Election Day 2006
Liberal or Conservative

As people head to the polls to cast votes in the mid-term elections, they must be registered to do so. Registration is recognized as Republican, Democrat or Independent. But, that doesn’t tell you much today. The parties are in many ways indistinguishable. Sure, each has its headline grabber extremists. But, the vast majority of legislatures are alike…interested in staying in power!

In this most recent campaign, that was agonizingly long, attacks on the character of the opponent were in vogue. They have been for a long time. Why? Negative campaigning works, that’s why. The only positive positions politicians take is “look what we have done for you”. In other words, as an incumbent I have ladled the pork for you and if you want more, return me.

Many want to fix the line of demarcation on liberal v. conservative. But, what do they mean? Is being for the Iraq war liberal or conservative? Is being against capital punishment liberal or conservative? Fact is that liberal and conservative political positions are of recent vintage. Most peg them as being adopted in 19th century England as a replacement for Tory and Whig designations. In this country, conservative is only a 20th century phenomena.

Liberal has a much longer pedigree than conservative. Burke and de Tocqueville, whom we like to identify as conservatives, were liberals or at best “conservative” liberals according to historian John Lukacs. Lukacs says liberal originally meant civilized, open hearted, free and generous. Jane Austen used it that way. And, what can be wrong with that. It was only when being a liberal was hijacked by unfettered personal autonomy and unrestrained progress that fractures appeared. The individual pursues a rational self interest as he thinks best because humanity has certain individual rights adhering to each of us became the standard liberal position.

This was all made possible beginning with Thomas Hobbes who posited that there is no common good as described by ancient philosophers but only goods in each person or pursued as each person desires. This leads indirectly to state involvement for it is the state’s purpose to accommodate and maximize the individual desires in the most peaceful way. Liberalism is about individual sovereignty and it has no time for any claims of any other sovereign except for a state to insure your sovereignty.

Conservatism is not really an ideology of its own but a response to liberalism. Russell Kirk called conservatism the “politics of prudence” as outlined in his book of the same name. To conserve is to keep or maintain something over against that which intends to eliminate it over time. What unites conservatives is a desire to keep tradition and the culture as it is. But, of course the question is: “What tradition are you conserving?” Robert E. Lee was offered commissions in both the Union and Confederate armies. We know which one he accepted. Was he a liberal or conservative? Depends on where you live on what answer you give. Were the Reformers rebelling against tradition or recovering tradition? You position on that question determines whether you see them as conservatives or liberals.

Not much thinking is required to see this liberal/conservative thing is a problem. When I voted today I saw a bumper sticker that said: “Jesus never rode an Elephant.” What’s the point? Jesus was not political, He need not be because He is the King of Kings, Lord of Lords. Jesus is not for liberals or conservatives, He is for the redeemed, His people. We are privileged to be able to help choose our secular leaders. And, our leaders are ordained by God. We get the leaders we deserve. But for the Christian voter and voted, it is time to dial down the rhetoric and attacks. It is time to stop bringing attention to ourselves. It is time to forget about conservative or liberal. It is time to start living a life pleasing to God as His child.

Paul in his first letter to the Thessalonians, inspired by the Holy Spirit, lays down some sobering words about living a life pleasing to God:

…aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may live properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
I Thess. 4: 11, 12

Know many politicians like that? Know many voters like that? Are you like that? Am I living like that? The terms Republican, Democrat, liberal, conservative melt away when exposed to the light and heat of living a life pleasing to God.