How Christian Fundamentalism Feeds the Toxic Partisanship of US Politics

[cleanhippie]

crossposted in GD
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021684543

When evangelicals attack 'the gay agenda' of an anti-bullying event in schools, something is sick in America's religious culture


October 29, 2012 | Mix It Up at Lunch Day is one of those programs that just seems like a nice thing to do.

The idea is that on one day of the school year, kids are invited to have lunch with the kind of kids they don't usually hang out with: the jocks mix with the nerds, lunch tables are racially integrated, et cetera. Sponsored by the Southern Poverty Law Center as part of their Teaching Tolerance division, it arose out of a broad effort to tackle the problems of bullying in the schools and bigotry in society – and it appears to have been effective in breaking down stereotypes and reducing prejudice. Over 2,000 schools nationwide now participate in the program, which is set to take place this year on 30 October.

You can argue about how permanent its effects are, or whether other approaches might be better, but the idea of making new friends in the lunchroom seems utterly benign. Right?

Wrong, as it turns out – at least, according to the American Family Association, a radical rightwing evangelical policy group. Mix It Up at Lunch Day is, in fact, part of "a nationwide push to promote the homosexual lifestyle in public schools," according to the AFA literature . The program "is an entry-level 'diversity' program designed specifically by SPCL (sic) to establish the acceptance of homosexuality into public schools, including elementary and junior high schools," warns the AFA website. "See if your child's school is on the list."

--snip--

The far right 's fixation on same-sex relationships is so ludicrous that it defines a sub-category of camp. But let's take a step back for a moment. The big question, the one that keeps coming back in every one of these skirmishes in the culture wars, is: why is the loudest religion in American politics today so much about hate?

http://www.alternet.org/how-christian-fundamentalism-feeds-toxic-partisanship-us-politics?page=0%2C1

It is, IMO, the failure of more liberal believers to stand up, speak out, and marginalize the right-wing zealots that is enabling them to have so much power. Sure, there are a few progressive churches and groups that do, but it is the general apathy displayed by not-right-wing-zealot-believers that exacerbates this issue.

If Karl Marx was correct, and religion is opiate for the masses, then one can understand how hard the habit is to kick. But kick it we must.

[lumpy]

1. No question that the Fundies infilterating into our political lives is leading to the demise

of this Democratic country if they are not stopped. They finally made it into the governance of the US and this was anticipated by some thinking people. The road to fascism is apparent if we don't rid the government of zealots who would gladly revise the Constitution of the US.

[cleanhippie]

2. How do we do that?

To me, the empirical evidence and rational and logical arguments that can be made to dismiss and marginalize the zealots ALSO threaten the deeply held beliefs of the more liberal believers, and that is why they fail to do anything about the wingnuts.

[rrneck]

4. I dont think rationality will do any good.

We'll never be able to tell someone, "Don't believe this - here's why...". People will always believe in something. If we give them somewhere to go, something else to believe in, then we've got a chance.

[trotsky]

3. It seems obvious to me...

that the primary reason liberal believers speaking out isn't doing much is because there are FAR more people who actually do subscribe to right-wing fundamentalist beliefs. No matter how much liberal Christians admonish others for focusing on right-wing fundie theology, that is the most common Christian viewpoint in this country.

And it upsets many liberal believers too much to acknowledge that fact, so they look for excuses. The media is biased, etc. Much easier to pretend all is well, attending their nice little church, being surrounded by like-minded believers so they can reassure themselves that they are a majority when they are clearly not.

[rug]

5. It's the failure of people who disagree, period, failing to speak up.

A good start would be not to hide one's belief's, whether they are religious or nonreligious.