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Many people in America hold this delusional belief that we're special, immune to the tragedies that've befallen other nations. American Exceptionalism. Let's see how much longer that myth can endure
Yup.
Although to be fair to Christian fundamentalists, some of them believe America's run of good luck IS in peril ... just for the wrong reasons, thus applying the wrong remedies. They think American is in peril because it isn't sufficiently godly (by their definition), which they imagine that it once was, therefore, the remedy is to impose their ruleset on everyone else, since god punishes not just individuals, but nations, cities, churches, families -- the innocent along with the guilty -- for insufficient piety. The result of fascistic thinking like that is great harm to those who don't conform or don't believe, usually at the hands of said fundamentalists.
The size of a group doesn't reliably equate to its influence.
You ask why Christian thought is in the drivers seat -- well, the Christian fundamentalist population is at best a third of the US total population and far less than that elsewhere in the world plus heavily concentrated in the Bible Belt, but because of synergies with political parties and certain entrenched structural advantages and too much complacency in the rest of the electorate, have already managed to erode and outright reverse settled law in this country and could very well get their disgraced champion back in the driver's seat. That religious group has had outsized influence for decades now, ever since the 1980s at least. And they have become morally bereft, or at least abandoned any pretense of ethics and integrity. You can get get the Overton window to move quite a bit when you are willing to shamelessly promote all sorts of unethical and disingenuous behavior and, in fact, do it in the name of god.
This is the odd juxtaposition we face today. You have a religious right that prior to 2016 followed the whole family values ideology as well as "law and order" and voted for politicians who pandered to them and to that. Say what you want about that and some of the hypocritical individuals who came and went on that side. But at least they did have a line that politicians simply could not cross publicly.
Now its all about winning at all costs. Being a good person and not lying and committing crimes are not a deal breaker any longer. And the recent chatter that the more flawed the candidate the more they believe its some sort of divine intervention. And no matter how bad person that candidate is, they need to vote for him and god will sort it all out down the road and give them the politician victories they want. Because apparently god favors America with 5% of the worlds population over the rest of the world and favors one political party over the other.
“...the path of true piety is so plain as to require but little political direction . . . To the guidance of the ministers of the gospel this important object is, perhaps, more properly committed—it will be your care to instruct the ignorant, and to reclaim the devious.”
2 Nov 1789 George Washington to To the Presbyterian Ministers of Massachusetts and New Hampshire who objected that religion was left out of the Constitution.
In other words, keep religion out of govt. The Founders knew of the religious wars in Europe and did not want them in the US. Many of the Founders' ancestors came to VA as refugees from the English Civil War (Washington, Lee, Carter, Randolph).
Then as now, it remains the question of which version of Christianity? The Unitarian which denies the Trinity, the Mormon? Do they accept gay marriage like some denominations? Do we permit snake handling as some fundamentalists (Church of God with Signs Following and other sects) still do in Appalachia? (It's illegal in VA, but legal in WV; in VA as long as children are not in attendance, law enforcement looks the other way.)
Jimmy Carter was liberal and "born again." After George Wallace was born again, he spent years very publicly apologizing for the hurt he caused. Some accepted, some did not.
Then as now, it remains the question of which version of Christianity? The Unitarian which denies the Trinity, the Mormon? Do they accept gay marriage like some denominations? Do we permit snake handling as some fundamentalists (Church of God with Signs Following and other sects) still do in Appalachia? (It's illegal in VA, but legal in WV; in VA as long as children are not in attendance, law enforcement looks the other way.)
Jimmy Carter was liberal and "born again." After George Wallace was born again, he spent years very publicly apologizing for the hurt he caused. Some accepted, some did not.
I take your main point ... in practice, I think the answer right now to the question in the US I think is fundamentalism, writ large anyway ... and possibly authoritarian-leaning denominations that they can tolerate. Maybe evangelicalism for the most part, although compartments of that can certainly be too liberal for the taste of fundamentalists and vice-versa.
Just to clarify, the Unitarians are considered "post-Christian" and "non-creedal" so they do not teach against the Trinity, they simply don't care what you believe about it so long as you subscribe to their "covenant" which is basically to love and welcome everyone equally. In theory if not always in practice, they even are fine with atheists joining.
It is true that one of the denominations that merged to create this organization around 1960 was the Unitarians but it is no longer a core belief, so much as a residual tendency of how they look at the Christian tradition. But they are so far from the historic creeds now that it hardly matters; even they do not claim to be Christian.
The only group of any size that wants to be considered Christian yet openly teaches against the Trinity that I am aware of are the JWs, and since that violates the historic creeds, they technically aren't qualified to call themselves Christian from an accepted orthodox doctrinal standpoint (though personally I don't care if they do or not). Doubtless there are other small groups. But it isn't really quite accurate to lay that at the feet of the UU church these days.
I of course get that Believers think that everything should be run according to religious preferences. It is up to people to support secular authorities ion keeping religion where it belongs - in the temples and the home, if the people are religious, then family indoctrination is a problem, but the state gives parents authority to bring up the kids, and even the schools ideally keep religion out of education, though religion would love to get control of education, too.
It is a battle for minds and hearts (convince the mind and heart will go with it) because Might is not always right, but being right does no good if they have no might.
Politics aside, we are in a very sticky position right now. It will be decided this year.
Guys,
Where I live religious types just want to do their thing. They bother no one.
I worry more about the non-religious political movements that want to change the world.
Guys,
Where I live religious types just want to do their thing. They bother no one.
I worry more about the non-religious political movements that want to change the world.
Guys,
Where I live religious types just want to do their thing. They bother no one.
I worry more about the non-religious political movements that want to change the world.
All political movements want to change the world, that is what they are elected for. Why the non-religious should be a problem for you says more about you than non-religious political movements.
I can only presume you are referring to the tired old Stalin/Mao/Pol Pot cüm hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy, but let me help you here, men wearing trousers have killed more people than atheists ever have.
Guys,
Where I live religious types just want to do their thing. They bother no one.
I worry more about the non-religious political movements that want to change the world.
We don't know where you live since you didn't enter anything in your profile.
Where I live people ask newcomers what church they attend, and assume that everyone is a Christian.
The only "non-religious political movement" that comes to mind is the separation of church and state. I think that's a good thing, but it's been in place for so long that it surely isn't trying to change the world.
We don't know where you live since you didn't enter anything in your profile.
Where I live people ask newcomers what church they attend, and assume that everyone is a Christian.
The only "non-religious political movement" that comes to mind is the separation of church and state. I think that's a good thing, but it's been in place for so long that it surely isn't trying to change the world.
I have lived in New England and the north east for 50 years. No one ever asked me a question like that. I assume you guys live in the bible belt. Many Protestant churches out here have have LGBTQIA flags.
It is true that one of the denominations that merged to create this organization around 1960 was the Unitarians but it is no longer a core belief, so much as a residual tendency of how they look at the Christian tradition. But they are so far from the historic creeds now that it hardly matters; even they do not claim to be Christian.
Correct. They are more of a social justice movement at this point. They have an unofficial creed, but it's secular and social justice centered. Well, their version of social justice. You can believe pretty much whatever you want there, as long as it's the most liberal version of that believe system. Sermons are typically social justice lectures with the occasional semi-spiritual sermon depending on the minister and congregation. The old school UUs who want it to be a more spirituality based are being pushed out over time. They are a few of the old Boomers. The next generation is pure SJW.
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