Fundies...What is it to be conservative?

[caitlincares]

Conservatives ONLY please. Thanks.

What does it mean to be conservative to you personally?

What matters?

I realize there may be a big difference of opinion.
This is not a debate forum - just looking for honest input.

I sometimes visit another board which leans liberal.
Although one of their mods IS fundamentalist.

There is a thread over there questioning whether "conservatives are being tolerated".
Most of the other conservatives like myself do not feel comfortable there.

Different people call different things "conservative".
Wanted the take from those NOT liberal.

Thanks.

[crossrunner]

I guess it depends on whether you're talking about political conservatism, fiscal or social or moral.

My conservative beliefs are based on what the Bible says. I believe that the BIble is the inspired Word of God and we are to live with Christ as the center of our life based on what the scriptures say.

I do not support abortion (in any way at all).

I believe that people need to take personal responsibility for all thier actions and stop trying to blame others, society or their environment.

I believe that people have the right to free speech even if I don't like what they are saying...but that means that WE should be able to pray in school if we wish.

I believe that we should have to work (if we are able to) for our money. Welfare is a sham. This is very scriptural. On the other hand, the church and the Body of Christ needs to step up a whole lot more to help the poor.

We are taxed too much in this country due to wasteful spending (a very fiscally conservative view...Rush would be proud ;) )

I firmly believe that we should not be judged in any way by the color of skin. This includes no racial consideration at all when it comes to applying for college, housing, jobs etc. Its sad to me that people still hate based on the color of one's skin. I don't believe in any kind of racial discrimination...or reverse discrimination for that matter.

I believe that marriage is for one man and one woman...period.

I'm still struggling on how I view the death penalty. I used to be staunch anti death penalty (a very liberal point of view) and I still think that we need reform so that innocent people aren't executed.. and death row inmates aren't on death row for years and years and years....but I can understand why guilty people who have committed heinous crimes such as murder would be put to death.

My one liberal hold out is that, while I think its ok for americans to own guns (I would never own one) I think that we need to keep tighter control on who gets guns and how they get them. We have too many of those awful things in this country.

[caitlincares]

Thanks crossrunner. :thumbsup:

What you specified sounds GREAT. :clap:
I totally agree with you on the TOO many guns issue.
I knew I liked you for a reason. :hug:

BTW I posted this question in the Reformed forum too.

[Izzy23]

Hi CaitlinCares ~ I am a conservative across the board. I believe in the inerrent Word of God and base all of my beliefs on It alone.

I realize humanity isn't perfect (including me in all sorry flesh), but we need to strive for perfection.

I believe the belief in God holds us to a higher standard then what the world does.

I don't believe in liberal Christianity. You're either all the way or not at all.

Peace

[twistedsketch]

To me, a conservative Christian is one that keeps and believes in the Word, not adding commands to it or taking others from it. Hence, many things that "conservative" Christians see as taboo but aren't mentioned in Scripture, I tolerate and may even endorse, rather than adding to the Word as some Christians tend to do. I don't call those Christians conservative, because rather than preserving the Word, they are adding to it - changing the status quo - it's really being liberal in the other direction. I call these Christians "traditionalists" because these "sins" are really just taboo by tradition of man. Or if I'm really in a fire-and-brimstone mood, I'll call them legalists.

I call myself a political conservative, though I'd like to change things to the way they were - our country is in a real mess right now. I'm against abortion, affirmative action, and socialist government programs. I am for the death penalty, privatization of Social Security and Medicare (how do we even have the right to vote if we don't take care of ourselves?) tight border security and defending ourselves by war should it come to that. I vote Republican, but if my party continues to be the "Republican't" party, I may be voting U.S. Constitution Party in 2008.

[jlujan69]

I believe I'm conservative across the board, though I won't rule out the possibility of being unknowingly liberal in some area. As a Christian, I believe we're called to holy living and strive to do so, however, this doesn't mean I walk around quoting Bible verses everytime someone says something to me nor do I believe that women should dress like the Puritans did 400 years ago. My church is holiness (Pentecostal), so I tend to agree with them on most issues. Politically, I support such groups as the Crusaders and Moral Majority and see nothing wrong with the US gov't recognizing its Christian heritage and making laws that reflect that. To me, this would not constitute violation of separation of church and state. I'm also a member of the NRA though I don't own a gun. Go figure.

[Shane Roach]

I am conservative politically except inasmuch as I support debt forgiveness and laws concerning incorporation that would entail stricter acountability for large corporations.

I am against gun control for reasons that have nothing at all to do with the Bible. I think of it as a sham issue. To be fair, I should probably also admit to being against helmet laws, seat belt laws, and smoking laws for privately owned resteraunts. I just think that's a little too too much mother in my government. Again, probably nothing to do with religion there...

