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Spoiler: the article questions whether this is a good thing. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/andres-oppenheimer/article250562629.html
"the decline of religion in America has a huge downside.
In a post-truth world increasingly devoid of values and in which populist demagogues have turned basic values upside down by normalizing lying, and political and racial intolerance, we urgently need a moral compass."
In a post-truth world increasingly devoid of values and in which populist demagogues have turned basic values upside down by normalizing lying, and political and racial intolerance, we urgently need a moral compass."
"If religions aren’t around to teach us basic values — you shall not lie, you shall not be indifferent to oppression, etc.— who will do it instead? What institution in the modern world will take that role?"
Except, I question whether religion EVER actually filled that role.
I was raised in the evangelical church, is that where I learned not to lie?
Hell no. Evangelical church is where they tried to teach me TO lie, and the lesson didn't take.
I was raised in the evangelical church, is that where I learned not to lie?
Hell no. Evangelical church is where they tried to teach me TO lie, and the lesson didn't take.
What if the decline in religion is largely because religion ALREADY abandoned any assumed mission to teach people basic values? https://twitter.com/mcjulie/status/1379443083234877440
What if the idea that religion exists "to teach values" is not actually a very good understanding of why religions exist?
The article continues, "Shadi Hamid, the author of an article in the April issue of The Atlantic magazine entitled “America without God,” he told me that the decline of religions in the Western world is leaving a huge vacuum, which is being filled by political fundamentalism."
"New secular ideologies are taking the place of religion [..] What was once religious belief has now been channeled into political belief.”
Except, in American conservative Christianity anyway, religious belief has largely been channeled into political belief that is NOT secular -- it's an ideology that is explicitly religious AND explicitly political.
So this idea that people stop being religious and then have this ideological void that gets filled by politics doesn't seem to accurately describe what's going on.
"The decline of religion in much of the world has not reduced people’s need to believe in something [..] “Human beings [..] are searching for meaning, belonging, coherent structure [..] Nobody can survive long without some ultimate loyalty."
I agree, more or less, with the idea that "humans seek a sense of meaning and purpose" and even with the idea that religions exist to serve that need. However --
I think this article is portraying cause and effect backwards -- making it sound as if people leave religion behind and only then struggle to find meaning in some other way.
But I believe people often leave religion when religion is already failing to deliver on providing a sense of meaning and purpose.
It's like getting a divorce. Do we say, "they got divorced and then the love was gone?" no, the love was gone, and SO they got divorced.
It's like getting a divorce. Do we say, "they got divorced and then the love was gone?" no, the love was gone, and SO they got divorced.
"The danger now is that religions will be replaced by secular political fanaticism. That, combined with Facebook, Twitter and social-media companies that profit from disseminating extremist views, is further polarizing our societies."
Except that's not what is happening.
Except that's not what is happening.
The people with the MOST extreme, dangerous, & violent political views aren't secular at all, rather, the opposite. https://religiondispatches.org/attack-on-the-us-capitol-has-many-journos-finally-taking-white-evangelical-authoritarianism-and-christian-nationalism-seriously/
"I hope that Christianity, Islam and Judaism will re-invent themselves, as any business losing clients or any civic group losing followers would do."
Hmm. He's doing that thing people do where they talk about Christianity but pretend they're talking about "religion" more broadly
Hmm. He's doing that thing people do where they talk about Christianity but pretend they're talking about "religion" more broadly
Although the quoted article does specify "church, synagogue or mosque" https://news.gallup.com/poll/341963/church-membership-falls-below-majority-first-time.aspx
But is the photograph a synagogue or mosque? No, it's a traditional Christian church.
Back to the article, "Religions offer us ancient tales of wisdom [..] that can serve as a much-needed moral guide."
Um. Really? That's your argument for why a decline in religiosity is bad? We're losing out on "ancient tales of wisdom"?
GOOD NEWS those tales will still exist!
Um. Really? That's your argument for why a decline in religiosity is bad? We're losing out on "ancient tales of wisdom"?
GOOD NEWS those tales will still exist!
Hands up if you read the Iliad or the Odyssy in school *without* being expected to believe literally in Zeus or make offerings at his temple or whatever.
Further, I'm *pretty* familiar with the Christian Bible, and very little of it is actually comprised of "ancient tales of wisdom that can serve as a much-needed moral guide" in the present day, not without a heavy interpretive application.
For example, my re-read of Revelation revealed many portions that were clearly intended as some kind of moral instruction *at the time* but, without that context, are more or less incomprehensible now. https://twitter.com/mcjulie/status/1351926624275468288?s=20
To finish: "I hope that Christianity, Islam and Judaism will re-invent themselves [..] But they have to adapt to modern times and focus more on values than on dogmas or rituals. Otherwise, their decline will continue, and dangerous secular radicalism will take their place."
Except there's no evidence that "dangerous secular radicalism" even exists. The dangerous radicalism is coming almost entirely from religious believers.
And, as a kicker, let's go back to something from first paragraph of the essay:
"While I’m not a religious person"
"While I’m not a religious person"
So, wait.
The essayist, not religious himself, is concerned that declining religiosity among people in general might lead to dangerous secular radicalism, even though recent violent attacks were committed by people who were religious.
Does that make any kind of sense?
The essayist, not religious himself, is concerned that declining religiosity among people in general might lead to dangerous secular radicalism, even though recent violent attacks were committed by people who were religious.
Does that make any kind of sense?
I'm reminded of something I periodically see coming from the political right -- this idea that, while it's okay if political & economic elites are nonbelievers, it's very dangerous when the plebes like you & me lose their religion
There's this idea that bubbles up among conservatives that without religion to reign them in, ordinary citizens would become utterly lawless, an ungovernable chaotic force, doin' crimes & failing to show up for work.
Which, when put like that, is starting to have strongly racist overtones, isn't it?
Going back to the very first line of the essay, "Contrary to what some of us expected, the COVID-19 pandemic has not brought about a religious revival."
Why would anybody have expected that to happen? It's like the people who thought there'd be a covid baby boom.
Why would anybody have expected that to happen? It's like the people who thought there'd be a covid baby boom.
Gee, I dunno, maybe people left religion behind because their Covid-era leadership included stuff like this? https://twitter.com/mcjulie/status/1242395044742479873
I'm reminded of news outlets that, early on in the pandemic, really, really, REALLY tried to create a "leadership role" for Trump to step into, but he refused, and there's some evidence that this LACK is the main thing that cost him a second term.
There was a palpable longing for a "Trump steps up to the challenge" narrative & they tried to make it easy for him but he just wouldn't/couldn't.
Churches, same deal.
Oh, you wanted the narrative to be "in times of crisis Americans finally return to their old buddy, Church"? Too bad, churches decided to spend the pandemic claiming the virus is a hoax & hosting in-person superspreader events.
Oh, you wanted the narrative to be "in times of crisis Americans finally return to their old buddy, Church"? Too bad, churches decided to spend the pandemic claiming the virus is a hoax & hosting in-person superspreader events.
Churches pulled stuff like this https://twitter.com/mcjulie/status/1380868743069278213
