What makes a conservative????????????

[Jim47]

Other then the obvoius things such as abortion, gay marriage, full belief in the bible and what God has said, what else is important to you?

My hopes are to define what a conservative is and perhaps edit the OP so that these things can be discussed more easily.

 

[A New Dawn]

I believe that a conservative believes in making God our focus and dying to self so full glory and honor can be given to God. So many others believe in altering who God is, it seems, so that they can keep their life the same and squeeze God into it.

 

[GQ Chris]

No altering the God of Scripture, or Scripture either.

 

[Carolyn H]

I am learning that God is so much more than I ever thought! And Conservatives remember when we all responded in Latin!!!!!

 

[GQ Chris]

I am learning that God is so much more than I ever thought!

How so?

 

[Carolyn H]

I remember this Zeus kind of God...like sneezing in church was a bad thing. God was holy, and distant, and I never felt like he cared about me or anyone else. He was not someone I really wanted to approach. I could say the lord's prayer to him...not even thinking what the words really meant.

As a teen I walked away from that God.

As an older Adult I found God again....and of all things, a LOVING God, and He was very easy to connect with.

Now I see that he is Holy and loving. He is a HOLY God that Loves us so very much he gave His all to save me. Holy...and Loving...very complex.

 

[Cris413]

To me...conservative means holding to traditional, orthodox beliefs, morals, values and standards.

IOW...not progressing toward beliefs, morals, values and standards as shaped and redefined by the world.

 

[Nadiine]

since there are lots of nonChristian conservatives & Christian replies, I won't go into the Christian aspect .
But a general conservative in my view, holds to conservative, tried-and-true traditional morals as a plumbline - a foundation for society.
(even tho they sometimes stray into immorality themselves, they still want that foundation of morality over society).

Politically, I see that conservatives favor capitalism - earning what you work for instead of communism & socialism where those who earn more are penalized for it and made to use their money to elevate others.
I think that principle runs strongly thru a conservative; conservatives don't believe everyone "owes" them a living.

Our inalienable rights state that we have the RIGHT to pursue specific things, not that they are mandated and forcefully GIVEN (often at others personal expenses) to everyone else in the country - I think that is generally a conservatives view towards our rights as humans and citizens of the USA.

After saying all that, I looked up "conservatism" in the dictionary:

2 a: disposition in politics to preserve what is established
b: a political philosophy based on tradition and social stability, stressing established institutions, and preferring gradual development to abrupt change ;
specifically : such a philosophy calling for lower taxes, limited government regulation of business and investing, a strong national defense, and individual financial responsibility for personal needs (as retirement income or health-care coverage)

3: the tendency to prefer an existing or traditional situation to change

 

[chosenpath]

I'm not very political so this may seem simple minded. God and Jesus were conservative.

Exodus 16:16
This is the thing which the LORD has commanded: 'Let every man gather it according to each one's need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent.'"

Luke 12:16-21
Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?' "So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry."' But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?'
"So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

Conservative Christians may seem rigid but we do have a sense of humor!

All God's Blessings,
Chosenpath

 

[WalksWithChrist]

Having a conservative belief to me means believing something based not only on tradition but also merit.

 

[Nadiine]

Having a conservative belief to me means believing something based not only on tradition but also merit.

but I'm sure any moderate & liberal would say they believe what they do on merit....

 

[WalksWithChrist]

but I'm sure any moderate & liberal would say they believe what they do on merit....

I think anyone would support their belief that way.
If a belief has no merit, then why believe it? Or *perceived* merit in any case. I think it's the perception where we are all divided on.

All those terms blur together anyway. Especially now. It's like Baskin freakin Robbins!

I recently heard the term "conservative Democrat" which I hadn't picked up on before. Just as an example.

Just my random thoughts!

 

[Nadiine]

I think anyone would support their belief that way.
If a belief has no merit, then why believe it? Or *perceived* merit in any case. I think it's the perception where we are all divided on.

All those terms blur together anyway. Especially now. It's like Baskin freakin Robbins!

I recently heard the term "conservative Democrat" which I hadn't picked up on before. Just as an example.

Just my random thoughts!

random thoughts are best kept to ourselves

 

[WalksWithChrist]

random thoughts are best kept to ourselves

Then you best hush!!
*giggle*

 

[MrJim]

It's like Baskin freakin Robbins!

I recently heard the term "conservative Democrat" which I hadn't picked up on before. Just as an example.

 

[CADude12]

Having a conservative belief to me means believing something based not only on tradition but also merit.

I agree with that. But I would add, that conservative means not abandoning the truth of the Scripture, or the morality it teaches, or the centrality of the Gospel to our lives, for the sake of being up to date/politically correct. Technological progress is happening all the time, but moral progress is not; it's even retrograding.

 

[GreenMunchkin]

Other then the obvoius things such as abortion, gay marriage, full belief in the bible and what God has said, what else is important to you?

My hopes are to define what a conservative is and perhaps edit the OP so that these things can be discussed more easily.

It's funny, I think far leftists have actually misappropriated the term "liberal", and now these are political words. I remember that like within a week of CC being started, someone started a good half dozen political threads, under the misapprehension that CC was a political forum, because the word "conservative" probably does have those connotations. And am becoming increasingly aware of the fact that it has different connotations in the States and the UK, for example.

But I think, doctrinally, it's a willingness to submit to the Lord's sovereignty. There's no attempt to alter who He is to fit us; if there's something we're uncomfortable with in Scriptures, we don't twist it to make it more palatable, and to tickle people's ears. I mean, theologically, it's probably an adherence to a more traditional view of Christianity but, ultimately, I really think it's a willingness to put God first, regardless of how that means people will react to us.

 

[Nadiine]

It's funny, I think far leftists have actually misappropriated the term "liberal", and now these are political words. I remember that like within a week of CC being started, someone started a good half dozen political threads, under the misapprehension that CC was a political forum, because the word "conservative" probably does have those connotations. And am becoming increasingly aware of the fact that it has different connotations in the States and the UK, for example.

But I think, doctrinally, it's a willingness to submit to the Lord's sovereignty. There's no attempt to alter who He is to fit us; if there's something we're uncomfortable with in Scriptures, we don't twist it to make it more palatable, and to tickle people's ears. I mean, theologically, it's probably an adherence to a more traditional view of Christianity but, ultimately, I really think it's a willingness to put God first, regardless of how that means people will react to us.

This sounds about right to me.

I don't know what liberal & conservative mean outside the USA, like in the UK or Spain or Australia or Germany... - I think we're sort of limited to our own definitions & perceptions due to where we live.

But yes I think sticking to leaving the bible to say what it does and just submitting to that teaching instead of recreating a religion to suit our chosen lifestyles sounds right.
I think that's what Orthodoxy generally means (imo)


(where have U been anyways? I thought you mite of left us)

 

[GreenMunchkin]

(where have U been anyways? I thought you mite of left us)

Aww Naw, came down with dreadful flu on Thursday. This is the first time have been lucid since then, pretty much. Actually, not feeling too swift, so am gonna go back to bed. Bleh

 

[Nadiine]

Aww Naw, came down with dreadful flu on Thursday. This is the first time have been lucid since then, pretty much. Actually, not feeling too swift, so am gonna go back to bed. Bleh

oh nooooooooooooo.
so sorry, I had one last year that I'll never forget.

Rest up and get well GM,
HUGZ