Misconception #4012: Conservative = Religious

[RCA]

Is it the media's fault that most liberals/socialists interchange conservative with religious? This kinda crap drives me through the damn roof! Why is it that if one is labeled a conservative that they are always considered to be super-religious as well?

[Mesogen]

Thank Newt, Rove, Delay, Frist, Dubya, Brownback, Robertson, Falwell, etc. etc. etc. etc. for that.

They made that brand.

[tremendoustie]

And if you're a Christian, way too many think you must be a narrow minded war mongering neocon ...

Yeah, it's no fun from either direction ...

Stereotypes suck.

[Kludge]

I'm not aware of any true conservatives (without a strong libertarian/authoritarian influence) who aren't Christian Biblicists. Am I wrong?

[tremendoustie]

I'm not aware of any true conservatives (without a strong libertarian/authoritarian influence) who aren't Christian Biblicists. Am I wrong?

What does, "without a strong libertarian/authoritarian influence" mean?

[Kludge]

What does, "without a strong libertarian/authoritarian influence" mean?

http://www.fauquierlp.org/images/nolan_chart.png
People who aren't any further than ~ a half-inch from the furthest right.

[tremendoustie]

http://www.fauquierlp.org/images/nolan_chart.png
People who aren't any further than ~ a half-inch from the furthest right.

Well, someone else is going to have to answer that, because most of the people whose political views I know are either libertarians or Christians or both.

I do know a few Christian flaming liberals ...

[Jeremy]

Real Christians are anti-violence and anti-oppression.

[Patriot123]

I'm not aware of any true conservatives (without a strong libertarian/authoritarian influence) who aren't Christian Biblicists. Am I wrong?

I'm Jewish.

Case in point. Yes.

[tremendoustie]

I'm Jewish.

Case in point. Yes.

But, by "true conservative" he means not very libertarian. Does that describe you, or are you saying you know people who that describes?

I don't think he's right by the way. And, I also think "true conservative" should mean libertarian, no matter what that chart says. At least "traditional republican" certainly means somewhat libertarian ...

[Akus]

And if you're a Christian, way too many think you must be a narrow minded war mongering neocon ...

Yeah, it's no fun from either direction ...

Stereotypes suck.

I consider myself a Christian. But I don't wear that on my sleeve and don't feel comfortable publicly admitting being one. The word Christian is poisoned and cheapened by many Television personalities and by a current administration. The picture of an average Christian is that of a self-righteous, hypocrytical, histerical, bigoted, dim and violently ignorant person. I am not any of those things by the fact that I support(ed) Ron Paul.

The same is with the left. A typical liberal is turned into a carucature of a whiny, agressive person who hates America and wants every American dead. Oh and (s)he is almost certainly gay/lesbian, at least in the closet.

Neither of those are accurate, while some liberals and some Christians are that way.

[LibertyEagle]

http://www.fauquierlp.org/images/nolan_chart.png
People who aren't any further than ~ a half-inch from the furthest right.

I hate that drawing from Nolan, because I think it is inaccurate as all get out. Traditional conservatives share a whole lot in common with libertarians, and vice versa, and that chart doesn't do a thing to show it.


I'm not aware of any true conservatives (without a strong libertarian/authoritarian influence) who aren't Christian Biblicists. Am I wrong?
What? Are you implying that no libertarians are Christians???

[Kludge]

What? Are you implying that no libertarians are Christians???

No, I had an English teacher once who was a Biblicist and anarchist. I was just observing that I've never met a radical conservative purist who isn't also a Biblicist.

[LibertyEagle]

No, I had an English teacher once who was a Biblicist and anarchist. I was just observing that I've never met a radical conservative purist who isn't also a Biblicist.

I don't know if you'd consider them "purists" or not, but I know quite a few traditional conservatives who do not wear their faith on their sleeves. Some aren't even Christians and others haven't been to church in years, besides the occasional marriage or funeral.

[LibertyEagle]

No, I had an English teacher once who was a Biblicist and anarchist. I was just observing that I've never met a radical conservative purist who isn't also a Biblicist.

