Rick Santorum has quit his campaign. He was accused by many as being too socially conservative and, according to them, should have spent more time talking about the real issues, such as the economy, Obamacare, etc. So what really is a Social Conservative and why did he consider such a thing important to the nation? The word "Conservative" has many stripes and flavors. But a "Social Conservative" is one whose primary concern is values. The values by which people live and by which governments operate drive everything that happens personally and corporately. I am first and foremost a Christian Social Conservative. Our problems as a nation reflect the problems which afflict our citizenry. I have taught and preached for years that when one becomes a Christian his worldview is the first thing that needs to change. When a Christian worldview begins to change it produces a Christian lifestyle. What a person truly believes is true and important in life always shows up in his conduct. The problems of our nation cannot be fixed without altering the worldviews of its citizens. We must return to the FIRST principles before the direction our country is heading in can be altered. The God who put us on this planet requires obedience to His principles since He made us in His image and "wired us up" to work best when we honor Him in everything we do. That is why He said, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." Conversly, He will not and cannot bless a nation who wants nothing to do with Him and considers him irrelevant. That, I think, is the belief of too many of our citizens and far too many of our politicians. I want God to again bless this nation. And that is why I am a Social Conservative first of all.
5 Comments
Russell
4/17/2012 02:40:18 am
I too am a socal conservative not to mention a fiscal one as well. Rick Santorum is a good example of how Paul did not try to get his social conservative views across to non-believers on Mars Hill.
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Bud Downs
4/17/2012 03:19:30 am
I think you are right about starting where your audience is and then somehow easing into your moral and spiritual views as they apply to the country, as Paul did with the Athenians. The problem here is that everything RS has said in private, off the cuff or in public is mined by his enemies and used against him. You cannot open your mouth about any issue at any time without having it spread all over the world in print or selectively misquoted or taken out of context to be used against you. In which case, you simply have to state your case as you see it and pray that there are enough people out there who believe what you believe to make a difference. I think he was counting on that to be the case. And he did come across favorably to many people in select areas of the country but evidently not enough to make a difference. Honestly, I don't see how anyone of his convictions can carry them all the way to the White House in this present climate with all those "poison pens" waiting to stab you to death.
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Russ
4/17/2012 05:37:21 am
I like your Blog!
Kathy Grimmet Huffman
4/21/2012 10:50:04 am
Just another social conservative, listening to what you have to say.
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Bob U
5/10/2012 04:58:16 am
Just came across this song by Billy Joel. Sounds like it works for your series.
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Bud Downs
Senior Pastor of Cactus Christian Fellowship Archives
May 2018
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