From the hypocritica religiousl phonies on the teevee, to the boring sermons in the pews, who can blame them?
As a practicing Christian, it is my belief that the co-opting of Christianity by the radical religious right has had the opposite effect of what they desire: They have actually driven more people away from Christ than otherwise. And Millennials are the most likely to be repulsed by their actions.
On a side note, it is obvious that Trump has ripped the mask off the Evangelicals and exposed them for what they are.
If only Millennials actually voted.
There is no god. Death is final. Christianity and Islam are both nothing but a fraud and a con. These facts are obvious to all educated humans.
However, the most important fight right now is the fight against Trump. As an atheist activist, it feels like my activism has done nothing to stop the hate culture.
So does the fight for atheism even make sense right now? Shouldn’t I focus all my energy fighting trump?
[quote=“scottsa, post:3, topic:47338”]
it is my belief that the co-opting of Christianity by the radical religious right has had the opposite effect of what they desire: They have actually driven more people away from Christ than otherwise.[/quote]
I agree. From the hypocrisy, slut shaming, intolerance and greed, if that’s Christianity, I want no part of it.
Trump enables the christian right (see Pence, for example), so fight Trump and you aren’t giving up your other goal.
I hope some devout people come in here and comment. For years I’ve been asking folks of Faith why a person that truly believed would give a rats ass about politics? If you are truly Christian you already have a guiding light. You don’t need politics. When you stand at those gates your political affiliations won’t factor in. And you can’t bullshit St. Peter. If you hate gays out of common bigotry and cover that with religion he’ll know and you’re fucked. You aren’t supposed to hate, judge or cast the first stone.
I’m an atheist with no objection to the tenets of the major religions. I think I understand Christianity well. It cautions against secular loyalties and the pursuit of things of the flash. From my understanding of the religion a “God hats fags” sign should be considered blasphemous and a violation of the Commandment not to take The Lords name in vain. But those signs were popular with the Religious Right. What gives?
Although I am a nonbeliever, and so could lump all people of faith together in the “believer” basket, I draw a bright line between the fundamentalists who want everyone yoked to their particular interpretation of their particular religion, and the many who feel that belief is a personal decision.
Religion served a purpose early on. It was defense from fear of the unknown, which was most everything. Later it gave structure to agrarian communities. It serves no useful purpose anymore. There is no god, or better yet, god is the symbol of what we have yet to learn. Religion is almost a destructive force in modern society. I am pleased that we are moving closer to the European notion that religion is a quaint exercise for the ignorant.
Sadly, I believe you are correct. I have long thought that the marriage of Christians with the Republican Party has been wrong. Even 30 years ago, the only politicians invited to my church were Republicans. It has become an unthinking assumption for many that as believers, of course, you’re a Republican. I saw a comment the other day that put in a much better context the “joy” I see among some folks at my church in Trump’s win. They believe God has answered their prayers. This commenter felt that God had indeed given them what they wanted - they have for so long played the harlot with the Republicans, that he gave them over to Trump - as big a fraud, con man, bully, misogynist, etc as you could find. He is truly the FOX News candidate - many of my fellow believers have been in the FOX /Rush Limbaugh bubble for 20 years or more and divorced from reality. Is it any wonder a “Reality TV” star could win them over? The fact that so many fell for this is sad beyond words.
Several months back, Christians were frantic over the thought that their wives and daughters would be groped in a bathroom by a trans or gay person - now they overwhelmingly voted for a man who brags about groping women? I fear we are in the minority in the church who saw what was in front of our faces on TV during the campaign and were repulsed. A sweet, kind, and sensitive woman in my church (almost in tears) said to me after election - “Didn’t they see? Didn’t they hear what he said”?
I spent much of the election on instagram, talking to young people. There was zero energy for Hillary Clinton. We can look at that in all sorts of ways (bernie’s loss hit these kids hard), but these kids were not inspired.
Exactly. An email I got from a acquaintance of mine post-election was all about how God had answered their prayers. I deleted it, so I can’t give anything but the general idea of it, but all her emails pre-election (those are all deleted also) were about how we had to pray, pray, pray for a Trump win because the Supreme Court and Roe v. Wade were finally within reach.
I’ve said before: this was indeed what drove the religious vote - they ignored everything else about Trump except his promise to put an anti-abortion conservative on the Supreme Court.
Another look at churches in America-
“Churches ad hoc: a divine comedy”,
www.efn.org/~hkrieger/church.htm
This is an excellent article, and consistent with my family’s story. My wife and I are Greek Orthodox. She used to teach Sunday school and our children went to church every week. My son was an altar boy. The Religious Right have driven my wife away from being active and my children are not religious.
These kids were not inspired.
Then they’re useless idiots.
@scottsa–The evangelicals have revealed themselves for what they are–and the price of their support for Trump was a Supreme Court seat. For that alone, they do not get to lecture us about how to live–All we have to do is to point to the racist/misogynist in the White House that they supported. They can piss up a rope as far as I am concerned.
Not surprising, when you consider how little young people know about how government works and what it does. They (my shorthand for the bulk of young people who aren’t into politics) know what appears in the media. The media presents whatever will keep viewers watching.
The young believe that the best candidate is the one they prefer to see on the screen. The media tells them little about how each candidate’s policy preferences would affect their lives for the next 4-8 years (and well beyond, with new Supreme Court justices).
Millennials don’t vote because their age group has historically not voted. They will grow up, just like all generations have, and start engaging politically. At the same time, their disdain for organized religion is far greater than previous generations, so the future looks very dim for the impose-our-religion-on-you-heathens right-wing when they start to vote en masse.
Probably but that argument isn’t going anywhere. If you’re taking a position out of reason and another one out of Faith you’re arguing from different moral planes and that’s not going to work. The existence of God doesn’t matter. I think the best way to debate a member of the Religious Right is to pin them to their religion. Christianity has some pretty hard and fast rules. Like Judging. That’s a no no and for God alone to do. Point it out.
Most of these guys become rather reasonable if you don’t insult their beliefs. So I don’t.
For instance, there’s no reason to sign up for the entire Conservative agenda just because you agree with their ( fake ) positions on abortion or birth control. How are tax cuts for the wealthy, deregulating Wall Street or opening up our public lands to drilling consistent with Christ’s teachings? I’ve yet to find a religious person that could give a credible defense based in Scripture for open carry or guns all over the place. But that’s part of the GOP package. I’ve had a few Religious GOP’ers agree that some of the Republican stuff is a bit inconsistent with Biblical Teachings.
I get the religious stuff. But I don’t understand why a person of Faith would adopt a political point of view that in many cases wouldn’t be cool with Jesus. Why not let God and faith guide you and shuck having an ® or (D) after your name? I never say it to them but I question the sincerity of their Faith. I think our younger generations have the same concerns I do.