To BELIEVE or NOT BELIEVE — That is the question
By Loren Adams, 25 October 2009
There’s some debate whether one’s religious, ethnic, family,
geographic or educational background determines a future course chosen by the
principal. If not these factors, then what other catalyst influences the
decision-making process? Coincidence?
Every person or group has a foundation upon which to launch
a future. America’s happens to be Christian fundamentalism, despite efforts by
forebears to construct a pluralistic society. It stands to reason that in order
to build a more perfect union, the formidable majority power of fundamentalism
had to be tempered down so the nation could tolerate immigrants from distant
shores who carried with them diverse religions. Otherwise, immigration would
have bred a level of conflict unsustainable for an emerging world power.
For years, almanacs listed around 495 denominations in the
U.S. That number was impressive enough – given the list was only of
“registered” religious bodies with the government. Now Wikipedia lists a whopping 38,000 denominations representing around 270 million members,
over ¾ of the entire population.
In contrast to Europe, America [for the most part] stayed
connected to its religious roots. In 2002, ABC News reported 46% of Protestants regularly attend church while 38% of other
religious believers attend. These numbers are significant when comparing
Europe’s attendance percentages, varying from 1 to 15% – depending on various
polls country-by-country.
Politics and religion are inseparable today. One cannot discuss
politics without bringing up the subject religion. So, it is my firm view
religious faith matters – especially in American politics. If detecting a
person’s religious background, I can decipher [in most instances] what
political party he/she prefers [if any], favorite musicians/artists, entertainment,
moral stance, and principles of life, etc.
I may be the exception, not the rule – given I came
from a strict Pentecostal background. But maybe I’ve seen the light. I still
believe in the basic principles of Christ given in the Sermon on the Mount, and
because of these core teachings I absolutely reject Republicanism as it’s
practiced today. I also accept people from all races, religions and regions as
equals, because I believe this is what Jesus taught – that we’re all part
of the human family and universe, no exception.
In the recently released book, REPUBLICAN GOMORRAH, Max
Blumenthal lays out the history of the modern Republicanism, a party which has
become entrapped by intolerant, unforgiving, and un-Christ-like religion.
Blumenthal portrays more clearly than I the infest toxins destroying the party
and, thus, the nation as a whole. For, eventually the political pendulum swings
back right where another George W. Bush assumes power and we’re back at Square
One. That’s what I dread most.
If religious right leaders came up with the idea to
regurgitate “the earth is flat” doctrine, faithful followers would soon protest
on streets, at town-halls, and before school boards insisting “creation science
refutes Columbus and Magellan’s findings.” Thus, our political atmosphere would
be further poisoned as millions of fundamentalists would focus on butting heads
with science and rational thinkers. (How many thousand were burned at the stake
for believing the world is round?)
This may seem laughable, but some actually believe in a flat
earth. If you think this impossible – how many million bought the forged Obama
Kenyan certificate? Recipe for uprising only takes a planted rumor, a gullible
base, and a set of fringe leaders to perpetuate them both – stirring the
pot to full-boil. Religion is the yeast or the boiling pot, whichever metaphor
fits best.
Meanwhile, the polar caps melt and major crises go unresolved.
Like FOX focusing on ACORN while the Stock Market crashes, the religious right
concentrates on fabricated “moral” wedge issues – neither moral nor
pertinent to peace, poverty, health or any other issue that would seem of
Christian “interest.”
The few Southern states that went blue in 2008 –
Virginia, North Carolina and Florida – are still predominantly rightwing
Protestant. And so – if the blue base is not energized sufficiently in
2010 or 2012 to overcome the natural political propensity to return to traditional
religious roots, the progressive movement will be eroded into paralysis for
Obama’s remaining term(s). Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, and Colorado are also in
jeopardy since they, too, are predominantly conservative religiously.
The ONLY way to combat misguided religion is to fight fire
with fire – as Howard Dean repeatedly suggested when serving as DNC
Chairman. A fresh religious movement must be borne from basic Judeo-Christian
principles – “love your neighbor,” “care for those in need,” “cure the sick,”
and “we’re all one family in the universe.” Any other method to fight political-religious
heresy will fail. The Democratic Party platform correlates better with core
Judeo-Christian beliefs, while the Republican Party platform – written by
greedy K-Streeters and selfish profit moguls behind the scenes – has been
sold to the uninformed, the party’s base for 30+ years, a racist and
anti-intellectual lot.
Personal and public decisions are based on religious
background more than any other factor in this country. A weak economy may
temporarily divert that in the short-term, but America returns to its roots for
the long-term. That’s why Sinclair Lewis warned in 1935, “Fascism will come to
America wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.” Unless there is an equal or
greater religious force on the left to balance the hateful, militant,
unforgiving, judgmental, un-Christ-like religious right, America is destined to
return to the politics of George W. Bush and Sarah Palin. And at that point, we
can call our great American experiment with pluralistic democracy OVER. 