Seriously.....Politics and Religion

 A lot of talk these days about opposing political views...as a practice I don't talk about my own personal political or religious views.  This is because I'm of the opinion that they're exactly that: personal, and at the end of the day, the only person who benefits and/or loses anything because of them is you. I find the terms "views", "ideas", and "opinions" a better way to describe what I have as opposed to "beliefs".  You approach views, ideas and opinions in a more open minded fashion....because they can be changed, they can evolve.  Got a better idea than me?  Fine, I'll take it into consideration.  You believe something that I don't?  That's trickier.  By definition, beliefs are supposed to be based in the concrete and tangible.  This is why the stop sign at the end of my street is easier for me to believe in than, say....ghosts. Or the Loch Ness Monster.  I can see the sign....Casper and Cecil are nowhere in sight.

"A friendly ghost?  You probably believe we landed on the Moon, too..."

I'm comin', Beany Boyyyyyy!

Now, this does NOT mean that I dismiss the existence of God.  But, I have FAITH and HOPE that he is out there, somewhere...something doesn't have to be visible or tangible for you to have an opinion or idea about it.

To whom it may concern-  I was christened Catholic as an infant and followed that faith until I was around 12 or 13, when I began to have different ideas and questions, like: "Why does Heaven need a managerial chain, a corporate ladder,... here on Earth and Heaven? I like to think my relationship with God is personal.  That He's my friend, and if He is my friend, why can't I approach Him in the same way I do my own friends here on Earth, with an equal amount of informality and respect?  I find that if I approach God like He's one of the gang, it makes Him more identifiable...approachable, even.  I'm more comfortable doing that."

This was followed by short experimental stints in Southern Baptist, Nazarene, Pentecostal churches...hell, one night I checked out some snake handlers out of curiosity....but nothing clicked the way my "personal approach" did.

 That's my religious views, in a nutshell...

Politics?  Let me give you a little history lesson:   I wasn't a "straight ticket" Democrat from the ages 18 to 42 (1992-2016), but I did subscribe to a lot of their philosophy and views...when it came to voting, I wasn't party driven....I made up my own mind and voted for whoever I felt could do the best job, regardless of political affiliation.  The 2016 campaign and election disgusted me with both parties, and now I find my views lean more towards a Libertarian path.  We need a change, and sadly that change ain't coming from the two dominant parties.  So, I don't really give a fuck about either the Republican Party or the Democrats.  If they want to dismantle democracy infighting amongst themselves, mudslinging each other back to the Stone Age, then so be it.  Good riddance.  As far as if you're butthurt over how the elections have went...my opinion is voters get the candidate they deserve.  And, trust me, America deserves everything it's got...because we're a capitalist society, so we've earned it, right?

As far as political views and opinions, sadly I'll admit that I learned everything I know from reading CAPTAIN AMERICA comics books when I was a kid, so I don't know whether to blame Joe Simon, Jack Kirby, or Stan Lee for any flaws in my logic.  Before you dismiss this as a childish or naive notion, let's review what I learned and took to heart:

1.) Never dismiss the voices of those who society might view as weak or small, because sometimes those voices possess the most conviction, resolve and courage.  Remember...Steve Rogers was a 98 lb. weakling before he got scienced into Captain America.

2.) Never tolerate bullies or tyrants...this is why Cap is pictured punching Adolf Hitler in the jaw on the cover of his first issue.  Stand up for yourself, when needed.  Stand up for others, always.  Chris Evans as Steve Rogers in CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER summed it up brilliantly..."I can do this all day."

3.) Be vigilant and unafraid to speak out and rebel if necessary if you feel your elected officials are unjust, immoral or just plain wrong.  This country was forged in the fires of a Revolution that was started because of a difference in political opinions with European overlords.  Cap didn't go off the grid as Nomad or the "Captain" in the comics for his health, nor did he wage a CIVIL WAR in the movies because he was just gonna roll over and give up.

And those are three political opinions that I can believe in....