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Post by Maolsheachlann on May 23, 2017 20:09:15 GMT
I'm putting together this survey for forum members, in order to get a bearing on peoples' views, and out of interest. Of course, only fill it out if you want to. Since the whole purpose of this forum is to have a cross-section of opinions, they're really not leading questions-- I'd be perfectly happy to have wildly differing answers.
Although this is a conservative forum, everybody is welcome to post, even non-conservatives-- if you're here, you obviously have some interest in conservative ideas. So whatever your views, don't hesitate to answer honestly. I could have included many more questions, but I didn't want it to drag on forever.
I'll answer first.
1) Are you a conservative? Yes.
2) Were you always a conservative, and if not, when did you become one? I used to be a socialist but even as a socialist I was socially and culturally pretty conservative. I became a full-on conservative in my late twenties.
3) Are you a libertarian? No, but I have some libertarian leanings, for instance on free speech.
4) Are you a fiscal conservative? No. I'm pretty centrist or even left-of-centre on economics.
5) Do you believe in God? Yes.
6) Do you belong to any organized religion? Yes, Roman Catholicism.
7) Are you a nationalist? Yes, I'm an Irish nationalist-- more a social and cultural nationalist than a political nationalist.
8) Are you a democrat? Yes.
9) Are you a monarchist? Yes, a constitutional monarchist.
10) Do you believe in the death penalty? No, although more on emotional than rational grounds.
11) Do you support Ireland leaving the E.U.? Yes. National sovereignty is too precious to cede to supranational institutions.
12) Are you opposed to abortion? In all cases.
13) What writers and thinkers have influenced you the most? G.K. Chesterton, Peter Hitchens, C.S. Lewis.
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Post by Stephen on May 24, 2017 7:51:53 GMT
1) Are you a conservative? Good question. I answered yes a few months ago. I am a Traditionalist that wants to restore the best from the past. I'm not about slowing down the cultural decline like most conservative, but restoration and making a stand. 2) Were you always a conservative, and if not, when did you become one? I drank in what the culture around me prescribed. I have gone through a lot of beliefs Socialism, fascism, European centralism, Capitalism, liberalism and a few others. I was socially and culturally liberal too. I became a conservative over time and I'm somewhere in the Traditionalist movement at the moment. 3) Are you a libertarian? No, but I understand why people take this view, It's much easier to let people do what they want even if it is killing themselves. 4) Are you a fiscal conservative? Generally I oppose public spending and think the economic system needs to change. "Small is beautiful". 5) Do you believe in God? It is a constant struggle to beleive in God and one I except with an open heart. 6) Do you belong to any organized religion? Without the one true Church I would be nothing. I am a Traditional Catholic. 7) Are you a nationalist? Yes I'm a Irish Nationalist. I am convinced that the best thing for Ireland would be a united Ireland. I live in Northern Ireland and don't want either side as it stands. 8) Are you a democrat? Local democracy to a point can work!! (People electing Local representatives). 9) Are you a monarchist? I have recently become a Monarchist. The institution of kingship and true leaders. leaders who actually led the armies they sent to war from the front and were expected to do so. Modernity is nothing but the era of enabled cowards. 10) Do you believe in the death penalty? Yes, in some Extreme case like murder. 11) Do you support Ireland leaving the E.U.? Yes and no. We may be sucked even more in the Anglosphere if we leave. 12) Are you opposed to abortion? Yes, In all cases. 13) What writers and thinkers have influenced you the most? St Thomas More, J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Coulombe, Thomas Aquinas, St Benedict, Peter Hitchens, G.K. Chesterton, E. Michael Jones, C.S. Lewis, John Lacken, David Wemhoff, Christopher Ferrara, John Waters and Roger Buck. To mention a few 
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Post by ClassicalRepublican on May 24, 2017 12:49:03 GMT
1) Are you a conservative?
Yes.
2) Were you always a conservative, and if not, when did you become one?
I was quite far right and reactionary as a teenager. Then I went through a period of being left on some things, right on others. I've always been socially conservative for my own life.
3) Are you a libertarian?
