Above Average Jane has initiated a conversation about how faith and religion effect the political views of those on the left side of the aisle. She is asking bloggers, particularly political bloggers, to post something on or around Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (January 16th) that addresses,

how their beliefs, if they have any, impact their political inclinations, voting behavior, and what candidates they support. What suggestions would you have for the party of your choice, to reach out to and connect with the party faithful. Perhaps we will see consistent threads among the postings that will give some idea what issues resonate.

She gives two examples of posts from 2005 that hit some of the issues she’s trying to uncover. One is from Flavia Colgan over at the Huffington Post and the other is mine. It’s a brief entry I posted back in September about returning to the Unitarian church after a summer away. I’m not sure if it details my connection between politics and faith in the manner she’s looking for, but I can see how it is a take on church that is outside the mainstream. I don’t go to church because I’ve sinned and need to be redeemed (I don’t believe in sin), I don’t go in order to prove to the world that I’m a moral and upstanding citizen and I have no blind devotion to creed and dogma. I go for the love that exists there and the community of thinking, working, helping, evolving people who congregate in that building Sunday mornings at 11 am.

What’s your story of faith and politics? Or no faith and politics? Post on January 16th and tell us (make sure you tell Jane that you’ve done so).