What Would Jesus Wiki?

March 1st, 2007 Central Archivist Posted in Commentary |

YEAH, I STOLE THE HEADLINE from another article, but it just seemed so appropriate.

A group disillusioned with a perceived liberal bias at Wikipedia have decided to create their own, “conservative” online encyclopedia: Conservapedia. 

Please note the quotes around “conservative.”

There is nothing conservative about this project, unless one defines conservatism as a desire to force a particular set of ideological principles (including a decidedly anti-science attitude) onto the population as a whole.  No mention of individual freedom or limited government, or any traditional conservative position graces that website.  Instead the project espouses Christian principles from beginning to end.

Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it isn’t conservatism. 

Many self-proclaimed “conservatives,” such as those at Conservapedia equate conservatism in general with social conservatism and Christianity in particular, and espouse using the power of government to see their wants and desires enacted — acting literally no differently than the “liberals” they despise.  Unfortunately, the population as a whole has also begun equating conservatism with these people, and Republicans with conservatism, which is one of the big reasons the Republicans were handed their hats in last November’s elections.

And this new “conservative” version of Wikipedia is not going to do anything to repudiate that belief, and will give the left even more ammunition to ensure true (small government, personal freedom) conservatives never hold office again.

I wish they’d chosen a different name…