Is it possible to be a religious conservative but a social liberal?

Question

Do you think it's possible, or are any of you, extremely religious and adhere to your religious laws in your life, but believe in a society where religion is separate from state that everyone should have equal rights and privileges? For example, do you believe in your religion and in your life a g*y marriage is forbidden, but would you support the legalization g*y marriage in a free society for anyone who chooses one? This goes for any other controversial issues where ever you live, if religion is separate from state.

Answer 1

Islam is not a mere religion but a complete code of life. Being a sets of laws emanated from God, it comprised the entire gamut of life - the spiritual / material, the church and the state are one. For God is not only the God of the spiritual world but of material / physical world , too, because he is the Creator of both. When He provided laws and guidances, He provided them both. There is no contadictions here. Spiritual laws and state laws are one and the same thing. If something is legal, it is also moral.

Answer 2

Yes, I am.

Answer 3

Islam describes state as owned by All Mighty Allah swt. as sovereignty of everything is in His Hands.

A true Muslim cannot accept evil act being happened in front of him, the least is to think that act as bad in his/her mind.

And a Mo'min cannot be a Hypocrite, so Muslims who call themselves Social Liberal, are Hypocrites.

Answer 4

Great question.

I think it's possible, and most of the religious people I associate with are like that (fortunately).

The problem is that there are these political wars that go on.  During the time that state constitutions were written, a lot of church vs state battles were being fought, so state constitutions typically have stricter separation doctrine than the US constitution.

There was a period of time when state governments were very threatened by the power of the church, and the battle lines were drawn then.

Since then, as the Federal government has gotten more powerful, the battles have become national.  Even many people I know who support abortion still feel that Roe vs Wade was wrongly decided.  Maybe it makes more sense to have individual states decide what is right for them.

If this were the case, most states would probably be just like you describe, and a few would be a bit wacky and seem a lot more theocratic.

But instead, we have these national battles for things like a constitutional amendment to ban g*y marriage, etc.  

This benefits the people who hold extreme beliefs, b/c they don't have to fight a lot of battles in each state, they just have to fight one at the Federal level.  It benefits those on both sides.  A constitutional amendment requires a 2/3 majority, and so there is an extremely slim chance that roe or g*y marriage would ever result in an amendment.  Yet both sides raise hundreds of millions of dollars each year on these issues.

My point is just that when you have a one size fits all law handed down at the Federal level, it becomes a jihad for people on both sides.  They feel that the only thing that matters is that one law, and huge dollars are raised, even though nothing is likely to change.

Sadly, it is the minority of extreme believers on both sides who perpetuate this.  Most people don't care to control what others can and cannot do, but with sweeping Federal laws, a small minority can fairly easily try to get laws passed that will have that effect.

Answer 5

Be liberal but don't cross the limits set by Islam. Stay within the boundaries of Islam. Make your social life the life of Islam and the way Prophet (s) and His Ahlulbayt (as) lived, perfect example for the mankind.  

Answer 6

Yes. I'm like that. I'm very religious, but at the same time just because people don't believe in what I believe, I still think they have the right to go on with their beliefs. I think everyone should have the right to do what they want to do, it's their life, their triumphs, and their mistakes. The only time I think someone should be forced to stop anything they're doing is if they are harming someone whether physically or emotionally.  

Answer 7

Sure. That's the real essence of social liberalism, the idea that one should be free to express and practice their own beliefs without drawing criticism.