I am strongly pro death penalty, though I do understand, for example, the treatment of Cain by God indicates that it is ok not to kill the murderer. I just think of that issue though and all it brings to mind for me is a holier-than-thou government taking up the cause of murderer's and violent criminals against the victims. I could imagine a setup where the victim has some say in whether or not the death penalty is sought, but that's about it. Naturally I support anything that tends towards being sure innocent people are not killed, but also I think a lot of the supposed ineffectiveness of the death penalty is in the rediculous hurdles placed there by countless appeals processes. That needs to be sensibly streamlined, in my opinion. But it is odd, for example, to pick up a paper and read that some prosecutor or judge doesn't want to reopen a case for evidence like DNA or obviously important developments.

Lately, my whole point of view as a Christan though is turning away from society and towards finding a church, and people who care more about each other and Christ than politics and fitting in with mainstream society. I guess I am demoralized by the trend I have seen throughout my life for our society in the USA not just turning from God, but turning just from decency and normality, and just common sense. Like this new federal requirement for driver's liscences. Now law abiding citizens will get to pay more and go through more hassle to get a driver's liscence, yet the government still will not police the border. What good does the id do if millions of illegals get in every year? Do they honestly imagine that they will make an id they can't counterfeit? Or what are you going to do, require people to have a driver's liscence even if they don't drive?

Hmm... So as you see, I have obsessed about politics for a long time and it is fruitless, so I am trying to find just people to be with to wait out the storm at this point.

Not sure if that even addressed the point of the OP. I think I am just venting.... lol

[I can eat 50 eggs]

the dictionaries first definition of conservative is:

Favoring traditional views and values; tending to oppose change.
What cracks me up is that "conservative" christians are the ones that have probably embraced the most change, and departure from historical christian teachings.

[Llauralin]

In general, though not always in politics, being consirvative entails being resistant to change, wanting to slow down the rapid rush of progress, or reform modernity, reclaming past truths which may be being pushed aside or forgotten by progressivism.

[CrystalBrooke]

being conservative to me is knowing that there are no gray areas, its either black or white, right or wrong..it works that way, and that's the way it's supposed to be. it's also supporting and upholding traditional vaules...and no i dont like change:)

[e=mv^2]

I tend to be conservative:

#1 The bible in it's entirety is good and profitable for learning.
Guns don't kill people - abortions do.
An armed society is a polite society.
Abortion is murder and should be treated as such.
I am for giving businesses and business owners tax breaks.
I do not believe that we should have homosexual preachers.

Liberatarian:

We have enough laws already.
I am for (MUCH)smaller government.
I am against corporate charity. (pm me to find out why)

and Liberal:

I am against animal cruelty.
I am just as broken as everyone else.
I am against the death penalty.
We all deserve death - it is grace that keeps us alive.

[jangnim]

I tend to agre with the many who came before me in this thread.


I am very conservative in my Christianity, in that I seek to find and adhere to the biblical view of every aspect of my life. I haven't yet found those views in every area yet, but I trust Christ that I will.

I believe that the Bible is 100% the truth, while I admit that there are inaccuracies recorded in its pages. The truth is never in error, although the way one guy wrote something might differ drastically from the way another might write it.

I believe that to be Biblically Christian, we may have to toss some of our current theologies, and social stances.

I am against abortion, and gay marriage because I feel the Bible is against them. Of late I have even begun to wonder about birth control but that is for another thread.

I am very pro-family, and pro-fellowship. Fellowship in our churches is all but dead, which is part of the reason why the poor are not helped, the people need to go to the government to get help, etc.

I m also very pro-bankruptcy protection for individuals who, in very special circumstances need help. I am against having to cough up $500 to $1000 to file for this, as it is possible to be so poor that you can't afford to declare you are broke. I also think that no person should be permited to declare bankruptcy for just any reason, like, "Oh I just let my spending get out of hand".

I am against corporations and corporate officers who hide behind a corporate veil to perform criminal acts, acts that should be considered criminal and acts to keep people enslaved. I am also against the export of jobs from the nation, simply to boost the stock prices for a company. I am not really pro union, but I do think that the unions have a place to counter the corporate fleasing of the individual.

I believe that taxation without representation is occuring in America, right under our noses and the very wealthy are destroying the middle class.

I believe our nation is way to quick to help out a "friend" against a supposed enemy, only to discover that they too are our enemies, as we did with Afghanistan and Iraq.

I believe that while it might be a good idea to decrease dependency on foreign energy sources, large corporations are working overtime to enslave us to themselves for profit. I think that these few people at the top, who are making the rule of government will in the end destroy the smaller groups in favor of their money.

I believe that justice is rarely served in America, and as such the criminals are now holding office in our government, making decisions that in the end will be our downfall.

I finally believe that Liberal/Conservative Republican/Democrat are a great check for us to make certain no individual group can have absolute power.

I note that there is scriptural relevance for most of my views, at least in my opinion.