What libertarians and conservatives agree on, and what all conservatives agree on, is that there should be no state organized “unity”, which was the calling card of progressivism (many, many, many of whom admired and studied Mussolini’s efforts for such unity), socialism, and the totalitarian socialisms, national and international (Nazism and Communism, who appealed to very similar constituencies).

If you believe the state’s role is to “shape behavior” then ‘conservatism’ probably isn’t the term you would want to use.

Conservatism varies by country and circumstance. I have an upcoming post on Edmund Burke that explains why, and why I agree with him.

This is, of course, not the topic of this thread, but yes I would say democracy on a small scale, but understood as real participatory democracy — not simply electoral politics — that would ideally lean more toward consensus and less toward “majority rule.”

Ben,

Would you go to your gay relative’s home for dinner, or would visiting a shared home be too much like acceptance of that relative’s relationship?

I know a lot of parents help their newly married children out financially with loans or gifts (and sometimes long after they are newly married). Would it be wrong of parents of children in same-sex relationships to help with rent or groceries? Should parents of college-age gay children pay for them to go away to college, or should they keep them at home and try to control their behavior?

Would there be any difference in the way you would treat a gay relative in a same-sex relationship and a relative who was divorced and remarried outside the Church?

0. Empathy, please: Okay, lots of people don’t empathize with us gay folk. That’s no reason not to empathize with those of us with orthodox Christian beliefs on sexuality. Quite the opposite, really. And genuine empathy, please, not you’re just ignorant and fearful.

1. ‘Discrimination is all the same’: Thankfully, Blackadder’s new post has dealt with this. I don’t think Katerina is compelled by law or morality to photograph a pro-war rally. I would urge everyone to think about things they wouldn’t photograph. These would be instances of discrimination, some just, perhaps some unjust.

2. Christian teaching on homosexuality = homophobia: Really, on blogs such as Vox Nova, we should be past this phase and into more mature discussion. Please read the writings by folks such as Eve Tushnet, John Heard, and Ron Belgau.

I have another long drive. Thank your for many outbursts of laughter in the way.

Do they make male chastity belts, by the way?