Mildly. I believe in the necessity of the State and in rational, properly apportioned tax. I'm opposed to legalising drugs and prostitution. I believe it is the special role of man to take the state and make it a thing of beauty. To achieve this, conservative, liberal, socialist and libertarian ideas should pull on it like a drum skin - tension creates resonance.
4) Are you a fiscal conservative?
I don't oppose public spending. I'm in favour of budget surplus at year's end at all resolutions: personal, professional and governmental.
5) Do you believe in God?
I do not believe that the universe was created by the invisible landlord of Palestine.
6) Do you belong to any organized religion?
My background is Catholic. I'm not involved. Recently, with the onset of radical progressivism and normalisation of Islam, I came to consider myself a cultural Christian. Lately though, through the videos of Prof Jordan Peterson, I've come to a more heterodox understanding with Christianity.
7) Are you a nationalist?
I am a nationalist in the sense that I believe Ireland should be an ethnostate for Irish people and restrict permanent residence and citizenship to ethnic Irish people and perhaps indigenous whites of the other Home Countries too. I'm not a chauvinist nationalist; I don't believe Ireland is the greatest country in history.
8) Are you a democrat?
If you are liable for tax, you are qualified to be represented as to the disposal of your taxes and to seek to be elected to any and all such office which disposes of said tax.
9) Are you a monarchist?
No. Every person and institution is under the law and the people are sovereign. You either consent to be governed or you have government thrust upon you by monarchs.
10) Do you believe in the death penalty?
A rational consequence of believing that the right to life is inalienable is that the death penalty must be illegal. A people who take it upon themselves to consent to be governed so as to secure their rights through laws ought not to balk at the responsibility to maintain murderers in prisons until the natural end of their days.
11) Do you support Ireland leaving the E.U.?
Yes. Without question. A common market between states that have close economic parity only.
12) Are you opposed to abortion?
Yes, except in cases where a pregnancy would end in the death of both the mother and baby, it is justifiable to terminate the pregnancy. This is akin to the situations where conjoined twins must be separated or both will die, but only one can survive the separation surgery. It's a tragedy, but it's a decision for the family and their doctor. Other than in accute, emergency cases, an abortion should only be carried out at the unanimous recommendation of a panel consisting of the attending obstetrician, an obstitrician not attached to the case and a medical ethicist. The abortion should be carried out with maximum humaneness. The baby should be fully anaesthetised, it's heart stopped and then delivered. No current technique of abortion should ever be used. Other than ensuring that medical ethicists are very well regulated, I see no role for the state in it. I oppose abortion in cases of rape, as the circumstances of your conception have no bearing on your right to your birth and life.
13) What writers and thinkers have influenced you the most?
Politically: Burke, Locke, Hobbes, Machiavelli, Von Clausewitz, Payne, the American federalists (and anti federalists!) Cicero, Marcus Aurelius, Scruton ... many more!
Culturally: Homer, Vedic heroic literature, Medieval Irish and European heroic literature. Melville's Moby Dick is the greatest novel in English - indeed, it's treasure - and the world would be irrevocably diminished without it.
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Post by Maolsheachlann on May 24, 2017 13:18:53 GMT
Thanks for that, Classical Republican. I particularly liked this sentence: " To achieve this, conservative, liberal, socialist and libertarian ideas should pull on it like a drum skin - tension creates resonance." Very well put, and an idea I've often pondered myself.
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Post by cato on May 24, 2017 18:45:43 GMT
1) I am a conservative.
2) I think I was always leaning to the right but I have voted labour twice in my life so I must have had leftie temptations in my youth.Reading Joseph Ratzinger and Archbishop Marcel Lebvevre helped me move to the ecclesiatical right.Reagan and Thatcher were teenage heros. (I was a sad teenager)
3)libertarian views I think we should consider legalising prostitution as a necessary evil . I think St. Augustine was of similar opinion. I think we do need to shift our emphasis back to strenghtening the community as opposed to breaking down communal ties. We should have a form of national service a la Switzerland. I would make it harder to become a citizen and remove citizenship from people engaging in subversion or terrorism at home or abroad.
4) I believe in fiscal prudence and responsibility. We need a healthy private sector to fund the state. The state is there to serve us not bully us or to fleece us.There should be a genuine ethos of service in the public sector.
