The Difference Between Conservatives and Liberals

[jayem]

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).

Conservatives and liberals both want to impose rules on society. They just differ on what those rules should be.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Conservatives and liberals both want to impose rules on society. They just differ on what those rules should be.

True.
Conservative rules: beneficial.
Liberal rules: not so much.

 

[zephcom]

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.

I can heartily applaud your efforts to become more consistent and honest as possible. And being willing to change beloved dogmas shows the seriousness of your efforts.

In my experience, truth is a very elusive thing to discover and those who claim to possess it often are just settled into a new dogma. For a very long time now, I've accepted that it is likely I will only know the truth after I die.

 

[zephcom]

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

Your visible church is the one which would have an impact on the physical realm. It remains as I described it.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I can heartily applaud your efforts to become more consistent and honest as possible. And being willing to change beloved dogmas shows the seriousness of your efforts.

In my experience, truth is a very elusive thing to discover and those who claim to possess it often are just settled into a new dogma. For a very long time now, I've accepted that it is likely I will only know the truth after I die.

Truth is indeed subjective in that what is true for me might not be for another. I believe planning, hard work and sacrifice will usually yield rewards. Others might not think this is true.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Your visible church is the one which would have an impact on the physical realm. It remains as I described it.

The visible and invisible church are hard to tell apart, but "by their fruits shall you know them." Both impact the physical realm but the true church is the "salt of the earth" and for the "elect's sake", God will not utterly destroy mankind at Christ's return.

 

[zephcom]

Truth is indeed subjective in that what is true for me might not be for another. I believe planning, hard work and sacrifice will usually yield rewards. Others might not think this is true.

I have no problem with what you have written. It is the subjective nature of truth which causes problems as people try to live in close proximity of each other. Finding ways to allow each of us to hold our truth close to us while allowing others the freedom to hold their truth close to them is the primary issues with a planet with ever increasing numbers of people closing the distance between us.

 

[zephcom]

The visible and invisible church are hard to tell apart, but "by their fruits shall you know them." Both impact the physical realm but the true church is the "salt of the earth" and for the "elect's sake", God will not utterly destroy mankind at Christ's return.

"By their fruits" is the measure I used to make my determination about Christianity. When Jesus said that, He was referring to those who's fruit were true to His teachings. Christianity has created it's own fruit trees which are completely different than His. Those trees are the ones which bear bad fruit.

 

[jayem]

True.
Conservative rules: beneficial.
Liberal rules: not so much.

Your bias is showing. But that's OK. You're entitled to it.

 

[JackRT]

Your bias is showing. But that's OK. You're entitled to it.

I might get warned for this--but you remember what Dirty Harry said: "Opinions are like assh***s. Everybody has one."

As a philosopher Dirty Harry is highly under-rated.

 

[Strathos]

I think one of the biggest problems is that too many people see their side as completely and absolutely correct and the other side as irredeemably evil and wrong about everything. This goes for both conservatives and liberals.

 

[Foxfyre]

True.
Conservative rules: beneficial.
Liberal rules: not so much.

Not entirely fair I think. I'm sure our more progressive friends here would disagree.

But I do agree that the modern American conservative doesn't want any more rules or regulations than are absolutely necessary for an orderly society and to prevent the members of it from doing physical, economic, or environmental violence to each other and leave what that society will be and the morality of it to individual initiative.

But liberal/progressives tend to want rules and regulations that they choose to produce a society to be as they think it should be. The results are too often beneficial to some at the forced confiscation of liberties and resources from others.

This is why I so strongly advocate leaving most such things to the states to do. That way if a progressive state or a conservative state is producing good things, it can be an example to others to emulate, but if not, then it doesn't screw it up for everybody.

 

[381465]

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".

Campolo's bias is blinding in that very generalized broad brush statement. I disagree with most of it.

As for the chart...I probably hit 65% conservative and 35% liberal. I don't think it's an accurate assessment. I think most people want to belong and, for the most part, there are 2 big sides to choose from.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Your bias is showing. But that's OK. You're entitled to it.

I might get warned for this--but you remember what Dirty Harry said: "Opinions are like assh***s. Everybody has one."

My very liberal sister used to toss that into the conversation when it wasn't going too well for her.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I think one of the biggest problems is that too many people see their side as completely and absolutely correct and the other side as irredeemably evil and wrong about everything. This goes for both conservatives and liberals.

This is a problem even if your side is correct, maybe even more so. People see me putting my grocery cart away neatly, and they respond by making an even bigger mess of them.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

"By their fruits" is the measure I used to make my determination about Christianity. When Jesus said that, He was referring to those who's fruit were true to His teachings.

Exactly. But it's hard to follow Jesus's teachings if you don't know what they are. Too many preachers preach the 'hereafter' and ignore the 'here and now'. The visible church seems to be more involved in politics and materialism than in spiritual things.

 

[quatona]

I like to think that I don´t hold certain opinions because I am [insert label of choice], but - vice versa - people call me [insert label of choice] because this label summarizes most of my view best to them.
Thus, I don´t see myself as being prone to lead a war on behalf of [insert label of choice].

 

[quatona]

Conservative rules: beneficial.
Liberal rules: not so much.

My very conservative sister used to toss that into the conversation when it wasn't going too well for her.

 

[quatona]

People see me putting my grocery cart away neatly, and they respond by making an even bigger mess of them.

You seem to be at the center of other people´s attention.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

You seem to be at the center of other people´s attention.

Kinda like a 'red herring'.