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(Vanity) Can An Atheist Be a Genuine Conservative?
Comtedemaistre

Posted on 01/19/2006 3:56:16 AM PST by ComtedeMaistre

Most conservatives are religious. But there is a small minority of non-religious individuals, who were attracted to the conservative movement because they were influenced by secular movements such as Ayn Rand's objectivism.

Should atheists be welcomed into the conservative movement? Do atheists make good conservatives?


TOPICS: Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: atheists; conservatism; flamebait; nationalreview; religion
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To: ComtedeMaistre
Many on FR will tell you that no true conservative can be an atheist. And no true Scotsman puts sugar on his porridge.
41 posted on 01/19/2006 4:33:29 AM PST by Physicist
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To: RadioAstronomer

Twice in the hospital?!! You were sick. I'm glad you're better, but please take it easy during the recovery period.


42 posted on 01/19/2006 4:33:29 AM PST by Jemian (If you have time to breath, you have time for music. ~ Mr. Darling)
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To: ComtedeMaistre

Yes! Absolutely. My good friend and dentist Jeff comes to mind. You can't get more pro life than Jeff. Nor can you find a more conservative thinker.


43 posted on 01/19/2006 4:36:41 AM PST by jmaroneps37 (We will never murtha to the terrorists. Bring home the troops means bring home the war.)
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To: ComtedeMaistre
I'm a conservative because of my Christianity. The founding Fathers were conservative because of their Christianity. My Christianity rejects the murder of unborn Children, as I'm sure our Founding Fathers did. Other people may have their own reason for conservatism. The two issues are related but separate. If the Liberals were to reject their pro-abortion message, I would consider their views but probably remain a Conservative.
44 posted on 01/19/2006 4:37:19 AM PST by rapture-me
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To: ComtedeMaistre

This is one dumb vanity.


45 posted on 01/19/2006 4:38:32 AM PST by right wing (I BELIEVE CONGRESSMAN WELDON!)
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To: ComtedeMaistre

That is the most idiotic thing I've heard since Chocolate Nagin and Plantation Hillary.


46 posted on 01/19/2006 4:39:07 AM PST by mtbopfuyn (Legality does not dictate morality... Lavin)
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To: rhombus

Ah the Constitution was established upon the belief that the Creator gave unalienable RIGHTS that man/government could not take or give. Then there was the "Bill of Rights".


47 posted on 01/19/2006 4:43:10 AM PST by Just mythoughts
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To: mtbopfuyn
That is the most idiotic thing I've heard since Chocolate Nagin and Plantation Hillary.

Maybe not the most idiotic, but . . .

A link from FR's home page describes the kind of Conservatism practiced here abouts.  Jim Robinson wrote:

As a conservative site, Free Republic is pro-God, pro-life, pro-family, pro-Constitution, pro-Bill of Rights, pro-gun, pro-limited government, pro-private property rights, pro-limited taxes, pro-capitalism, pro-national defense, pro-freedom, and-pro America. We oppose all forms of liberalism, socialism, fascism, pacifism, totalitarianism, anarchism, government enforced atheism, abortionism, feminism, homosexualism, racism, wacko environmentalism, judicial activism, etc. We also oppose the United Nations or any other world government body that may attempt to impose its will or rule over our sovereign nation and sovereign people. We believe in defending our borders, our constitution and our national sovereignty.

Seemed right to me.  I stayed.

So, much of the question can be answered, "yes," but only if the atheist is also pro-God.  Is that possible?

48 posted on 01/19/2006 4:48:26 AM PST by Racehorse (Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.)
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To: gridlock
However, there is nothing about atheism that makes them good conservatives.

Likewise, there are plenty of religious folks who are not what one would consider conservatives either. Being religious doesn't make you a conservative any more than being atheist makes you a Liberal. They are not one in the same in either case.

