Gallup: Drop in U.S. Religiosity Among Largest in World

[Larniavc]

I think it's pretty clear they're most likely going to go with an empty suit with a flashy smile.

Isn’t that every American president ever? It’s always been a flashy smile competition. It’s all surface visuals. When was the last short ugly American President?

That’s why America is in its current state. It elects hi riz Presidents.

 

[Bradskii]

You put far too much stock into voting...

I'd rather have the vote in an imperfect system then not have the vote in another imperfect system which would also see everyone's lives dictated to by religious beliefs.

So that would be a secular system as opposed to a theocracy.

 

[Fervent]

I'd rather have the vote in an imperfect system then not have the vote in another imperfect system which would also see everyone's lives dictated to by religious beliefs.

As long as the cage has a wheel and a water bottle, huh?

So that would be a secular system as opposed to a theocracy.

Yeah, still not seeing a reason to give blanket preference other than inherent suspicion of religion.

 

[Fervent]

In which western democracy has this happened?

Most are somewhere between stage 1 and stage 2. We already see blasphemy laws starting to be enforced in the UK covertly...won't be long until Islam has a privileged status there, and then they'll start pressing towards stage 3.

 

[Fervent]

Isn’t that every American president ever? It’s always been a flashy smile competition. It’s all surface visuals. When was the last short ugly American President?

Good question...Taft?

That’s why America is in its current state. It elects hi riz Presidents.

That and the fact that everyone believes congress sucks, but keep sending the same people back year after year because they don't think its their guys doing it.

It's like grocery stores where 5 companies are responsible for like 90% of the available food...the illusion of choice.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

"What" was trying to make head or tails of you odd request that the "Democratic Left Deconstructionists" analyze your second-rate apologetics and 4th rate "comedy". Unless you know that no such persons can be found here...

I wasn't doing "ah-pollock-jetticks," Hans. Just because someone drops a name like C.S. Lewis in their sentence doesn't necessarily imply a 'defense for the Christian faith' is being presented. But you have my sympathy, though; I can understand your confusion.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

If an idea cannot compete in the market place of ideas it quickly falls from prominence.

Which 'idea' are you referring to? Nietzsche's concept of ressentiment ?

 

[Bradskii]

Yeah, still not seeing a reason to give blanket preference other than inherent suspicion of religion.

It's because you avoid actually reading the posts explaining them to you. I'd keep repeating them but...I learned that lesson.

 

[Fervent]

It's because you avoid actually reading the posts explaining them to you. I'd keep repeating them but...I learned that lesson.

I've read the posts, you are infatuated with the illusion of ownership that "voting" gives you and seem to base that as the sole criteria. As I am pessimistic about democracy on multiple levels, I don't find the idea of voting particularly compelling as a reason to prefer one government to another. Beyond that, your sole complaint about theocracy appears to be that it involves religious texts.

And its not my fault you think that repeating points that have already been addressed is somehow going to make them compelling the second and third time around.

 

[BCP1928]

Critical Theory is the removal of economics from Marxism. That's not me saying so...the creators of Critical Theory stated that up front.

Critical Theory can thus be applied to a number of other movements. But one central component of Critical Theory brought over from Marxism is the proposal of eternal class conflict between Oppressor and Oppressed, which in Critical Theory is not economic class but other classifications such as race and sex.

Thus, in Critical Race Theory, the eternal class conflict is and will _always_ be between whites and non-whites. In this eternal conflict of Critical Theory, there can never be reconciliation, treaty, or compromise between whites and non-whites.

In Radical Feminism, the eternal class conflict is between males and females with males as the oppressors, and there can never be reconciliation, treaty, or compromise between them.

The only acceptable outcome in Critical Theory is vanquishing the Oppressor.

And you claim that is the sole and entire driver of Demcratic policy. Can you give some examples? For instance how does Critical Theory form the basis of a policy in favor of universal health care?

 

[BCP1928]

As long as the cage has a wheel and a water bottle, huh?

Yeah, still not seeing a reason to give blanket preference other than inherent suspicion of religion.

Not "inherent" supicion. It's based on well-earned reputation.

 

[Fervent]

Not "inherent" supicion. It's based on well-earned reputation.

Hardly. Mostly it's revisionist history and a lack of perspective, combined with recency bias.

 

[BCP1928]

Hardly. Mostly it's revisionist history and a lack of perspective, combined with recency bias.

