. Folks, there has got to be a better way. I believe a Centrist Party would help us find that better way.

[christiancentrist]

Tired of "my way or the highway" political ideologies? Well, we're the highway. All are welcome here.

Team Centrist https://www.facebook.com/TeamCentrist/ 

Follow the Christian Centrist here.

“Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God.” Matthew 5:9

[christiancentrist]

On the rich, poor, and middle classes...

My goal as a centrist is to encourage a society which will be committed to the most important ideal expressed in the Declaration of Independence, the ideal which the USA was founded on, that everyone is created equal. There are many ideologies which claim to hold this ideal important, but most fall short. In my ideal society, people of all genders, races, creeds, economic classes, sexual orientations, or lifestyle choices would have equal say in the governing of the nation. Every person of an age to make responsible decisions would have the option to be a participant in the political discussion and would have some sway regarding the nation’s policies.

Throughout our nation’s history, this has never truly been the case. There have always been some groups who’ve had more sway than others, and the systems in place now represent limited groups of people, and their promises carry weight only for some citizens. This is what has led to the divisions in the USA more than anything else. Everyone wants their piece of the pie, and they see either the right or the left as the only option for them to be granted this portion of political power. The other side, therefore, is the enemy in their eyes. For now, I’ll focus on perhaps the biggest rift. This is the rift between the wealthy and the poor, with the middle classes often stuck in between these two opposing sides with little or no real political representation.

Policies that favor the rich at the expense of the poor tend to have a lasting demoralizing and destabilizing effect on society, and those in power tend to be wealthy or representatives of the interests of those who are wealthy, so this tends to be where things are, and it is definitely where things are now. This has led to the Occupy Wall Street movement and similar outcries from the left, but it has also helped push the alt-right and xenophobic movements of the right to the forefront. People are looking for someone to blame for their plight, and opportunistic politicians are more than happy to provide these “enemies.” I propose that the true enemies we need to unite against are the politicians themselves, those from both the right and the left. We need to stop supporting policies that divide us and start finding ways that all people can work together for the betterment of society, and that means poor, middle class, and wealthy people all working together and finding ways to compromise with one another for the betterment of all.

There are some who say that in order to change this nation’s history of the wealthy preying on the poor, the only solution would be for the workers to rise up and revolt, or for the working classes and their allies to hijack the power from the rich and then pursue their own interests. I argue that this would only flip the balance in favor of the poor, while it would marginalize the wealthy and the middle classes. It would also have a devastating effect on modern society. I picture a future where all humans would benefit from the work of machines. The most mundane, strenuous work would no longer need to be done by humans and this would benefit everyone across the spectrum, because since none of us would have to do backbreaking physical labor any longer, we would all have the benefit of being able to pursue work that is less strenuous on our bodies and more rewarding for our minds. To push a society that pulls us backwards and jeopardizes this future is to force humanity into torture. And for what? To legitimize some personal ideals? This is not a path to equality.

I’m not putting down those who do strenuous physical labor. The working classes of our nation have been the backbone of our society throughout history. They deserve more than they’ve been getting. We need policies that will look out for the needs of working class families. But to push for their benefit above all others, even if they do make up a greater portion of our nation’s workforce, would be detrimental to both our society as a whole and to them. Upsetting the balance in either direction would not be the ideal solution. It ultimately hurts everyone. I support labor unions. I support policies that reign in corporate power and the power of big businesses. What I don’t support is a system that would tear town the bastions of progress to pull us all into a communal prison of perpetual hard labor. Not when we can build a society where no one would have to do hard labor and all could benefit from the work of machines and technology. We need to help people find their place in this new society as it changes, though. We need to assist those who become marginalized and help them learn the skills they need to thrive. We also may need to do what we can to see that their needs are met during the transition, which has already begun. We don’t want anyone in our society to become marginalized, but at the same time, we don’t want to bring human progress to a screeching halt. We want society to continue to progress, and we want everyone across the board to benefit from this progress.

Let’s work to make a better world for everyone, not just one group. Let’s find the best policies that will work for the wealthy, the poor, and the middle classes, and for all people within these groups. This, I believe should be the goal of anyone who is serious about fixing the problems in our society.

[afterlifeserial]

The Centrist Party. 7 likes. A new political party for open minded and fair policy. And... we're brand new and need help.

