Being a 'liberal' or a 'conservative'

MarcusT

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I understand that most writers in this forum are from the English speaking world. Being a 'liberal' or 'conservative' are typical characterizations among these countries although this division is not restricted only for these countries.

Coming from a country where this division is relatively young, I find it a bit perplexing that people - especially religious people - are quite crudely and so easily - classified according to these two characteristics.

Are 'a liberal' and 'a conservative' really a good way to characterize a person or is it just lazy thinking? If not, what these two categories tell us of a person, especially of a religious person - and especially of person who claims to be a Christian? Is there a third option?

Using myself as an example, I might be called a liberal (an ELCA type Lutheran) but also a conservative (a Bible believer who doesn't tolerate many so-called liberal interpretations).

(Sorry if my English is a bit clumsy.)
 
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Maria Billingsley

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I understand that most writers in this forum are from the English speaking world. Being a 'liberal' or 'conservative' are typical characterizations among these countries although this division is not restricted only for these countries.

Coming from a country where this division is relatively young, I find it a bit perplexing that people - especially religious people - are quite crudely and so easily - classified according to these two characteristics.

Are 'a liberal' and 'a conservative' really a good way to characterize a person or is it just lazy thinking? If not, what these two categories tell us of a person, especially of a religious person - and especially of person who claims to be a Christian? Is there a third option?

Using myself as an example, I might be called a liberal (an ELCA type Lutheran) but also a conservative (a Bible believer who doesn't tolerate many so-called liberal interpretations).
We also have those who are known as "moderates".
 
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Albion

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Hello, Marcus. The terms liberal and conservative are political and come to us from the English and American experience. So to that extent, you are right in what you are thinking.

However, the application of them to religious movements and groups isn't actually inappropriate.

Religious liberals are less willing to stay with established beliefs and practices than religiously conservative people are; and religious liberals are more oriented towards what the individual conscience directs than conservative Christians who are more respectful of time-honored religious principles and the value of continuity.
 
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Albion

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But a "moderate" is just someone who agrees with liberals on some issues and conservatives on others.

The term does not describe a specific philosophy in the way that the terms liberal and conservative do.
 
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Maria Billingsley

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But a "moderate" is just someone who agrees with liberals on some issues and conservatives on others.

The term does not describe a specific philosophy in the way that the terms liberal and conservative do.
I am a moderate and hold no party affiliation. There really are people like this out there.
Here is the philosophy behind the group.
"Love your neighbor".
Blessings
 
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MarcusT

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But a "moderate" is just someone who agrees with liberals on some issues and conservatives on others.

The term does not describe a specific philosophy in the way that the terms liberal and conservative do.
Ok, this might be my problem. 'Liberal' and 'conservative' have stronger implications than I can discern.
 
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OldWiseGuy

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I am a moderate and hold no party affiliation. There really are people like this out there.
Here is the philosophy behind the group.
"Love your neighbor".
Blessings

I agree. Moderate means that you are not extreme. As a drinker I am neither a drunk (liberal) or a teetotaler (conservative).
 
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BobRyan

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I understand that most writers in this forum are from the English speaking world. Being a 'liberal' or 'conservative' are typical characterizations among these countries although this division is not restricted only for these countries.

Coming from a country where this division is relatively young, I find it a bit perplexing that people - especially religious people - are quite crudely and so easily - classified according to these two characteristics.

Are 'a liberal' and 'a conservative' really a good way to characterize a person or is it just lazy thinking? If not, what these two categories tell us of a person, especially of a religious person - and especially of person who claims to be a Christian? Is there a third option?

Using myself as an example, I might be called a liberal (an ELCA type Lutheran) but also a conservative (a Bible believer who doesn't tolerate many so-called liberal interpretations).

(Sorry if my English is a bit clumsy.)

Moral or doctrinal issues are sometimes used to define a liberal or conservative Christian.

Is the Bible God's Word or is it just "the best efforts of pre-scientific men doing they best they could and coming up with some good-sounding ideas at the time?"

1. Is God's Word in the Creation really reliable? Is it the right doctrine on origins explaining the historic fact of life being on Earth -- or was Darwin giving the best account/doctrine for origins? If Darwin is the right source than from what did the holy sinless pure hominid/monkeys "fall" so that they would then need the death of God the Son on the cross to save them?
2. Is the historic account of the flood reliable or fable? What about the long life spans of mankind recorded in Genesis - is the Word of God really all that reliable when it comes to its historic accounts?
3. Miracles in the Bible can they be trusted or all of them fake? If all fake then what about the miracles of Christ, His incarnation, resurrection? ascension? also fake/myth/fable?
4. Is the genesis account of marriage reliable or "anything goes" is a better understanding"
5. Is the New Covenant of Jer 31:31-34 and Heb 8:6-13 legit?
6. Can the Words of Christ in the Gospels be trusted for Christians or are they unreliable and we should ignore everything Christ taught -- only read the NT activities that happen after the resurrection.
7 is it ok to kill babies just before they are born? just after they are born? 3 months before they would have an easy-natural child birth? After the "heart beat"?
8 Are the ten commandments deleted? "Do not take God's name in vain" for example.. "deleted" since it is not quoted verbatim in the NT?
 
