I am not very religious. I am a scientist. I focus on results within this lifetime, though, like everyone, I want to leave a legacy of good works and be remembered.
So, as a totally non religious statement, I do believe that the Big Bang, Evolution, and Earth's generally round shape are supurbly well established. Climate change is happening. People do influence the environment. Those satellites in orbit are needed for GPS, telecommunications, warfare, peacekeeping, navigation of boats at sea, weather prediction and monitoring, disaster relief, and fundamental science both of Earth and of the stars. In St Cloud, Minnesota, I can look up at the sky and watch satellites pass overhead without even trying to find them. I can also see the stars and constellations, and further north in Minnesota, the meteor showers are brilliant. The Milky Way paints a colorful ribbon through the sky. There are 100 years of experiments backing the truth of Einstein's General Relativity, and although we know there are limitations of all theories in that they apply to light or heavy particles, fast or slow, many or few, people still search for an ultimate theory that links these different regimes.
I DO NOT TEACH INCORRECT PHYSICS.
Like all physicists and astronomers, I have taken classes on the Manhattan Project and been asked to consider: would I develop weapons and under what circumstances? I have talked to Department of Defense contractors and National Lab recruiters at various career fairs. I am nearly a pacifist. I do not expect Europe to do nothing if it is invaded by Russia. I do think the EU's internal strength is good. I would have preferred to protect them as part of NATO. But I am opposed to "offense is the best defense" strategies or wars. I also cannot actually imagine myself shooting a gun, and do not believe I would if faced with the question. I have not used a gun to defend myself when previously faced with that decision. I can imagine developing passive systems for monitoring or communicating in wars, and I can barely imagine developing missiles or nuclear. I cannot imagine fighting.
My partner Peter is Danish. I am not leaving him.
My brother-in-law Emir is Turkish. I don't get to choose my brother-in-law, but I love my niece and nephew and my sister, and they love him, and I think he is a good guy.
My cousin Michael lives in Hong Kong and his wife is Korean. They have two kids. My Uncle Craig works in China and Taiwan.
If I am not fighting against my family, I would work with or for the DOD.
If I were in the military, although I do not want or need hormone therapy or surgery, and I am not seeing a psychologist, I would still fall afoul of the "no transgender people in the military" guideline. That would still be true even if they used my birth name, which is still on all my documentation, and even if they asked me to wear female clothing consistent with my birth identity. I have a beard without needing to take testosterone anymore. I am not sure how this is being applied at DOD-funded labs or DOD contractors.
If DOD-funded labs and contractors can hire transgender or nonbinary people, under ANY circumstance of attire or name-calling, I could and would work there. However, this would not teach me how to apply nail polish or makeup any better than I can now, which is clownish. It also does not control the growth of stubble.
I am Unitarian Universalist, nearly agnostic or atheist, lapsed. Probably still Baton Rouge Congregation.
TRUTH AND LOVE ARE HOLY. FORGIVENESS AND GENEROSITY ARE HOLY.
Science is the search for the truth. Telling the truth matters. Sharing knowledge matters. Teaching is holy. Learning is holy. Research is holy. Publishing, sharing results with the public-- holy. Updating curricula so people get new results-- holy. Volunteering to make research and learning materials free-- very holy.
Love is holy. Love between two consenting adults is holy. Friendship love is holy. Familial love is holy. Loving a stranger enough to respect them is holy.
I don't think UU has a vice stance. While I personally scowl at and avoid smoking, weed, hard drugs, and gambling, and while I think drinking is something I do not want to do and other people should do in moderation, I do swear quite a bit. I eat good food and don't exercise as often as I should. I am addicted to coffee and chocolate.
I enjoy my hobbies thoroughly. I love video games (MMORPGs), sci fi, fantasy, textbooks in subjects I want to learn or review, programming and data analysis, linux, Astronomy on Tap Baton Rouge, and learning Danish with a smidgen of French, German, and Spanish. I have totally given up on Turkish. If anyone sees anything resembling hard work in that, please inform me, because I don't have any job leads!