Why are most christians conservatives when Jesus was a liberal?
374500
They only read the parts of the bible that support their need to feel better than everyone else.   Even Liberals are liberal as long as it doesn't cost them anything.  \n\nNot many people in the west would pass the tests Jesus gave.  If we did, the east wouldn't be as poor as it is.  We, including myself, just close our eyes to the realities of the World.
775653
I think you definitely can be a Christian and a Democrat. Many people have already commented on the separation of church and state. So, I'd like to share why I feel that the teachings of Jesus are more similar to the DNC rather than the GOP.\n\nAs a Christian, I feel that Jesus showed us how to be compassionate by healing the Roman Centurion's daughter, healing the leper, feeding the 5,000, refusing to stone the woman caught in the act of adultery, and healing on the sabbath. Put these items into modern-day social issues, would Jesus tell us to help the people that need assistance?  To me, those principles are not part of the Republican party, they are Democratic.\n\nIn regards to the abortion issue, more and more Christians are joining the ranks of the Democratic voters. A smart party will look at what their voters look for. And the ranks of pro-life democrats are growing. Eventually, the party will have to rethink its views on only supporting pro-choice policies. The difference is that most Christian democrats want to eliminate abortions, not by legislating it, but by going after the root cause of abortions. Because we know that when you resolve the underlying issues, you will eliminate the need for abortions. Making a law only makes it more difficult to obtain one but does nothing to eliminate the root causes.\n\nAs a Christian, I believe we are called to help one another. And because of Jesus' example, I definitely believe that it's the responsibility to take care of the least of these; not take care of the greatest corporations.
558341
Most liberals are either gay or atheist and that is part of the problem. Liberals believe in the right to abortion, they advocate gay rights, and so on. That is why when Christians stand up for values and morality liberals can't stand it, because the Bible speaks of truth and the truth hurts. \n\nThere has to be a balance in goverment too much liberalism is very dangerous ground. The same with conservativism too much of it is very dangerous too.
1060422
Yes because most right wing Christians are pussies who worship Bush as opposed to God. They are fine with war as long as it is not their blood being shed. Most of them are wimps who wouldn't fight anyway.
949522
Because is Christian and Republican
802567
What are you referring to?  Are you referring to a set of morals or ideology, or different religious sects?  Please be more specific.\n\n"Conservative Christianity" is not a sect per se.  It is a term that is used to characterised the beliefs of Christians who have a strict interpretation of some of the "rules" set out in their religion.  While many of the people who are commonly referred to in the media as "conservative christians" belong to the Evangelical (or "born again") sect, they can just as easily be Catholic, Orthodox, etc.\n\nConservative christians are usually quite pious and traditional when it comes to values pertaining to the role of men vs. women, reproductive rights, and sexual rights, as can be seen in high-profile media coverage of such contentious topics as gay marriage and abortion in the U.S.\n\nThis is not to say that all conservative christians are anti-gay or anti-abortion.  Some may have tolerant beliefs in this regard, but may be conservative in other areas.
915668
Oh no dear you got it the other way around. Why do so many (conservative) Christians hate people?
1091621
Yes but being a 'bleeding heart liberal' is a good thing. Neocons just have no clue about what Christianity really is.
548138
If you used the dictionary definition of a liberal, most conservatives would want to be liberals, or would think they already are liberals:\n\n"marked by generosity and openhandedness, broad-minded, tolerant, bountiful, munificent" and so forth.  All except the part "lacking moral restraint, licentious" applies equally to conservatives.\n\nGood question, because I don't think a liberal defines himself the way a conservative defines a liberal.  And vice versa.
48547
Christians are given lots of contradictory advice in their scripture.  They can pick and choose what to follow and what to disregard depending upon the prevailing politics.  All religion is essentially political in nature- not spiritual.
268710
liberal conservative?
1006330
I'm not from the south...we conservatives are everywhere...that must be very spooky for you.  And, Jesus is definitely not limited in his geographical locations..\n\nAnd America would have ceased to be long ago without Republicans..I think we could all do without toothless rednecks.\n\n\nand p.s. dopey....ask an African American this question....the South liked slaves..remember?  And, if you know your history, you would know that sides changed...the South was the left then..when it didn't make any sense.