5) I do believe in God.
6) I am a catholic again after a period of wandering after false Gods.As St Peter said to Jesus " lord to where shall we go"? when others walked away.
7)I am a patriot. I am anti the republican movement which is guilty of atrocities against Irish protestants and catholics and which has widened divisions on this island. They are one of the most politically sucessful neo fascist parties in Europe.
8) I am a democrat. I am politicaĺly homeless.
9) I admire Elizabeth ii but am not a monarchist.
10) I am pro the death penalty in theory but states particularly in dictatorial countries are prone to abuse this so in practice I would oppose its' use. Life imprisonment should be used for all murder convictions.
11) I would advocate leaving the EU/euro if we like Norway found oil. We are trapped infortunately in a loveless ruthless financial empire.
12) Abortion is killing an innocent human being which is never justified.The 8th ammendment is a prophetic piece of our constitution.
13)I love reading . Some of my best friends are Evelyn Waugh, George Orwell, Tom Sharpe, Flannery O Connor , Graham Greene, Brian Moore ,Shusaku Endo ,Jan Morris ,Carson mc Cullers , C S Lewis , Winson Churchill , E F Benson , John Broderick and even on occasion James Joyce. Thanks for all the time we have spent together.
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Post by Maolsheachlann on May 24, 2017 19:41:35 GMT
I'm also a Tom Sharpe fan. He is perhaps the most original author I know....nothing quite like him. His stories are so farcical and often crude, and yet his prose style is almost luscious and suprisingly highbrow.
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Post by Young Ireland on May 28, 2017 21:42:12 GMT
I'm putting together this survey for forum members, in order to get a bearing on peoples' views, and out of interest. Of course, only fill it out if you want to. Since the whole purpose of this forum is to have a cross-section of opinions, they're really not leading questions-- I'd be perfectly happy to have wildly differing answers. Although this is a conservative forum, everybody is welcome to post, even non-conservatives-- if you're here, you obviously have some interest in conservative ideas. So whatever your views, don't hesitate to answer honestly. I could have included many more questions, but I didn't want it to drag on forever. I'll answer first. 1) Are you a conservative? Yes. 2) Were you always a conservative, and if not, when did you become one? I used to be a socialist but even as a socialist I was socially and culturally pretty conservative. I became a full-on conservative in my late twenties. 3) Are you a libertarian? No, but I have some libertarian leanings, for instance on free speech. 4) Are you a fiscal conservative? No. I'm pretty centrist or even left-of-centre on economics. 5) Do you believe in God? Yes. 6) Do you belong to any organized religion? Yes, Roman Catholicism. 7) Are you a nationalist? Yes, I'm an Irish nationalist-- more a social and cultural nationalist than a political nationalist. 8) Are you a democrat? Yes. 9) Are you a monarchist? Yes, a constitutional monarchist. 10) Do you believe in the death penalty? No, although more on emotional than rational grounds. 11) Do you support Ireland leaving the E.U.? Yes. National sovereignty is too precious to cede to supranational institutions. 12) Are you opposed to abortion? In all cases. 13) What writers and thinkers have influenced you the most? G.K. Chesterton, Peter Hitchens, C.S. Lewis. 1) I am a social conservative. Other than that, I'm not sure if I could be classed as a conservative. 2) My political views have been all over the place, on all sides of the political spectrum at different times. 3) No. I certainly don't endorse the South Park "I can say whatever I like and tough if people get offended" brand of libertarianism. 4) No, I would be interventionist economically. 5) Yes. 6) Catholic. 7) Not really. However, my views on the North have evolved over the past year, and I now support the peaceful reunification of Ireland. 8) Yes. 9) Indifferent. I think there are real problems with absolutist monarchism, and I think it is a bad idea to idealise or romanticise past monarchies. But I don't think that monarchism is inherently wrong. 10) Would lean towards no, though there may be a place for it in certain circumstances. I don't think that applies in the West today. 11) No. There is too much to lose by leaving, and the only other realistic alternative is rejoining the UK. I do favour leaving the Euro though. 12) Abortion achieves nothing but misery, so it should not simply be illegal (without exception), but unthinkable. 13) Hard to say. I generally read a variety of authors and don't really follow one particular author as such. |
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Post by servantofthechief on Jun 1, 2017 15:16:53 GMT
1) Are you a conservative? Yes.