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eleos1954

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I understand that most writers in this forum are from the English speaking world. Being a 'liberal' or 'conservative' are typical characterizations among these countries although this division is not restricted only for these countries.

Coming from a country where this division is relatively young, I find it a bit perplexing that people - especially religious people - are quite crudely and so easily - classified according to these two characteristics.

Are 'a liberal' and 'a conservative' really a good way to characterize a person or is it just lazy thinking? If not, what these two categories tell us of a person, especially of a religious person - and especially of person who claims to be a Christian? Is there a third option?

Using myself as an example, I might be called a liberal (an ELCA type Lutheran) but also a conservative (a Bible believer who doesn't tolerate many so-called liberal interpretations).

(Sorry if my English is a bit clumsy.)

Are 'a liberal' and 'a conservative' really a good way to characterize a person or is it just lazy thinking? If not, what these two categories tell us of a person, especially of a religious person - and especially of person who claims to be a Christian? Is there a third option?

liberal/conservative ... are terms used by politicians to "pigeon hole" people into two groups (and makes it a us against them mentality). Many people fall "in between" the two extremes actually.
 
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Albion

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Ok, this might be my problem. 'Liberal' and 'conservative' have stronger implications than I can discern.
Hmm. Well, that's understandable. It's not as though most people in the West are really versed in the matter, either, especially since both liberal and conservative have evolved over the years.

Liberal once meant what is now called Libertarian or 'Classical' Liberal. Adam Smith, free economics, individual rights, small government. Today, it usually means Democratic Socialism.

Conservatism in its origins is associated with Edmund Burke, the value of what has proven itself over against rash change, rule of law balanced by protection for the rights of the person, etc.

It may be that you would help yourself by doing a study of the leading personalities in the history of these belief systems such as those I have already mentioned.

However...your main concern is with the application of these terms to religious movements, churches, theology, and so on. Is that right? If so, you had better direct us back to what, exactly, is the problem there. Maybe also with specifics.
 
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MarcusT

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3. Miracles in the Bible can they be trusted or all of them fake? If all fake then what about the miracles of Christ, His incarnation, resurrection? ascension? also fake/myth/fable?
I think these are the crucial questions. In my case, everything else can be said to be negotiable (so I'm a liberal?), but not these. I've been called 'a blind believer' (a conservative?) because of this.
 
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Albion

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I think these are the crucial questions. In my case, everything else can be said to be negotiable (so I'm a liberal?), but not these. I've been called 'a blind believer' (a conservative?) because of this.
Probably neither liberal nor conservative describes that particular issue.
 
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OldWiseGuy

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liberal/conservative ... are terms used by politicians to "pigeon hole" people into two groups (and makes it a us against them mentality). Many people fall "in between" the two extremes actually.

Being a moderate gives you a little more elbow room between the extremes.
 
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Dave-W

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Moral or doctrinal issues are sometimes used to define a liberal or conservative Christian.
Indeed. And that often comes down to:

If you agree with my Sola Scriptura interpretations 100% you are a conservative.

If you agree with some of my interpretations and throw in a couple of heresies, you are a moderate.

If you disagree with my interpretations you are a liberal and a heretic.
 
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grasping the after wind

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I agree. Moderate means that you are not extreme. As a drinker I am neither a drunk (liberal) or a teetotaler (conservative).

As what is extreme is completely opinion based anyone can call themselves a moderate if they define extreme in a way that keeps them from being included in that group. I tend not to want to be a moderate as Jesus was not a moderate and as a Christian I do not want to consider myself opposing Jesus.
 
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OldWiseGuy

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As what is extreme is completely opinion based anyone can call themselves a moderate if they define extreme in a way that keeps them from being included in that group. I tend not to want to be a moderate as Jesus was not a moderate and as a Christian I do not want to consider myself opposing Jesus.

The new covenant is quite moderate in that it cuts the sinner some slack; a space to repent.
 
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MarcusT

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It may be that you would help yourself by doing a study of the leading personalities in the history of these belief systems such as those I have already mentioned.
You are absolutely right. I'm not an expert on Classical Liberalism, the American Founding Fathers etc. On Democratic Socialism I can claim some expertise since that's what my home country is supposed to be based on :blush:.

However...your main concern is with the application of these terms to religious movements, churches, theology, and so on. Is that right? If so, you had better direct us back to what, exactly, is the problem there. Maybe also with specifics.

The problem rises its (ugly) head when I'm having a conversation like this with someone thousands of miles from where I am and he/she uses words like 'liberal' and 'conservative' with a special emphasis unknown to me. "Am I conservative/liberal with respect to what?" I've been asked.

This liberal/conservative dichotomy is currently being imported to my country by some - let's say quite aggressive - evangelical movements from the English speaking countries. I'm not sure the local evangelicals here understand completely the vocabulary their new friends from abroad use.
 
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