Losing Their Religion

As believers in faith and ritual over science, perhaps it's not surprising that they failed to heed the basic laws of physics.

Most people understand that when a pendulum is pushed too far in one direction, it will eventually, inexorably swing back just as far to the opposite side. This is the natural order of things, and it tends to apply across the board -- even to that bulwark of chaos theory, politics.

Is it any surprise then that America's Evangelical Christians, who for the past eight years have been allowed an astonishing level of ascendency within the corridors of power and in the determination of policy, now find themselves all but sidelined in the 2008 presidential race -- literally, a voting bloc without a candidate? Although nothing is -- if you'll pardon the pun -- carved in stone, it would seem that yesterday's John McCain victory in Florida has made his fast-track to the Republican nomination all but inevitable, and that effectively leaves the Jesus-Said-It-That-Settles-It crowd without a seat at the executive table.

I wish I could say I was sorry to see them go, but the truth is I can hardly mask my delight -- and that's what's unfortunate.

I have no doubt that the far-right religious elements won't abandon politics altogether; the most cynical -- or devout, depending on the side of the aisle we're talking about -- would claim that God still has promises to keep, and as such needs his mortal attendants to continue fighting tooth-and-nail to bring his Earthly kingdom to fruition via White House provision. But from here on out, even the naive among the faithful are likely to understand that any lip-service paid to Evangelicals will be just that -- lip-service. There are no True Believers left in the race, only boilerplate politicians pimping themselves for the almighty vote. What's worse, neither McCain nor Obama or Clinton -- whichever Democrat claims the nomination -- has to worry about his or her rival laying absolute claim to the powerful fundamentalist voting bloc, which means that even the tokenism won't be ladled on as thickly.

The lamentable truth in all of this is that the needs of Evangelical Christians don't deserve to be disregarded or downplayed, nor did they ever. Like any segment of the American population -- anyone willing to take part in our supposed democracy -- they deserve equal consideration. The problem, of course, is that for the past eight years they've had those who disagree with their agenda at a monumental disadvantage; the deference they've been shown by the Bush administration, to say nothing of the iniquitous sycophants of the mercifully defunct 109th Congress, has at times seemed destined to turn America into an authoritarian theocracy.

And it's led to a backlash, naturally.

Although the Evangelicals themselves, as well as the far-right contingent in general, may be inclined to hang their heads for now and bide their time -- believing that they don't have a dog in this fight -- that would accomplish nothing. For nearly a decade this country has been held hostage by all-or-nothing, unilateral politics, the prevailing modus operandi of which was to crush the dissenting opinion. It's all but laid waste to the American system of government, causing some to wonder if Jeffersonian Democracy is an experiment that's failed outright.

It hasn't -- not yet anyway.

Thankfully, the Evangelical political juggernaut has been beaten back for the moment. But it will cast a long shadow in its absence and return to fiercely dominate the debate, unless we not only abandon the politics of division and exclusion but go so far as to impress upon the fringes the need for them to meet us in the middle.

If we don't, the pendulum will only swing back, leaving another group of Americans without a voice.

Follow Chez Pazienza on Twitter: www.twitter.com/chezpazienza

Comments

[fauxmccoy]

point well made, chez; a political vacuum sucks. i've always thought that if the right wing christians would be a little more christ-like and a lot less christian it wouldn't be so bad. in reality, it's the 'us vs. them' mentality that breaks down this country and it matters not who the players are.

[Zanti]

Oops. I meant to type,

"Is it not logical to favor the most probable answers instead of the answers that feed our prejudice?"

"Probably" answers, of course, are stabs in the dark.

[Zanti]

We are living in an authoritarian corporate state. It has nothing to do with religion or church rule--it's the rule of money. Of greed. Of power for its own sake.

Please stop scapegoating evangelical and fundamentalist Christians (of which I'm neither, by the way). Which, to 95 percent of Huff-Po's readers, are the only Christians presumed to exist, anyway.

Why blame faith for our state of affairs when greed and lust for power are infinitely more likely causes? Is it not logical to favor the most probably answers instead of the answers that feed our prejudice?

[eddiestardust]

Gandhi said that if christians acted in a christian manner, no one would want to be Hindu.

That's still the case today.

For at least some of the "Christian Coalition"
has never really been Christian.

They pick and choose their Christianity.
Just like some of my fellow Catholics do and we call theme "Cafeteria Catholics".

Now, of course, none of us is perfect and all of us need and desire forgiveness and grace from God to become better Christians.

At the same time though, not all Christians are of the "Cafeteria" type.

I hope that in the coming years we can again get away from being cafeteria types.

[Jimbo]

I will be more accepting of christians when they again advocate separation of church and state. The Middle East was once a wonder of knowledge, scholarship and understanding. But they allowed religion to intrude, the result you see today, with Iraq being an extreme example. One can hope that Iraqis can get over their religious biases and reconcile, but religionists being religionists that is not gonna happen. Our evangelicals for the most part are no different. Need evidence? How many are being taught creationism in our schools?

[iluvsam]

Now I can only hope for the day when religion completely disappears from all aspects of life.

