45-Year-Old First-Year ‘Post-Republican’ Describes The Differences Between The Two Parties — And What Inspired Him To Switch Sides
One man bravely shared his journey from conservative to "independent but liberal-leaning" voter.
AYO Production | Shutterstock It’s no secret that the American political landscape is a mess right now. Both sides of the aisle appear to be in turmoil for a myriad of reasons.
As political parties evolve and ideals change, many have found that they no longer feel well represented by the party they have called their own.
One man who found himself in this position shared what made him decide to switch parties.
A 45-year-old man named Brandon runs the blog Crucible of Thought. Brandon shared his journey of discovering that he felt he was in the wrong political party on X.
“45 years as a sold-out-for-Jesus conservative evangelical charismatic Christian, strongly Republican,” he said, describing himself. “31 years in the same church, A/V lead, worship leader, marriage ministry, deacon, trustee.”
Everything changed for Brandon a few years ago, though. “Then came George Floyd and COVID in 2020. Crash,” he said.
“The church’s response stunned me, and rocked my world view,” he continued. “Not only my church, but most others across the nation showed that what they’d been preaching was mostly talk.”
Brandon felt forced to examine his personal beliefs and what he had relied on his whole life.
“My dogma came up sharply lacking,” he said.
“When I started talking about the racism I discovered hidden within my home church, I was asked to step down from leadership, for pulling against the pastor’s direction,” he explained. “I was told that social justice was an unacceptable concept. But I couldn’t set aside what the Lord showed me.”
Brandon said that many of his views, such as those on gun rights and abortion, have changed. The very foundations of what he had always believed have been rocked, but he is okay with that.
“So, these days, I’m finding myself squarely in the world of progressive, almost mystical Christianity, independent but liberal-leaning politics,” he stated. “That makes me a pariah to most of my old church friends and my still-conservative family, but I find the deep peace of God in it.”
Despite the things Brandon has lost in his new way of life, like relationships with friends and family, he finds it all worth it.
“My heart, at present, is towards justice and righteousness, and, in particular, how to build God’s Kingdom here and now on the Earth, and that focuses on Jesus’ words in John 17, ‘that all of them may be one,’ ‘that they may be brought to complete unity,’” he shared.
Brandon is far from the only person facing these issues.
Although someone going through a shift in political ideologies that leads to a loss of friends may feel alone in the world, they most certainly are not. In fact, this has become quite common in recent years.
Gallup explained that, based on the results of multiple surveys they conducted, they found large shifts in political affiliations in 2021.
“However, the general stability for the full-year average obscures a dramatic shift over the course of 2021, from a nine-percentage-point Democratic advantage in the first quarter to a rare five-point Republican edge in the fourth quarter,” they said.
Furthermore, friendships are falling apart over political differences, now more than ever before.
Per Psychology Today, “Something far more pernicious has taken hold with the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. Existing adult friendships teeter on the edge of extinction with a single self-disclosure of political party preference.”
Brandon, who has also addressed how differently he feels about certain political figures like the Obamas, is experiencing something many Americans are going through right now. As parties grow and change, some will inevitably feel like there is no more room for them and look for a home elsewhere.
As we all struggle to find where we fit, it could be helpful to seek understanding and acceptance. After all, we’re all entitled to our own beliefs.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer for YourTango who covers entertainment, news and human interest topics.