Here’s a new #centrist Facebook group for those fed up with partisan politics and the status quo: https://www.facebook.com/TeamCentrist/ #centrism

[christiancentrist]

The Four Parties of the USA and what we need as a nation

As our system has stood for a long time, many believe it to be a two party system, with a Democratic left and a Republican right, but current developments have changed this system, or have at least brought these changes to light.  Think of the election of 2016, where there were two distinct factions in each party.  Donald Trump led a far-right populist sect while other Republican leaders represented a more traditional conservative viewpoint.  On the other hand, Bernie Sanders was a socialist leftist while Hilary Clinton appealed to a more traditional liberal base.  The divisions in our nation have split into four parts, as the two right wing groups vie for control of the Republican Party and the two left wing groups vie for control of the Democrats.  So far this difference has tended to pull both parties further from the center, and therefore the majority of US citizens, who tend to be closer to the center, are suffering because of it.  Many center-left or center-right citizens find themselves supporting candidates with agendas far from their own simply because they don’t want the other party’s candidate to win.  I draw comparisons to early America, where the wealthy landowners and the working classes both opposed the British, but were also in opposition to one another. As always, those with money, land, and power tended to win out in the end.  In our nation today, the money and power is starting to shift to the extreme sects of both parties.  This is a huge problem.  The far-right hate groups with neo-Nazi and Confederate-sympathizing white supremacist, white nationalist belief systems are getting a surprising amount of money funneled into them, from crowd funding and business sources.  Same goes for far-left socialist and communist groups as well as fringe anarchist groups and groups like ANTIFA, who can sometimes trend towards violence and destruction of property among other things.  This is a formula for chaos, disorder, and if we aren’t careful, violence and civil conflict.  So this is a part of the problem.  Also, as the left and right divide further apart, consensus in our government becomes less achievable.  What we have is the party in power pushing forward partisan, one-sided legislation while the lesser party goes the obstructionist route until they gain power. Then the seesaw continues.  As one party gains power, they work to destroy all of the strides the previous party in power worked to make. This goes back and forth and our nation is like a car that goes into drive, drives a few feet, then goes into reverse and goes back a few feet.  Any progress is minimal.  We need consensus to achieve any progress for our citizens.  How can we do this?  The moderate sections of the Republican Party and the Democratic Party in power right now are controlled by corporate and big business interests.  This is what started the populist movements in the first place, so they are not the answer.  I propose a strong Centrist Party that combines views that could be supported by all four of these factions.  They must have the ability to listen to the rich, poor, and middle classes without fully siding with any of these class groups.  They must also be able to listen to both the right and the left, choosing sensible legislation from both parties to support, while also proposing centrist policies of their own.  They must be able to hear the voices of Christians as well as people of all other religions including atheists, people of all races and backgrounds, people of all political systems, people of all genders and lifestyles, urban citizens as well as rural citizens, the educated as well as the uneducated.  I think you see where I’m going with this.  We need a party that’s willing to draw from all of these groups and to listen to all citizens to see what the nation truly wants and needs. This is what’s missing in our nation. This Centrist Party would act as a sort of swing vote on many occasions, keeping the other parties from straying too far from what American citizens as a whole truly want.  This party would represent both Democratic and Republican principles, but more importantly, it would represent the thoughts and beliefs of independents and moderates, a huge group that makes up the majority of voters. It’s a group that is, unfortunately, being neglected in our current system, leading many in our country to believe that our government could care less about their interests.  If we really want healing in our nation, if we really want to counter the divisions and the chaos, I believe this would be the best place to start.

[christiancentrist]

A Common Voice

There’s a form of tyranny snaking its way through our nation, and it isn’t one that’s visible on the surface.  There’s no dictator enforcing this tyranny against us with an iron fist, for it is we ourselves who are behind it.  It is the tyranny of thought.  It is the belief by some that they have to get others to agree with their beliefs by any means possible, even if this means excluding people who think differently from the political process, or from receiving many of the benefits our government is pledged by law, written and implied, to provide.  It is a form of tyranny that excludes people who have different thoughts or beliefs from social and political circles, and vilifies them with words and actions.  It causes isolation and division that works as a cancer that is weakening our nation. It is a tyranny inflicted on us by the masses, both rich and poor, educated and uneducated, conservative and liberal.  It’s pushed by people who believe strongly in their beliefs, which is fine, but it isn’t fine to call those who think differently stupid or evil.  It is pushed by educated people who think the voices of anyone who doesn’t understand or agree with the conclusions of reason and/or science are irrelevant and should be ignored.  It is pushed by religious zealots who think the same of anyone who doesn’t share their religious background.  It’s pushed by people who watch one or another news station or read partisan news online, and think anyone who reads different news is an idiot.  It is pushed by anyone who thinks that their way is the only right way, and all others are irrelevant.  I’m not saying we shouldn’t hold strong to our beliefs.  This is human and necessary.  I’m only saying that to try to inflict these beliefs on others who don’t think the same as we do or come from the same background is intellectual tyranny, especially when it is accompanied by the power of wealth and/or political clout.  It is far better that we learn to listen to those who are different and share different beliefs.  We don’t have to agree with them, but we should learn to work with them towards a form of consensus when it comes to action.  The government needs to do this when passing laws, but we as citizens need to do this in our discussions and interactions with one another.  It is the only way to preserve democracy.  It is the only way we can find a common voice, rather than a rabble of conflicting views that push divisions and destruction. I believe we can work together to find this common voice.  We must start by learning to listen to others, especially those we don’t agree with.

