Friday, March 23, 2007

Why I'm a liberal

Why are you a conservative? Why are you a liberal?

OK, I'll go first.

I'm a liberal because:

  • I believe that all life is interconnected
  • I believe that there is an innate dignity in every human
  • I believe in the power of love
  • I believe that there are lessons worth learning in all the world's great religions
  • I believe that the Christian Bible is a beautiful, but not magical book and that Jesus was a great teacher but not any more devine than the rest of us
  • I believe in a higher power who weeps when we suffer

Those beliefs form a world view that inexorably leads to liberal politics. In another post I'll trace back from liberal policies to this belief system.

I can't speak for Conservatives. I've found some false premises and sloppy logic in my conversations with them and I would love to find a conservative who can sit with me and explain why he is a conservative. From what I know, it is a dim view of human nature and a literal and selective interpretation of the bible that leads to conservative politics. I sometimes suspect racism is involved. I often hear a mean spirited quality that I don't understand.

So these are some of the reasons why I'm a liberal.

Your turn.

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