Religion isn’t usually about what we think of when we say “religion.” Sure, Christianity, Islam, etc., these are religions. Most of the time religion influences us in other areas.
Religion’s worst effects aren’t noticeable until we really say what religion is. Religion happens when I want to hang on to a preferred idea regardless of the idea’s reality or not.
It may be a part of my worldview that the sky is blue. If I don’t care what color the sky really is then we have religion. That the sky is actually blue isn’t relevant.
Or I might wish to hold the opinion that vaccinating your kids is unhealthy. Religious idea, that, as every shred of evidence points entirely the other way.
Or I might wish to believe there is a difference between “micro-” and “macro-” evolution, and that the former happens but the latter doesn’t. Religious idea, again, because all of the evidence points to the opposite being true… points, in fact, to there not being any such thing as “micro-” or “macro-” versions. There’s just evolution.
Or we might wish to believe Barak Obama is an agent of change.
From naked capitalism:
To conclude, Geithner’s new plan will be closely scrutinized in capitals across the globe and will influence stakeholders’ view on the capacity, or inability, of the U.S. to address the financial crisis and to reform its institutions. The world is much in demand for competent leadership after a year of costly, improvised and inefficient bailouts. If Geithner’s plan receives a hostile welcome domestically, the ambition of the U.S. to lead again internationally, beginning at G 20, will suffer an instant blow. If the Obama Administration and Congress are unable to govern in the general interest at home, their influence abroad will thus dwindle accordingly.
Obama’s installation of a tax evader as his financial champion and his unwavering support of this person’s bad policies of rewarding those who broke the banks demonstrates a lack of concern for the general welfare. It also demonstrates a clear preference for the welfare of the fiscal elite.
Obama is much better situated somewhere between Clinton and Reagan in terms of his policies and rhetoric. This has been clear for a long time.
Religion rears it’s ugly head when people say that Obama is doing what he can for the American people. The evidence is clear. He isn’t. He’s doing what he can for the same business interests served by our government since at least the 1970’s.
Trained in a church to unthinkingly adopt worldviews which contradict obvious facts, our culture now turns to a solid, unabashed conservative capitalist to save our economy from conservative capitalism. And then we call him a change.
Yet another reason to avoid religion.
Yet another reason to avoid politics?
Maybe it’s time politics, like religion, stepped out of the arena for a while and we let something new step up.
Forgive me that I don’t have a solution, but it does seem, like religion, politics do not work properly and so more and more people are ‘converting’ or leaving the ‘church, so to speak.
Precisely what most do. And why we’re losing it.
Totally agree with you. I like the way you put that. People have left spirituality entirely because of religion messing that up. People have left politics for the same reason.