Thank you, that really helped me, a student in London, trying to understand why Americans and Europeans appeared to be talking about two completely different concepts when they used the word "liberal". You are correct, of course, America was founded on liberalism.
Best regards
America was not foundd on liberalism, it was founded on Christian values and beliefs.
Posted by audentia at April 24, 2007 06:04 PMAmerica was not founded on Christian...anything.
Yes, America shares a lot of values with Christianity. America also shares a lot of values with Judiasm, Islamism, Buddhism, Hinduism...you get the picture. But Christianity does not serve as any kind of foundation of America.
Of course, I would never try to convince someone of that truth, if that someone is a person who has voluntarily shut down their own brain (i.e., someone who engages in faith).
Posted by Jeff at April 24, 2007 06:53 PM"Of course, I would never try to convince someone of that truth, if that someone is a person who has voluntarily shut down their own brain (i.e., someone who engages in faith)."
Is being condescending needed to validate your points of view? Your thesis would be more convincing if you were willing to not stoop to the level of the poster to whom you responded.
Please respect those people who choose to have faith and equally those who do not. Regardless, it sounds like no one hear has done extensive research into the writings, influences, and values of the founding fathers so it seems no one can claim they know where and what America was founded on however indirectly it may have been.
Regards,
~M
Posted by Mike at February 4, 2008 05:15 PM"Is being condescending needed to validate your points of view? Your thesis would be more convincing if you were willing to not stoop to the level of the poster to whom you responded."
Truth.
It's a shame that even among people of the same political beliefs, there exists a very divisive and as previously stated, condescending view of those of faith. Oppression begins with the self-declared superiority of one group of people over another group. As much as most anti-religion activists like to brand people of faith as superiority complexed, narrow minded and intolerant, I can't help but to notice the irony.
Posted by Detryck at June 10, 2008 03:05 PMFor years I, as a foreigner living in the US, have been incredibly non-plussed by the often- pejorative use of the term "liberal", which is, in all other countries, regarded per the classic definition above, as a compliment, or at least, of noble intentions and of an unarguably fair world-view.
Well, it's not like trunk vs boot, so it would have saved many frustrating conversations, had I known of this odd premise beforehand!
Interestingly, there was no Internet look-up to "explain" this years ago, so most foreigners probably had the same experience for years, before figuring these sorts of things out.
The word "feminist" took a bit of time.
Even the subtle cultural differences influencing personal relationships, which have taken me years to figure out (and adapt to - good or bad), would have probably been pointed out so clearly on the Internet, I could have taken all kinds of short-cuts!
It seems we trade personal access (the risk of potential loss of privacy, etc.) for the luxurious gains of free-range public access... I guess it's a reasonable deal!