<p>Regarding atheist-bashing. Ever hear of Chris Hitchins? Some of the fierest atheists are conservatives.</p>
<p>Fanatical atheists make me just as nervous as religious fanatics. A fanatic is a fanatic. But good point.</p>
<p>Conception to me is synonymous with fertilization. Biologically, when the sperm and egg unite and the genetic material combines to form a zygote, it is a separate human being. </p>
<p>But I think there are circumstances when it is OK to permit the taking of human life. That is why I am pro-choice, OK with the death penalty, OK with assisted suicide, OK with taking some people off life support and OK with war under some circumstances.</p>
<p>About atheism: I am an atheist and I cannot help being one. It is not a lifestyle choice. You either believe in God or you don’t. I wish I could believe in God, because that would make my life easier sometimes. I am not fanatic about being an atheist. I am not anti-God. You can’t be against something that does not exist.</p>
<p>I believe in freedom of/from religion</p>
<p>I am also an atheist, though I don’t consider myself a fanatic. Atheism is not synonymous with fanaticism, although there are rabid, fanatical atheists out there. Just as there are rabid, fanatical religious zealots.</p>
<p>Is this going to become another abortion/war/gun control thread? Just putting in a vote for that not to be the case.</p>
<p>Where would you prefer to take a thread like this? Certainly, it may be meandering in that direction, but then, I think posters are trying to define what constitutes “liberal.” It’s tougher than it seems.</p>
<p>Well, I’d say if you put the toilet paper over the roll, you may be a liberal, and if you have it go behind the roll, you may be a conservative. </p>
<p>How’s that?</p>
<p>Our current two-party system makes it difficult for those of us who have “liberal” views on some issues, and “conservative” views on others. We are forced to decide which issues (or group of issues) are more important at any particular time.
I also question the labelling of some issues. I like to say that as a conservative, I oppose the death penalty because I don’t trust the government to make a decision as to whether a person should live or die, and as a liberal, I oppose legalized abortion because of the value I place on individual rights.</p>
<p>Ah, the toilet paper test makes me conservative–and my husband liberal! …</p>
<p>Very good points, Hunt.</p>
<p>LOL owlice!</p>
<p>Hindoo-
I think that sticking with discussions about how to differentiate liberal/conservative ideas/ideals/philosophies etc is fine. To use this thread to get into debates about these other topics is , IMO, not what this thread is about. Those debates tend to deteriorate quickly, and then the thread gets closed. Lets not debate those issues here. </p>
<p>By the way, owlice, I thought the differentiation between liberals/conservatives was determined by whether you had an innie or an outie bellybutton, not the direction of your Charmin.</p>
<p>I understand what you’re saying, jym626, but I also understand why threads like this invariably wander about (and sometimes get off track). IMHO, though, one’s thoughts on abortion/war/gun control/death penalty can be very relevant to the topic at hand. If you don’t discuss things like that on a thread like this, then what do you discuss? Take us in the proper direction and I’ll cheerfully follow!</p>
<p>jym, whether you have an innie or an outie determines your sex, not your political orientation, but I’m sure you know that already! ;)</p>
<p>Whether you buy Charmin or Scott TP might be a sign of your political orientation, however. Charmin -> conservative. Scott -> liberal.</p>
<p>My apologies for part of my previous post. I never met an opening line I didn’t want to take, however, so I’m claiming provocation! :D</p>
<p>Owlice-
Please warn the reader before posting something that causes one to spray the keyboard laughing.</p>
<p>And hopefully this is the last time to suggest this. If posters have particular political or personal agenda to debate, please start a separate thread. It seems reasonable to mention a thought on a “hot topic” as part of explaining ones general sociocultural philosophy/leanings , but this is NOT the place to debate these issues. JMO.</p>
<p>I agree with the plan to not “deterorate” this thread. </p>
<p>But seriously, with a title like “Is everyone here really this liberal?” how long before the inevitable?</p>
<p>I posted my list simply to ask what the word ‘liberal’ encompasses. So the answer to OP’s question is- No.</p>
<p>Anyone else besides me notice that the OP started this thread and then ran away?!?!?!</p>
<p>I think there are more " independent" voters than there used to be.
I am not for " more" govt, but more " accountable oversight" in govt.</p>
<p>I am not for private sector " solider of fortune" mercenaries & I am for equal treatment of women/men in the armed forces.
If men have to register, I think women should have to register ( starting with Bushes daughters), even though I have two girls.
I think that there should be transparency when recruiting, and I don’t think if you joined the National Guard, you should be doing 4 tours in Iraq unless you chose to do so- I also don’t think there should be so much pressure on recruiters to get numbers up, that they recruit those who are obviously unsuited.
I think we need to put as much effort & (& $$$$$) into transition back to life stateside for our military as we did to get them to join up.</p>
<p>I think we need public education, but I agree that unions can be a mixed blessing- i.e. the $13 million+ grant our state schools lost because the union didn’t want some teachers to be paid extra for extra work.</p>
<p>I believe in equal access to health care & believe that a course of treatment should be between a patient and their provider.
I don’t believe children should be tried as adults.
I don’t believe in mandatory minimum sentences.
I don’t believe that anything bigger than what is needed for personal protection should be a legal weapon carried by a civilian.</p>
<p>I believe in immigration but I believe we should grow our own food and produce our own energy.</p>
<p>I believe legal adults of sound mind have a right to marry, I do not believe that minors should be married or having a " relationship" with adults in any circumstances.</p>
<p>( I don’t pay attention to how I put the toilet paper on the roll)</p>
<p><a href=“I%20don’t%20pay%20attention%20to%20how%20I%20put%20the%20toilet%20paper%20on%20the%20roll”>quote</a>
[/quote]
I think that makes you either a libertarian or possibly a commununist, EK.</p>