Do You Hear What I Hear?

So much of the broohaha of Baptist blog world is the perceived battle between conservatism and liberalism. From where I sit, the true conflict is between authoritarianism and autonomy.

Authoritarianism is rooted in a belief that only a few are sufficiently competent to make decisions and wield power for the good of the few or for the good of the many. Autonomy is rooted in the competency and responsibility of the many to make good decisions.

Authoritarianism in the context of a liberal philosphy results in an organizational structure akin to communism. Communism is system in which an authoritarian power claims to make progress toward a higher order in which all benefits are equally shared.

Authoritarianism in the context of a conservative philosophy results in an organizational structure akin to fascism. Fascism is a system in which an authoritarian power exerts stringent controls, and suppresses opposition through belligerence and censorship.

I have been accused of using inflammatory language when writing of fascism when making this point in the past. It is not my aim to be inflammatory. I simply am saying that I hear a duck quacking, the thing quacking looks like a duck, too. Is it a duck I'm seeing?