[rob777]

"And this is precisely where the difference lies, a conservative who comes from a Judeo/Christian worldview believes that mankind is born spiritually dead in sin and that the laws of civilized societies are necessary to contain that sinful nature. That is diametrically opposed to the libertarian view of the "dignity" of man which is much closer to liberalism that sees man as being perfectable."



The Judeo/Christian worldview is much more profound than you give it credit for. It simultaneously recognizes that man is both created in the image of God and thus, has a divine dignity, and posesses a sinful nature. Liberalism has an image of upholding the dignity of man, but this is only superficially so. They view man in a general, collective sense with no consideration of the actual "individual" human. Their worldview is deterministic and sees the individual as a cog in a social machine. It is society that they see as perfectiable, NOT the individual. The Christian worldview sees the individual soul, with it personal relationship to God, as far more important than some social construct. As for human perfection, "with man it is impossible, but with God all things are possible".

One final point: The libertarian worldview DOES recognize the sinfull part of human nature. That is why it is under no illusions that centralized political power in a society would be used to "contain that sinful nature". History has proven that centralized political power is more likely to be a vehicle for the expression of that sinful nature, rather than its restraint. There is only ONE full proof way to restrain sinful nature and that is a personal, one on one relationship with God. The state, at most, can only play the role of preventing that sinful nature from expressing itself in the form of engaging in force or fraud against our fellow citizens. To expect the state to play a role any further than this is to engage in the kind of idolotrous hubris that is the halmark of modern liberalism and its cult of state worship.

[Mahone]

It still comes down to the difference represented by two men, Edmund Burke vs. John Locke; between two revolutions the French and the American. Burke summed it up with this statement "Liberty without wisdom, and without virtue is folly, vice, and madness, without tuition or restraint." (Reflections on the Revolution in France, 1790.)

Libertarians are NOT conservative and to Christians who call themselves libertarians, I say you might want to rethink your views.