Just find some news sources that aren't right-wing. I'm speaking from my own experience, but maybe my experience might be a little bit interesting if you knew I was once a right-winger myself. It's all I knew. It's how I grew up, it's what I carried into adulthood. Not questioning, just accepting.
That's probably what you are still doing, it's just that you finally heard from the other side, as many Christian kids do when they grow up and are exposed to different viewpoints for the first time...and they leave the faith of their fathers, because it was never their own (never believed, just accepted because the authority in their lives gave it as The Truth).
Over a span of about 3 years (after being at TOL, ironically)
I'm not so sure that is as ironic as you make it out to be.
I came to see that so much of what I had thought to be true was actually based on distorted information, conspiracy theories and fundamentalism (Catholic and evangelical) carried over into politics where it didn't belong.
What people believe about the world around them cannot but be carried over into politics. That's why we must question everything to come to a full faith experience. Same for politics.
I was a registered Republican, voting a straight ticket, for 32 years.
That's like many of us, but usually because of lack of
better choices, not worse. Did you think, for 32 years, that the Republicans you voted for, straight ticket, were righteous and honest?
I've been an independent for 13 years, belonging to no party.
I had no problem voting for Democrats once I understood the principle of double effect. You can look that up if you're interested.
Could you flesh this out in your own voting choices for us? From what I understand about the principle of double effect, it wouldn't allow voting for someone who proposes to kill children to make life easier or to progress in your vocation, which is what Democrats have proposed for quite a number of years in their party platform.
I believe in a strict separation of church and state. While that exact phrase isn't in the Constitution, this one is:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion."
No, it isn't. There isn't a period there, and for good reason.
People are free in this country to believe as they wish, and their right to their own belief or non-belief shall not be infringed upon.
And you think the Democrats you have vited for are not infringing on a baby's right to his own belief when they allow the killing of one for convenience's sake?
I realize Dominionists want the opposite of that, but that would be unconstitutional, wouldn't it?
You should probably help us understand who you think "Dominionists" are, since ut isn't a term that has already entered the conversation at any point.