Sunday, October 02, 2011

An Optimistic Thought. Mostly.

Maybe America is not destined to become a fundamentalist Christian theocracy after all:
The US is increasingly portrayed as a hotbed of religious fervour. Yet in the homeland of ostentatiously religious politicians such as Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry, agnostics and atheists are actually part of one of the fastest-growing demographics in the US: the godless. Far from being in thrall to its religious leaders, the US is in fact becoming a more secular country, some experts say."It has never been better to be a free-thinker or an agnostic in America," says Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

The good news comes with a warning, though:
Yet there is little doubt that religious groups still wield enormous influence in US politics and public life, especially through the rightwing of the Republican party. Groups such as Focus on the Family are well-funded and skilful lobbyists.

And a few of them kill doctors.

Okay, that's not a particularly optimistic thought but it's reality. The good usually comes with some strings attached or other complication. Still, I like the trend toward less religious control of public life.

Hallelujah!

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2 Comments:

Blogger Lisa said...

I have many thoughts on the matter, Rezdog. When the lady happily says,

It has never been better to be a free-thinker or an agnostic in America

It implies that a new day of rational thought is ahead. That is not necessarily so. While I am not an advocate of following dogma, given the alternative (=no moral contemplation or guidance), I'd rather have most of my fellows doped up on religion. Sure, some will still rape and steal, but guilt can be an effective hand brake.

I think being an agnostic is fine, as some thought has been into the matter. Frankly, if one decides to do good not out of compunction but rather choice, that is a more solid basis. But being a realist, I do not think my average compatriot is doing any deep digging to get to their own moral basis.

"Free-thinking" is too optimistic, I think.

1:01 AM  
Blogger Lisa said...

BTB, Pensacola here in the Panhandle is a hotbed of death to abortion providers. It is a scary place.

1:02 AM  

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