Why do conservatives claim to have moral values?

Question

They believe that all liberals have lesser moral values. This is often hypocritical -- for example,conservative states have a much higher divorce rate then the rest of the nation.

Conservatives started a war that has killed thousand... is that good moral values?

Conservatives hate welfare even though there are many who need it - take for example a friend of mine who works 12 hour days. She has 3 kids, and needs welfare to survive.

Conservatives discriminate against gays... Is it morally acceptable to discriminate against someone?

Answer 1

I Agree.......politics is not black and white as life is not......

Answer 2

Because they do. The religious ones, in particular, have codified sets of moral beliefs based upon the bible.

Liberals seem to have very different moral values, but they still clearly have some.


The disconnect is a bit odd, though, since morality really isn't that slippery a concept. I think a lot of it is just a clash of ideas for the sake of the clash, not the ideas.


To your specific points:

"Conservatives started a war that has killed thousand... is that good moral values?"

Religious hard-liners did indeed start a war some years ago - whether you consider that war to have started with 9/11 or with the invasion of Iraq seems to be a matter of party poltitics. Certainly, fighting back against an enemy can be morally justified. Generally, both sides manage to convince themselves that they're 'just' fighting back.

"Conservatives hate welfare even though there are many who need it"

The reason for this depends on the brand of conservatives.

Religious conservatives are against state welfare, ultimately, because it denies the virtue of charity. There is no compassion involved in paying your taxes, since the law compels you to. Similarly, there's no compasion in voting to collect such taxes, since, while you are helping some, you are taking from others. To thier way of thinking, the right thing to do would be to abolish state welfare, and leave the function of helping the poor to Church.

Fiscal conservatives also object to transfer payments, but on the grounds that they're economically inefficient and breed dependency - that leaving taxpayers more money would stimulate economic growth which would in turn provide oportunities for those who are currently poor to improve thier lot. Though, they have no objection to private charity, since everyone should be free to do what they wish with thier money.

"take for example a friend of mine who works 12 hour days. She has 3 kids, and needs welfare to survive."

It can be hard to make ends meet. But does she really need /welfare/ to survive, or does she merely need help? If welfare were suddenly abolished, and taxes proportionately reduced, wouldn't /you/ help her out?


"Conservatives discriminate against gays... Is it morally acceptable to discriminate against someone?"

It's morally acceptable to condemn immoral behavior. You consider intollerance immoral, so you condemn it. They consider certain activities immoral, so they condemn it. If there was conclusive scientific proof that 10% of the population was wired to be intollerant, and couldn't possibly change thier attitudes, would you stop condemning that sort of behavior?

Answer 3

I don't know, the real question is how can liberals claim to have any values at all? I recall that Vietnam was a war that Democrats continued year after year with no idea on how to end it, until a Republican was elected. We don't hate welfare we just think a hand up beats a hand out. And Liberals consider any black who has made a success of themselves a "sellout", so who really discriminates?

Answer 4

You're confused. Most conservatives have traditional values not moral values. Though most are moral. They started no war and they want to help all people but not by making a lower class w/o hope that welfare has done. They want the best for all people. Where you get your ideas from is beyond me. You say all this stuff with no proof or evidence. Peace

Answer 5

Do you think that conservatives are the only ones claiming to have moral values?

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Auf802wot73XBv9jNcUQdILty6IX?qid=20061217221825AAtF5xM&show=7#profile-info-43db8849f5fa8bd5d41584dc68f95e34aa

Do you remember how many Democrats have been in the White House when the U.S. jumped into wars (WW I, WW II, Korea, Vietnam)?

"Is it morally acceptable to discriminate against [gays]?"

If you believe that homosexuality is immoral, then yes. In case you haven't been paying attention, there are some laws which prohibit employment discrimination based on sexual orientation WHICH SPECIFICALLY INCLUDE AN EXEMPTION FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE A MORAL OBJECTION TO HOMOSEXUALITY.

Answer 6

Could you post some sites so we can verify your numbers, I mean it would not be like you to lie to make your point, but of course lying is immoral isn't it.

I have never heard a conservative say what you are putting into their mouths. I have heard a massive amount of hypocrisy from leftists and it is not a single day that one in congress pops one out.

A good example, clinton fires attorneys who in the middle of a criminal investigation of his and his wifes business dealings, but that was okay with perhaps you and those who love clinton, but bush fires some attorneys and the witch hunt is on, tons of your leftist friends and perhaps you ran off at the mouth about it here. What I have described is hypocrisy, and that is immoral.

So perhaps it would be wise for you to research your words, to see if you are a practicing immoral hypocrite before running around casting broad aspersions on people you do not even no, which of course is immoral as well.

Answer 7

Actually, you forgot a few minor details. Conservative states might have higher divorce rates, but that's only because their marriage rates are higher. Oh and as far as only Conservatives sending us off to war, well that's a bunch of BS because the president has to have the approval of Congress to wage war. And in case you didn't know this, Congress is both Democrat and Republican and an overwhelming majority voted to go to war. I don't know about others, but I don't have anything against gays. My attitude is, 'Whatever floats your boat'.

Answer 8

Because they do. Do you think it is moral to let a radical people, who are not even a country, attack and kill over 3000 people, not even all of them Americans, and do NOTHING? Bill Clinton did nothing in Somalia, did nothing when terrorists attacked our Navy on the USS Cole, in Yemen, at peace time, nor did he do a damn thing about the terrorists who attacked, and killed Americans in our embassy in Africa! ALL OF THEM, ACTS OF WAR! Do you call that HONOR, and love of country? DO YOU CALL THAT MORAL????? Where did Clinton, having done NOTHING, get us? Mmmmmmm, 9/11?
Go on about your messed up idea of welfare, son, more Republicans give in taxes and charity than any Liberal, because they have JOBS! They can afford to, Libs cannot, because Libs are on WELFARE!
The clues are there, you just need to listen to them, and face facts!

Answer 9

The same reason liberals, communists, socialists, and nazi's claim to be morally correct! It is a point of view. The right thing looks differant from another angle! I'm glad the liberals have never started a war that has killed thousands, like Viet Nam!!!!!!!!!

Answer 10

It's sad to say but I think you have the mentality about the size of your avatar name , to bad it could be so much more. You know little or nothing of history , just what some liberal teacher or professor has told you if you went that far (doubtful) Perhaps you were the child left behind.

Answer 11

You disagree with our morals...we're not immoral.

War. I think we were morally obligated to stop the genocide of hundreds of thousands.

Stealing from the rich to give to the poor. I think this is immoral. It creates a cycle of dependency that is not sustainable. Better to invest in business and create sustainable jobs than take from the job creators and drive them away.

Gays. I don't discriminate and have no objection to any consenting adults private life.
Perhaps you think that those who think homosexuality is immoral is discrimination? It is not.
I think it is immoral to legislate thought.