Andrew Sullivan: Politicization of Christianity fuels atheism in U.S.

[cleanhippie]

Columnist and author Andrew Sullivan said Sunday that atheism was growing in the United States because more and more people saw Christianity as an organization intent on gaining political power.

“I think our ability to be reasonable in politics and faithful in religion, and to keep those two things separate, has atrophied to the great disadvantage of religion,” he said during a panel discussion on CBS News’ Face the Nation.

Two other members of the panel, Dr. Richard Land and Rev. Luis Cortes, had said that the separation of church and state was meant to prevent the government from infringing on faith. But it was not meant to prohibit religion from influencing the government.

“What has happened since 1960 is that organized groups, like the Southern Baptist Council and other religious groups, have in fact become self-consciously political,” Sullivan explained.

“They have become fused with one political party, the Republican Party — a party that is now defined by a particular religious faith, evangelicalism or far-right Catholic hierarchy. And that is making many people feel that faith in Jesus is about politics and power and partisanship, in ways that’s turning off an entire generation. The biggest growth in any belief sector in this country in the last ten years has been atheism.”

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/04/08/andrew-sullivan-politicization-of-christianity-fuels-atheism-in-u-s/

[Bonhomme Richard]

1. In my situation I have to agree.

The final straw for me with the Catholic Church was their going out of their way to push the republican agenda. In my mind that is about the least christian thing you could do.

[get the red out]

2. One of the biggest truths in our time

And one that most people claim to not see, the elephant in the living room.

[dmallind]

3. Nah - Christians are oppressed liberal innocents

who did nothing at all to cause any resentment among non-Christians, as they just leave us all alone. That's what I hear on DU anyway. This must explain all the abjurations of gods in our pledge, on our money, in every political speech. It must explain why there's only one open Christian in Congress and he had to keep it secret for 30 years. It must explain why school boards have to teach Ingersoll speeches along with King's and why atheist groups get a carte blanche to campaign politically while remaining tax free. Must explain why atheist clubs are claiming the moral high ground without any mainstream dissent while campaigning non-stop against gay rights, fenale equality and reproductive choice.

Poor buggers - atheists just decided one day to oppress them by.....criticizing their beliefs online I guess. Other really nasty things like cartoons and t shirts too.

[The Blue Flower]

4. And let us all say

Amen! Religion has been corrupted and badly undermined by becoming absorbed by a political party. I hope it continues.

[trotsky]

6. Some might argue that religion is inherently prone to corruption. n/t

[AlbertCat]

5. movement atheism is political, first and foremost

Not entirely.

It's not really about grabbing power

It's more about diverting disaster. Dawkins, who everyone seems to think is the core, is British, not American. He, like me, feels it's just time to stop pretending religion is any kind of solution to the big problems we face, locally or globally. There's just no more time for fruitless debate about the supernatural when it comes to problem solving. You do solve problems thru politics, but also thru education. It's not just about the USA and Christians.

[rug]

7. Sullivan has been a scumbag but he has a point.

The more a religion adopts a polotical view, the more it is likely to be rejected along with that political viiew.

[SamG]

8. Both religions and politics have the same goals, that is..

to influence large numbers of people, most often for the purpose of retaining power through continued influence and privilege. History has continually taught us that neither of them always have truly noble goals, and believing in one or the other or both, always shows a level of naivete' regarding human nature.

Politics attempts to do that with selected facts and logical arguments. Religions attempt to do that with emotionally charged, highly-selected anecdotal facts, or made up myths, combined with a very thin and fragile stream of sometimes logical thinking.

[AlbertCat]

9. Both religions and politics have the same goals,

Religion is just ancient government.

[2ndAmForComputers]

10. "Never interrupt the enemy while he is making a mistake."