The American Conservative is having a symposium on the nature of Left & Right, and Heather Mac Donald of the The Manhattan Institute offers up an eyebrow raising piece which is a jeremiad against the perceived necessary connection between conservatism and religiosity. It seems likely that this was prompted by the muddled direction of George W. Bush's directionless religious conservatism.
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Conservative athiests and agnostics: It's not a very vocal group, is it?
But who wants to listen to the boring voice of the skeptic, when most people seek the drama and excitement of whatever religious or political cause?
It's not a very vocal group. I wonder why that is... Well, no. I wonder if my guess is right, though: do conservative atheists and agnostics and, to use her term, skeptics fear that the same virulent rage they've seen directed at liberal ones will come their way but worse? The religious save their worst hatred for the apostates, after all.
I know some conservative atheists. They tend toward libertarianism.
Having read the piece, I am a bit surprised that Mac Donald seems to be a social conservative. The conservative atheists I know tend to be conservative on economic issues, and sometimes on foreign policy issues. (Clumping all isues together as as simple left-right choice does not help to clarify.)
Mac Donald mentions the Enlightenment. My understanding is that the Enlightenment was by no means a conservative movement, and was in fact the source of the term "liberal".
american conservatism tends to be 'liberal conservatism,' in that it tends not to be very burkean. but yes, heather is notable for on the right, secular and not a libertarian (or a straussian from what i can tell).
I wonder if my guess is right, though: do conservative atheists and agnostics and, to use her term, skeptics fear that the same virulent rage they've seen directed at liberal ones will come their way but worse?
i suspect most secular conservatives believe that religion is a good for society as a whole and so see no see reason to attack it unless they themselves are attacked. libertarians are usually not as solicitous of sensitivities (i think that it can be argued that libertarians are on the Right, but not conservatives).
(and just an FYI for reasons, i'm an atheist libertarian myself)
I would think that a social conservative would pretty much by definition think religion is a good thing, although not, perhaps, that it is true.
My Dad is an avowed athiest, and a supporter of some of the most right wing politico's in Washington (Wicker, Vitter, R. Dole, Bush 41, etc.).
As he has expressed over the last few years, Bush (43), combined with Katrina and the massive move towards religiosity, has made him a Democratic voting independent.
Ridger, I agree with you, they are not very vocal for some reason. But they are influential. They effects have been growing for years. I am an old time grunge-punk-hipppie. When I see my comrades from 20 years ago slowly turning into yuppie-agnostics wo are voting republican because they don't want to lose their half million dollar home on Lake Washington, I am dispaired. Actually Dan R.'s response gives me hope.