Libertarians

Message / Question

Why are Christians generally libertarians rather than authoritarians, i.e. why do they support free speech, free press, right to protest, right to vote, right to bear arms, right against unreasonable search and seizure, right to public trial, which you see in Liberal party policies rather than say the Greens who support policies that can override these rights in the name of morality? Is it just a chance of history?

Response

You will find Christians in most political groupings / Parties and they will represent a broad range of views across the political spectrum. I think that the things that you have nominated (free speech, free press, right to protest, right to vote, right to public trial) would be regarded by most political parties in the Western world, as fundamental to a free democratic society. The right to bear arms is certainly a right that is entrenched in the American system and many from both major parties would support this right – it is not a part of Australian society / culture. I’m not sure that “morality” would override any of these issues, but certainly parties, such as the Greens, which are clearly on the left of the political spectrum, may not fully support these concepts, as they may not be totally compatible with political systems that find the need to exercise more control over the population as the need to control conflicts with some of these freedoms. Far Left (e.g. extreme socialist/communist regimes such as North Korea) and far Right (historical example of Hitler’s Germany) certainly have suppressed freedom of speech, freedom of the press etc.