Musings On Being a Conservative
Posted: Saturday, March 22, 2008
by James P Krehbiel
Krehbiel Counseling
Running for political office has never been a wish that I aspired to pursue. God forbid that I would consider that with all the corruption and mud-slinging that goes on, reminiscent of this election cycle. However, I feel the need to go on record, and confess that I am a compassionate conservative - a progressive sort of conservative. So let me explain...
I believe that if we prioritized better, those who financially suffer could get relief. I am conservatively cautious about going to war. As we know, our current war is costing the taxpayers a lot of money, and I have concerns about why we went into Iraq (not Afghanistan ) in the first place. I also wonder why we are still there. Can you imagine what we could do with trillions of dollars to build our country's infrastructure and assist in helping the poor and needy? Our national debt is skyrocketing, and this liberal policy goes against the conservative ideals of balancing the budget.
Conservatism is also about protecting things like the environment. I prefer to call it "creation care." When it comes to global warming, conservatism is at a crossroads. More and more business leaders, evangelical Christians and other progressive conservatives are calling for action to reduce the risks connected to man-made climate change. Unfortunately, more reactionary conservatives continue to attack those who act to reduce emissions, and belittle those who are concerned about our planet. One would assume that environmentalism would make conservatives enthusiastic. The root of conservative and conservatism is directly related to the word conservationism. So why is it that reactionary conservatives such as Ann Coulter, Dick Cheney, James Dobson and Jonah Goldberg are the loudest voices advocating recklessness? What is conservative about "sticking up your nose" at the preponderance of mainstream scientific evidence?
As a conservative, I believe in moral integrity and family values. I don't like politicians who lie and makes it very difficult to decide who to vote for in the upcoming political election. I don't like congressmen, governors, mayors and presidents who lie about their sex lives when it affects the American public. I am also morally outraged by those who use their political power to lie, stonewall and cover-up their egregious mistakes and crimes.
If I were a progressive conservative Christian preacher, anybody could come to my church as long as they left their guns at home. I would welcome the sick, the needy, the gays, the Muslims and atheists. I would preach a Gospel based upon the principles of love, compassion, tolerance and encouragement. There would be no divisiveness in my message. In the pulpit, I would not deliver hatemongering, bigoted snippets like Pastor White, Parsley and Hagee. I would not act morally superior, but show respect for all faith traditions realizing they all share kernels of truths that bind people together. However, I would exercise my right to share truth and faith as I see it (the Gospel) and hope that others would sense the same yearning that I experience for knowing God in a more intimate way. In my church, if a young girl was pregnant, I would welcome her with open arms so that she didn't feel the need to slither away and impulsively terminate her pregnancy - that's pro-life in action.
As a progressive conservative, I feel a need to show by my behavior that I truly believe what I say. I can usually reconcile my beliefs with my experience. However, there's a disconnect between progressive conservatives and their public voices. True conservatives are not opportunists who play to the crowd and in the process misrepresent others who are more tolerant. I am a progressive conservative who wants nothing to do with those who grandstand by smearing others who share different values, lifestyles and faith traditions. I am not driven by the fear of "rubbing elbows" with those who share a different worldview. I want to be a unifier, not a divider. I hope that this country gets back to sharing my ideal for fiscal responsibility, compassion, tolerance and unity. This is my passionate plea for America .
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Top-level comments on this article: (8 total)Thanks Mr. Krehbiel, you have stated this well, much better than I can. I'm sure there are more progressive conservatives out there than just us, I guess the problem is that the voice of reason doesn't usually make the headlines.
It troubles me that the political party in America which is most often associated with Christians is the party that is also most often associated with Big Business, and not the party most often associated with standing up for the outcast and down-trodden individual. I'm afraid many Christians have been tricked into believing capitalism is strictly a christian principle.Loving your neighbor is not just a good idea or one of the many things the Bible says a Christian should do, it's the SECOND GREATEST COMMANDMENT, second only to 'loving the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.' Why is it that Christians so often seem to think that loving those around them is an optional thing?
Bruce, Thank you for your comments. Quite frankly, I am mystified by how Christians can be so reactionary in belief and action. Like you, I don't get the connection to Big Business, especially via the "prosperity Gospel." It doesn't square with my concept of the Gospel accounts and the teachings of Jesus. I believe that reactionary conservatives and Christians are exclusionary because they are either afraid that others beliefs will affect them or they have never experienced being around people with varying value systems and lifestyes. Have a blessed Easter!
James, I like the point you made about conservatism meaning conservative about going to war. What a tragedy that conservatism has been redefined by this current administration!Aaron, Thanks for your comment. Yea, we just hit 4000 deaths and have forgotten about the thousands that have been wounded, and yet this administration is still trying to justify going into Iraq. It defies all logic. Surely not a conserv-ative plan in policy and action. Thanks and take care.
hi james, another beautifully written, interesting article. if only you were running! i am so upset that there isn't a candidate i would want to vote for, and yet i will. thanks for sharing, best regards, sueSue, Thanks alot for commenting. You take care.
James, What an excellent article. The way you have laid out your beliefs is admirable. Your form of conserv-atism is one which would be good for all because it invokes inclusion and tolerance. It is terrible how many young American lives have been lost in Iraq, and I must say I have no idea whatever how many have been injured. It is also dreadful to think of how many Iraqi lives have been lost and ruined, and they have to deal with their injuries without the support of a modern, medical system and healthy government infrastructure. Again, excellent article. Thank you for your openness.Hannah, Thank you for responding and thank you for your insightful comments. Be well.
Hello Dr.!!! I have a GREAT idea.....why don't YOU run for President. :)
Shellie, Hi, it's nice to hear from you! I hope you are doing well. I think of you often. Thanks for the endorsement, but I think I'll pass. LOL Nevertheless, my message was a serious effort to get people thinking about what really matters.
That's the conservative philosophy that I remember, James, from the days before Nixon's behavior tarnished the Republican Party and the Reagan Revolution transformed it into a faith-based belief system. Conservatives once walked the middle ground between liberal and libertarian, but now a lot of folks who call themselves conservative violate, on a daily basis, the very principles they claim to hold dear. It's always great to see a true conservative speak out and remind us what still lies at the heart of those principles.Thanks for your comments Rob. You obviously understand my point and argument.
Politics make me ill and I do realize that is a bad attitude to have but puking at the site of obama and hillary tells me to steer clear of politics like the bad fish I ate one time (kind of like watching the latest on brittany Spears...gag). I do however admire your writng and will always be a fan of yours even when you choose to talk about things that make me want to throw up. I think you are great though so please don't take offense. I mean I wasn't mad at the waiter who brought me the bad fish...although I did throw up on him. Good thing your somewhere safe. lolMyla, Don't throw up cause of my article! LOL. Quite frankly, this article was not ABOUT politics, it was "playing with politics. " I was "flipping things" as a response to some of searchwarp's reactionary writers who have been bashing through their talking points on issues such as intolerance for gays, non-extremist Muslims, Catholics, atheists and other "kitchen sink" topics. Intolerance is a hot button for me. Thanks for commenting and take Pepto Bismol regularly.
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