Do liberals believe anything is ever absolutely right or wrong?

Question

Is rape ever right? What about murder?

For those who count yourself among the liberals, do you believe that there are any absolutes? Is the search to be right always the first step to hate, crime, and injustice?

Is the cure to discrimination to be entirely indiscriminate? That is, to never use your knowledge to try and do what is right? Doesn't any rational person have to employ discrimination in any decision he or she makes?

Answer 1

Actually, I'm a liberal and I DO believe that some things are absolutely right or wrong. For example, I believe that rape and murder are ALWAYS wrong, regardless of the circumstances. I also believe that it is wrong to invade countries that pose absolutely no threat to your own. I believe that it's absolutely wrong to do things that harm your own environment. I believe that it's absolutely wrong to harm innocent humans and animals. The list goes on. While I may have a tolerance for ambiguity, I do believe that some things are absolutely right or wrong.

Answer 2

Rape is always absolutely 100% wrong. No matter what. Murder?...Well was it self defense or in the defense of another, or was it for a car radio? That is not so clear always and needs to be determined on a case by case basis. There is no cure for discrimination, there is only knowledge, and education. When you learn about things that you have previously been afraid of because you had no knowledge of them you don't treat them differently because of exterior factors. But we've all been given judgment and need to use it. A rational person does know that and would not assume that just because a person is liberal in their societal views that they have no judgment. I would not say that all conservatives are religious zealouts that preach hate and ignorance and fear. There are many conservatives that I call my friends and we have wonderful conversations with each other about our different views and try to see things from each others vantage points. We usually meet in the middle somewhere and realize that we both agree with each other and are saying much of the same thing in just a different way.

Answer 3

Of course, liberals believe in absolute right and wrong. Just because they tend not to be as expansive in what they define as wrong doesn't mean they don't believe some things are. Most liberals draw the line at actions that harm another person. Many cons seem to think that anything they find offensive is wrong.

Libs don't advocate being entirely indiscriminate. They advocate not discriminating based on prejudicial notions.

Where did you get this stuff?

Answer 4

Your question would seem to indicate that you think some liberals would actually argue that rape and murder are not wrong. If so, I'd love to see a link to that data.

Of course rape is wrong--and I've never heard any person of any integrity argue otherwise. But, there are enough people who don't seem to think it's a big deal, as evidenced by the atrocious numbers of date rapes committed in this country. Those aren't "liberals", those are "criminals."

Now, suppose you are being held at gunpoint and are told "rape this woman or we'll kill both of you." A sick and unlikely situation, to be sure, but still within the realm of possibility (there are some sick people out there). So, by committing rape, you save the life of both yourself and your "victim." Were you wrong? Should you be held accountable for the rape?

As for murder, well, depends on the definition. If it's "to kill for gain or without provocation", then, yes, murder--at least in a domestic setting--is always wrong. That said, the US has killed many non-combatants (read "civilians") in the course of its many wars. You could argue that was murder after a fashion, yet no one argues that we should not have bombed Berlin, for instance.

Or what about self-defense? Surely, we should be able to kill someone who is threatening us (at least I think so). But, suppose someone breaks into your home. You surprise him, and he tries to run away--then you shoot him as he flees. Self-defense? Murder? Vigilantism?

A lack of moral absolutes is not the problem. We need to recognize that it is possible (however unlikely) that a situation could arise wherein a "wrong" act could be "right", or at least justified. Surely you can see that?

Answer 5

What you are seeing is the effects of socialism which has greatly influenced the thinking of today's liberals. One of the main tenets of socialism is Atheism. The reason for this is that only Atheism embraces moral relativism. This is what you are concerned about.

With no "God" to determine what is right and what is wrong (moral absolutism) one is only left with one's own opinion about the question. It is like trying to play a card game where the rules can change whenever those in power decided to change them. You will find that socialist countries have governments that can do pretty much whatever they want if they see that action as being beneficial to the collective.

If they decide to kill all mentally deficient people, or disabled people or any other people seen as unacceptable or less than useful there is no "Commandment" forbidding murder. They are not constrained by lying or by cheating or any other morally absolute restrictions.

There is no search to be "right" as you have stated. They only seek power. Once they have achieved power, they will decide what is right depending on what most benefits them.

.

Answer 6

Yes; I believe that you cons are absolutely wrong - That your inability to see issues in anything other than black and white; The shades of gray that are the actual world we have and will always have leads you to an incessant quest to create a human utopia wherein we would all unquestioningly, robotically follow your philosophies. I believe that obsession with such impossibilities and your apllication of the principles you foolishly think could ever get us there have led us to where we are today in the Bush era - Less safe in the world and more burdened economically.

Answer 7

No. I even have by no capacity heard any lib call President Obama a God or Messiah. i think the cons purely pronounced they heard they did from Boss Rush, restoration Noiz and the likes or some clip from youtube. President Obama is a usually happening guy who bleed purple blood in basic terms like all and sundry else. he's American 2.

Answer 8

Webster defines 'liberalism' as: "a political philosophy based on belief in progress, the essential goodness of man, and the autonomy of the individual and standing for the protection of political and civil liberties."

Webster defines 'conservatism" as: "a political philosophy based on tradition and social stability, stressing establish institutions and preferring gradual development to abrupt change."

I can't imagine a conservative who doesn't believe in the goodness of man; nor can I imagine a liberal who doesn't want social stability. Seems to me that ALL of us have a little bit of conservatism and liberalism in us.

So I'd say nothing is absolutely ever 'right' or 'wrong'. Too many 'liberals' and 'conservatives' label themselves without even knowing the true definition of their belief. They simply accept whatever they hear from Rush Limbaugh or Al Franken as some kind of 'gospel' when it's nothing more than hate-filled, biased, bigoted, ugly propaganda. We shouldn't be defining ourselves as liberals or conservatives - but as Americans, who should be uniting as one body to rid our nation of a monopolistic two-party political system that only serves the interests of arrogant, incompetent, cowardly, corrupt politicians.
-RKO- 09/04/07

Answer 9

Yes they do have a very strict set of right and wrong but it is only directed toward conservatives because none of them are willing to hold themselves to the same standards they demand of conservatives.

My example:
Sexual harressment in the work place is bad for a conservative.
For a liberal it is a private matter.

Answer 10

why would I want to answer this, you have already made up your mind and anything that i could say isn't going to change that

it's obvious that you are just looking to confirm you own pre-dispositions with this question

If I thought that you had an open mind and were actually looking for info I might have given a reasonable answer