If that were the case, wouldn't there be more support for it amongst believers? As to recency bias, wouldn't that work in your favor? Christians haven't tended to burn and torture people for doctrinal errors in some time.

 

[Fervent]

If that were the case, wouldn't there be more support for it amongst believers?

Believers are just as infected by the kind of historical biases as unbelievers, if not more so due to a sense of corporate culpability.

As to recency bias, wouldn't that work in your favor? Christians haven't tended to burn and torture people for doctrinal errors in some time.

Recency bias works in the favor of secular government because its the current model, any change would be disruption of the status quo and that's always resisted.

 

[BCP1928]

One thing stands out clear: This discussion is about declining religiousity and the response seems to be that it cannot possibly be the fault of organized religion, but must be due to some malevolent counter-force. If they can blame it on political opponents, as is happening here then they get a twofer.

 

[Fervent]

One thing stands out clear: This discussion is about declining religiousity and the response seems to be that it cannot possibly be the fault of organized religion, but must be due to some malevolent counter-force. If they can blame it on political opponents, as is happening here then they get a twofer.

The decay extends far beyond religion, and is a general decay of traditional authority as the public catches up with the post modern movement and it's post-truth, solipsistic turn. Everyone fancies themselves their own master, failing to recognize that there is no real freedom in that only chains that are comfortable. As for the political element, I think that's a bogeyman you're jumping at rather than an accurate assessment of what people have been saying in this thread.

 

[BCP1928]

The decay extends far beyond religion, and is a general decay of traditional authority as the public catches up with the post modern movement and it's post-truth, solipsistic turn.

Sounds like two different issues.

Everyone fancies themselves their own master, failing to recognize that there is no real freedom in that only chains that are comfortable. As for the political element, I think that's a bogeyman you're jumping at rather than an accurate assessment of what people have been saying in this thread.

Yet the malevolent force that the decline in religiosity is being attributed to is painted as being uniquely embodied in Democrats and the Democratic party.

 

[Fervent]

Sounds like two different issues.

Not at all, it's a symptom of hyper-individualism

Yet the malevolent force that the decline in religiosity is being attributed to is painted as being uniquely embodied in Democrats and the Democratic party.

That's not how I'm reading most of the discussion, as the two don't seem to be being linked directly by anyone but you. The discussion of the ills of the democrats/democratic party has mostly been a response to blanket statements about conservatives/Republicans. It's not blaming them for a decline in religiosity, as that would be the tail wagging the dog.

 

[durangodawood]

The decay extends far beyond religion, and is a general decay of traditional authority as the public catches up with the post modern movement and it's post-truth, solipsistic turn. Everyone fancies themselves their own master, failing to recognize that there is no real freedom in that only chains that are comfortable. As for the political element, I think that's a bogeyman you're jumping at rather than an accurate assessment of what people have been saying in this thread.

I mostly blame traditional authorities. Theyve been moral laggards and often simply corrupt and self serving. I dont blame the public for its declining regard for traditional authority.

For sure some of the alternatives to traditional authority have been really bad. But this sometimes failed searching seems like a phase the culture just has to go through. I dont see a realistic alternative. Traditional authority made itself irrelevant, as happens over and over in human history. We'll get to the other side of this, potential catastrophes notwithstanding.

 

[Fervent]

I mostly blame traditional authorities. Theyve been moral laggards and often simply corrupt and self serving. I dont blame the public for its declining regard for traditional authority.

To an extent, but it's been a long, slow, process towards an increasingly fractured society.

For sure some of the alternatives to traditional authority have been really bad. But this sometimes failed searching seems like a phase the culture just has to go through. I dont see a realistic alternative. Traditional authority made itself irrelevant, as happens over and over in human history. We'll get to the other side of this, potential catastrophes notwithstanding.

Yeah, we're seeing a shift towards more peer-based control systems and a shame-paradigm rather than a guilt one that traditional authorities made their bread and butter. In regard to religiosity, Christianity in particular, it calls for a re-contextualization of the gospel message away from the traditional guilt and punishment, to one that emphasizes the freedom from shame and the endurance of public humiliation Jesus went through on the cross. But too many of the religious authorities are either trying to abandon all principles and bend to public sentiments, or embracing a self-image that explains public irrelevance and dwindling church attendance as part of the cost of dicipleship.