The Difference Between Conservatives and Liberals

[SnowyMacie]

I think we can all agree that's there's definitely a war going on our culture, whether or not you want to call it a culture war is up to you. It seems like as time passes, the two sides of the spectrum are becoming more and more foreign to each other to the point where they don't even speak the same language, and almost as if there's two sides in Christianity that have become tribes fighting against each other. This has caused a lot of misunderstandings to the point where debates have become less about debating, but more just explaining the basics of your argument, to which the other side just thinks is an attack.

Anyway, I recently stumbled across this model that shows the different emphasis between liberals and conservatives. The key word is emphasis, it's not that each side ignores other points, just where they find their focus...

 

[Foxfyre]

Interesting perspective. Not sure I can agree with all of it but it might provoke a good discussion.

 

[Apex]

I don't fit. I emphasize truth.

 

[JCFantasy23]

I match mainly on the conservative side but there were at least three liberal matches

Not sure on the accuracy but its interesting

 

[Ana the Ist]

Theology seems like a poor lens to view politics through.

 

[tdidymas]

I thought the fight was all about Christianity vs. Humanism - the ideology of belief: in God vs. in man.
TD

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Generally speaking,

Conservatism emphasizes the individual.
Liberalism emphasizes the group.

 

[jayem]

Generally speaking,

Conservatism emphasizes the person.
Liberalism emphasizes the group.

A fair assessment. And it translates into how they approach issues. When liberals see a problem, they want to spend money on it. When conservatives see a problem, they want to make it against the law.

 

[zephcom]

Your graphic demonstrates the mess Christianity is in today. Christianity has devolved into a cafeteria religion where people can tailor a 'religious' belief to suit their own personality.

Once someone has selected the sect which best fits their own personality and world view, they are able to offload that personality onto 'God' and wrap their personality in the sanctity of being 'Divinely' protected.

Over forty years ago I walked away from Christianity largely because of these issues. In the last ten or so years I have debated Christians over all of these topics and will credit people from nearly all of the different points of view with two revelations which rattled me at the core of my being.

The first revelation is that, as a religion, Christianity is a complete and total failure. The second is that regardless of what the nature of Jesus is, be it myth, human or divine, the teachings of Jesus are some of the most profound and spiritually sound teachings I've come across.

Imagine the conflict that creates.

 

[JackRT]

Tony Campolo said --- "Conservatives are people who worship at the graves of dead radicals. Stop to think about that. The people who started this country, George Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, these were not conservatives; these were the radicals of the time. In fact, conservatives always look back on people who they despised and make them into heroes. If you were to listen to the religious right today, they would make you believe that Martin Luther King was one of their flock. In reality, they hated him and did everything they could to destroy him."

Note: in the context of the above "liberal" could be substituted for "radical".

 

[Foxfyre]

Theology seems like a poor lens to view politics through.

But what is the old quote by Thomas Mann: "Everything is politics?"

For reasons unnecessary to go into here, I have worked with, traveled with, and worshiped with people from almost all mainline denominations and quite a few of the more obscure ones as well as non denominational--high church, the most bare bones church, and everything in between. And I have known I was with fellow Christians in almost all.

But I will say that I once attended a national convention of one of the more liberal denominations and it was almost non stop political/social issues with only lip service given to God/Christ/spirituality etc. Those with a different point of view other than the one being promoted were described with contempt. It felt like a political rally more than a Christian gathering.

So that aspect of the chart in the OP I can agree with.

While there are extremes of both:

Most modern day American conservatives are actually classical liberals of the Founders' variety. They most value individual liberty, responsibility, and accountability in matters of religion, politics, and social justice. The common good is most honorably accomplished via social contract decided by a free people and not by government dictate. The only rules, regulations, and expectations that are enforced are those necessary to maintain order and to prevent people from doing physical, economical, or environmental violence to each other. Otherwise people are allowed to believe, think, speak, and live their lives as they choose.

Most modern day American liberals are the actually the old conservatives of early America. The various issues and focus has changed, but the rules, regulations, expectations have become rigid and inflexible. Heretics (the politically incorrect) are punished and central authority is pushed to take on more and more power and responsibility. The collective or common good is the focus and individual preferences, beliefs, way of life are expected to fit into whatever that definition is.

 

[zephcom]

I don't fit. I emphasize truth.

Truth seems to be nothing more than personal opinion in today's world.

 

[zephcom]

A fair assessment. And it translates into how they approach issues. When liberals see a problem, they want to spend money on it. When conservatives see a problem, they want to make it against the law.

One could ask of your two situations, which most closely aligns with the teachings of Jesus?

 

[Albion]

Looks to me that Conservative is too much translated as Evangelical in that chart, but all such diagrams seem to have similar flaws, either because of oversimplification or something else like that.

 

[Dave-W]

One could ask of your two situations, which most closely aligns with the teachings of Jesus?

OR - could one say there are other alternatives.

 

[zephcom]

OR - could one say there are other alternatives.

One could.

But the comment was focused on the two alternatives given in the post. My solution for deciding on following any alternative can be brought down to the same thing, which most closely aligns with the teachings of Jesus.

 

[Foxfyre]

Looks to me that Conservative is too much translated as Evangelical in that chart, but all such diagrams seem to have similar flaws, either because of oversimplification or something else like that.

That's the problem with so many of these attempts to pigeon hole somebody. None of us are likely to be 100% anything. There will always be this or that exception, this or that variance in point of view.

So the best we can do with descriptions of groups is in the most general sense. For instance I am pretty conservative (described as classical liberal or libertarian (little "L"). But I don't see conversion as our transformation. I see that as the beginning of our spiritual journey with the Christ. A long, slow process for many of us. But I don't think that makes me liberal as defined in the chart. So. . .

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Your graphic demonstrates the mess Christianity is in today. Christianity has devolved into a cafeteria religion where people can tailor a 'religious' belief to suit their own personality.

Once someone has selected the sect which best fits their own personality and world view, they are able to offload that personality onto 'God' and wrap their personality in the sanctity of being 'Divinely' protected.

Over forty years ago I walked away from Christianity largely because of these issues. In the last ten or so years I have debated Christians over all of these topics and will credit people from nearly all of the different points of view with two revelations which rattled me at the core of my being.

The first revelation is that, as a religion, Christianity is a complete and total failure. The second is that regardless of what the nature of Jesus is, be it myth, human or divine, the teachings of Jesus are some of the most profound and spiritually sound teachings I've come across.

Imagine the conflict that creates.

The visible church is largely a church in name only. The invisible, spirit-led church is doing just fine.

 

[Apex]

Truth seems to be nothing more than personal opinion in today's world.

Four years ago, I decided to be more open. I wanted to be as consistent and honest as possible. This has lead me to change several of my previously beloved dogmas. It hasn't been easy, but truth is more important than what I want to believe.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Liberals don't like rules, even if they are beneficial. Liberals believe that everyone and everyone's goofy ideas have to be accommodated (except for conservatives and ideas put forth by conservatives).