Insight: The Mind Of A Neo-Conservative Christian

There's a reason that fundamentalist Christians are labeled in exactly that order: Fundamentalist first, Christian second. Here are the American Heritage Dictionary definitions:

fun·da·men·tal·ism (fŭn'də-měn'tl-ĭz'əm) Pronunciation Key n.
A usually religious movement or point of view characterized by a return to fundamental principles, by rigid adherence to those principles, and often by intolerance of other views and opposition to secularism. http://dictionary.reference.com/help/ahd4.html

Chris·tian (krĭs'chən) Pronunciation Key adj.
Professing belief in Jesus as Christ or following the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.
Relating to or derived from Jesus or Jesus's teachings.
Manifesting the qualities or spirit of Jesus; Christlike.
Relating to or characteristic of Christianity or its adherents.
Showing a loving concern for others; humane.

Neo-conservatives, however, place an inordinate emphasis on the former, while treating the latter as an optional afterthought. Consider this posting by a reader on mediamatters.org in response to liberal criticism of Michael Savage's radio show tirade against Media Matters, in which he called the website "the homosexual mafia." http://mediamatters.org/items/200707060002?f=h_side

My neo-conservative opponent stated the following. My commentary appears in red, brackets:

I've never heard Limbaugh or Hannity talk about the gay marriage issue, and I listen to both of them fairly often. I just made my own observation. Marriage has always been a committment between one man and one woman.[Wrong. The Bible is rife with examples of polygamy - 1 man, many women] Gays have the same rights as everybody else has. The have the right to marry someone of the opposite sex. [Gee, thanks. That's exactly what I want, not to mention what an unsuspecting hetero woman wants.] Letting gays marry would give them special rights that no other minority interest group has. [Religious right-wing talking point number 1; makes sense only to homo haters.] If you let gays have the right to get married, you would have to give the same rights to other minority interest groups such as polygamists, NAMBLA types, animal lovers, etc. [The fallacy of the Slippery Slope: Logic 101 covered this when I attended NIU]
- RINO Hunter / Friday July 6, 2007 02:18:09 PM EST

How is it that an argument this simplistic and flawed can prevail in America policy-making? The answer is: It Isn't Prevailing! http://www.alternet.org/columnists/story/55254/

Rino Hunter faces the challenge of valuing his or her own marriage, while sharing the civil part of the institution with the likes of me. Poor guy. In the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger (Terminator II): "He'll live."