49 posted on 01/19/2006 4:48:30 AM PST by Thermalseeker
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To: rapture-me; PatrickHenry
The founding Fathers were conservative because of their Christianity.

False. But there are folks here who can elucidate on this far more than I. So I pinged one of them. :-)

50 posted on 01/19/2006 4:48:45 AM PST by RadioAstronomer (Senior member of Darwin Central)
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To: Jemian

Thanks. :-)


51 posted on 01/19/2006 4:49:36 AM PST by RadioAstronomer (Senior member of Darwin Central)
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To: BunnySlippers

"Christians do not own Conservatism. No more than atheists own Liberalism. And Christians should not attempt to legislate religion into law. "

Our 'law' was established under Christianity, and some of we Christians know where our blessings come from.


52 posted on 01/19/2006 4:49:46 AM PST by Just mythoughts
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To: Junior
Big Ping! Just because many Christian values parallel conservative values does not give anyone ownership of solid principals and valid concepts of government. The fact that many Democrats don't drink the kool-aid of the left also explains why a good number of alleged Democrats vote conservative.
53 posted on 01/19/2006 4:51:46 AM PST by Steamburg (Pretenders everywhere)
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To: Just mythoughts
Ah the Constitution was established upon the belief that the Creator gave unalienable RIGHTS that man/government could not take or give. Then there was the "Bill of Rights".

No doubts and no argument there. The founders were all religious folk and it's nice to read some of their writings to understand where they were coming from. However, in defining what federalism means in this coutnry they left us with the Constitution and the Constitution alone as the controlling document. We are not bound by the founder's particular religious beliefs, their tastes in wine, women or song or even their reasons for declaring independencee from Britain. We are only bound to protect and defend the Constitution and that is what a Conservative conserves.

54 posted on 01/19/2006 4:53:10 AM PST by rhombus
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To: ComtedeMaistre
Do atheists make good conservatives?

As long as they believe that Creationism is a legitimate scientific theory that must be taught in every high school along with chemistry and physics.

55 posted on 01/19/2006 4:53:11 AM PST by Labyrinthos
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To: ComtedeMaistre
I can see where it would be possible to embrace conservative values regardless of believing in God.

After all, God gave advice to people on how to live to be prosperous, healthy, and happy, and to spread that prosperity to those less fortunate.

Marital fidelity, raising children, and honesty in all dealings, all help make for a better life.

Although those values (and more) are in alignment with a religious life, that is because the instructions God gave for living well work, regardless of the individual's beliefs.

It would be foolish in my estimation to exclude those who believe as we do in all things but religion, for those here who hold God dear do not believe exactly the same things in a religious sense, either.

56 posted on 01/19/2006 4:54:11 AM PST by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly.)
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To: ComtedeMaistre

an atheist can be a conservative, but a hater of Christianity cannot be a conservative...so...only atheists who are tolerant in the best sense of the word.

that said, i think this category of conservative is quite small.


57 posted on 01/19/2006 4:54:56 AM PST by ConservativeDude
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To: snarks_when_bored

Uh, oh, time for the annual 'Eating our own' movement, just in time for an election year. This is a perfect example of what scares the moderately (or less) religious away from the conservative movement.


58 posted on 01/19/2006 4:55:08 AM PST by BritExPatInFla
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To: spikeytx86

I know a lot of "Social Conservatives" who when you take there moral stanches away, support most liberal positions and want a much larger activist government.



'

I would hope that we would all agree that these folks are simply, not conservatives...


59 posted on 01/19/2006 4:57:21 AM PST by ConservativeDude
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To: JNL
"Religion does not equal Conservatism."

Without "endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights" the fundamental demarcation between liberals (government at the whim of man) and conservatives (government based on laws which preceded man) is significantly blurred.

That being said, it is silly to assume that one needs anyone's permission to "be a conservative". I think the question has more to do with authenticity than permission.

60 posted on 01/19/2006 4:58:47 AM PST by prov1813man
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