Many secularists assume that religious conservatives, especially the Christian variety, are like Mr. Potter in the movie It's a Wonderful Life: narrow—minded, mean—spirited, shriveled—soul money—grubbers and bigots (and I have met a few like that, sadly). However, topics like the following are what animates the average, friendly religious conservatives the most.
 
Marvin Olasky, conservative professor of journalism at the University of Texas, Austin, interviews Australian Peter Singer, now ethics professor at Princeton University, on the topic of polyamory (better: polyerotica). The New Yorker calls Singer the "most influential" philosopher alive today.
 
Here is the shortcut version of the interview:
 
Necrophilia? No problem morally. Bestiality? No problem morally. Children bred for body parts on a massive scale? No problem morally.
 
Singer is teaching this to undergraduates, and no doubt other institutions are doing or will do the same. Thus, it is my opinion that these views will become normal or at least not seriously challenged in the next two to three decades.
 
A conservative colleague of mine (and Christian) said he heard a discussion on C—SPAN recently on whether it is morally acceptable to euthanize babies out of the womb who do not have a "high quality of life."
 
Olasky is right:
 
The challenge for conservatives during the next several decades will be not only to win elections, but to win the intellectual battles. 

Jim Arlandson  12 7 04