Changes

'''Conservative parables''' are stories that illustrate a [[conservative]] insight.  The stories may or may not have actually occurred.

'''Conservative parables''' are stories that illustrate a [[conservative]] insight.  The stories may or may not have actually occurred.

== The Desperate Smoker<ref>This actually happened.</ref> ==

== The Desperate Smoker==

A smoker was in a drug store to purchase a pack of cigarettes.  Short on cash, he went to the cheapest cigarette store he could find and emptied all his pockets in order to scrounge up with every last penny he had.  The cashier counted all the change and but found it was ten cents short of the total required for the cheapest pack of cigarettes.

A smoker was in a drug store to purchase a pack of cigarettes.  Short on cash, he went to the cheapest cigarette store he could find and emptied all his pockets in order to scrounge up with every last penny he had.  The cashier counted all the change and but found it was ten cents short of the total required for the cheapest pack of cigarettes.

The smoker then gathered all his change and left the store.

The smoker then gathered all his change and left the store.

== The Fasting Woman ==

== The Fasting Woman ==

A women had been fasting for several days, and was quite weak.  It was Sunday morning, and she wondered whether she had enough strength to attend church.  It would have been easy to justify not going, as she had already shown her love and devotion to God that week.  But she decided to attend the services anyway.  Without eating any breakfast, she prepared herself for the late morning service.  She got dressed, gathered her purse and belongings, and drove off to the church.

A women had been fasting for several days, and was quite weak.  It was Sunday morning, and she wondered whether she had enough strength to attend church.  It would have been easy to justify not going, as she had already shown her love and devotion to God that week.  But she decided to attend the services anyway.  Without eating any breakfast, she prepared herself for the late morning service.  She got dressed, gathered her purse and belongings, and drove off to the church.

The church was filled for the late-morning service, with many hundreds of worshipers.  The woman sat near the back and watched the pews fill up with members of the community, young and old.  The service was about to begin.  The woman then heard an unusual commotion outside, including several loud noises and shouts.  She turned around several times to look at the door to the church.  Her intuition told her something was wrong.

The church was filled for the late-morning service, with many hundreds of worshipers.  The woman sat near the back and watched the pews fill up with members of the community, young and old.  The service was about to begin.  The woman then heard an unusual commotion outside, including several loud noises and shouts.  She turned around several times to look at the door to the church.  Her intuition told her something was wrong.

Suddenly, a large man burst through the door and began shooting at the hundreds of worshipers, children and all.  The woman mustered all her strength and pulled out her gun from bag.  She then shot the intruder.  Stunned, and expecting to die from her shot, the intruder killed himself.  The worshipers in the church were all saved. Afterwards, the woman said that she had been "praying to God that he direct me" in what to do in life.

Suddenly, a large man burst through the door and began shooting at the hundreds of worshipers, children and all.  The woman mustered all her strength and pulled out her gun from bag.  She then shot the intruder.  Stunned, and expecting to die from her shot, the intruder killed himself.  The worshipers in the church were all saved. Afterwards, the woman said that she had been "praying to God that he direct me" in what to do in life.<ref>[http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/14817480/detail.html ''God Guided Me And Protected Me.''] 7 News: The Denver Channel</ref>

== The Troubled Pregnancy<ref>This is based on the birth and life of Tim Tebow. [http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/dec/07121108.html]</ref> ==

== The Troubled Pregnancy ==

A pregnant woman was doing missionary work in the Philippines.  Due to contaminated drinking water in an impoverished area, the woman contracted amoebic dysentery while pregnant.  This required that she take strong medications in order to recover.

A pregnant woman was doing missionary work in the Philippines.  Due to contaminated drinking water in an impoverished area, the woman contracted amoebic dysentery while pregnant.  This required that she take strong medications in order to recover.

Twenty years later, Tim Tebow was recognized as the best college football player in the [[United States]], the first to win that prestigious award as only a sophomore.

Twenty years later, Tim Tebow was recognized as the best college football player in the [[United States]], the first to win that prestigious award as only a sophomore.

== The Lost $40 ==

== The Lost $40 ==

And I said, "Welcome to the [[Republican Party]]."

And I said, "Welcome to the [[Republican Party]]."

