Religion in America.

[lynxreign]

Religious people, especially religious conservatives, like to pretend that America is a deeply religious nation. Polls show that many people consider themselves religious. According to the last census, 80% of America is religious with the other 20% being athiest or agnostic. Part of that 80% is "pagan" of various types, of course.

What I found interesting was a story on NPR yesterday that discussed Army Chaplains. 80% of the people in the military blong to a church compared to only 50% of the general population. 50%! And a large portion of that 50% doesn't go every week or only goes on special occasions. America being a religious country is a myth. Perhaps we are a fairly spiritual country, but as I see it we're a highly secular society that gives lip service to religion because of a very loud minority.

As time goes on, this nation, and the world, are becoming more and more as I want them to be despite the best efforts of the reactionary people screaming that things were better in the caves.

Comments

[telepresence.livejournal.com]

Nah, I think America is legitimately religious compared to other first world industrialized nations. Between secular folks and heavy duty fundamentalists are an awful lot of quiet, boring churchgoers who aren't particularly hating or oppressing much of anyone.

[lynxreign.livejournal.com]

I'm not saying this country isn't religious compared to much of Europe, but it certainly isn't a "religious nation" the way the Right Wingers want to portray it. I'd also say it isn't one compared to many other non-European nations. We're probably less so than Poland or Italy too!

[telepresence.livejournal.com]

Well, if you mean the whole "this is a Christian Nation designed from the ground up to run on the basis of Biblical ideals and blah blah" type Fundie Right pronouncements, then yeah, I agree with you it's bunk.

[lynxreign.livejournal.com]

That and the "we need to be governed by the bible more now because that's what the vast majority believe anyway." We're a secular nation that likes to comfort itself on occasion with pretty stories about how we are moral and superior to others and won't cease to exist when we die.

[joncwriter.livejournal.com]

Let's not forget our inalienable right to have a John Williams score in the background as we pontificate about our morality...

[head58.livejournal.com]

I agree with the John Williams score bit but disagree on the morality bit.

[lynxreign.livejournal.com]

So you'd like to see it changed to: our inalienable right to have a John Williams score in the background as we pontificate?

[head58.livejournal.com]

As long as I get the Williams score I don't care what I have to be doin'!

[chaoticmoth.livejournal.com]

Religion is a crutch for those who have to believe in some reason to act in a way considered moral by most standards. People have a hard time being good for no reason, and are immediately suspected of being up to something. But if you say you are being good because it falls under WWJD, then it is okay.

Without religion, people ask what is to prevent society from dissolving into complete chaos. Unfortunately the largest amount of chaos in the world usually has religion as a direct component.

well...

[qahawthorne.livejournal.com]

sometimes it is a crutch. not always.

Re: well...

[chaoticmoth.livejournal.com]

That's true, I did take it to the extreme, but in general I feel that religion is something people put their faith in because they need structure in their lives, or some sort of guidance, and they use religion as an off-the-shelf kit.

A religion is just a cult with more followers. I remember reading a long "warning" years ago about a cult that was prevalent, it talked about the chanting responses in unison, being expected to give money to support the deity being worshipped and the works being done by his followers, that ritualized cannibalism was practiced, etc... and at the end it points out the description above was for Catholicism.

[editswlonghair.livejournal.com]

That's ironic, because it is because of Army Chaplains that I was raised an Agnostic. My father was a church going Roman Catholic until he was in Vietnam and the chaplain used to tell them to 'go kill Gooks for God.' My parents rased me to be spiritual, inquisitive, but NOT religious. I have always taken a dim view of religion, until I went to a synagogue w/ M once. The rabbi actually called the Bible a collection of camp fire stories and parables. Actually, I just watched a documentary about Jesus' 'missing years' last night, and a reverend they interviewed said, "The Bible is not a history book although it has history in it. There are things about food in it, but you wouldn't call it a cookbook would you?" If more religious leaders were more pragmatic like this and there was less orthodoxy, I would have an easier time accepting religion as a force for good in the world.

:)

[qahawthorne.livejournal.com]

I love religious leaders like that. We had the best guest-reverend once...he'd be quoting from zen works, talking about Buddha, and suddenly talking about feminist ideology or something. Fascinating sermons, religious and spiritual and meaningful and just thought-provoking, and never blahblahblahBibleblahblah.

[lynxreign.livejournal.com]

Sadly the point of the story was that the military chaplaincy has become innundated with Evangelical Christians. 60% I believe. These idiots won't even try to minister to everyone without trying to convert them. The article actually said they're not like "Father Mulcahee" (or however it is spelled) from M*A*S*H and held him up as the ideal.