[christiancentrist]

On Freedom of Speech

As with all freedoms, the freedom of speech comes with some responsibilities. The freedom to bear arms comes with the responsibilities that if you're going to own firearms, you need to know how to handle them safely and you need to keep them secure from children and people who would use them irresponsibly. The freedom of a fair trial comes with the responsibilities of those in our legal system not to abuse their power by accepting bribes or acting out of self interest. The freedom of speech comes with the responsibilities to actually think about what you say and not to speak in a careless, inconsiderate manner. There's not necessarily a law involved here, just an unspoken set of guidelines that may be different for each speaker and audience, but to speak without considering who your audience is and how what you're saying is going to be received is, quite frankly, a form of laziness. It's intellectual laziness. That doesn't mean everyone has to be a genius or have a PhD. I believe every adult human is capable of considering these things before they open their mouth or write something online. Emotion can sometimes cloud judgement. That's why it's often important to stop and take some time before speaking or writing. If you're angry about something, don't say or write anything for public consumption. Take some time to calm down. Maybe write it to yourself just to get your anger out. I can't tell you how many times I've written an angry rant and then deleted it and later realized how silly it really was. Then, the next day, if you still feel the same way, write or say something that's well thought out, considering who's going to be hearing/reading and what their reaction might be. Speaking out of anger with the intention of riling people up will most likely not have a good reaction. People who agree with you might continue to agree with you, but even some of those might be turned off by your tone. And people who disagree will just shut you out or take your bait and fight. Say something well thought out and considerate and even if someone disagrees with you, they might be willing to join the conversation if nothing else. If we really want to start having the discussions we need to be having in this country, I think everyone needs to start considering the responsibilities that go along with our freedoms. For if we act irresponsibly, I believe it's possible those freedoms might one day be taken from us.

[christiancentrist]

On Protests

When we love someone, it's important that we tell them when they're headed in the wrong direction. It's the only way to help that person grow. If a child is going astray, doesn't a loving parent show them the right direction? We don't let them continue walking in a direction that we believe would be harmful to them. To let a child or a loved one do whatever they wanted and blindly say "I love them so I can't criticize them"... Would that be love? I say no. That could lead the person we love into danger, and it's our responsibility to those whom we love to tell them when they're wrong and to help guide them towards what we believe is best for them, is it not? The same goes for love of our country. We have a responsibility as citizens to speak out when we see things we believe are problems with our country, and it goes against everything this country stands for to try to stop others from doing this. If someone is protesting something, don't listen to what the media or politicians are saying about them. They often get it wrong. Listen to what the protesters are saying. They have grievances, and those grievances are important to them, whether they are important to you or me or not. Most of them are trying to help our country out of love for our country. This being said, I realize there are some people who protest out of hatred for their fellow Americans. But again, listen to what they are saying. Is it a message of hatred or of love? Are they trying to stand up for the downtrodden? Are they speaking words of love and support for people they believe have been wronged? Or are they speaking words of hatred for another group of people? When we protest, we must do it out of love for our country and all of the people who live here. We must do it with the intention of making this nation a better place for all who live here, regardless of race, cultural identity, or belief system. If protesters are doing this, and speaking out against perceived wrongs done to any group, I say it's patriotic. It shows love of country. And I fully support anyone who is doing this. Some will argue against this saying we have to respect authority. In the United States of America, a Democratic Republic, We the People are the ultimate authority under God. Therefore it is our right and our duty, out of love for country, to protest against anything we view as being dangerous to any group in this country. If you don't agree with this, I hope you'll at least respect others' right and duty to do so, whether you agree with them or not.