[LeonBNJ]

The so called 'Religious Right' has fractured. Many of them tired of trying to change abortion laws and tired of the Republicans using them with promises not kept (on issues like abortion). There are splits over issues like with illegal immigration but don't want mass returns. Many are facing serious economic issues, the loss of good paying jobs and the health insurance crises. A growing split is over the war in Iraq, with it's costs in money, lives of Americans and Iraquis as well as the long term problems it presents in the Islamic world and encourages threats to Israel.
Some will go to McCain, some to woever the Demo canidate is or some will just not vote this year.

[Sciguy]

"The lamentable truth in all of this is that the needs of Evangelical Christians don't deserve to be disregarded or downplayed, nor did they ever. Like any segment of the American population -- anyone willing to take part in our supposed democracy -- they deserve equal consideration."

---

No. I'm sorry, but this is 2008. Among many things that are well-known in science are evolution and gravity. Both are theories in the scientific sense, but both are facts in the vernacular (everyday language usage). I will consider the evangelicals' point of view only long enough to discern that it's utter nonsense. Gobbledegook. Crap. Idiocy. And if they can't understand basic things like evolution, why should I think that they understand enough of any other issue to merit attention? They get too much already, if only because the rest of us have to fight them off every minute.

---

Somewhere along the line, we failed to teach those people science and critical thinking. I do apologise for that - I used to teach science. But that does not mean that I have to give equal time to hate groups (a better name for most evangelicals), flat-earthers, or anyone else who insists on wearing fact-proof blinders. If they ever develop points of view that have actual merit, I'll listen. Until then - nope.

[OncevotedRepub]

That business about the pendulum etc. etc.-- isn't that some kind of SCIENCE?

Actually my hope is that the Religio-dixiecrats will nominate someone (is Pat Robertson still alive?), just on priciple, of course.............

[badmormon]

Can't the faith based people just pray and get a candidate. Afterall, religion is all about the world of magic.

[rwe]

the evangelcal card is way over rated . Yet the Perceived disdain for Christianty by the left is prevelant , even to the point that hillary and Barack have to campaign in churches. The AA Christian contingent is a big concern for Barry. McCain still has amicable ties with Mitt and Huck . The right has not lost their religion . The left though still has yet to grasp it yet.

[JonathanLatroy]

Another huge factor is that large portions of the "Christian community" are awakening and realizing that "Christian" does NOT mean "Republican." Many people of faith are able to see that a candidate like Barack Obama reflects Christian values much more than what the Republicans have to offer. After all, contrary to what the religious-right would say, there's a lot more in the Bible besides "abortion and gay marriage." That's why the right-wing, so-called "Christians" mounted those email campaigns accusing Obama of being a Muslim. Well, guess what, it didn't work.
Voters of faith are smart enough to realize that Obama IS a Christian, but just happens to recognize a little thing called "separation of Church an State." So, rather than dividing the country over religious beliefs, he's willing to unite the country. And while his platform no doubt draws from his Christian values, they're those values that people of any (or no) faith can also agree on.
But, as far as the religious-right goes, I'm still puzzled as to why they haven't thrown their support behind Mike Huckabee. After all, isn't he a Baptist preacher? They should be eating him up like pancakes.

[desertdweller]

Unfortunately, the religious right will probably "hold their sanctimonious noses" and support McCain. This speaks volumes regarding the strength of their so-called moral convictions. Many of them would vote for Charles Manson if he were the only way to keep a Librul out of the White House, particularly if a couple of Supreme Court appointments are at stake. The hypocrisy of it all....

[Herrington]

Beg to differ but the pendulum has yet to swing. It hovers there at its asymptote, with all the kinetic energy it needs, but is arrested there.

It needs the outcome of an election the scope of this November's to begin to move, if it is to move at all.

And fine if the American political scene looses the random insanity of the Christian Right, but they are only enablers in a fight that they do not even comprehend. They do not comprehend that in fact the Democrats, the "secular progressives" of O'Riely, are in fact assuring their future by adhering to the one covenant they disdain, separation of church and state.

They equally do not understand, even as David Kuo revealed it to them, that the Republicans do not give a rat's ass about the evangelicals if they do not show up to vote Republican.

They further do not understand that not only are the Republicans indifferent to their quaint ideas, that the Republicans will steal from them as readily, and have, as they will steal from any other hopelessly naive American.

It is good they are diminished, but who really needs to be barred from government influence are the corporate lobbyists and the inner circle of ultra rich king makers. That is the fight, in which evangelicals are a hindrance. And on the balance, a few million crackpots can be tolerated while the rape and destruction of America for profit can't be and have it still survive.

[BillZBubb]

It seems to be McCain has done plenty of sucking up the religious nuts. If he wins, they'll still have a big say because they are a big block in the RepubliCLOWN idiocracy.

And the naivette of suggesting that "we have to abandon the politics of division" makes me cringe. It's baloney--THEY ARE THE DIVIDERS. Why? Because they long ago abandoned compromise as a worthy and honorable course of action. They are zealots.

We should work with those who are willing to work with us. We should kick to the curb the fanatics.