American Theocracy

by Band on the Run 8 Replies latest social current

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  Band on the Run

  I am currently reading this book. The author is opinionated and not a fundamentalist or evangelist for certain. My experience is so Eastern American. He argues that Europe and other Christian cultures do not have the loonies that America has. According to the author, religion is on the decline around the world. Mainline religions are losing their prominence due to science and education. He argues that America has more than its share of ignorant religions that cater to the uneducated. Mormonism and Jehovah's Witnesses success here is central to his argument. Lutherans, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Methodists, and Reformed churches are fading. Pentecostal and evangelical are soaring in numbers.

  I don't know enough to evaluate his argument. He mentions the English Civil War and the American Civil War as primarily religious wars. Another claim is that one's religion is a very strong predictor of party loyalty and ultimately voting for public officials. I wonder what other countries would tolerate Mormon beliefs in a leader.

  My gut is drawn to his argument. People who believe women should have no reproductive rights, that the Flood happened, that America is God's country and exceptional are dangerous.

  He sees the rise of Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons as a sad sign of the times, having little to do with actual belief. Rational belief is suspended. Someone who believes and wears magic underwear is running at the head of a major party.

  I was raised to give great deference to everyone's religious belief. A product of public school education. Reading his book, I am reminded of many posters here who think religion is bunk.

  Part of the problem with deference and a public school education is that we know very little religious history. I'm not ready to be Bill Mahr but I was surprised by much of what I read. The English Civil War was clearly religious but I am uncertain about the American Civil War. He states that religious denomination determined which side you were on.
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  botchtowersociety

  You might also want to read this:

  http://www.amazon.com/Christian-Jihad-Neo-Fundamentalists-Polarization-America/dp/098468526X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348285642&sr=8-1&keywords=colonel+doner

  The author was one of the original founders of the modern Religious Right back in the 70's. I've spoken with him on the subject over good food and wine. He knows of what he speaks. To paraphrase Jose Marti "I've lived inside the monster and know its innards."
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  talesin

  I don't know about the American Civil war and the religious implications, but definitely the English one! Sounds like that book is along my lines of thinking.

  xo

  :)
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  talesin

  Looks like a good read, BTS.
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  LV101

  BOTR --- What an interesting topic. You know, I've been pondering on this subject and glad you brought it up. With the economy slowdown wouldn't people have more time (out of workers) to attend church but how would they contribute --- I guess out of their unemployment, severance pay, disability, whatever. I get mixed info from what Dr. Stanley indicates on his radio program a couple of times in the past 6 mos. and the way the various ministers and religious programs are asking for funds just to stay on the air. Maybe they've always done this but seems there's a changeover of speakers from a yr. ago. Some of the very popular ones are still on but maybe new, local, ones come on long enough to build up their membership. I've heard Dr. Stanley say the churches are growing and it's not true their shrinking/downsizing but not sure about all this -- maybe his Baptist congregation and support is growing but I certainly hope w/tower is crumbling.
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  Qcmbr

  Is the education link fundamental because Mormonism , second generation onwards , can't be called uneducated?
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  Vidqun

  Does the author touch on the Muslim phenomenon? The Muslims seem to be up-and-coming, flourishing in some parts of the world, some of them becoming quite vocal and militaristic. That's quite a fundamental religion and does not have its origin in the US. Something I've been wondering about.
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  kurtbethel

  That book is nonsense. The holy Roman empire and Inquisition were European events. Many religious sects were spawned in Europe, and many religious wars (though admittedly with political and economic overtones) originated there, including the crusades. Religious loons in America were an import from Europe, and only in the last two centuries did America start growing native religious loons, but they got most of their ideas from European religions.

  American religious loons are not generally welcome, but merely tolerated. They seem to be more than what they are because they are loud and shrill by nature.
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  designs

  We have decades of struggle ahead of us to break the grip of Fundamentalism in the Country. These groups want to have Creationism taught in our Schools, ideas which will have profound effects on our children. When you see the Legislation that has come from these Fundamentalists against a woman's physiology it is shocking. That a modern adult has been taught and holds onto these arcane ideas that get preached every Sunday you know breaking the American Theocracy is a generational challenge.