2) Were you always a conservative, and if not, when did you become one? I reckon I have always been conservative, even though I had been raised in a Sinn Fein supporting family, I didn't even understand what socialism was until I was already in my teenage years, and even then I just thought it had something to do with that Russian with the funny moustache and cool icons of stars with hammers and sickles.
3) Are you a libertarian? No.
4) Are you a fiscal conservative? I am not even sure what this means anymore. I do believe in some degree of protectionism for the sake of the Irish economy but otherwise I am in favour of cutting regulations as it may benefit the grass roots Irish economy from which big businesses emerge in the first place.
5) Do you believe in God? Yes.
6) Do you belong to any organized religion? Yes, Roman Catholicism.
7) Are you a nationalist? Yes I am a nationalist. In social, cultural and political terms with shades of ethnonationalism.
8) Are you a democrat? No.
9) Are you a monarchist? Yes.
10) Do you believe in the death penalty? Yes.
11) Do you support Ireland leaving the E.U.? Yes.
12) Are you opposed to abortion? In all cases.
13) What writers and thinkers have influenced you the most? I would honestly have to think about that, none immediately spring to mind as being most influential for me.
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Post by Maolsheachlann on Jun 1, 2017 16:16:59 GMT
Welcome, servantofthechief! Very glad to see you here!
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Post by seangladium on Jun 3, 2017 9:16:48 GMT
1) Are you a conservative? Yes.
2) Were you always a conservative, and if not, when did you become one? I have always held conservative views. I have gradually become more conservative over time, especially after witnessing the extreme liberalism present at the university I attended.
3) Are you a libertarian? No, but I may be open to certain libertarian ideas on a case-by-case basis.
4) Are you a fiscal conservative? If by fiscal conservative one means living within ones means whether as an individual or a state/nation then yes. I believe that the current massive deficit spending exhibited by most if not all nations is horrible policy that is enriching certain politically connected individuals/groups at the expense of almost everyone else and especially future generations. In a national emergency (e.g., war) then deficit spending may make sense.
5) Do you believe in God? Yes.
6) Do you belong to any organized religion? Yes, Roman Catholicism.
7) Are you a nationalist? Yes, I am a nationalist, especially in a social and cultural sense. However, I am not sure a politically united Ireland is a good idea at the moment for various reasons, but in the long run some kind of federal, two state Ireland may be feasible.
8) Are you a democrat? Only on a local municipal level.
9) Are you a monarchist? Yes, but I believe it only would work in a society that is mostly made up of a single culture.
10) Do you believe in the death penalty? Yes, in certain cases.
11) Do you support Ireland leaving the E.U.? Yes. The E.U. has been a disaster for national sovereignty.
12) Are you opposed to abortion? I am opposed to abortion in all cases. Furthermore, I am opposed to all means of contraception and artificial "birth control" as this leads to (among other reasons) a culture that does not value life as something sacred and eventually leads to acceptance of abortion when contraception inevitably eventually fails.
13) What writers and thinkers have influenced you the most? I will have to think more about this one.
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Post by rogerbuck on Jun 3, 2017 9:47:09 GMT
I am also very glad to see you here servantofthe chief - indeed I was meaning to contact you about this forum. Hope you will join the monarchy thread ...
Grateful also to see your participation too, seangladium.
Also I do mean to do the survey soon, but I think some of my responses will be quite complex and I type so S-L-O-W-L-Y.
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Post by seaininmacbradaigh on Jun 6, 2017 14:17:26 GMT
1) Are you a conservative? Yes. 2) Were you always a conservative, and if not, when did you become one? I have always been a Conservative in some form or another but I did (to my great shame) once support Sinn Féin. This was due to their Nationalism and it was the default in the area where I came from. However, when I read their policy guidebook I immediately abandoned them. 3) Are you a libertarian? No. 4) Are you a fiscal conservative? Yes, I oppose most public spending but can appreciate funding certain initiatives. 5) Do you believe in God? Yes. 6) Do you belong to any organized religion?
