Conservative vs Liberal

Psalm 2, especially verse 3...

"...Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us..."

Proverbs 23:10 - "...Remove not the old landmark..."

Romans 13 (the believer and civil law) and Acts 7 (description of those who opposed Moses) speak on the topic of resisting legitimate authority.

The Scriptures have much to say about rebellion and it is in that context that I feel the need to speak on this topic.

Definition of terms:  (as derived from multiple online dictionaries)

conservative - "...the holding of traditional values..."

liberal - "...not bound by traditional forms..."

So... What do we see in this modern day "political divide" not only here in the United States but globally?  Trudy and I have been, for the second time,  watching the series "The Crown" and in those episodes one can really see many poignant examples of opposing ideology between the two viewpoints.

Of course it's easy to oversimplify the dichotomy but the aspect that I think must be focused on is the root attitudes behind the two viewpoints.

What I see is the predominance of the fact that one side promotes adherence to ideas that are good for society (that is, ideas derived and formed from a biblical worldview) and the other is simply opposition to those ideas.

To oversimplify that even more:

Liberalism is nothing more than opposition to conservatism.

Of course every word has more than just a straight definition. There are connotations also which lend color and enhanced meaning to it.  For example, the word conservative may imply resistance to change whether good or bad and the word liberal may imply freedom and generosity.  However, in the context of the great divide seen today between the two political camps in the US, Canada and the UK, it seems to me that it can almost be boiled down to the mathematical concepts of positive versus negative.

One might try to argue that liberalism promotes positive change and conservatism just promotes negative resistance against those ideas.

However, that is not what we've been seeing in my lifetime at least.

Another reference to the concepts of conservative and liberal that should be included here is the metaphorical idea of right versus left respectively.

The wisdom writings of Solomon have much relevance here.  For example, examine this statement from Ecclesiastes chapter 10 verse 2:

"...The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of a fool to the left..."

It's a very old concept.  Even the fact that, in the English language, the words "right" and "correct" are considered to be synonymous. 

Solomon again:  "...there is nothing new under the sun...".  Ecclesiastes 1:9

As we meditate on this concept we can also do a heart exam...

Is rebellion against that which is good at the core?

"...rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft..." - 1 Samuel 15:23

Psalm 51:10

"...Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me..."


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