Religion in Political Discourse
Weaver -- Wednesday, November 03, 2004 -- 08:59:11 PMThe role of religious motives, methods, organizations, ideas, words and people in political activities: good or bad, effective or ineffective, how and why?
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does it detract from that agreement that he derives it from his religious faith?
Not at all.
I love and appreciate religion, but I hate the way the religious right uses it, for two reasons.
First, they make an entertainment and show of faith, perpetuating the falsehood that if you don't yell your prayers loudly in the street you don't really believe. Beware the overly pious men who need an audience for prayer.
The second problem is that once you tie a specific suite of political positions to religious doctrine you begin making ranking people as cosmically good or evil based on how they feel the country should be run. Beyond being silly, it's destructive to our long-term cohesiveness and I'm convinced it's the road to division and ruin. It's the elimination of the American idea that people of good faith can disagree.
Both sides are guilty of it though, because while the right has demonized skepticism much of the left has demonized faith.
Wouldn't almost any devout person have to believe this, even if he were not willing to say it. I know if I believed in God Almighty, and that he was a Good God I would be unable to avoid believing that my God, and by extention my faith (which is how I understand Him) should drive our policy. REally, how could you not believe that?
Thanks; I haven't yet caught up with that.
Yes, this troubles me too. I'm not sure what draws some to this view and not others; it's nothing as clearcut as sect membership or theological conservatism.
j. ross, I agree with that, actually. The extension described in Greg's final paragraph is where I see trouble. I can believe that I need to put my faith into practice in my leadership without believing that no one of good faith can disagree with me.
Shelby was helping calling Dems to GOTV yesterday, her first outing with the local Dem organization. She was really upset however by how the other Dems there talked about the right in general and people of faith specifically. The left really does have a hate of religion problem. A good portion of religious people are on the right because they empathize politically with the left but don't feel like they're wanted or trusted there. Calling them all "stupid Nazi assholes destroying the country and creating a totalitarian state" is not only untrue but does nothing to win people over, which is what the Dems need to do to avoid falling out of the game altogether.
(Deleted message originally posted by ktp on Wednesday, November 03, 2004 -- 10:48:22 PM.)
Yes. Because I wonder (fear?) what the stance on the next issue will be. Religion is inherently authoritarian. It derives it's moral impact from the authority that gives it birth and sustains it. That authority is beyond question and criticism or the faith falls.
I regarded Liberation Theology as highly suspect, seeing it as a way to combine the efficient tyranny of Stalin with the mythical Papal power to chase opponents beyond the grave. What we saw in Carter and LT was a failed effort to wave the cross against the cross. In the end authoritarian strains of Christianity were enhanced simply because it conformed more to "Fundemental" and "Orthodox" forms.
MATTHEW 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
One of those Bible verses that doesn't get quoted very frequently...
A good portion of religious people are on the right because they empathize politically with the left but don't feel like they're wanted or trusted there.
I always thought the environmental movement could make far greater strides if they allied themselves with religion in some ways. Xtian, not like, Wicca and stuff.
A good portion of religious people are on the right because they empathize politically with the left but don't feel like they're wanted or trusted there.
And how is the not being trusted or welcomed demonstrated?
Frank, given that most Chrisitian faiths hold to a form of "the earth and all its creatures were created by God for the use of man" ideology as a opposed to "the earth and it's creatures have value in their own right" ideology of the Greens, I'm not sure how that would happen.
Like this:
except for without the Green response of "We hate you, you religious bastards."