Thank you for your patience as we ducked away to Newport, RI, for a few days. I hope you had a wonderful break. Now let’s settle in:
Do you ever wonder why evangelicals are losing an entire generation? I mean, as a particular breed of evangelical, I can give you a long list of why I think we fall far short, but here’s part of the answer from Amy Gannett at Word & Craft, and thank you, Sharon, for the link. I especially liked this:
Evangelicals have warned us against the allure of progressivism, but I’m here to say that we actually like the progress.
Dating Jesus 
Is it religious nationalism in general that concerns Millennials, according Gannett? Or is it just a particular brand of religious nationalism?
Because if Gannett is calling to reform the politicalization of Christianity in America, (Evangelicalism), and the influence of Christianity on national policy, that sounds like more of the same soup being served up in a different bowl.
If Gannett is serious about changing the landscape of religious nationalism that has ruled America ever since the ink dried on the Constitution, maybe she should start here.
Couldn’t hurt, but can you really see the two being separate?
Yes…
It’s necessary if we want to progress as a pluralistic society based upon secular principles of democracy and justice.
It is a principal function of government in any liberal democracy…but particularly ours… to constrain the power religious nationalism assumes as gatekeeper to societal benefit. Trump wants to take what little remains of that function as represented in our government and flush it like a dead goldfish. That’s why people like Wayne Gruedem are backing his play. (His perverse revisionism is stupefying. Business As Usual for White Nationalist Evangelical hierarchy.) They want to replace secular principles of democracy and justice with authoritarian…religious…principles of submission and privilege.
They’re already halfway there.
Here’s where I get (easily) confused: I am a person of faith (can’t help that). Much of my political beliefs are rooted in that faith: Share. Be kind to others. Make it even. Make it fair. Don’t be a jerk. I do not insist everyone follow my path, though it’s worked pretty well for me, when I’ve followed it. Am I correct in believing that so long as I don’t slap people with scriptures, I’m ok to mix politics and religion, for myself?
Your faith informs your politics. That’s not unreasonable. In fact, it’s to be expected. My lack of faith informs my politics.
What we’re talking about…the people who demand separation of Church and State…are institutions. Not individual faith. Or even (broad) religious values.
We’re talking about preventing the establishment in government of any religious dogma, as interpreted by religious institutions…organizational structures wielding power and influence beyond the pulpit…like Evangelical Christians…as the foundation for the interpretation of Constitutional law in this country.
It’s the only way to protect the religious liberty promise of our Constitution.
Admittedly unscientific but for years the Connecticut Atheists have gotten one of the biggest, positive responses with their separation of church and state float in the Boombox Parade. From the like minded and the devout, particularly during election years. I’ve had religious friends look at the float and say “that would be nice”.
Gannet’s point about diversity and travel is interesting although I’m not sure it’s easier now than when us boomers were in our teens and twenties (overland, Europe to Asia is death defying now, if not impossible). I can only hope more people her age share her broader world view. It’s a start. The inevitability of a changing country/world will eventually overwhelm the “Make America white/Christian again”. It will help if more believers and non-believers can at least acknowledge that there’s only one planet.
I think people generally…not just atheists… are tired of the intolerance inherent in so much religious dogma obstructing the duty of their government to secure basic societal benefits for all. Humanism, I think, is becoming more and more popular. You get to keep all your “firmly held beliefs.” You just don’t get to be a paranoid asshole about it.
I think Gannett reflects a disenchantment with religiosity common among many in her age group. I think the root cause of that disenchantment…intransigence…is what fuel’s millennials’ dissatisfaction with government as well.
We’ll see…if we live long enough…what they plan to do about it.