Comments on: What is a social conservative?

By: historyspeaks

historyspeaks — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 18:55:30 +0000

I’ve always considered myself a social conservative but many of my beliefs are far from those listed as being “socially conservative”.
Legislating morality has not and will not ever work. As evident with the issue of abortion. As evident with the issue of gay marriage. Sticking one’s head in the sand to deny these issues exist and can be legislated away is stupidity at its best.
Look at the Catholic church as an example. For years, if not centuries, this group has aided and abetted priests that have abused little boys moving them from parish to parish after the abuse comes to light instead of prosecuting those responsible.
In my opinion, you just can’t call yourself a moral institution when issues like this are rampant throughout an organization. It’s nothing more than ponzi scheme of sexual abuse, rewarding the abuser by sending him on to another locale only to continue the practice. Imagine if Bernie Madoff were just made to go to the west coast to continue his illegal trading after being discovered to ripping off people on the east coast, it’s basically the same premise.

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 17:55:17 +0000

In fact, the denial of the presence of an ideology is very often the biggest red flag that one is unthinkingly captive to an ideology. (For instance, pragmatism is an ideology too!)

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 16:44:34 +0000

“Conservatism is not controlled by an ideology like socialism. As conservatives we seek to pragmatically solve problems based on knowledge, realism, and tried and tested conservative values.”

To me, this is glaringly untrue.
Conservatism is very much controlled by an ideology as much as socialism is controlled by an ideology. To say what I’m saying here is, however, not to make a judgement as to whether it is a GOOD or BAD ideology.

I’m just saying that when Andrew, intentionally or unintentionally, seems to be playing into the postmodern assumption that ideology is bad.

Also, I feel like much of what this article says militates against itself in a way.

On one hand, it says conservatism is not driven by ideology. On the other hand it is grounded in “Tried and tested conservative values”.

On the one hand it says “real compassion can only be communicated through people at a ‘grass roots’ level”. On the other hand, it says “institutions of civil society form the soundest basis for a caring society”.

You can’t have your cake and eat it too!

(I hope this will be read as a friendly critique!)