RE: Conservative litmus test

Robert W. Mitchell, Jr. responds to Steve Brenneis:

Excellent explanation of conservatism. Yet I have other GOP friends who
believe it as passionately as you, but spell it quite differently.

In Civics, we're beginning our study of political parties and political
philosophies. With your permission, I'd like to use some of your ideas of
conservatism to better teach this concept - a concept that is perhaps
taught differently from classroom to classroom.

Moreover, I must begin to be "intellectually honest" and should
probably back away from calling myself conservative. Even though I take many
positions that are consistent with yours, I am not ideologically driven
across the board. My views are inconsistent and vary in accordance with
the topic - which I think is fine and not a sign of weakness or of
being "unprincipled."

I would be curious if you can identify beliefs that you embrace that do not fit within the conservative ideology square. Do you take positions that may feel unnatural to you just so that it fits your idea of conservatism with the ideology?