Why Is It So Bad To Be A Republican?

The current tarring may also have something to do with the current (at time of writing) Commander in Chief. Note - his "brand" of politics is not traditionally Republican, but the associations have been made, and it's hard (especially from an outsider point of view) to separate Republican from "Raving Trumpist". These may be separate things - but the damage has been done.

If you'd asked this in 2016, I'd say you've partly answered your own question - if you feel the need to identify "good religious people", there is an underlying assumption that they will be anti abortion, anti women's rights, anti LGBTQ+, etc., which is seen to be a backwards looking way of thinking, not conducive to operating in a progressive world.

If you want to be a republican then be one. No one can dictate what group you should follow. Just know that generally republicans are conservative and their beliefs can be quite dangerous and take us back generation as they prefer to stick to traditional beliefs. Like being against same sex rights, womens rights including abortion, the rights of different races and ethnicities, extreme gun rights beliefs and ridiculous military spending etc. In general a Democrat is more tolerant of peoples differences than republicans generally are.

They have market themselves as the party of "god" and family values, as being morally superior and patriotic to other parties, and to be enacting gods will. Which are very dangerous ideologies when you mix politics and religion. You have many republicans saying the worst things imaginable to deny womens rights to abortion, they often spread lies and deny science like in the case of covid, climate change, and vaccines. When running they all claim to be sent by god or that god wants them to run, then saying the want to enact gods plan for the nation. Skirting the line between church/state separation. Even though they say they hate deficits, under republican leadership deficits usually grow. They spineless as well as is the case with Senators Ted Cruz and Lindsay Graham. Or are corrupt like Mitch McConnel. They represent the worst we have to offer in terms on politicians.

From your profile picture, I'm guessing you are a straight, white, reasonably intelligent, physically capable young man? So Republicans have zero problem with you at all, are you religious as well, believe in a Christian God? Well you've never met any "bad" ones because people aren't mean to people they want around. Having been born into a big family is wonderful, especially if you are comfortable in your own skin, you really vibe with the stuff they believe in, and you can keep up with or be what they want you to be. I've never met a person claiming to be a rep or dem who is truly looking at people as a whole though, or has truly fair ideas, both are very hypocritical and very quick to simply point the finger at the other.