Why is it that people all of a sudden assume that a conservative has to be Christian? I'm conservative and I'm not Christian. I'm neutral and respect whatever someone wants to believe in. I'm from Texas, the most conservative state in this country, and a majority of people are neutral conservatives. Is it just a way for Liberals to call Conservatives names?
2006-12-18 10:27:11 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
It is the same with people calling liberals "baby killers" It is a broad generalization that people use to incite hate. I am a Conservative and a christian and I respect your beliefs. That is what America is all about
2006-12-18 10:31:58 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
It's a generalization. More conservatives than liberals tend to be Christian. Not by much -- the vast majority of all Americans, including liberals, are Christian. Also, many conservatives are conservative because of their Christian values. Non-Christian Americans tend to be liberal.
It sometimes helps to be more explicit. For example, there are social conservatives (anti-gay, anti-abortion, etc.), fiscal conservatives (who oppose large government because it leads to deficit spending, etc.), constitutional conservatives (and even a couple different types of those), and so on...
Most Americans, especially conservative Christians, would consider someone who's "neutral and respect(s) whatever someone wants to believe in" a liberal. I would argue that person is the original type of conservative. The first conservatives were our Founding Fathers -- they drew limits to the government's powers, and reserved all powers and rights not specified in the Constitution for the States and the People. I believe the 9th and 10th Amendments are the most important part of the Bill of Rights.
The Reagan administration, and later to a lesser extent the Gingrich klan of 1992, managed to give the word "liberal" a negative connotation. Before that, being liberal used to be considered a good thing. The conservatives actually started it -- changing the connotation of liberal to mean something to be feared.
I consider myself a social liberal and a fiscal conservative by the modern terminology (and also a non-Christian, by the way). However, I would also argue that "live and let live" social policy is the true conservative position. Call me a libertarian.
2006-12-18 18:53:23 · answer #2 · answered by pluck_tyson 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think it is because a lot of people confuse conservatism for Christianity. Christians have been known by societal standards to have a conservative world view. Thus why many feel that by being a Christian you are automatically a conservative. And this is simply not true. I am a Christian but I am not conservative. I am a moderate.
2006-12-18 18:44:21 · answer #3 · answered by A M 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, I don't believe its name calling on the part of the democrats. I'm more prone to believe that this was something carefully planned by the GOP to turn out the evangelical vote. More and more, the republican party has been drifting farther away from fiscal conservative values to more social conservative values. Issues such as abortion and gay marriage are brought up with the sole purpose of mobilizing the evangelical Christian base and by doing this, the party positions itself in a way to naturally draw the conservative/Christian assumption. Also, while running for president in 2000, George W. Bush refered to himself as a "Christian conservative," a label that has stuck with the party ever since.
2006-12-18 18:37:34 · answer #4 · answered by rawk_chawk 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I don't think is is a way to call Conservatives names. I'm a Christian and I'm surely liberal. It may be because of the large Evangelical Christian bloc, those led by Falwell and Pat Robertson who wear both hats: Christianity and conservative, GOP politics.
Being called a Christian is no insult. It's something I'm proud of.
2006-12-18 18:32:54 · answer #5 · answered by iwasnotanazipolka 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I find it amusing that you refer to it as name calling. I am a liberal and I believe in God, but I wouldn't call myself a christian, somehow that term has come to denote a nasty political sub-party that seeks to convert to their thinking by turning their views into law. I know many conservatives that aren't christians, and many christians that aren't conservatives. I only say "Christian Conservative" when the name fits. I do not generalize as many on this forum do. Peace.
2006-12-18 19:49:01 · answer #6 · answered by Hillaryforpresident 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No, it's a way for republicans to garner votes from Christians. When did Republicans become conservatives and Democrats become liberals? It's all a game, both sides use labels to cause one group to become irritated with the other and get out and vote against the "enemy", never realizing much more would be accomplished by positive, thoughtful policies that appeal to the masses.
2006-12-18 18:33:21 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
Not all Conservatives are Christians, but most Christians are Conservatives.
2006-12-18 18:30:09 · answer #8 · answered by Jade 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
It's a way to attack two groups with one stone. An attempt to divide the CR from the Conservatives.
Ignore it. I do.
2006-12-18 18:30:00 · answer #9 · answered by ? 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
Because all libs are atheist and therefore assume people different than them politically are different religiously.
2006-12-18 18:30:05 · answer #10 · answered by Libs are NERDS 2 · 1⤊ 6⤋