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This is a long one. Grab a cup of coffee or a beer or something.

I hope that people reading this post understand that I am not trying to paint a picture where *all* members who identify as <said group> believe what I am claiming. There are no black and whites in anything – everything in this world is a shade of gray. Few absolutes exist, especially when discussing constructs of the human mind. What do I mean by this? For those of you who are having difficulty grasping this concept, let’s consider an example.

Let’s think about a room with no windows. The only source of light is a single bulb in the center of the room. If you go into that room and shut the door with the light off, it is pitch black. There is a switch on the wall that will turn on a light bulb that emits 20,000 lumens (a light so bright it would be difficult to see due to glare).

With the light off, you see nothing but black. Black is frightening, you have no idea what could be lurking in the corner, and without proper knowledge of what to expect, you cannot plan for necessary protective procedures. With the light on, you see nothing but glare. Although less scary than the black, it’s overwhelming to the point that removal of the stimuli becomes necessary for comfort. Let’s install a dimmer switch and see what that does.

Dimming the light a bit allows you to see shapes of objects in the room. Although you can’t fully see everything, you can get an idea of what might be in there. You become more comfortable. As you dim the light a bit further, you start to see further details. Objects become familiar, and those that aren’t familiar can be examined to gain the familiarity necessary for comfort. In the end, there is nothing in that room that would cause any harm. But one won’t feel comfort until that familiarity is experienced.

Now let’s apply this concept to ways of thinking. We can call them the same:

• Black and White thinking
• Shades of Gray thinking

Some examples of black and white thinking:

Personal Black and White Thinking

• I failed the test, that means I’m stupid.
• I’m didn’t complete this project perfectly, I am a complete failure

Black and White Thinking in Relationships

• My partner didn’t text me back right away, they must not love me anymore.
• My partner thinks he is sexy, I’m getting dumped.

Black and White Thinking at Work

• I didn’t get the promotion, I’m a total failure.
• I didn’t get a raise this year, I must be doing a very poor job.

Black and White Thinking in Morality and Ethics

• People are either good or evil.
• I made a mistake, I’m a terrible person.

Black and White thinking is thinking in absolutes. It creates stress and anxiety by making small problems seem huge. It limits personal growth by preventing learning from mistakes. It damages relationships by making people seem all-good or all-bad. It is the the source of discrimination, hatred of cultural, ethnic or affinity groups and is based on fear of the unknown.

Think about what happens when you first start a new romantic relationship. The potential for new love throws us into a state of black and white thinking (the honeymoon stage) where “blinders” force us to ignore red flags, personality flaws and potential relationship issues. Then when the “honeymood period” wears off, we see the reality of the situation.

Now let’s talk about Gray Thinking. Gray Thinking allows for more balance, understanding and flexibility. It leads to healthier emotions, better decision-making and when it comes to others, peace. It makes for a psychologically healthier mind, longer lasting and stable relationships, and a better world marked with peace, understanding and tolerance.

How do the examples above change when we switch our Black and White Thinking to Gray Thinking? Let’s have a look:

• “I failed my test, but I didn’t study hard enough or devote enough time to learn the material. I can learn this and will improve on my next attempt.”
• “I didn’t complete the project perfectly, but no one is perfect and everyone has thinks that they do better than others. I have strengths and weakness, just like everyone else.”
• “My partner didn’t text me back right away, but it was right in the middle of the workday and there probably was a reason a response to my text was’t given immediately.”
• “I didn’t get the promotion, but there were many candidates with more experience than I. I just wasn’t the best fit for the position. I am still valued at my current position.”
• “I didn’t get a raise this year, but nobody in the company got a raise. The company probably had a need to cut back on financial obligations to cover all of the expansion efforts we completed last year.”
• “All people have qualities and can be considered good or bad, and context of the situation does matter.”

Gray Thinking is NOT making excuses. It IS taking into consideration nuance, external factors, and middle ground. Gray Thinking is contemplative, Black and White Thinking is reactive.

Now that was a bit of a diversion, but necessary I believe for this conversation.

