10 Reasons Why I Am A Liberal

Those who remember me from my high school and college days are oftentimes surprised to find that I have moved from being a loudmouthed conservative to now being an equally loudmouthed liberal. In fact, I even hosted a conservative political talk radio show in college. I’ve had some friends ask me why I am now a liberal and I would like to give a few of my reasons why. So below I offer ten reasons why Greg Coates has switched over to the “dark side”:

1) The way I interpret the Bible has changed. I have come to see that a society is judged by God based on how well it cares for its poor and marginalized. The repeated refrain about taking care of the orphan, widow, and alien found in both testaments has convinced me that as a nation we need to provide safety nets for those who are struggling with very basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, and health care. I guess that makes me a liberal.

2) Conservativism in America is rooted in extremely strong patriotism. Living in China and seeing the world through the eyes of another culture convinced me that America is not the center of the universe. There are other ways of living that are equally legitimate. Although not all political systems are created equal, all people of all nations are of equal value to God. I refuse any longer to base my political ideology on blind nationalism and the idol of uncritical patriotism. I guess that makes me a liberal.

3) Not all people start at the same place in life. Some people try to work hard, get good grades, and climb the social ladder, but are unable to do so because systems of oppression keep them down. Just take a look at an inner city public school and ask yourself if all people have equal opportunities in this world. Because of this, I support initiatives which attempt to remedy these imbalances. I guess that makes me a liberal.

4) I have come to believe that the earth does not exist for us to exploit, but rather we are stewards of this planet. The earth is good; God has entrusted it to us. As evidence increasingly surfaces from scientists that humanity is causing permanent damage to the earth, I believe the proper response of Christians is to support plans that limit the burning of fossil fuels even if this slows the growth of our most sacred economy. I guess that makes me a liberal.

5) I believe that we ought to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. For this reason, I stand on the side of the immigrant who wishes to enter our country, work hard, pay taxes, and contribute to the American culture with their own unique linguistic, religious, and cultural backgrounds. A moral country must welcome people with open arms and show hospitality to those who are suffering. I guess that makes me a liberal.

6) I no longer accept the notion that what America deems to be right and just and the proper way to live is necessarily universally true. For this reason, we must not impose our will upon other sovereign nations simply because it benefits us and advances the “American way of life.” Transplanting democracy into other parts of the world is not our job. I guess that makes me a liberal.

7) I follow a man who did not retaliate when others hurt him and who taught me to do the same. I trust in God for vengeance and do not trust myself with the responsibility of doing violence to another human being. Jesus says that I ought to love my enemies and bless those who curse me. I believe this is a profoundly political statement. For this reason, I oppose the gods of militarism and warfare. I guess that makes me a liberal.

8) I think that the richest nation on earth, the richest nation that has ever existed in the history of humankind can probably afford to provide basic health care to its citizens. I think it is a crime that a nation like ours cannot provide a way for even little children to see a doctor. I think it is a crime that in a nation like ours, many worry about getting sick or injured for fear of bankruptcy. I guess that makes me a liberal.

9) I once thought that the goodness of people’s hearts would provide for the basic needs of their fellow man. But as I study history and contemporary culture, I find that humans are wicked to the core. They pursue their own profit even at the expense of others. For this reason, government policies which curb basic human depravity and greed and instead direct resources to those who have no voice or power seem humane, moral, and reasonable to me. I guess that makes me a liberal.

10) I happen to believe that there are worse evils in the world than being gay. I believe that God loves homosexuals and that he created them the way that they are. While I still believe that homosexuality in practice is a sin, I believe that such inward inclinations are not inherently sinful. I believe that matters like environmental degradation, exploitation of the poor, and military aggression are more serious issues than making sure that gay people have no political rights. I guess that makes me a liberal.

Well, that pretty much sums it up. I could go on at length about any of the above issues. I hope I’m not being unreasonable. But if the conclusions that I have listed above make me a liberal, then sign me up. I still love Jesus, believe it or not.