Conservatism, Faith and a Way of Life Worth Preserving

Conservatism, to me, represents a commitment to preserving the values, traditions and institutions that have shaped society over time. It emphasizes the importance of stability and gradual change rather than sweeping reforms, with the belief that proven practices and established norms often provide the foundation for a thriving community.

I view conservatism as a guiding principle that encourages respect for history, caution in policymaking and an appreciation for the wisdom embedded in longstanding customs.

I remember going to church with my grandmother and then going out to lunch afterward. She always said we needed to have family time on Sunday because the Lord wanted it that way. When we were home, we would go to our local church.

I was baptized at 13 years old. As a young teenager, I attended the youth group at our Baptist church. We were the fun group that would go and do crazy things.

I am going to age myself here. Back in the late 1970s, our large group took a bus to Los Angeles International Airport to greet Dennis Agajanian when he got off the plane. We acted as though he were a major celebrity, holding signs and screaming for him. Everyone else at the airport probably thought the president was getting off the plane because of the way we had the crowd chanting.

Agajanian became known as a Christian singer and songwriter who recorded numerous albums and performed at Billy Graham crusades and Harvest Crusades.

See how easy life was back then? That was conservative fun.

I am going to go back to my mom’s hometown of Fort Towson, Oklahoma. When we spent summers there, my grandparents let us know that nothing was going to happen until we had gone to church on Sunday. There would be no playing until we let God know we had been good and thanked Him for everything.

Then, and only then, could we go to the lake with our cousins.

The town’s population was about 650, and it seemed as though everyone knew everyone.

I truly feel that some states have damaged the normal way of life in which I was raised. Growing up in a small town was a blessing for which I thank God.

I grew up in an unincorporated community we called Alta Loma. Eventually, three communities were combined and became the city of Rancho Cucamonga. Yes, that Cucamonga, with the train station in the middle of nowhere that became our claim to fame.

I began seeing things change while my children were growing up. The innocence of life was disappearing, and people seemed to be less happy. I know it sounds cliché, but there seemed to be more car accidents, more theft and more homelessness.

I knew California was changing, and not for the better. But, like so many other people, life became busy. You get married, attend college, raise children and build a career. You think, “I am still conservative, but perhaps not as conservative as I once was.”

I worked in Los Angeles. The children grew up and followed their own paths. Our parents aged and eventually passed away. It was time for some serious thought, so I went on vacation.

That was when I found a small city I had not expected to find.

I saw reminders of my past. People were kinder, and the pace of life was slower. I thought, “Wow, could I change my entire life and move to this community?”

Well, I did it, and I love this place.

But I also see things happening here that I did not try to stop in my past. I have decided that we all need to work to preserve what we have here.

I have seen this pattern before. This is where we need to become involved. We must understand that when good people do not participate, communities can become less conservative. People begin to care less and keep their heads buried until it is too late.

Then our young people may not have the opportunity to experience the wonderful way of life that so many of us were blessed to know.

Let us all work to preserve our conservative values and follow our Lord and Savior. He will show us the path He wants us to take.

That is the best definition of conservatism I can think of.