Just to be sure, what do you consider a "Biblicist"?

[DeadheadForPaul]

The OP is suggesting that those on the far right tend to be Christian fundamentalists - if not, exclusively this group. (Pardon me if I misinterpreted your argument)

I know a few atheists and Jewish people in the far right, but I agree that the most vocal members of the far right tend to be fire-and-brimstone Christians

[Truth Warrior]

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/conservative (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/conservative)

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/religious (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/religious)

OP misconception confirmed.< IMHO > ;) :)

[Kludge]

Just to be sure, what do you consider a "Biblicist"?

Distinction between people who take the bible literally and those who "believe in Jesus". A biblicist takes the bible literally and doesn't question (or disagree with, at least) any ethics or facts outlined as existing within.

[StudentForPaul08]

I am an Atheist Constitutional Republican.

I win.

[tremendoustie]

I am an Atheist Constitutional Republican.

I win.


Yeah, there's no point to this anyway, but I think he meant nolan chart "conservatives", you know, opposed to personal freedom but in favor of fiscal freedom.

If you're a constitutionalist, you're probably in favor of personal freedom ...

[OferNave]

Up here in NH, I mostly divide the people I associate with into three groups, politically: Conservatives, Libertarians, and Anarchists. In general, I find the Conservatives to be mostly Christian, the Libertarians to be a mix, and the Anarchists to be mostly atheists. This, to me, is not surprising, when considering the parallels between god and government. (Quick shout-out to the Kannings, who, as in many things, are the exception to the rule!)

The best material I've found on the relationship between religion and the state are here: http://freedomainradio.com/atheism.html

[LibertyEagle]

Yeah, there's no point to this anyway, but I think he meant nolan chart "conservatives", you know, opposed to personal freedom but in favor of fiscal freedom.

If you're a constitutionalist, you're probably in favor of personal freedom ...

Oh geez. Traditional conservatives are constitutionalists too and they believe in personal freedom. But of course, they believe that with liberty, comes RESPONSIBILITY. Maybe that's the issue. Our Founders believed that too though.

This categorization just kills me. :(

[The_Orlonater]

Oh noez, the liberals.

[cybloo]

I consider myself a humanist (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanism#Knowledge) and a libertarian.

[smithtg]

Is it the media's fault that most liberals/socialists interchange conservative with religious? This kinda crap drives me through the damn roof! Why is it that if one is labeled a conservative that they are always considered to be super-religious as well?


my liberal brother thinks this shit

he also tells me the 'fundies' are going to take over the republican party

i guess im more libertarian so i ignore him

[LibertyEagle]

I consider myself a humanist (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanism#Knowledge) and a libertarian.

Did you know the Humanist Manifesto was written by a pack of socialists and is deemed a religion all its own?

[cybloo]

Did you know the Humanist Manifesto was written by a pack of socialists and is deemed a religion all its own?

I would consider myself to be more of a "Greek" Humanist (secular).


Sixth century BCE pantheists Thales of Miletus and Xenophanes of Colophon prepared the way for later Greek humanist thought. Thales is credited with creating the maxim "Know thyself", and Xenophanes refused to recognize the gods of his time and reserved the divine for the principle of unity in the universe. Later Anaxagoras, often described as the "first freethinker", contributed to the development of science as a method of understanding the universe. These Ionian Greeks were the first thinkers to recognize that nature is available to be studied separately from any alleged supernatural realm. Pericles, a pupil of Anaxagoras, influenced the development of democracy, freedom of thought, and the exposure of superstitions. Although little of their work survives, Protagoras and Democritus both espoused agnosticism and a spiritual morality not based on the supernatural. The historian Thucydides is noted for his scientific and rational approach to history.[10]

I've never read the Humanist Manifesto, don't plan to, and don't care to.

[Call Me V]

I consider myself a humanist (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanism#Knowledge) and a libertarian.

You took the words out of my mouth.

x2

:cool: