Neither one nation, nor under God

[Blue_Tires]

Neither one nation, nor under God

In 2008, American religion is inextricably linked to social conservatism and the political right

Some 44% of Americans reject the theory of evolution but I've never met any of them. I don't know many churchgoers because I live in an urban-coastal area far from the "pro-America areas" of the continent, commended by Sarah Palin, where most reside.

I belong to the fastest growing "religious group" in the US, the 100-million strong unchurched and, as a "knowledge worker" have little contact with members of the pro-American diaspora. We occupy the same geopolitical landmass, but during the Big Sort of the late 20th century, became different nations. Citizens of my nation are socially liberal, politically left and, above all, secular because, in 2008, religion is inextricably linked to social conservatism and the political right.

In 1965, religion in America, as Americans understood it, would have been readily intelligible across the Atlantic. Mainline churches dominated the landscape. Americans expected everyone to be religiously affiliated and regarded religion as beneficial, or at least innocuous. The gothic revival church was America's religious icon and, regardless of their own religious beliefs or practices, paradigmatic Christianity for most Americans was an ecumenical faux-Anglicanism resembling the as-yet-unreconstructed Songs of Praise.

Twenty years later, American religion had undergone a paradigm shift. The icon of American religion was the evangelical mega-church, where televangelists preached to thousands in situ and multitudes of TV viewers. Americans, irrespective of their own religious beliefs or practices, regarded American-style fundamentalism as paradigmatic religion.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/nov/04/us-america-religious-right

[mike_c]

1. gimme that old time atheism....

No paradigm shifts for me, at least not in that respect. I was an atheist in 1965 and I'm still an atheist. The masses can keep their opiate, thank you very much!

[Taverner]

2. AWESOME!!!

[damntexdem]

3. But Bellamy said that it was "one nation" -- for a reason, following the Civil War.

Of course, it was a much-later congress that added "under God." For that matter, it was a congress in the 1920s that replaced "my flag" with "the flag of the United States of America." Nativists were worried that some folks were pledging allegiance to some other flag.

But I always pledge using Bellamy's original Pledge.

[Barack_Obama]

4. Evangelicals voted for Bush

White Evangelicals, which are one quarter of the US electorate, voted 3:1 for Bush in '04. Thankfully, the Republican base has realized voting for Sarah Palin would be a mistake.

[matt819]

5. Third Party

Clearly the Republican party has become an ultra right-wing Christian party whose primary goal, it seems, is to overturn Roe v. Wade. This is certainly not the party of the likes of Joe Lieberman or Chuck Hagel or Lincoln Chafee. Why don't the mainstream, i.e., sane, rational, moderate Republicans force this extremist element to break off and form their own party? As an alternative, the rational element of the Republican party could join the Democrats, which would have a secular party opposing one that calls for the imposition of a theocracy on America. The choice should be clear cut. And if it's not, and the fundamentalists prevail in future elections, we have only ourselves to blame for the downfall.

[OnyxCollie]

6. The right-wing idiot I work with wore a cross pin with the stars & stripes inside.

"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross." -Sinclair Lewis