Posted on 03/17/2018 10:28:42 AM PDT by Pontiac
“All true philosophy must opt between these two hypotheses: either a new religion is going to come into existence or Christianity will be rejuvenated in some extraordinary way,” wrote Joseph de Maistre. But this speaks less to individuals (who may be theists or atheists) than it does to society, which is theistic by nature. “If the religious spirit is not reinforced in this part of the world, the social bond will dissolve,” Maistre warned.
Maybe that’s why both North Korea and the Soviet Union became more cultish as their regimes wore on. Maybe at the start they earnestly thought they could erase religious patterns of thought, only to realize later on that this need to believe in—and to belong to—something greater than oneself must find its expression. Religion, for all purposes, is the social bond. It’s the one thing we cannot do without. (That’s why Edmund Burke called society a spiritual unity, not an organic one.) If we can’t have the real thing, we’ll find a substitute.
Because roughly 70 percent of Americans identify as Christian, conservatives like to think we’re still basically a Christian nation. But that’s only our privately held faith. Christian conservatives no less than liberal atheists balk at any whiff of theocracy. (Consider Rusty Reno’s and Rod Dreher’s responses to the Mortara debate.) But that doesn’t mean America has evolved beyond the need for a corporate religious identity.
Indeed, American politics makes more sense if we look at the issue through a sectarian lens. There are fundamental, almost metaphysical, differences between the various factions vying for control of the republic.
(Excerpt) Read more at theamericanconservative.com ...
Politics is a world view mounted on a truck chassis.
Ladder frame huh.
Pretty ridged.
Politics (i.e. self interest) trumps everything!
Politics is nothing more than coalitions of individuals with shared self interests striving together to promote those interests in the public arena.
Unfortunately, I would say the reverse is often true;
most religious theologies of today are a form of politics.
Politics, what you believe in, is your god. It is religion. People chose and act upon their religion, their beliefs.
we agree fully!
I suppose I am being picky but that is more of a definition of political PARTIES than politics.
Parties are the nations. Politics is the war.
I am not necessarily disagreeing but taking a slightly different tack.
Religion, if you truly believe must inform your politics.
For instance; abortion. If you are truly a Catholic you can not stand with the Democrats. Abortion has become a litmus test issue for the Democrats. If you as a primary candidate run for a national office and chose to run as an anti-abortion candidate you will not get party money and probably will be campaigned against by your own party’s leadership
There are other issues of faith have also become political hot buttons like gay marriage.
There is no way to separate faith and politics. This is why the 'Separation of Church and State' is in all reality no more than a political tool to silence conservatives.
I see your points.
If a man knows himself to be a spiritual kind of person, it’s near impossible to fully separate religion from politics completely from a secular or empirical perspective. There is a Yin and Yang balance going on at all times, like it or not.
If you read the full article it is the point the author makes.
There in reality is no secular government. Such a thing is impossible due to human nature.
If a man abandons his native religion, he will inevitably find or create another one.
Those that have adopted atheism do not actually have no religion they have adopted an anti-god. You will find that they do not ignore religion but find it necessary to attack the faith of others and proselytize for atheism.
Global Warming has become an article of faith on the left. Disagree and be met with anger. It is not a scientific theory to be rebutted or discussed dispassionately. No, Global Warming is a doctrinal fact of the religion of Gia.
The point being is that in man there is a need for religion that will not be denied. If you do not acknowledge and follow an established religion you will find yourself in a political cult or religious cult that may be malignant in nature.
I think this is why, so many Hollyweird types find themselves in cults like Scientology. They have abandoned the faith of their youth and adopted the popular secular belief system. They then find their lives a turbulent mess with no meaning and can’t help seeking meaning in something. This makes them easy targets of cults like Scientology.
Humans are wired by God to seek him out. If they don’t find him they find his imitator. Satan in his many guises.
“I suppose I am being picky but that is more of a definition of political PARTIES than politics.”
Politics is first and foremost about self interests that may be difficult to achieve as individuals acting alone, thus people with similar interests band together to create clubs, organizations, political parties, etc. to promote those mutual interests. So parties in our form of government are one of the tools to advance someone’s politics - i.e. interests.
Yes, something always rushes in to fill the vacuum of disbelief. I ways remembered this line: “Socialism is the religion people get when they lose their religion” Fr. Richard John Neuhaus, 1936-2009
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