I am not a conservative according to the opinions of people who call themselves conservative. However, the author makes the best argument for conservativism that I have yet heard. Conservatism is not an ideology. Great! Ideology is merely religion with a shorter life time. Marxism and fascism were the great ideologies of the twentieth century, and they both unleashed horrors. Ideology offers the same certainty as religion and can be just as destructive to reason and humanity.

I prefer the scientific method to any ideology. Be prepared to jettison any opinion when there is evidence to show that it is not valid. Question authority. Be kind. Beware of ideologues who wrap up truth in a nice package.

Left wing commentators continually and incorrectly link Conservatism with Religion when in fact, the Catholic church in particular has been at the forefront of social reform and social justice issues around the world for decades. In Australia last century the vast majority of Catholics voted for the Labor Party and even formed their own version, the DLP, when the communist influence began to dominate the Left.

The Left sees themselves as progressive, fair, and seeking equality when these terms are nebulous and often in the eye of the beholder. Gay marriage is apparently 'fair' and any opposition is seen as 'unfair' rather than a simple difference of opinion.

Conservatives spend most of their time pointing out flaws in Leftist thinking and that is all they need to do. Leave things as they are unless there is a need to change it. What's wrong with that?

Oh beware of those wicked conseravtives especially those who fear and respect their Maker. On the other hand Gillard, Emerson, Thomson, the sisterhood, etc etc etc. Even Mark Latham is ashamed to lumped in with them. You shall know them by their fruit by by weasel words of leftist commentators who are usually totally bereft of morals themselves and want their views forced on others.

"...totally bereft of morals..."

Let it be know that runner's latest stock-in-trade phrase is "weasel words". With this tool he will generalise and castigate any person who fails to think as he does.

End of lesson.

>>leftist commentators who are usually totally bereft of morals themselves and want their views forced on others.<<

Apparently runner is a leftist commentator. Who'd have thought? He always sounds so conservative to me.

Cheers,

Tony

Beware of conservatives? Why? When we started the first parliament/Westminster system, there was no labour party, no socialists, no commies or reds under the bed.
Yet we saw quite massive social reform.
The end of slavery, child labour and the emancipation act that conferred the same civil rights, regardless of religious disposition.
All done by so-called conservatives?
Why? Because at their inception as a political force, conservatives were also progressive and opposed tyrannical Kings, rather than roadblocks forever holding firm in the face of essential reform or progress.
They were progressive because they had empathy, something which seems to be self evidently missing from most of today's conservatives, who'se sole role seems to have deteriorated to the point, where they now simply say no to virtually everything, in their often mindless attempt to maintain the status quo? Or, privilege.
Privilege has become far too important and a goal/endpoint.
And arguably, simply holds us back from the real wealth creation and opportunities, and truly egalitarian society, we could create by a return to a much more progressive empathetic posture.
To my mind there's no left or right in policy settings, just an up or down, or good or bad policy!
Who gives a rat's tail pipe, where good policy or ideas come from.
If conservatism has its foundation in religion, then it has to be founded on the foremost guiding principle; "inasmuch as you do unto the least, you do also unto me". Rhrosty.