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TOsteve
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 Posted: 01/26/05 - 13:39 Post subject: Conservative vs Liberal
Here’s a nagging question….
Why does it seem like the majority of Christians in the US are also conservatives? I know that I am grossly generalizing but from my experience its probably about 90% safe to assume that if an American says they are a Christian it also means that they have right leaning political ideals. At the very least, we can all admit that politically outspoken Christians presented by the mainstream media tend to be wildly right wing.
Being barraged daily by American news media causes me to reflect on this question a lot. Hearing people like Pat Robertson, Jack Van Impe and Jerry Falwell presenting an ultra-conservative worldview makes me wonder why they find this stance so compatible with the teachings of Christ.
Personally, I would consider myself to have a fundamentalist interpretation of the Bible with a pointedly liberal view of world politics. I find the core tenets of my faith have very little in common with some of the foundational aspects of conservative idealism.
Without getting too bogged down in defining “Christian” and defining “conservative” what are your thoughts on this? If you’re not a Christian and/or not a conservative, why do you think most Christians congregate at the right? If you are a Christian, what is it about your faith that influences your political viewpoint?
Gotta love a little religion and politics to get your Wednesday afternoon off to a bang… 
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copteacher
Adjunct
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 13:54 Post subject:
I guess some of the core issues, abortion (prolife), gay marriage (against) and pro family, etc....tend to be strictly Bible based with their belief and belief system. The Bible is pretty clear in some areas thus it is hard to support a party or be liberal if you believe those fundamental values (more conservative ones I mean).
Just a thought.
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keltic63
the kilted one
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 15:11 Post subject:
Liberal Christian here! The difference in Conservative and Liberal Christians tends to lie in how to interpret the Bible. Conservatives/Fundamentalists tend to believe in a literal interpretation of the Word.
An interesting view of the situation is this:
| Rev. N. Graham Standish wrote: | The problem isn't one of betrayal. In fact, each side is sincerely trying to be true to their biblical foundations. One side follows the biblical ideals of the Great Command (progressives), the other the biblical ideals of the Great Commission (evangelicals).
Great Command Christians try to ground their faith in biblical teachings such as love, acceptance, refusal to judge others, the Golden Rule, forgiveness, justice, peace, nonviolence, social responsibility and defending the poor and oppressed (teachings that have historically influenced the Democratic Party). These teachings are found in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and well-known parables such as the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son. They are grounded in Jesus' Great Command: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and others as yourself." For them God is love, faith is a matter of loving others as ourselves, and our Christian mission is to spread Christ's love so that the world can live in peace and harmony.
Meanwhile, Great Commission Christians ground their faith in biblical teachings that emphasize salvation, redemption, morality, obedience, righteousness, discipleship, evangelism and defending the fundamentals or essential tenets of faith (teachings that serve as a basis for much of the present Republican ideology thanks to the involvement of evangelicals in the Republican Party).
These teachings are found especially in the Ten Commandments and the letters of Paul. They are central to the ideal of the Great Commission given by Jesus at the end of Matthew's Gospel: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you." For them, Christ is the Word, faith is a matter of obedience to scripture, and our Christian mission is to spread God's word in order to make everyone Christ's disciple.
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I might add (for your information, as regular posters here already know) that I am a Gay christian. It is very difficult at times, to understand why my Christian brothers and sisters insist on judging me. I know who I am, and I know that I am God's child.
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camelia bedelia
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 15:15 Post subject:
| keltic63 wrote: | | It is very difficult at times, to understand why my Christian brothers and sisters insist on judging me. |
Because it is easier to judge someone else than to judge yourself.
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genie
Master of Prissface
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 17:13 Post subject:
| keltic63 wrote: |
I might add (for your information, as regular posters here already know) that I am a Gay christian. It is very difficult at times, to understand why my Christian brothers and sisters insist on judging me. I know who I am, and I know that I am God's child. |
That is what frustrates me about Christianity as well, that it does appear to be one-sided, but I think you're right, I think it is based on interpretation. We are taught that we are all God's children, and He loves us all, forgives us our sins, etc etc.....but then in the next breath, depending on what sect you belong to, you hear "well, except the gay ones, oh, and anyone who isn't pro-life, hmm.....and the ones who don't baptize their children......and let's not forget the ones who haven't been to church in 20 years....." I think it's what keltic said, it's largely a matter of how your particular religious affiliation chooses to interpret the Scriptures, and I think that carries over into the political arena as well.
I consider myself a moderate even though my religion of origin and the one I've recently chosen to return to is Catholic. Politically, I lean more to the right on fiscal issues and more to the left on some social issues. I do have difficulties with some of the teachings of the Catholic church but for myself, I recognize the importance of religion in my own life, so I participate in those church activities that are more closely aligned with my own philosophy, like community service and charitable things rather than the pro-life vigils outside the hospital every Sunday. And no one seems to have a problem with that. I keep my dissenting views to myself and I do what I feel is right for me, keeping as close to what we are taught without compromising my own values. And without judging my fellow parishoners who may have different viewpoints. Judge not, lest ye be judged, no? Just my two cents, if it makes any sense.....
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bburgoyne26
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 18:57 Post subject:
I think the 90% figure is probably a bit too much. I wonder how we can find some actual "unbiased" data on that though? I myself am a liberal mainline protestant (ELCA Lutheran) and a lot of folks in my church are liberal politically. Probably the more liberal churches would be more 50/50, like Episcopal, some Methodists and Presbyterians....Unitarians woud be more liberal, I would think....but I don't know where to find statistics...that's just my gut hunch right now......when I go to my GF's "Bible Church", I pretty much feel like almost everybody is very conservative.
I liked that article Keltic....is that part of a book or just an article somewhere?.....did you ever get that book by Bruce Bawer "Stealing Jesus....."?
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RexRacer
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Posted: 01/28/05 - 12:56 Post subject:
I agree with BB, nice article Keltic. I think despite all one hears of the conservative christian movement if you scratch down the tiniest bit into the Peace and Justice movements at all you find that most of the people doing the heavy lifting there are Christian, and often clergy, Priests, Sisters, etc. It does cut both ways I think, though as a mobilizing force they've not had as great an impact.
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TOsteve
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Posted: 01/28/05 - 19:24 Post subject:
| Quote: | | if you scratch down the tiniest bit into the Peace and Justice movements at all you find that most of the people doing the heavy lifting there are Christian, and often clergy, Priests, Sisters, etc. |
RR makes a good point here and makes me reflect back to some of my own experience working with inner city churches in places like New York, Chicago and Toronto. Its very true that some of the most inspiring front line workers in the fight for social justice are also Christians.
I guess my "90% conservative" comment would be more accurately directed toward what a lot of people might call fundementalist circles. The article that keltic posted was a pretty accurate summary of just how polarized the Christian community has become in North America.
The most fundemental of all Christ's teachings was be to love God and love each other. It's hard to argue against this because when Jesus was asked what he considered to be the foundation of his ministry this was his answer.
In light of this you would think that the picture of a "christian fundementalist" would be somebody, who above all else, was committed to spreading a message of love to everyone they came in contact with. Christ displayed love to the world by healing the sick, giving all he had to the poor, feeding the hungry, spending time with the social outcast and standing up against an oppressive ruling class. Sounds like a distinctly left wing agenda! The early church lead by Peter, Paul and the other apostles carried this same world vision and preached the same message of love being the foundation of all their actions. The early church even practiced a very effective form of communism!
So how has adhering to a literal interpretation of the Bible come to be almost exclusively the domain of the extreme right? Does the media play a role in this?
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