When I was immersed in very conservative christian doctrine, it all made sense to me. But after getting a little distance, so much of it doesn't.
Likewise, in an economics class in college, when the politically conservative principles were presented, they resonated with me immediately. They matched the economic views I'd heard growing up.
In each situation (which overlapped timewise) I assumed the feeling of everything "clicking" and falling into place was a sign that the teachings were right, logical, and "God's will." And since that was my frame of reference at that time, that was the only thing that mattered. In hindsight, it raises questions I have to ask myself.
In both teachings, there was an answer for everything. I like clear answers - and I especially wanted them at that age. At a time in my life when I was forming my worldview, I was a person who really wanted to know the right answers and do the right thing. Be a good kid. Maybe that is every person's natural bent, but I know it was for me. I always wanted to be a good student and to please.
In each system above, it seems like a system may have appealed because it fit my existing prejudices and/or fears. For example, I always felt like I was falling short, so when someone told me it was because I was born sinful, it made sense. Suddenly, I had a reason. It was clear cut...in the abstract.
In economics, when I heard if people were poor or unemployed, they should "pick themselves up by their own bootstraps," it made sense. Probably because I wasn't poor, but had parents who had grown up with very little, yet succeeded. I remember the professor saying, "There is a financial pie. Liberals want you to divide and distribute the finite pie. Conservatives believe we can make more pie." That fit my personal experience, so it was a clear cut solution...in the abstract.
If I'd heard different doctrine and politics and lived a different experience, would I have believed those instead? I think so. Because now I have friends on every part of the political and religious spectrum. They are all ethical. They are all spiritual. They are all slightly different.
This leads me to believe that worldviews are much more nuanced than most of us like. Well, let me amend that: I believe, in reality, most people have much more nuanced and grey area beliefs and politics than it appears when you see or hear the news. BUT, nuanced is hard to be noisy about.
Recognizing grey areas is sort of quiet. It's hard to rally people around grey. Passion lends itself to extremes. I'm afraid it's why certain people cannot win political races. I'm afraid it's why certain churches have a bigger presence than others. Because absolutes are easier to proclaim, and proclamation generates enthusiasm.
"Nuanced" beliefs lend themselves to debate. And I can only speak for myself, but I'm not wired for a lot of debate. I'm wired for finding the place in the Venn diagram where everyone overlaps. Agreeing there are grey areas requires leaving space for people to vary in their beliefs. Frankly, I've not been to a conservative church or political setting where it was easy to teach a lesson saying that. However, it IS easy to say you have THE answer or THE solution.
I sound like I'm criticizing the far right. If I am, I'm also criticizing the far left. I'm definitely preaching to the choir. I've swung from the farthest of both sides in my life. And in each season, I was sort of "riled up," if you know what I mean. I felt so...justified and satisfied to know what I living for and fighting for. It can feel very good to feel so sure about your position.
These days, it's not as exciting in the lukewarm pool, but it takes a surprising amount of effort to remain in the grey. I'm so sweaty working to stay in the lukewarm, but it feels important to me.