I am Catholic. 7) Are you a nationalist? Yes, but not a Republican. 8) Are you a democrat? No. I think democracy is idiotic. 9) Are you a monarchist? Yes, I am a monarchist. 10) Do you believe in the death penalty? Yes. 11) Do you support Ireland leaving the E.U.? Yes and No. I am torn here. 12) Are you opposed to abortion? Yes, In all cases. 13) What writers and thinkers have influenced you the most? Burke, Machiavelli, TS Elliot, Evelyn Waugh, Art Mac Cumhaigh, Séamas Dall Mac Cuarta, D.P. Moran, Dubhglas de hÍde, Archbishop Lefebvre, St. Augustine of Hippo, St. Thomas Aquinas. |
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Post by Maolsheachlann on Jun 6, 2017 15:05:50 GMT
Thanks for that, seaininmacbradaigh. Interesting to see D.P. Moran's name mentioned again. Interesting also to read somebody else describe himself as "a nationalist but not a republican", which is also my status.
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Post by dunsscotus on Jun 10, 2017 15:02:42 GMT
Hello everyone. I guess I can somewhat use this thread as an introduction. I came across this forum from a reference by your own local rogerbuck, whom I know from another forum we have both participated on before (not to say we know each other well, Mr Buck!). I'm a young married father-of-one. I'm currently living in up-state New York, though I'm originally from Glasgow, from an Irish background, and was living in Galway for a couple of years before force of circumstances saw me crossing "the pond".
1) Are you a conservative?
I would say rather that I am a traditionalist, an Integralist or a Solidarist.
2) Were you always a conservative, and if not, when did you become one?
I was not always a traditionalist. Throughout my younger years I ran the entire gamut of of political and social views. My current political and social views belong to a maturation of my own Catholic faith which I began to take seriously in my teenage years.
3) Are you a libertarian?
No I am not.
4) Are you a fiscal conservative?
No. My economic views—or rather my political economic views—verge along the lines of the Solidarist and Integralist approaches to Catholic Social Teaching. Think "The Josias" and its various contributors.
5) Do you believe in God?
Credo.
6) Do you belong to any organized religion?
I am a Roman Catholic.
7) Are you a nationalist?
I would say I'm an Irish nationalist in the sense of nation being less than a state and more a socio-ethnic collective to which I belong by providence, and to which I have a great attachment and natural love, and a desire to see that nation, that family, prosper, in both temporal and eternal happiness.
8) Are you a democrat?
Can take it or leave it.
9) Are you a monarchist?
Again, can take it or leave it.
In regards to issues like democracy, a Republic, or a monarchy, etc., I'm just not particularly attached right now. With the massive breakdown of western civilization, and the collapse of the Catholic principles that are the foundation of society, I think these issues are academic at this point. The wholesale conversion of our society to God has to come first. We can't build a house on sand.
10) Do you believe in the death penalty?
I believe that a state has the right to exercise capital punishment in the interests of the common good, and and in the interests of the individual's soul that is subject to such condemnation. But it's not exactly a pretty affair.
11) Do you support Ireland leaving the E.U.?
I don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water. There's a lot of problems with the EU and the European project. But I do feel that European collaboration and integration can be a good thing for Europe. I don't want Ireland to leave the EU. But I don't want the EU as it exists right now to exist.
12) Are you opposed to abortion?
Absolutely.
13) What writers and thinkers have influenced you the most?
Blessed Dom Columba Marmion, Saint Louis-Marie de Montfort, Pearse, Plunkett, Connolly even, Chesterton, Belloc, Fr. Edmund Waldstein, O. Cist., Fr. Heinrich Pesch, Tolkien, and a host of others.
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Post by Maolsheachlann on Jun 10, 2017 16:49:01 GMT
Thanks for that, duns scotus, and welcome! Yes, the idea of this thread was indeed to double up as an "introductions" thread, for those who wished it. Someone suggested we should have such a thread, but I worried that Irish people are far too retiring to go for such a thing!
I particularly liked your description of your nationalism. Yes-- to me, the people is SO much more important than the state.
Only this week, I was once again trying to read Marmion, but I find him incredibly dry.
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