Faith is often confused with values. There was once the assumption that people of faith shared ideals such as sobriety, monogamy, abstinence of sex before marriage, honesty, an abhorrence of pornography, respect for human life and personal responsibility and accountability in all actions especially dealings with fellow human beings. There was a time in America when the majority of people, most of whom were believers and members of some religious denomination were part of a consensus that shared those values. However over the past fifty years America has entered a neo pagan era. A large percentage of the people, nearly a majority has embraced hedonism,pornography, drug use, tolerates homosexuality and all its permutations, widespread abortion, earth and celebrity worship. It is not surprising that these people are agnostic, have left religion or embraced pseudo religious organizations that embrace those values. The decline in religious affiliations and the decline in attendance at services, reflects a loss of faith but also a fundamental shift in values. Face it. There no longer exists a reasonable social consensus in the United States.
Very, very well stated, Allendale!
I don’t believe there ever has been at any point “a reasonable social consensus in the United States.” The “good old days” may have been so for some, but hardly for most.
But I do believe the Democratic Party, throughout its history and on every level, has been single-minded in its efforts to ENSURE that nothing approaching “a reasonable social consensus” can be achieved. Indeed, the Democratic Party has always thrived on fomenting chaos and us-vs-them-ism.