Will Conservatism Last Another Generation?
Self-reflection is rarely ever natural. As human beings, we have a tendency to exaggerate the problems of others while minimizing our own. When issues arise, our go-to reaction is to blame external forces. If we fail to meet a deadline, the blame is usually placed on the person who failed to give us enough time to finish; if we perform poorly on an exam, our anger is upon the professor for not teaching us “that part” the week prior. We’ll take any opportunity to deflect blame off of ourselves, in hopes of protecting the dignity we think we have.
This would seem to be the case for the modern conservative movement.
As culture and society seem to degrade into shadows of their former selves, we as conservatives try to deny any culpability. We find solace in the notion that because we are “principled” individuals we are far above the fray with regard to the irrational activities seen on T.V. by our political opponents. In our self-aggrandizement, we have constructed a heightened view of ourselves which not only denies any role in the societal division but fails to address the real problem within our movement.
Let's take the 2016 presidential election as an example. In justifying support for then-candidate Donald Trump, some on the conservative side backed Trump because he was the proverbial last choice. This was the stance that myself and many other young conservatives took. In contrast, there were also some in the movement who were not only willing to downplay his deep character flaws and marital missteps but willing to encourage his boorish behavior. Explaining that America needs a fighter to stem the tide of liberalism.
If this sounds hypocritical, it is. In our efforts to restore conservative principles, some in our movement have trampled over the very essence of our cause, all the while, irresponsibly placing the faults of society at the feet of the left.
Suffice it to say, there is a divide within the movement.
But this divide doesn’t happen overnight nor does it happen in a vacuum. Through the years, as our nation has become more secular, conservatism has widened its tent with regard to values to compensate for a decrease in support. Pew research shows that conservatives, despite their religious leaning (or lack thereof), tend to be more liberal than the previous generation on social issues; issues that deal with personal interaction and personal responsibility, and at the very core, social cohesion. This has resulted in the sacrificing and re-prioritizing of certain traditional beliefs to appeal to those who would otherwise view the movement as “too religious.”
This, of course, is a mistake.
Conservatism, apart from any other ideology, is set apart by moral absolutes. Ever since William F. Buckley, conservatives have formally bound themselves to the notion that there is an objective truth, put forth by an objective truth giver (God), that must be adhered to. It’s only through this knowledge of God that we are able to come to a full understanding of our worth, natural rights, and personal liberty. But acknowledging that there is a God, and understanding that He bestows certain liberties upon humanity is only half of the equation. The other half is that knowledge of God necessitates knowledge of His precepts; commands from God on how we are to live our lives to give honor and glory to his name. By ignoring these we have become no better than those to whom we castigate as morally inept.
At the end of the day, the root problem for conservatism deals with the issue of God and how we understand Him. For many of us, the question is not so much “is there a God?” (as many do believe that there is) but rather, “does this God give me what I want?” When it comes to notions of liberty you will hear us preach “God-given rights” at the top of our lungs, but when it comes to personal conduct or the promulgation of traditional Christian values, we shy away. Whenever we come across tough questions of ethics, we seem to have the same default “Holmes-ian” answer, “I don’t care how you live your life, as long as you aren’t bothering me.” God, for the conservative movement, has just become an authoritative way for us to justify the rights that we like.
But it’s fair to ask, “so what?” Why is it important for conservatives to believe in God or follow his commands if they already espouse values comparable to that in Scripture?
The answer is that the way we understand God and observe His precepts affects the way we engage with others, how we try to convince others of our cause, and how we live our lives as a testament of our faith. A correct understanding of God leads to a correct understanding of the world, or a “biblical worldview.” This worldview helps us answer: how and why we are here, what is right and wrong, what is our nature or disposition as human beings, what is our purpose here on Earth, and what does it mean to live “coram Deo” or “before the face of God”, etc.
By losing a common biblical worldview, we as conservatives make our case on pure conjecture, no matter how logical our case may be. Apart from Scripture, our claims to morality are futile as they presume hierarchical moral authority exists apart from God. We should understand that our authority alone is not reason enough to refute opposing claims. We believe capitalism to be the more “moral” economic system not because we think it’s right for people to keep their property, but because God commands “thou shall not steal,” and theft by majority vote is no different. We believe marriage to be a holy institution between a man and a woman not because that’s what we believe, but because that is what God outlines in Scripture. We believe babies in the womb have inherent worth not because we ultimately believe life begins at conception (which it does), but because babies are created by God, in his image, thus having intrinsic worth.
Authority rests in God alone.
This is not to say that our arguments should come only from a religious basis, but that what undergirds our beliefs must come from Scripture; Scripture that guides our lives in the way that we should walk.
This is why Christians of strong faith and strong biblical knowledge must be the future leaders of the conservative movement. They must be the ones willing to stand up for “unpopular” biblical values and a biblical lifestyle. They must be the ones to lay a sure foundation based on Scripture and not just the fruit it produces. This is how successful movements are built and how they survive. Free speech, capitalism, individualism, etc. are all by-products of a Christian worldview, but building a movement on them alone is sure to fail. If conservatives have any desire to see their movement endure past this generation, there will have to be a serious return to God and a strict observance of His word.