Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: Paloma_55
OK.. that was a very subtle attempt at humor..

The key word there is "attempt".

While not all libertarians are unbelievers, I find quite a few are.

Quite a few conservatives are unbelievers.

I think it has to do with many libertarians' rejection of an authority above their own.

You seem to be saying the unbelief of some libertarians derives from their political views. But this is backward. They're atheists first, then reject authority over them, then become political libertarians. (Even if they do start with the political view and work back, the atheism is logically prior.) Christian libertarians start by accepting God's authority, and then wishing to see all lesser, temporary authorities submit to (and thus not try to take the place of) the great Sovereign of the universe.

My argument shall be extended from "It is immoral because God says it is " to "It is immoral because it infringes upon the well being of society" and that is where government should step in.

Two issues. First, why is it immoral to infringe on the well-being of society? Either you resort back to "God says so", or else it's baseless.

Second, who gets to define the well being of society, and who gets to decide when it's been infringed? The courts? The President? The majority? But the courts still uphold Roe, the President was Bill Clinton for eight years, and the majority of the people, I fear, are unregenerate. So who, and how do you know you can trust them not to decide that the Bible, being homophobic and sexist, infringes on the good of society?

578 posted on 10/04/2004 9:30:38 AM PDT by A.J.Armitage (http://calvinist-libertarians.blogspot.com/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 571 | View Replies ]


To: A.J.Armitage
The key word there is "attempt".

Or perhaps its the word "subtle"?? :)

No. I think I agree with you. It may be theological first and then progress to their political thinking. I think it is a rare libertarian that is Christian/theist and probably less rare for a Conservative to be atheist. I stand by my original estimation.

Because I recognize that not all things are black or white, I refuse to assume that liberty is all or nothing. There is a balance between the rights of the individual and their responsibility to society. Where is the line? I wish it was so clear. It is negotiable. Society and the individual have to decide it. When it goes one way or the other, someone will feel like they got the short end of the stick... thats the nature of things.
584 posted on 10/04/2004 8:31:33 PM PDT by Paloma_55
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 578 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson