Can A Christian be Conservative?

In this year's November general elections, one of the many groups of people expected to play a decisive role in the outcome of the election is the Christian conservatives. Particularly, the Republican party is expecting to ride to victory, both in the congressional, presidential, and state-level elecions, on the backs of this group. Yes, the Democrats have the labor unions and, especially in this year's election, women organizations,  to count on to come through for them. Somewhere lost in the midst of all these groups is the rest of us - the so-called independents; neither labor nor conservative; neither pro-abortion nor con; more importantly, neither Republican nor Democrat.

This phrase, christian conservative, has been very confusing and very troubling to me. Try as much as possible, I cannot come to terms with the belief that a true christian can be a conservative; it goes against the principal responsibility of christianity: love thy neighbor as thyself, be your brothers' keeper, feed the hungry and provide for the needy and, as much as it depends on you, be at peace with everyone. Unfortunately, these biblical instructions seem to be lacking in the guidebook of the christian conservative groups. instead, hatred is spewed from radio stations, floors of state and national legislatures, and pulpits of churches of varying denominations

What we have seen over the years are conducts and comments extremely unbecoming of true christians; fabricated biblical justifications for cold-blooded murders, anti-poor, anti-women, and anti-non-conservatives laws at both local, state and national levels of government. These laws and other unchristian conducts have left the country more polarized today than it has been in recent years; christians against each other; blacks, whites, and Hispanics, and Asians against each and others; professions against its members and other professional groups. everyone has an opinion as to what they believe is their rights and responsibilities as christians, unfortunately, these opinions are not reflective of christian principles and directives.

Things have fallen apart, and the center can no longer hold; not for christians, politicians, the poor, needy, women, independents, and non-conformists. As politicians strive to identity and extol their christian conservatism, they box themselves into a corner and alienate themseves from the majority of the electorate, thereby exacerbating an already dangerous societal situation.

Until we find the appropriate answer to this question, the christian community will never be the same, let alone the rest of the society