Broken Silence

I tend, for all kinds of reasons, to keep most of my political and and religious ideologies to myself. But ... In this era of politicizing religion and dogmatically adhering to political ideology, I have decided to come out with it. Here is a statement on where I stand. On everything.

1. My thoughts on religion and politics are personal and separate.  I have no interest in opening myself to presumptive assumptions based on the organizations, groups, parties, or clubs I may be a member of or associate with; therefore, while I have strong opinions and beliefs related to the constructs of both religion and politics, I share them with discretion only in private conversation. As a general note, I do not engage if person- or party-specific rhetoric on either topic. What I will say is that what I think about the universe and what I think politically are not the same and do not reside in the same space in my head or heart. 
2. My religion and politics are rooted in core values. Because I am values-driven, my opinions and thoughts on religion and politics do not change much. All of my opinions can be traced back to one or more of my personal core values: honesty, personal responsibility, creativity, and stewardship. 
3. Application of my values to opinion on situational circumstance and decision making is specific. My opinions include a lot of room for disagreement, empathy, and collaborative problem solving. Some have said this means that I "don't have" opinions ... or that if I do, they are susceptible to whimsical change. Neither is true. I share my opinions on issues when helpful. I do not answer inane questions or engage in arguments. My value-driven thoughts on big issues can be applied with pinpoint precision to small issues. I don't tend to comment on situations about which I do not have clean information or about which sharing my opinion does not change reality. I do not share my opinions in conversation with people who I do not know well or who I sense want to fight over them.
4. The primary manner in which my opinions on politics and religion are visible is in my action.  I fill my hours and days with activity that I hope will be beneficial to real people with real problems. Sometimes that means I keep time for myself. In all circumstances, if I've spent time on something or with someone, it was not because I happened to have the time. It's because I truly wanted to. I engage with organizations and people that I want to invest in. This includes my job, hobbies, meetings, and continuing education and training -- everywhere I spend my time, which I consider my most valuable asset. 
5. My values are mine. I also believe that yours ... are yours. I do not assume my values are the same as others'. And because of that, I am able to maintain my sense of self when others' actions, opinions, and values are wildly different from my own. At the point that my actions impose my opinions on another person, I check my alignment with my values. I shun actions and opinions that cause physical or emotional harm to others. I do tend to engage more easily among people with whom I share values, but I also recognize that conversation among people with widely different values can also be beneficial.

So, there you have it. My statement on politics and religion. Ask me anything.