NationStates Jolt Archive

Somebody who is highly devoted to his/her religion is not necessarily going to be conservative.

Take my life for example. I am a full-time college student who, in place of church, attends an interdenominational Bible study every Friday night. This is a very popular religious group and from what I have seen, I have estimated "traditional-aged" college students to be some of the most liberal people there are. I might be wrong, but something I know for sure is that I personally am quite liberal on a few issues.

Religious does not necessarily = conservative.

I agree whole-heartedly. I'm a self-proclaimed libertarian, but I go to church twice a week, if you include the inter-denominational Bible study on Thursday nights.

But isn't it so much easier to put everyone in the same category? :P

Jews vote overwhelmingly Democratic. Catholics used to be reliably Democratic as well. Black baptists obviously vote overwhelmingly Democratic. Hispanic Catholics vote mostly Catholic.

HOWEVER, in recent years with gay marriage and abortion becoming big issues, religious people are defecting to the Republicans.

The problem is, it's the conservative religious people who are the most vocal about their religious beliefs, since they tend to let those beliefs affect their political views more than those of religious liberals/libertarians. If that makes sense; I'm a wee bit inebriated at the moment...

ehh, abortion has been a hot button issue for a very long time now. I don't have a real feel for gay rights though. It didn't seem like much of an issue until I moved to CA. :)

The problem is, it's the conservative religious people who are the most vocal about their religious beliefs, since they tend to let those beliefs affect their political views more than those of religious liberals/libertarians. If that makes sense; I'm a wee bit inebriated at the moment...
No, it makes perfect sense. The reason I'm a libertarian is because I made a conscious decision not to let my religious beliefs effect my political beliefs. My church can think that if you spit on the sidewalk you automatically go to Hell no questions asked; that doesn't mean to me that the government should make laws against spitting on the sidewalk.

Conservatives do tend to be more religious than their liberal counterparts. This is by no means a hard and fast rule, but stereotypes usually have factual bases.

I thank those of you who have backed up my point. :D

Catholics used to be reliably Democratic as well.
Gee. Big surprise. /sarcasm After all, the Kennedy family is Catholic. I want to say Roman Catholic but I'm not 100 % sure.

And, there is a 4th ideology that hasn't been mentioned: populists. When I mentioned in my junior college government class that I was apparently a populist, the instructor said that it is probably the least common ideology so it's no surprise that it has been overlooked.

And it cuts both ways. While I'm not active religiously, I'm a strong conservative, primarily for the economic policies. I'm far less concerned about social issues like abortion and gay rights.

As for Christianity, I sure agree. Jesus was a reformist, and it's a contradiction in terms to be a conservative christian.

In answer to your question: No. Primarily because by and large most religious people are conservative. That is not necessarily a bad thing. Don't be so worried by labels.

I'm very conservative but not religious at all. It is a simple matter of reading history: when you attack the rich and successful and defend the poor and the failures, no one makes the effort to be rich or successful. However, I know many religious christians on both sides, and it appears to me that Christianity is inherently conservative, despite the many liberal Christians. Things like not murdering unborn children, volunteering to help those worse off than you rather than being forced to do so, fighting evil and helping good, and keeping whatever wealth you create are clearly consistent with Christianity.

As for Christianity, I sure agree. Jesus was a reformist, and it's a contradiction in terms to be a conservative christian.
Er...sure. Right. Whatever.

>bump<

keeping whatever wealth you create are clearly consistent with Christianity.
So what was Jesus talking about when he instructed his followers to give up all their possessions to the poor?

I'm neither religious nor communist, but let's face it, Jesus was.

Somebody who is highly devoted to his/her religion is not necessarily going to be conservative.

Take my life for example. I am a full-time college student who, in place of church, attends an interdenominational Bible study every Friday night. This is a very popular religious group and from what I have seen, I have estimated "traditional-aged" college students to be some of the most liberal people there are. I might be wrong, but something I know for sure is that I personally am quite liberal on a few issues.

Religious does not necessarily = conservative.

It is a matter of the very outspoken Fundamentalist Evangelical Christians who have hijacked the label 'conservative". They are the ones who proclaim that their values are "conservative" and everything else is wrong. Personally, I don't think their neo-con policies are either conservative or Christian.

