The principles of social conservatism are much deeper than the three usually given by critics.  In fact – abortion, marriage, and creationism – are not principles at all but rather the natural outworking of much deeper principles.  Here are a few of the deeper principles. Please tell me with which you disagree.

1. The sanctity of human life. All individuals have value and should be treated accordingly.  Therefore, social conservatives oppose policies that cheapen human life – i.e. abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, health care death panels, health care rationing, tyrannical unlimited government, etc.

2. The sanctity of marriage and the family.  Marriage is the building block of western civilization and the foundation of any functional society.  Marriage should not be entered into lightly, nor should it be discarded on a mere whim.  The family is the next building block of society as it provides for the nurturing and instruction of the next generation.  Therefore, social conservatives oppose policies that lead to the destruction of marriage and the family – no fault divorce, welfare, absentee fathers, spousal abuse, government run daycare, public education coerced by the federal government and removed from local control, the glorification of self-indulgence, etc.

3. Freedom of religion and the separation of church and state.  The separation of church and state is a Biblical principle practiced in both the Old and New Testament.  The problem is that liberals and some libertarians do not want a separation of church and state.  They want a separation of the state from God.  They want the state to disregard all moral mandates from God and to not acknowledge His headship over the state.  In so doing, liberals and likeminded libertarians actually elevated the state as the highest authority and makes the state unanswerable to a higher power.  The Founding Fathers, even Jefferson, would not accept such a premise.

4. Support for the classical virtues and moral character – honesty, hardwork, diligence, thrift, self-control, self-disciplined, peaceful, self-reliant, and countless others.  Therefore, social conservatives oppose policies and actions that undermine these virtues and contribued to the undermining of individual moral character.  Social conservatives do not claim to be perfect in these virtues but everyone should strive for perfection.  I would also note that these virtues will lead to the fiscal restraint you fiscal conservatives want.  However, you can not expect to get the fruit without first plantng the seeds and watering the plant.

Although I will stop there, you can plainly see that that social conservatives encompasses much more than what you think. I would also point out that these are not necessarily religious issues but are moral and ethical principles essential to western civilization.

Jude warned the early church about apostates. “For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Jude 4)

Scripture clearly and repeatedly condemns the practice of homosexuality. (1 Corinthians 6:9;1 Timothy 1:10) In accepting the practice, the ELCA has essentially denied the authority of Scripture as Truth. No matter what some supporters of lifting the ban may say, the ordination of homosexuals is not a dispute over the interpretation of Scripture, but rather a direct challenge to the teachings of Scripture and thus the Lordship of God over their church.

Jude urged the true believers to “contend earnestly for the faith” and many in the ELCA did that prior to the recent vote.  Now, however, the leadership has decided to reject Scripture and follow their own understanding. The duty of the true believer now is to separate himself from the apostate church.

As Paul told the Corinthians: “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?” (2 Corinthians 6:14-15)

Supporters of lifting the ban do not believe in the authority of Scripture and are thus unbelievers. Since they control the denomination, I urge all faithful Christians – Christians faithful to the teachings of Scripture – to follow the command of Paul to the Corinthians and separate themselves from the apostasy of the ELCA. 

I quote from the Libertarian Party platform: "We hold that all individuals have the right to exercise sole dominion over their own lives, and have the right to live in whatever manner they choose, so long as they do not forcibly interfere with the equal right of others to live in whatever manner they choose."

To paraphrase, in the libertarian world, a person has "sole dominion" over his life and can live any way he chooses as long as he does not "forcibly" interfere with that same right in others. To the libertarian there is no standard higher than the individual and the individual is completely free to choose his own course as long as he is willing to live with the consequences. This is the very definition of anarchy and will lead to the breakdown of civilization and culture. The individual is not a self-contained entity whose life choices only impact himself. His actions will have an impact on others even if he does not "forcibly interfere" with their personal autonomy. A dad addicted to drugs or pornography will negatively impact his family even if he carefully avoids "forcibly interfering" with their autonomy. Look at the data on single moms and the impact failed fatherhood has on children. The choices individuals make have a larger impact than just upon the individual making the choice; therefore, individuals have a responsibility to society to make the right choice. A nation of people selfishly choosing to gratify themselves will lead to the crumbling of society.

Although some individuals will choose to use their personal autonomy to do the right thing, many will not and why should they if personal freedom is the ultimate goal. Our Founding Fathers defined liberty as the ability to do the right thing not as the ability to do whatever the individual wanted. They considered that to be licentiousness. Conservatives hold with the Founding Fathers.

Conservatives are not libertarians. We want liberty but liberty as defined by the Founding Fathers. We recognize that man is flawed and must be guided by morality, tradition, and law to make the right choices. Man does not have sole dominion over his life because he was created and thus was created for a purpose. Dominion over his life belongs to God who bestowed life upon the individual. 

Libertarians are not conservatives. What do they want to conserve but personal "liberty" and personal "liberty" cannot be conserved when the individual is exalted above everything else. Left to his own nature, such "liberty" will give way to licentiousness and the individual will find that his pursuit of unfettered "liberty" will have enslaved him.

Like the individual, government is a creation of God and only serves its true purpose when it submits to His headship and precepts. Only God can take away the inalienable rights of men and define reality (truth). Only God is an authority unto himself. Mr. Obama and the Democrats, in infringing on the rights of men, redefining truth, and setting themselves up as the final authority, are claiming the authority of a god. Conservatives and Libertarians can work together on these lines but a libertine society is not the solution to our larger problems.

 The USA of 1776, of 1865 and of 1945 is all but gone - except for a few glimmers here and there. Too many of us have benefited from the discipline, commitment, and sacrifice of previous generations but have not responded in kind. Instead our society has grown lazy and apathetic. Our time is consumed not with personal improvement or the improvement of our society but with the lowest common denominator that has now become our pop culture.

Stayed tuned for the highly anticipated first post of The Gylippus.