Which would American Christian conservatives prefer?

[Indy Texas]

Conservatives often accuse the Democrats in general and Barack Obama in particular of wanting to impose a bizarre blend of radical Islamism and Marxist-Leninism on America, despite the inherent contradictions between those ideologies.

If the median American conservative were faced with a Sophie's Choice between the following two options, which do you think they would choose?

Option 1: Islamic Theocracy
The government is controlled by a clique of Muslim religious clerics; Islam is the official state religion and while no one is forced to convert to Islam and all can practice their own religion privately at home, public practice of any other religion is forbidden, as is proselytizing, and Muslims who leave Islam face severe punishment. A general form of social conservatism is enforced - sexual innuendo is censored from media; the law gives husbands legal privileges over wives; abortion is severely limited and requires a husband or father's permission. The law is based on Sharia.
Outside social and religious matters, there is generally a consensus around a capitalist economy. There are relatively few labor standards or other business regulations, and a very limited social safety net - aid to the poor is largely confined to religious institutions. Environmental regulations are practically nonexistent, and access to any kind of firearm is unrestricted.

Option 2: Secular Socialism
The government is a one-party state governed by a socialist ideology. The country is officially secular and religious instruction in schools is forbidden (all schools are run by the state and homeschooling is not allowed). People are allowed to privately practice any religion, but religious organizations receive no official government recognition or tax benefits. Public expression of religious beliefs deemed "reactionary" or "revisionist" - such as denial of evolution or intolerance towards gay people - is against the law and is met with censorship or fines.
High taxes finance a large public welfare state, including free education and healthcare. Pollution is severely limited. Gun ownership requires background checks and proficiency tests, and is largely limited to rifles and shotguns of limited ammo capacity.

[politicus]

Clearly Islamic theocracy.

[DC Al Fine]

What sort of American Christian conservative are we talking about here? I suspect the answers would be different depending on whether you are talking about the megachurch attending Evangelical, or the more extreme sort found in Calvinist, KJV-Only, or TLM Catholic circles.

Given the conditions you stated, I'd prefer the Islamic state. The inability to proselytize stinks, but in the end my chief duty as a husband and father is to shepherd my wife and children in the faith. The ability to homeschool my children would play a large part in that. All other issues are secondary, with the possible exception of abortion. If you flipped the religious education options around, I'd prefer the Secular Socialist regime.

[/]

Clearly Islamic theocracy.

[Indy Texas]

What sort of American Christian conservative are we talking about here?

Let's break it down...

Where would Rick Santorum want to live?

Where would Mike Huckabee want to live?

Where would Ted Cruz want to live?

[Mr. Reactionary]

I'd bury my good guns and say the atheist option (although not sure why the two are being linked).

I'd much rather live under intolerant atheists who merely think of me as a dumb caveman than adherents of a primitive, repressive and violent pirate religion who don't even believe in republican democracy.

[DemPGH]

Oh, the first option, especially if it's of the "moderate" variety. I mean, if you listen to them, that's what they are politically. "Moderate" Islamic fascists.

[Antonio the Sixth]

As has been said before, it really depends of the subcategory of Christian Conservatives. There's a huge segment of this group that is motivated by ethnocentrism at best, and naked racism at worst. Those people would rather live in a "Western" secular State, than to be overtaken by teh brownz. On the other hand, the more ideological components of the Religious Right would probably prefer to live under a false religion than succumb to the forces of amorality. Those people value religion in and of itself, beyond Christianity, as a source of social control and guidance without which society would fall into chaos and lawlessness.

I would actually be genuinely curious to know which of the two segments is dominant among the modern American Christian Right. Someone pollster should try asking this question to a sample of self-described conservative protestants. That wouldn't make less sense than asking people if they think dinosaurs and humans coexisted.

Anyway, my bet is on option 1.

[Yelnoc]

#2, easily. #1 would require all Christians to pay the jizya, which would be seen as much more oppressive then the religious restrictions unique to the "secular society" (e.g. enforcement of popular science concepts and restrictions of hate speech).

Most Christians are not the cynical capitalists that Atlas imagines. The wealthiest Christian conservatives, actual Capitalists, might prefer the Islamic Theocracy if push came to shove, but everyone else would rather live in Marxist France.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

violent pirate religion

band name

[PJ]

Under genuine Christian conservative beliefs, Islamic theocracy as described above would be much more similar to their belief system than secular socialism. However, given the fear of Islam within the American right (and the fact that the only American Christian conservative ITT has stated a preference for secular socialism), I'm inclined to say secular socialism, even though it is the less logical choice for them.

[dead0man]

I actually know these people, not just the stereotype and they'd, almost to a man, chose (fighting to the) death over either option.  And while I'm not them, I'd be next to them when it started.

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

As another Christian Conservative/Conservatarian, Islamic theocracy would want me dead. The Secular Socialist in some ways is and will go into that direction. So I'm taking option C. Secular Republican Democracy (the system America is supposed to be in) with the church being a significant yet behind the scenes influence on the culture.

In options A or B I'm a political/ideological and theological dissident till ISIS or the Socialists or some weird amalgamation of the two (seems strange but I see a coming Islamic/Socialist alliance against Western Civilization)

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Islamic theocracy would want me dead.

The OP specifies that this isn't the case.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

You're missing the point of the poll. Also, why behind the scenes? What do you envision churches doing that couldn't be done just as well publicly and dialectically?

[Republican Michigander]

C. 2nd Amendment Solutions.

[tschandler]

Option C - Neither, I would rather live out in the woods. 

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

Islamic theocracy would want me dead.

The OP specifies that this isn't the case.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

You're missing the point of the poll. Also, why behind the scenes? What do you envision churches doing that couldn't be done just as well publicly and dialectically?

They would want me dead for public expression of faith and for those evangelism activities. So no I'm not missing the point. I see the churches acting as they did in the days of the Founders but with our level of technology. In both scenarios, the government would be hostile to me.