I've been thinking about values and principles recently, and how those inform our political beliefs and practices.

Truth: I want to speak and hear truth. I don't mind if it's nuanced but I do prefer that it's accurate. "True statements presented in an inaccurate way" don't land as "truth" for me. "Truth" for me is close to "reality."

Life: I believe that humans are created in the image of God. Because of this, the death of any human is a cause for sorrow- even when the death is justified or necessary in the eyes of society. Humans should be treated with equal dignity and respect, but this may mean treating people in different circumstances (poor/rich, children/adults, mentally competent/not, etc.) differently.

The transcendent and the supernatural: Reality makes the most sense to me through the perspective that there is a supernatural aspect to it. This leads me to weight my priorities differently than if the material and temporal were all there is. Because I believe the spiritual world exists, our actions, thoughts, and loves are engaged in that world as well as the material world. (Note: I use "material" and "spiritual" world terminology for simplicity and readability, not to suggest two separate dimensions or layers of reality. It gets complicated.)

I think most of my political opinions are connected to one or more of these values, and even as I write this I think my list is incomplete.