Consider these facts about me when evaluating your opinion of this article:

• I am a gay, white male.
• I have a degree in Psychology from an accredited, secular, and respected higher learning institution.
• I was raised Protestant Lutheran (LCA, then ELCA). I was a lay minister in my teens, running the services most Sundays. I was circumcised, baptised, confirmed, and was active in church youth groups and attended youth conferences. It was widely expected that I would go to seminary after high school.
• I believe in the tenets of Christianity. I do not consider myself a Christian.
• I am an ordained minister.
• I believe that there is a large group of people who call themselves Christians but do not follow the tenets of Christianity or practice the teachings of Jesus Christ.

This is all a result of gray thinking on my part. I don’t believe that religion is inherently bad, there are many, many good things that come out of religious beliefs and practices. I also believe that some people use a combination of religion and black and white thinking to cause a lot of harm to themselves, their relationships with others and the world at large.

HUGE preface into my discussion on the United States moving towards a Christian Theocracy! Sorry for the squirrel, but I do have ADD and I do believe that the above was necessary before I continue.

Let’s start with some facts about the US Constitution.

The First Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees citizens the right to free speech, freedom of religion, the right to protest, the right to gather and prohibits laws restricting free press or favoring any particular religion.

Now keep in mind, this is not a law, it is ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL foundations of this country.

What is happening: Some powerful black and white thinkers are restricting free press by threatening, buying or bribing news agencies to report what they want the people to know. People aren’t exercising their rights to free speech because of fears of retaliation against our current administration. How many news articles have you read recently where quotes are from anonymous people who didn’t want their name to be published for fear of this retaliation? There are many. If you haven’t seen them, you aren’t reading.

Laws, policies and enforcement for years have provided favoritism for the Christian religion. Churches don’t pay taxes, are exempt from adhering to laws and maintain a large amount of power in our political system.

Project 2025 aims to replace our current political system with a Christian theocracy. What does this mean? Let’s break it down.

Key Features of a Christian Theocracy

• Government Based on Christian Doctrine
  –> Laws are created and enforced according to Biblical principles rather than secular democratic processes.
  –> Religious leaders may have direct authority over political decisions.
• No Separation of Church and State
  –> Unlike in democratic systems (such as the U.S., which has the First Amendment), a theocracy merges government and religion.
  –> Religious institutions control political power, often outlawing secularism and alternative belief systems.
• Legal System Enforces Christian Morality
  –> Laws regulate personal behavior, marriage, education, and social norms according to Christian teachings.
  –> Certain rights and freedoms (such as LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive rights, or religious diversity) might be restricted or outlawed.
• Religious Leaders Hold Power
  –> The government may be run by clergy, bishops, or other religious figures, or secular leaders may consult with religious authorities when making decisions.
• Other Religions or Beliefs May Be Restricted
  –> Non-Christian faiths may face discrimination, legal restrictions, or even persecution.
  –> Religious pluralism and freedom of thought are often limited or eliminated.

Key Goals of Project 2025

• Restructuring the Federal Bureaucracy: The initiative plans to replace nonpartisan federal employees with individuals aligned with conservative ideologies, thereby ensuring that the executive branch operates in accordance with conservative principles.
• Expanding Executive Authority: Project 2025 advocates for increasing presidential powers to facilitate the swift implementation of its policy agenda, potentially at the expense of traditional checks and balances within the U.S. government.
• Reversing Progressive Social Policies: The agenda includes rolling back rights and protections related to abortion and LGBTQ+ issues, aiming to enforce policies that align with conservative social values.
• Promoting Fossil Fuels: A significant aspect of the project is to prioritize fossil fuel energy sources, including restructuring agencies like the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to support fossil fuel initiatives over renewable energy projects.
• Eliminating Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives: The plan proposes dismantling programs focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion within federal agencies, viewing them as contrary to its policy objectives.

Noodle on that a minute.

What is happening now is that we are having a Christian Theocracy thrust upon us. Project 2025, Donald Trump and his administration and Elon Musk’s actions are a) completely in line with Project 2025 b) are completely OUT of line with the US Constitution and c) directly and immediately threaten our rights (everyone’s rights, not just marginalized groups) guaranteed to us by the Bill of Rights.

The Christians I know do not think like this. The Christians I know practice gray thinking. Either that, or they are good actors.