Take That, Christian Right -- Americans Go to Church About As Much As Godless Europeans

[Novara]

Take That, Christian Right -- Americans Go to Church About As Much As Godless Europeans

The 2016 presidential campaign has really and truly started now, and already the religious pandering is getting silly. Despite wanting voters to think of him as a “libertarian” Rand Paul was recently bleating about how this country needs a religious revival, specifically “another Great Awakening.” Ted Cruz made a big fancy speech at Liberty University where he highlighted his defense of state promotion of religion, which he erroneously called “religious freedom,” even though having the state push faith on you is the opposite of that. Mike Huckabee claimed that Christians in the military are being persecuted. Marco Rubio is so desperate to be seen as a religious right savior that he spread himself out, claiming formally to be Catholic but attending a Bible-thumping holy roller church that believes in young earth creationism and demons. He’s also done his time as a Mormon, to cover all bases.

Looking over these men’s statements and histories, it’s clear that they’re plugged into the myth that defines the religious right. This myth is that America is fundamentally a religious nation and always has been, but it’s been hijacked by a minority of back-stabbing secularist elites---and that the country can be restored to its rightful Christian dominance by electing a Republican.

It’s a narrative that is fundamentally wrong. Yes, the majority of Americans identify technically as Christians, but a deeper look at how our people act, believe, and think shows that we’re not at all a “Christian nation,” but a largely secular nation that suffers a small but vocal minority of theocracy-minded conservatives. And not just that, but that the secular-minded majority is getting even bigger and more secular all the time.

Since many of the most prominent defenders of secularism are atheists, it’s easy to assume not only is secularism an atheist thing , but that it’s therefore only important to the 20 percent of Americans that are non-believers. But most people who believe in God are also basically secular. They don’t believe that religion should dictate public policy, for one thing. For another, they don’t really think religion should dictate their own lives. While most Americans are believers, that doesn’t mean that they believe that religion should have the power over our personal lives, our government policies, or our own consciences that the religious right believes it should.


Read more: http://www.alternet.org/belief/take-christian-right-americans-go-church-about-much-godless-europeans

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. Yes and no; about 24% of Americans go each week, and 14% of Western Europeans

My working is here (in another thread on that article): http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1218&pid=194163

But you could look at it the other way, and say 76% of Americans don't go to church each week, which is almost as much as the 86% of Western Europeans.

[beam me up scottie]

2. Marco Rubio

Marco Rubio is so desperate to be seen as a religious right savior that he spread himself out, claiming formally to be Catholic but attending a Bible-thumping holy roller church that believes in young earth creationism and demons. He’s also done his time as a Mormon, to cover all bases.

I have yet to see Republicans crucify him for this the way they did Obama for his diverse faith:

Barack Obama's Religious Beliefs & Background: What Does Barack Obama Believe?

Barack Obama's religious background is more diverse than that of most prominent politicians, but it may prove to be representative of future generations of Americans who grow up in an increasingly diverse America. His mother was raised by non-practicing Christians; his father was raised a Muslim but was an atheist by the time he had married Obama's mother. Obama's step-father was also Muslim, but of an eclectic kind who could make room for animist and Hindu beliefs. Neither Obama nor his mother were ever atheists, but she raised him in a relatively secular household where he learned about religion.

Unfortunately Obama had to cave and hump Jesus for America to get christians to support him.

It's disgusting that Democrats have to pander to the religious in order to get elected.

[Novara]

3. Yep

It's disgusting that Democrats have to pander to the religious in order to get elected.

Damn right.

[AlbertCat]

6. It's disgusting that Democrats have to pander to the religious in order to get elected.

B-b-but Hillary carries a Bible everywhere she goes! It's her favorite book!

[mountain grammy]

4. Here's the thing about religious fundamentalists whether they attend church or not..

they vote like it's their goddam religion, and they vote conservative, every election, no matter how small. They also donate (although the billionaires take care of most of that now) volunteer, and convince their friends that all politicians are the same and the government is the enemy (getting close on that one) and all people on assistance are living it up while you're working and paying their bills. They're very pious and good praying Christians, just look at that big cross hanging around that neck, so they wouldn't lie.....

They vote and have taken over our government from the bottom up while no one was paying attention.

[progressoid]

5. Yep.

If we could just get more of us heathens to vote.

I think it was in Susan Jacobi's book about Freethinkers that she talked about how many non-believers have been and are still out there. But we just aren't as zealous and organized as they are. While we've been too disengaged, they become overly influential.