So I've been pondering religion a
bit, as I tend to do when reading things about our social policy and the views
of presidential candidates, and I find myself both puzzled and appalled at some of the
things I hear and read. Part of what gets under my skin is how religion seems
to be the dominant force when it comes to policy making. Concepts like
Dominionism and Prosperity Theology frighten me because those engaged in our
political and social discourse take them seriously, or at least seem to by
paying them lip service.
I’m not
going to delve into the nuances and ramblings of political candidates as one
can find information like that by doing a simple Google search. What I want to
know is how the average American values such a position when it comes to policy
and presidential candidacy.
My
first question would go something like: “If God spoke to you and told you to
kill your children very much like the story of Abraham, would you do it?” If
yes, would you do it with the hopes that god would send an angel down to stop
you just before the death blow? If no, do you feel that simply hearing voices
raises a red flag and therefore call into question how you would interpret
divine communication?
My
second question is if you would put the entire bible ahead of the Constitution
in terms of political and moral value. Do you think that your religious views
trump a secular document? If yes, do you feel that religiosity is a
prerequisite to true patriotism? If no, where do you draw the line in the
distinction?
The
third and final question would be whether or not you feel a candidate’s
religious stance has anything to do with how he or she will govern. Do you
think that religion is a necessary condition for morality? If yes, how do you
explain clergy of various ranks committing child molestation, homosexual acts,
drugs, kid-napping, and so on, if their holy books condemn them? If no, how do you
feel about those who insist the opposite and seemingly vote according to
religious preference above all else?
These
things interest me because when it comes to generalizing the religious
perspectives of American culture, I find there exists a sort of sliding scale.
At one end of the scale there are those who, for whatever reason, value
religion above all else and wish to assert that view on the rest of society. At
the other end are those who I would refer to as religious moderates who cherry
pick what religious and biblical concepts to place value on, and which to
discard but more or less keep to themselves.
As an
atheist myself, I find the process horrifying and fascinating. I want to know
how these choices are made, how it can be that some people stand behind claims
by candidates that are obviously inaccurate, and why any religious claim has
value in our allegedly secular democracy.
In
future posts, I’ll delve into the Christian doctrine and share my views on the
matter. It’s my hope, for now, to get the reader into an inquisitive mindset so
that we can approach these questions.
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