==The University Assignment<ref>This actually happened.</ref>==

==The University Assignment==

A young student studying his first [[Politics]] assignment picked to answer the question - "Have we reached the end of political ideology?". The young student, as this was his first paper, studied hard and long to argue that there has been a rise in [[conservative]] thought in recent years as a response to growing [[globalization]] and encroaching [[liberalism]]. The lecturer gave the paper low marks despite solid referencing and an extensive bibilography. The young student felt slighted by this as he had put in many hours work. Instead of bowing down and re-writing the assignment according to his lecturers standards, the student petioned the head of department to have his paper and final mark reviewed and also got several others to back him. In the end the student got an A grade.

A young student studying his first [[Politics]] assignment picked to answer the question - "Have we reached the end of political ideology?". The young student, as this was his first paper, studied hard and long to argue that there has been a rise in [[conservative]] thought in recent years as a response to growing [[globalization]] and encroaching [[liberalism]]. The lecturer gave the paper low marks despite solid referencing and an extensive bibilography. The young student felt slighted by this as he had put in many hours work. Instead of bowing down and re-writing the assignment according to his lecturers standards, the student petioned the head of department to have his paper and final mark reviewed and also got several others to back him. In the end the student got an A grade.

==The Conservative Conference<ref>This actually happened.</ref>==

 

==The Conservative Conference==

A [[conservative]] conference was scheduled for Sept. 25, 2001, expecting most attendees to travel by air.  Unfortunately, on Sept. 11, 2001 there was the [[9/11]] terrorist hijacking of airplanes and a national crisis resulting in the grounding of airplanes for a week and widespread panic.

A [[conservative]] conference was scheduled for Sept. 25, 2001, expecting most attendees to travel by air.  Unfortunately, on Sept. 11, 2001 there was the [[9/11]] terrorist hijacking of airplanes and a national crisis resulting in the grounding of airplanes for a week and widespread panic.

But to his great surprise, everyone else showed up.  The other attendees concluded that both [[logic]] and [[faith]] weighed in favor of traveling to the conference.  There was no logical reason for staying home, and [[faith]] eliminated any anxiety.  In fact, the [[conservatives]] did not even waste time discussing their decisions to attend, at a time when nearly all other travelers acted irrationally and avoided airplanes.

But to his great surprise, everyone else showed up.  The other attendees concluded that both [[logic]] and [[faith]] weighed in favor of traveling to the conference.  There was no logical reason for staying home, and [[faith]] eliminated any anxiety.  In fact, the [[conservatives]] did not even waste time discussing their decisions to attend, at a time when nearly all other travelers acted irrationally and avoided airplanes.

== The Convert ==

== The Convert ==

== The Missing Child ==

== The Missing Child ==

A little girl is late home from school one day. Her mother becomes increasingly worried and after 15 minutes have passed is beside herself with anxiety. Afraid to leave the house in case the child returns, and desperate to go look for her, she is on the verge of telephoning the police when the child waltzes in through the door as though nothing is amiss. Relieved and angry the mother cries: "Where have you been?! I've been so worried!"

A little girl is late home from school one day. Her mother becomes increasingly worried and after 15 minutes have passed is beside herself with anxiety. Afraid to leave the house in case the child returns, and desperate to go look for her, she is on the verge of telephoning the police when the child waltzes in through the door as though nothing is amiss. Relieved and angry the mother cries: "Where have you been?! I've been so worried!"

"I sat in her lap and I cried with her."

"I sat in her lap and I cried with her."

Sometimes there are ''no'' solutions, no smart come-backs, no quick fixes that can be determined through intellectual reasoning or policy making. As Dreher says: '''Politics and economics won’t save us; if our culture is to be saved at all, it will be by faithfully living by the Permanent Things, conserving these ancient moral truths in the choices we make in our everyday lives.'''<ref>Dreher, Rod. "A Crunchy Con Manifesto" [http://crunchycon.nationalreview.com/about/ National Review Online]. 26 December 2007.</ref>

Sometimes there are ''no'' solutions, no smart come-backs, no quick fixes that can be determined through intellectual reasoning or policy making. As Dreher says: '''Politics and economics won’t save us; if our culture is to be saved at all, it will be by faithfully living by the Permanent Things, conserving these ancient moral truths in the choices we make in our everyday lives.'''<ref>Dreher, Rod. "A Crunchy Con Manifesto" [http://crunchycon.nationalreview.com/about/ National Review Online]. 26 December 2007.</ref><ref>Cottrell, Stephen. ''I Thirst.'' (Zondervan; Grand Rapids, [[Michigan]]; 2003.) ISBN 0-310-25069-2</ref>

== The Atheist and the Believer ==

== The Atheist and the Believer ==