Posted on 12/18/2007 6:07:15 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest
You'd hardly expect the chief Washington correspondent of business channel CNBC to negatively stereotype economic conservatives. But appearing on today's Morning Joe, the urbane John Harwood did just that.
View video here.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: [Huckabee is] a different type of evangelical. It's not the evangelical in American politics that's traditionally been very conservative economically. Obviously a lot of people at the Wall Street Journal don't like this guy.
HARWOOD: Oh yeah!
(Excerpt) Read more at newsbusters.org ...
Is economic conservatism inconsistent with religious belief? Ping to Today show list.
Are religious beliefs inconsistent with economic conservatism?
Oh man, talk about splitting the Republican Co-alition.
I don’t believe that the majority of Christians actually want their taxes raised. I think they’re just willfully looking the other way. They see Huckabee as a good Christian and they don’t want to look at his true soul. Just like the Catholic church looking away from the sins of some priests.
People see what they want to see. Christians, too.
“Are religious beliefs inconsistent with economic conservatism?”
Of course not. As a weekly churchgoing, daily Bible-reading and praying Christian, I assert that economic conservatism is the priciple most closely aligned with the Gospels. Nowhere does Jesus say we have a collective responsibility to the poor. We don’t. Rather, we each have an individual responsibility to put our faith in action by helping those in need.
It is unChristian for the government do-gooders among us to take that prerogative away in the form of excessive taxation. It is not Huckabee’s or any other government official’s job to be compassionate on my behalf, for the Scriptures tell me that no one can be compassionate on my behalf. That is my job, my Christian obligation and no one else’s, and I deeply resent being taxed to the point that it is difficult to fulfill my personal obligation to do charitable works.
>> They see Huckabee as a good Christian and they don’t want to look at his true soul.
Not me, my FRiend.
I see the Huckster as denigrating the precious Cross of Jesus by using it as a cheap lever to pry the lid off the container of his egotistical political ambitions.
That sickens me.
While it can be shown historically that religious freedom and economic freedom are inexplicably tied together, it can also be demonstrated philosophically. Economic systems are fundamentally based on private property rights stemming from “you shouldn’t steal” (private property), and “you shouldn’t covet” which are fundamentally religious and moral principles. Voluntary exchange of goods and services is a moral and religious system as much as it is an economic system.
This premise can be supported with many examples...
Reagan understood this and articulated it in one of the greatest political speechs of all time(the 'evil empire' speech): The American experiment in democracy rests on this insight. Its discovery was the great triumph of our Founding Fathers, voiced by William Penn when he said: "If we will not be governed by God, we must be governed by tyrants." Explaining the inalienable rights of men, Jefferson said, "The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time." And it was George Washington who said that "of all the disposition and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supporters."
When the despotic democrats seek to erode our economic freedom with high taxes and socialism they also chip away at our religious freedom. When democrats subvert our religious freedom by indoctrination into the anti-God religion of liberalism, they subvert our economic freedom as the two are indispensibly tied together.
No, it's that they honestly think they will suffer eternal damnation if they don't vote for Huckabee, no matter how liberal he is. Supporting Huckabee is their way of showing off how devout they are.
That's why so many evangelicals voted for Jimmah Carter in '76. They couldn't care less that they're voting to create a socialist welfare nanny state, because they get to polish up their Christian credentials and flash them for Heaven's Nominating Committee.
***Is economic conservatism inconsistent with religious belief?***
Interesting question for discussion. I would argue that the two go hand in hand. Majority of our tax money goes to fund liberal groups that promote abortion services and the homosexual agenda under the guise of diversity training. Big Govt programs actually reduce church attendence. For example, just look Europe. Socialist programs are the norm and there are little church goers.
As an ‘economic conservative’ (i.e. classical liberal on economic matters) who is neither a protestant nor a secularist, I see no point in America having a protestant socialist party (which is what the Republicans would become if Huckabee got the nomination) and a secularist socialist party (which is what the Democrats have been since at least the 1960’s if not the 1930’s).
I apologize. I should have said SOME Christians. It was wrong of me to leave that word out.
Christian is no more a monolithic group in this country than is the group Republican.
I believe economic conservatism ONLY works in Christian environment. Many founding fathers agreed. As we move farther and farther from the Christian ethic in our daily lives (as a country) the excess of democracy and freedom become more and more pronounced and socially destructive.
What you said - - BUMP!
re:#6, well said
jw
“It is unChristian for the government do-gooders among us to take that prerogative away in the form of excessive taxation. It is not Huckabee’s or any other government official’s job to be compassionate on my behalf, for the Scriptures tell me that no one can be compassionate on my behalf. That is my job, my Christian obligation and no one else’s, and I deeply resent being taxed to the point that it is difficult to fulfill my personal obligation to do charitable works.”
exactly.
If people kept more of what they earn, there would be people who would spend it on themselves, but christians who wish they could be more charitable would be able to increase their donations.
Charities are more efficient than government beauracracy anyway.
“Charity” via government has only enslaved poor americans to that check and has discouraged behavior (like marriage) that would help lift them out of the lifestyle.
They have serious soul-myopia, like that time Dubya said he could see Vlad Putin's soul.
YAHS
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.