Comments on: The Atheist Conservative

By: Frank Cress

Frank Cress — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:23:46 +0000

I’m proud to say that I’ve just published my second book of commentary from the conservative atheist perspective. This book, Reason For Life, is much less autobiographical than my first book and much more topical. The United States is being torn in two right under our noses. The religious right continues to wage a campaign to replace science in our schools with religious dogma. The liberal leftists have taken their political correctness agenda to new heights. The upcoming presidential election is probably more important than any in my lifetime. We’re at war with religious terrorist abroad and cultural relativists at home. This new book examines a wide spectrum of timely topics from the hopefully reasonable and rational perspective of a conservative atheist. If you are interested in purchasing Reason For Life, please check out my publisher’s web site below or visit BarnesandNoble.com, Amazon.com or any of your favorite bookstores.

Thanks for your past interest.

Frank Cress

http://writers.fultus.com/cress/book02.html

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?WRD=frank+Cress

By: ScottM

ScottM — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 19:35:15 +0000

I’m a far-right-wing conservative (emphatically NOT libertarian) agnostico-atheist. I sometimes call myself a “no-church Tory.”

I’m pro-life, because I believe in the dignity and worth of all human beings, not just the ones we choose to recognize as “persons.”

I’m also anti-gay-marriage on prudential grounds. Such a sudden, radical alteration in a foundational institution of human society would be simply crazy, particularly considering that the consituency for such a change is so small (which is why it has to be imposed by judges instead of settled through the Constitutional process). Also, I don’t see how legal recognition of homosexual relationships would benefit society.

As for what conservatism is, here’s a good place to start:

http://www.kirkcenter.org/kirk/ten-principles.html

(And no, I would not have used the word “made” in discussing the first principle, but Kirk was a Catholic, so I don’t blame him for using it.)

By: Jillian Becker

Jillian Becker — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 01:01:38 +0000

This is all very interesting to us at The Atheist Conservative. Why don’t you hold this discussion on our site?

By: AL

AL — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 05:43:40 +0000

Conservative atheist can be either fiscally conservative or socially conservative, or both. I describe myself as fiscally conservative and socially moderate, which would probably make me a libertarian. I am totally for capital punishment, gun ownership, and gay marriage. Abortions at very early stage are OK; however as a fetus becomes more human-like, abortions must be restricted, that’s why I support partial birth abortion ban. Racial preferences (aka affirmative action) must be mercilessly eliminated. Government spendings on everything must be reduced. Like many atheists I also oppose the war in Iraq, but I would never join ‘peace rallies’ because they are openly anti-capitalist, anti-American, anti-Israel, and sometimes even pro-terrorist. I despise leftism just as much as I hate religious right. It seems that leftism is very popular among atheists, which pisses me off a lot. So, let’s stay rational and free-thinking, but let’s not plunge into socialist paranoia of political left.

By: Polly

Polly — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 15:40:26 +0000

@stogoe:
The word “strawman” is lighting up my radar here. Where do you get the impression that a) the Republican congress is in any way similar or representative of the conservativism of Reagan? and b) that Republicans want government to stop providing law enforcement or public education(no child left behind has put the focus on results and I’m told by one teacher that it’s a positive, though it needs refining)?
Health care? Have you seen the prescription drug program? If anything, he’s spending too much, and not wisely.
All Politicians work against the free market at the behest of large donors. Politicians in general are corrupt…and? This is not news and is CERTAINLY not limited to Republicans.

And despite the increased spending, whe still have ultra low unemployment (even in the face of hefty illigal immigration) and a skyrocketing stock market. On the domestic front where is the disaster? Do you really think that Democrats are going to clothe the naked and feed the poor? You’re kidding yourself. The best we can hope for is that the federal government doesn’t mangle our economy and get us inot protracted wars in 3rd world hell-holes. I concede the war was foolishly executed. I would rather have had a different (smarter) Republican in office than Bush, obviously.

By: stogoe

stogoe — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 14:54:02 +0000

I’m not letting conservativism back away from the Republicans on this one. George W Bush gave conservatives everything they’ve ever wanted since at least Reagan, and now that conservatism has shown itself a bungling failure, they want to distance themselves from their mess. Not gonna happen.

But I guess bungling failure is what you should expect when you put people who don’t believe that government can work in charge of making the government work.

EDIT: The ‘less government’ trope is trotted out. Oy. Look, I want ‘less government’, too, but I’m realistic enough to know that if I also want the citizenry to be safe, healthy, and educated, some government regulation is necessary. Protecting the public from cheats, scams, and snake oil is just one of the many things that cost much less in dollars and peson-hours for government to do than if everyone were fending for themselves.

And don’t get me started on how much conservatives despise the free market if it even thinks of cutting into their profit.

By: Polly

Polly — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 00:24:04 +0000

@Daniel:

I think we are on converging lines of thought on this. I do hold much more in common with libertarianism philosophy than I do with either party. But, I hold out hope for a more moderate Republican party in the future and a return to the less government (ALL around) is better, ideal.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 20:24:46 +0000

The totality of American politics is a mess right now, but here is how I sum up the conservative philosophy: less government and less government interference. It’s true, the Republicans were typically the conservative party however the ones in control now are no longer conservative. Today way have a choice between the democrats (profess personal freedoms and rally for economic restrictions), and republicans (profess economic freedoms and rally for personal restrictions). Both parties actually want to legislate moral issues, they just differ in what they consider moral.

The only place for true conservatives to go now is toward the libertarians, but they are unelectable for the time being. Their hardcore members that advocate no government regulation of anything are silly of course, but so are the hardcore democrats (socialists) and the current hardcore republicans (theocrats).

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 17:02:10 +0000

Thanks for the link – hits have jumped tremendously.

I realize that the symbol is a confusing, but it is still (I think) better than the one a bunch of other atheists are pressing for – what they call an “invisible pink unicorn.”
The banner is currently being changed, whenever I can get around to it…

By: Polly

Polly — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 15:11:15 +0000

@LEE:

Should government intervene in such moral issues?

I don’t care about others’ sex lives and Republicans (my party) waste too much time appealing to these hot-button issues while spending like there’s no tomorrow and rushing into fool-hardy wars without sufficient planning. I even think a person has the “right” to end their own life if they so choose. In fact, do what you want as long as it doesn’t harm others. And, for me, that includes humans at the embryonic stage of development. I really would like to say that the gov. should but-out of this one, too. (Believe me, I HATE government interference.) But, that would be tantamount to my saying it’s OK to kill a certain subset of humans – I can’t say that with a clear conscience. I’ve heard many arguments about how embryos are not really human and they all ring hollow to me.
But, look at all the stuff I’m “liberal” about. What does that make me? Does one issue make me a social conservative? I am definitely an economic conservative, but not to the extreme.

You know? if we evolved to lay eggs, this would be a non-issue.