692759
Liberalism and Conservatism did not exist in the time of Jesus in the way they do now. Jesus was a Jew and there were a number of ways that Jewish people organized themselves; in other words, there were a number of ways to express yourself politically in Jesus' time.\n\nOne option was the Essene option. The Essene's were political sectarian's who withdrew themselves from 'public' society and formed their own communities away from other people. Some people consider this group the 'apolitical' option, but that isn't correct... they are political insofar as they organize society, which they do; they just happen to organize society differently.\n\nAnother option is the Saducees. These were a group of ruling Jewish elite who worked together with the Roman authority and the Herod dynasty. They maintained the status quo and were offended at Jesus' teachings and movement because it threated the socio-political calmness that they were interested in upholding.\n\nAnother common option in Jesus' time was the Zealot option. Zealots were a group of 'zealous' Jews who awaited the coming of the Messiah/liberator who would free the Jews from Roman rule. The Macabees are an example of this movement. Numerous Zealout would-be Messiah's attempted to reclaim Jerusalem and fight against the Romans, none being significantly successful.\n\nThese were some of the political options that were open to Jews at Jesus' time. Becoming directly involved in Roman politics was not an option for Jewish people, except indirectly through the Sadducean 'sell-out' option. Scholars disagree on which of these political options was preferred by Jesus or the early church, although most would agree that the Saducean and the Essene option are furthest from the virtues and practices that Jesus espoused.\n\nMy favorite theologian, John H. Yoder, suggests that Jesus did not fully accept any of the above-mentioned options, instead offered another perspective: the kingdom of God as a political option. Yoder's case is far too complex to state here, but if you wish to get a bigger picture on Jesus and his political options, I recommend reading John Yoder's "The Politics of Jesus"
452534
This is a GREAT question,(for me anyway)because it touches on two points that have been driving me crazy lately. The first is the intolerance some people display towards Christians. I have a hard time understanding how someone can call themselves a liberal and state that they stand for tolerance and understanding but then down people who are practicing Christians. It's a double standard and hypocritical to boot. Every issue in this country seems to gravitate to ridiculous extremes-there's never a sensible and practical middle ground. Though I believe firmly in seperation of church and state (which our forefathers took months to painstakingly state in the constitution, and with very good reason)I cannot think of one good reason why a child quietly saying grace over his school lunch should be so offensive to some that he should be expelled from school. It's not like he was standing on the tables preaching or anything. Just silently thanking God for the food he had that so many in the world are forced to do without. It's absolutely shameful. Such people are not liberals in any literal sense of the term, but rather small people with set ideas and closed minds-inflexible in their thinking and intolerant of other points of view. You don't like the term progressive regarding such people and neither do I. I call them "Left Wing Conservatives" because their thinking is just as rigid and inflexible as their right wing counterparts. They have an agenda, and they follow it thoughtlessly. \nI think this stems from an innate human need to feel superior and special in some way.  Many, many people find something that works for them and, out of this need, become convinced that their way is the ONLY way. Stupid, yes, arrogant, yes but that's how it seems to work.\nThat being said, let me lob one at the other extreme and say that I'm really tired of hearing certain elements of the Christian Right raving about how oppressed and persecuted the poor helpless Christians are. Let me explain something to you folks-Christianity is by far the majority religion in this country. It is also the richest and has the greatest representation in our government. The Christian Right has more politicians in their pocket than EVERY OTHER religious group in this country combined. People opposing you from passing legislation to impose your religious beliefs on others regardless of what their own beliefs may be does not constitute oppression. What they are doing is resisting YOUR attempts to oppress them.  Again, ridiculous extremes. When in all of history has the group with the largest numbers, the most power, and by far the most money been considered oppressed? It's crap! \nThe extremists on both sides are the problem.  They shout the loudest because that's the only way they can get people to listen to their idiocy. Neither side has a monopoly on intolerence and self righteousness. My solution: Take 1% out of the military budget and build a huge city on some piece of land that no one cares about-White Sands Arizona would be my vote, but other wastelands such as Detroit or Hoboken would work as well. Build a big wall around it and then move all the extremists from both sides in there where they can shout, stomp and do whatever else to each other all they want while the segment of the population with enough sense to pound sand gets on with the business of improving the country. It'll be a better world without 'em. But maybe that's just a little extreme....
346707
"They" are called "liberals because their scope of concern expands to include everyone (Jesus was one of the first Liberals). Most liberals even have compassion for jerrks like you too!
1000034
Good, deep, question, my friend.\n\nLiberals (not as individuals, but overall as a group) hate Jesus and Christianity for two reasons.  One, they worship Bill Clinton, so there is no room for another diety in their world.  Two, the word of Jesus teaches morality, responsibility, honesty, and self-determination.  That all runs completely counter to everything liberals believe in.\n\nSorry liberals.  I hate to call you out like that, but look at your heroes and tell me they aren't a bit challenged in these areas (the Clintons, the Kennedys, Michael Moore...).
38556
Religion can have a huge impact on a person's political and "social issue" views.  As a VERY general rule conservatives tend to be active Christians or inactive Christians who still "believe" to a degree.  Liberals tend to reject religion or place much less emphasis on it.  If you watch debates on issues like abortion, prayer in school, the theory of evolution VS Intelligent Design, etc., you'll generally find (but certainly not always) that liberals tend to favor the the view taken by people who are not religious.  Hence they will favor abortion, keeping prayer out of school. the theory of evolution etc.