The Christian Right is Helping Drive Liberals Away From Religion

Paulos23

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This article looks at the trend that has been happening in American politics.

The Christian Right Is Helping Drive Liberals Away From Religion

Mostly due to the Christian Right involvement in politics.

But when two sociologists, Michael Hout and Claude Fischer, began to look at possible explanations for why so many Americans were suddenly becoming secular, those conventional reasons couldn’t explain why religious affiliation started to fall in the mid-1990s. Demographic and generational shifts also couldn’t fully account for why liberals and moderates were leaving in larger numbers than conservatives. In a paper published in 2002, they offered a new theory: Distaste for the Christian right’s involvement with politics was prompting some left-leaning Americans to walk away from religion.

Which does lead to a larger issue, that houses of worship as no longer places where both sides in American politics can come together. There are fewer and fewer such places where liberals and conservatives can meet, and without them I can't see the current trend reversing.

Edit: fixed quotes
 
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2PhiloVoid

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iluvatar5150

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Paulos23

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I'm sure this has something to do with it, but it's not the whole reason Liberals are walking away ... ;)
I agree, it is not the sole reason, but it is an explanation that fits the timeline and the facts so it could be a big reason that many are leaving.
 
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SoldierOfTheKing

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The American Right has been getting noticeably more secular in recent years. The current president ran the most secular campaign that any Republican candidate since Gerald Ford. The Christian Right's involvement in politics is nothing like what it was in the 80's and 90's - today most conservative Christians simply fall in line and support what ever candidate they consider the best candidate. So if that's the issue the trend should reverse itself.
 
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GACfan

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This article looks at the trend that has been happening in American politics.

The Christian Right Is Helping Drive Liberals Away From Religion

Mostly due to the Christian Right involvement in politics.

I can relate to that. I thought of this as I read your post: “The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians: who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, walk out the door, and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.” - Brennan Manning
 
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Kristopher Kolumbus

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This article looks at the trend that has been happening in American politics.

The Christian Right Is Helping Drive Liberals Away From Religion

Mostly due to the Christian Right involvement in politics.

As a conservative, I didn’t come to my political views based on the behavior and character of other conservatives. What made me become a conservative was the fact that I agree with the tenets of right-wing politics. It would be the same if I were agnostic and deciding if I want to become a Christian. Which is to say, I would become a Christian if I agree with the religion’s theological tenets. The way Christians act, whether good or bad, wouldn’t affect my decision.

Why should a liberal be deterred from Christianity if he doesn’t like the conduct of conservative fundamentalists? If they agree with Christian theology, that should be enough for wanting to become a Christian. The way fundamentalists behave should have no bearing on their choice on becoming a faithful adherent of Christ.
 
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2PhiloVoid

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I agree, it is not the sole reason, but it is an explanation that fits the timeline and the facts so it could be a big reason that many are leaving.

Sure. I think even the Apostle Paul would agree that the mindset expressed by some folks on the 'right' can be the kind of thing to cause some people to just want to hop, skip and jump away from Christianity ...
 
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spiritualchristian7

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Meanwhile we're having a restroom issue here in the Philippines.
A transwoman, dressed as a woman (but with his parts still intact), got caught by a female guard going inside the ladies restroom. This issue got a hearing in the senate and someone is now bringing up the SOGIE bill (Social Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression) to be legalized here in the Philippines.

But I am glad the vast majority are against it---even the lgbtq community. The lgbtq in my country are smart and humble at the same time, they know their limitations and just grateful for being tolerated in society (but not accepted).
 
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dzheremi

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While those things are lamentable, I think that what constitutes a "goat" is a bit more complex than simply supporting homosexuality or abortion. :rolleyes: (See Matthew Ch. 25)

But, but...mah wedge issues! :tantrum:
 
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iluvatar5150

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As a conservative, I didn’t come to my political views based on the behavior and character of other conservatives. What made me become a conservative was the fact that I agree with the tenets of right-wing politics. It would be the same if I were agnostic and deciding if I want to become a Christian. Which is to say, I would become a Christian if I agree with the religion’s theological tenets. The way Christians act, whether good or bad, wouldn’t affect my decision.

Why should a liberal be deterred from Christianity if he doesn’t like the conduct of conservative fundamentalists? If they agree with Christian theology, that should be enough for wanting to become a Christian. The way fundamentalists behave should have no bearing on their choice on becoming a faithful adherent of Christ.

Only if faith were removed from the issue entirely could that description encompass the totality of your religious decisions. But because faith is a central part of religiosity, at some point even the most logical, technocratic practitioner is going to have to choose to go beyond the limits of physical evidence and reason and decide to believe in something that is unprovable. At that point, many people are going to be influenced by the way that faith's tenets are lived out by its adherents and the impacts that religion has on society. After all, it's easy to write up a statement of faith in a way that sounds good, but it's when those tenets are put into practice that we see how they're prioritized and, some would argue, what they really mean.
 
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☦Marius☦

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While I admit that not everyone that leaves churches will stay away, comments like that will keep them away.

If resisting sin and becoming like Christ drives people away then they have no right to call themselves Christians in the first place. One has to recognize sin before they can recognize the value of Christ's teachings
 
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GACfan

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You’re right, I am a GOAT.

Greatest
Of
All
Time

:D

If being a goat means I'm not in the least bit associated with Donald Trump and the conservatives within the Republican Party who devoutly support him, then I will gladly accept the title of goat.

However, according to the actual meaning of Jesus' parable of the Sheep and Goats, I'm a sheep and on the right side of Jesus, given the many years I have helped other people in need in His name.
 
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Paulos23

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As a conservative, I didn’t come to my political views based on the behavior and character of other conservatives. What made me become a conservative was the fact that I agree with the tenets of right-wing politics. It would be the same if I were agnostic and deciding if I want to become a Christian. Which is to say, I would become a Christian if I agree with the religion’s theological tenets. The way Christians act, whether good or bad, wouldn’t affect my decision.

But how a group acts compared to what they preach does impact many peoples decision. I know it did mine, back when I thought Christianity was one big group.

Why should a liberal be deterred from Christianity if he doesn’t like the conduct of conservative fundamentalists? If they agree with Christian theology, that should be enough for wanting to become a Christian. The way fundamentalists behave should have no bearing on their choice on becoming a faithful adherent of Christ.
There are still lots of liberals that are part of a Christian church, and there are churches that are more in line with liberal views. And the article is taking about those becoming "nones", not atheists. They may still believe, they just aren't part of a church right now.
 
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Paulos23

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If resisting sin and becoming like Christ drives people away then they have no right to call themselves Christians in the first place. One has to recognize sin before they can recognize the value of Christ's teachings
I think the issue for some people is what is called a sin as well as how you treat others. Some Chistians focus on the person more than the sin, while some focus on the sin more than the person.
 
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2PhiloVoid

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I agree, it is not the sole reason, but it is an explanation that fits the timeline and the facts so it could be a big reason that many are leaving.

I can understand some of the regrets one may have over the so-called Christian Right, but there is also the choice of exploring other, perhaps more expansive (maybe more correct, even?) forms of the Christian faith rather than throwing the Christ baby out with the bath water. ;)
 
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