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::The two books have many themes in common, including playing up an outside threat to seize or retain power.  How is it that one's con and the other's lib?--[[User:Frey|Frey]] 12:25, 29 October 2008 (EDT)

::The two books have many themes in common, including playing up an outside threat to seize or retain power.  How is it that one's con and the other's lib?--[[User:Frey|Frey]] 12:25, 29 October 2008 (EDT)

Ok, so this was in an edit, but not on this page, but I want to raise the issue anyway.  How is The Moon is a Harsh Mistress not conservative?  The statement of TANSTAAFL (There ain't no such thing as a free lunch) is best statement of the bedrock of conservatism I've ever heard.[[User:ArnoldFriend|ArnoldFriend]] 11:27, 30 October 2008 (EDT)

Ok, so this was in an edit, but not on this page, but I want to raise the issue anyway.  How is The Moon is a Harsh Mistress not conservative?  The statement of TANSTAAFL (There ain't no such thing as a free lunch) is best statement of the bedrock of conservatism I've ever heard.[[User:ArnoldFriend|ArnoldFriend]] 11:27, 30 October 2008 (EDT)

Ayn Rand's novels may have some conservative themes, but she was an outspoken atheist, and this is reflected in at least some of her work, especially ''Atlas Shrugged''.--[[User:Martib|Martib]] 23:01, 30 October 2008 (EDT)

Ayn Rand's novels may have some conservative themes, but she was an outspoken atheist, and this is reflected in at least some of her work, especially ''Atlas Shrugged''.--[[User:Martib|Martib]] 23:01, 30 October 2008 (EDT)

: Right, her junk shouldn't be on this list.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 23:04, 30 October 2008 (EDT)

: Right, her junk shouldn't be on this list.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 23:04, 30 October 2008 (EDT)

I was just wondering why Lord of the Rings was on the list. Certainly it has some themes that might be derived from Christianity since Tolkien was a devout Christian, but I fail to see how this or any other aspect sets it aside as distinctly 'conservative'. [[User:RobertWDP|RobertWDP]] 13:25, 25 February 2009 (EST)

I was just wondering why Lord of the Rings was on the list. Certainly it has some themes that might be derived from Christianity since Tolkien was a devout Christian, but I fail to see how this or any other aspect sets it aside as distinctly 'conservative'. [[User:RobertWDP|RobertWDP]] 13:25, 25 February 2009 (EST)

Listing ''The Moon is a Harsh Mistress'' as conservative is a stretch. I'd term it libertarian (almost hardcore libertarian, though not as much so as, say, Ayn Rand's works), not conservative. (We all know that libertarians do share a number of viewpoints with conservatives, but also differ on many key beliefs.) If you want to include a Heinlein novel, I'd suggest ''Starship Troopers''. It, like ''Moon'' is somewhat libertarian in its viewpoint, but not as much so, and ''Troopers'' is also unwaveringly pro-military, a good conservative value. Support for the military simply isn't a theme that's even addressed in ''Moon''. (For what its worth, I know several libertarian science fiction fans, including a few absolute raving libertarians, and they generally rank Heinlein up there with Rand as their favorite authors.)

: Listing ''The Moon is a Harsh Mistress'' as conservative is a stretch. I'd term it libertarian (almost hardcore libertarian, though not as much so as, say, Ayn Rand's works), not conservative. (We all know that libertarians do share a number of viewpoints with conservatives, but also differ on many key beliefs.) If you want to include a Heinlein novel, I'd suggest ''Starship Troopers''. It, like ''Moon'' is somewhat libertarian in its viewpoint, but not as much so, and ''Troopers'' is also unwaveringly pro-military, a good conservative value. Support for the military simply isn't a theme that's even addressed in ''Moon''. (For what its worth, I know several libertarian science fiction fans, including a few absolute raving libertarians, and they generally rank Heinlein up there with Rand as their favorite authors.)

I agree with RobertWDP that ''Lord of the Rings'' doesn't belong on the list. Great books though they are, I don't think Tolkien had much if any political motivation in writing them. (In fact, as I understand it, his motivation was to create something he felt Great Britain lacked -- a "myth cycle" analogous to the mythology of Greece, Rome, the Norse, Egypt, etc.) And while Tolkien was a Christian, and there are Christian elements in the books, they're not as explicitly Christian as, for instance, CS Lewis' body of work, which is steeped in Christian allegory. If you want to include a work of fantasy, I'd suggest the ''Narnia'' books, though even those I'd find it a bit of a stretch to consider them especially reflective of ''conservative'' Christianity as opposed to Christianity in general. (Disclosure: I've read LotR numerous times. I've only read Narnia once, and that's been a while back.) [[User:ArthurA|ArthurA]] 08:52, 25 March 2009 (EDT)

: I agree with RobertWDP that ''Lord of the Rings'' doesn't belong on the list. Great books though they are, I don't think Tolkien had much if any political motivation in writing them. (In fact, as I understand it, his motivation was to create something he felt Great Britain lacked -- a "myth cycle" analogous to the mythology of Greece, Rome, the Norse, Egypt, etc.) And while Tolkien was a Christian, and there are Christian elements in the books, they're not as explicitly Christian as, for instance, CS Lewis' body of work, which is steeped in Christian allegory. If you want to include a work of fantasy, I'd suggest the ''Narnia'' books, though even those I'd find it a bit of a stretch to consider them especially reflective of ''conservative'' Christianity as opposed to Christianity in general. (Disclosure: I've read LotR numerous times. I've only read Narnia once, and that's been a while back.) [[User:ArthurA|ArthurA]] 08:52, 25 March 2009 (EDT)