I<snip>
However, I know many religious christians on both sides, and it appears to me that Christianity is inherently conservative, despite the many liberal Christians. Things like not murdering unborn children,
Pro choice is not pro abortion
volunteering to help those worse off than you rather than being forced to do so,
That has nothing to do with christianity. It has more to do with the fact that many people would not help others if not forced to-which does exist in the christian beliefs.
fighting evil and helping good,
That has little to nothing to do with either political side.
and keeping whatever wealth you create are clearly consistent with Christianity.
I don't see how that last one is consistant with christianity at ALL.

It is a matter of the very outspoken Fundamentalist Evangelical Christians who have hijacked the label 'conservative". They are the ones who proclaim that their values are "conservative" and everything else is wrong. Personally, I don't think their neo-con policies are either conservative or Christian.

Heck, they haven't just hijacked the label "conservative." They've also hijacked the label "Christian." The hardest part about trying to be Man of God isn't the liberals, it's the people who espouse the same belief in Him that I do. . .

As for a direct answer, no, there isn't a necessary connection between God and the Republicans, but there are a lot of "Christians" who would disagree. I myself attribute in very large part my Christianity to the reason I am such a staunch liberal.

the facts are if you attend church you are more likly to vote conservative

and keeping whatever wealth you create are clearly consistent with Christianity.

So Jesus who said sell all you own and follow me, and that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter heaven, and give to Caeser what is Caeser's and to give to God what is his, and that a poor woman giving two pennies was more than the gold peices of the rich, and the rich man going to hell when he did not give to Lazarus; wants you to be wealthy.

If Jesus preached against ANYTHING more clearly and consistently it was the aquisition of wealth. Have you even READ the frickin Bible? I'm an Atheist and I know Jesus' teaching better than you.

I'm very conservative but not religious at all. It is a simple matter of reading history: when you attack the rich and successful and defend the poor and the failures, no one makes the effort to be rich or successful. However, I know many religious christians on both sides, and it appears to me that Christianity is inherently conservative, despite the many liberal Christians. Things like not murdering unborn children, volunteering to help those worse off than you rather than being forced to do so, fighting evil and helping good, and keeping whatever wealth you create are clearly consistent with Christianity.

it is funny that people believe only what they want to. quote from Bible "It is easier for a camel to fit through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into heaven." Bush is rich. Also the gay marriage thing is in the same area that says you can't eat shellfish or wear clothes of diffrent fabrics. lol. a minorly religious liberal here folks. (and aa certified Bush Basher) :headbang:

since they tend to let those beliefs affect their political views more than those of religious liberals/libertarians.

Thats because they want to force their religion on others.

Thats because they want to force their religion on others.
That's not how most see it, though. The Bible says to "spread the good news", and after all, they're just looking out for our souls, right?

Well guess what? This administration y'all just voted for, has been trying to steal the evangelicals for 40 years as divisive move using wedge issues. These are the crazies in Washington. By campaigning on wedge issues, abortion, stemcells etc... and using push polls- like what they did to McCain "Would you still vote for him if you knew he had an illegitamate black child?" or fliers saying Kerry would ban the Bible, the videos distributed to church groups showing Bush and Jesus in a split screen. No, these people aren't authentically Christian, they are good at manipulating the public and getting that base of 20 million to vote for them.

I'm more concerned about trying to make people stop equating religious with christian. Christians do not have a lock on religion.

I am deeply religious ... more so than most people I know.

I am not a Christian and never have been and neither has anyone in my family ever been. Oh ... and I'm also insanely liberal.

So ...

Religious != Christian
Religious != Conservative

That's not how most see it, though. The Bible says to "spread the good news", and after all, they're just looking out for our souls, right?


Yes, well .... "spread" doesn't mean "force".

They published their book. It's been spread. They can shut up now.

Well guess what? This administration y'all just voted for Excuse me? I voted Kerry. I dislike religion in general. It's very rarely more than an excuse to feel superior over the rest of the 'nonbelievers'.

Religious does not necessarily = conservative.


Due to the commutative (?) property: Conservative does not necessarily = Religious.

I'm proudly conservative on a lot of issues (not all, so don't jump down my neck), but I am also most assuredly Atheist.