Which would you prefer?

[Macrina]

The way I see it, the labels "conservative" and "liberal" are relative terms -- there's pretty much always going to be someone farther out on the spectrum than you are, whichever end you're on.

So let's play "what if" -- you have your choice of living and working with a group of people who are, for the most part, more conservative than you are, or likewise more liberal than you are.

Which would you choose?
Which would be most comfortable for you?
Why?


I'm not trying to get at specifics of beliefs we label one way or the other, btw, just our comfort zones.

 

[Tamara224]

That's a tough one. I really hesitated over that poll. In some ways it would depend on how much more of either the people are than me. I can see it being a drag either way. I chose more conservative because I see myself as pretty conservative so I think I wouldn't be going against the flow as often. But, I've been around a group that is more conservative than I and it can get pretty frustrating.

 

[Macrina]

Yeah, I meant this to be that it would be an equal distance in either direction: If you have to go against the flow, which flow would you rather go against?



I thought of this b/c I was remembering something my mentor asked me when I was getting ready to look for my first church. He asked if I would rather serve a congregation which leaned more liberal than me or one which leaned more conservative than me. Very rarely will a pastor and congregation be an exact fit, he said... so it got me thinking, and somehow I was thinking about it again today.

 

[awesome liver]

i like the free flowing of ideas -- even those counter to mine. i like my freedoms and liberties. liberals.

 

[InTheGarden]

I think more liberal, just because a lot of my family is more liberal than myself so I'm kind of used to it! As long as the people I'm with can respect my opinions, and I can respect theirs, it wouldn't matter too much.

 

[Blank123]

I'm probably considered more of a conservative Christian but in my group of conservative Christian friends I am probably considered the liberal. so its something I'm already very used to. I guess I'd vote that.

 

[Eric10]

Very conservative relative to my long time friends and the majority of the people I work with.
Very liberal relative to the Christians I am friends with.

It's a very annoying situation. I'm constantly watching what I say when I'm around my Christian friends, which I like. While I'm around my other friends, I don't watch myself nearly as closely, but I am getting better and better! One of these days I will be the same person with all of them!

 

[Willtor]

I dislike the notions of liberal and conservative. I dislike the notion of a spectrum (or continuum) of views. As I tend to lean Neo-Orthodox (in the Barth sense, not so much in the Tillich sense), my views tend to be considered dangerously liberal by the conservative Church I attend. However, I don't think I would fare much better at a liberal Church (which would probably think I was too conservative). It's not because I'm stuck in the middle. It's because I don't identify with either group. I'd say I would enjoy a contemplative group that is serious about the content of its contemplation. Frankly, though, it is the seriousness that really catches my interest. I'd value fellowship with anyone who takes seriously the cross of Christ.

 

[VozNocturna]

I think I would be described as a moderate (very liberal on some issues, very conservative on others) I don't believe every sociopolitical issue can be viewed as black and white.i I have friends on every part of the spectrum. My closest friends are either conservatives with liberal views about some issues or outright liberal. I tend to get along least with radical, right-wing conservatives. A friend of mine are always butting heads because of his views about racial disparities in this country and his conservative views on economy (he's also a businessman).

I consider myself a liberal at heart, but have voted conservative based on certain issues (that will probably not happen in the next round of elections!).

 

[knownbeforetime]

My church is a little more liberal than some or maybe I should say liberated... (Sing modern songs, don't dress up on Sundays, they don't freak out when I mention Harry Potter) There's only 3 democrats out of about 50 in my church that I know of.

My dad and grandma are liberals. Don't discuss politics in my house... Their rhetoric is very hypocritical to me... (cuz somehow pro-abortion, pro-homosexual marriage, and pro-welfare state are more christian than anti-abortion, anti-homosexual marriage, and pro-welfare reform isn't...) But this isn't the place to discuss that sort of thing...

All that aside, I voted "more conservative"...

 

[LOVEthroughINTELLECT]

Too many times I have clashed with people to my right on the political spectrum. There were others in the group who I got along with well in spite of being left of them ideologically, but the intense conflict with a few members undermined the rewarding relationships.

With people to my left on the political spectrum I have either gotten along with them well or have had so little in common with them that interaction with them was minimal.

The latter relationships have been more productive.

I voted "among people more liberal than myself".

 

[Sketcher]

People who are more liberal than me are generally more judgemental towards me. Besides, with people more conservative than me, I can always appeal to an absolute, the Bible. Depending on how liberal a person is, he or she might not accept any absolutes at all (except for the self-contradictory "It's all relative" tripe).

 

[VozNocturna]

People who are more liberal than me are generally more judgemental towards me. Besides, with people more conservative than me, I can always appeal to an absolute, the Bible. Depending on how liberal a person is, he or she might not accept any absolutes at all (except for the self-contradictory "It's all relative" tripe).

That is very true, which is why I consider myself a moderate and hesitant to call myself liberal--since the Bible is my authority on moral issues.

However, I take issue with Christians insinuating that only a "true" Christian would align with a particular political party. I think many Christians in the last elections--myself included--bought into that marketing machine. I don't know if I'll vote the next time around. If my choices are a left-wing radical with liberal views about abortion and marriage and a right-wing Republic who has not concern for social issues that affect me directly, then I'd rather not vote. For me, it's no longer a choice of "the lesser of two evils", since I believe God is in control--whether I vote or not.

 

[JPPT1974]

I am more independent
Rather than one or the other

 

[Sketcher]

double post, please delete.

 

[Sketcher]

That is very true, which is why I consider myself a moderate and hesitant to call myself liberal--since the Bible is my authority on moral issues.

However, I take issue with Christians insinuating that only a "true" Christian would align with a particular political party.

Oh, I completely agree with you. This is mainly because I unfortunately had to deal with hateful Christian Communists who made the same assertion. They even went so far as to not acknowledge me as a Christian brother when I tried to use that common ground to patch up the differences. Those people are no better than the secular God-haters in my opinion, and in some cases they are worse - because some unbelievers actually have a sense of human decency towards those they disagree with.

 

[Grunt]

I guess normal, rational people just don't exist anymore.

 

[Willtor]

Anymore?

 

[Sketcher]

I guess normal, rational people just don't exist anymore.

They exist, they just don't agree with you.

(sorry, I had to.)

 

[Disippelen]

I'm very conservative myself, conserning the inner things, like Bible, faith etc. But I'm very liberal conserning the outer things, like dressing, singing/dancing etc.

I think that I misunderstood the poll... I chose conservatives, because I would rather be with other conservatives, as it would enchance my Spriritual life (strong Christians encourage other Christians to a more Christ-like attitude etc.). But if I spent time with liberals (in the theological sense) then I would be able to draw them closer to God... and that's also very important.. so the conclusion must be to have community with both groups, to get and to give..