Have Politics and Causes Replaced Traditional Religion?
Many surveys taken over the past decade show a decline in church membership and also in the number of people who define themselves as Christian, or any other major religious faith. I have read many articles and theories about the cause of this decline: from the church crowd, from sociologists, from professors, research analysts, journalists, pundits and the like. It is certainly an interesting topic of discussion. One theory I read really struck a chord with me. The more I have pondered it, the more sense it seems to make. So, I am sharing the idea now: Politics and Causes have become the religion for some (perhaps too many) in the modern world.
Think about this for a minute. If you were to take an “honest” poll (where people simply spoke the truth rather than thinking about what the pollsters want to hear or whatever paints themselves in the best light) of some of the hard-line supporters of some of these causes: Pro-Choice, Earth First, PETA, Greenpeace, etc.; you would find they are very rarely members of an organized religious group, but their passions for their causes run as deep as your average devout Evangelical Christian Pentecostal church member. I mean, if you are willing to get on a boat, sail to the Antarctic region and try to disable whaling boats by ruining their engines; you are certainly more passionate about your cause than many Christians or Jews I know. I don’t know many Sunday School members who will live in a tree for months at a time for their beliefs.
My point is, these activists are as ardent and fervent in their beliefs as your stereotypical Shiite Muslim is to their faith. They feel as though they are saving the world, the way many Christians feel. Some are willing to resort to acts of defiance and even violence in the pursuit of their cause. Or in other words, their politics and causes have become their religion.
With such passion and devotion, comes many things, good and bad. They are frequently tireless workers for their cause, very devoted, very dedicated. However, such a blind devotion brings baggage as well. To demonstrate this, I offer the following to consider.
Nearly every left-leaning cause group has members who profess to be open-minded, first amendment loving members of society. Their enlightenment comes not from the Bible or the Koran, but from some higher learning or caring about a particular cause. Yet when you get right down to it, they tend to be just as animated, close-minded and intolerant as your typical Pat Robertson supporter.
As evidence, I offer a recent example. Look at the forthcoming Tim Tebow Super Bowl Ad promoting a Pro-Life decision his mother made in the past. If you don’t know the story, read here: http://abcnews.go.com/WN/tim-tebow-super-bowl-ad-cbs-air-controversial/story?id=9667638
Several groups have written, called and protested for CBS to pull the ad from the Super Bowl lineup. Why? Have they see the commercial and found it to contain untruthful or overtly offensive material? No. According to those at CBS who previewed and allowed the ad to air, it does not even contain the words abortion or pro-life. It simply tells the story of how Tim Tebow exists today only because his mother made a choice some of these groups don’t agree with, a Pro-Life choice. I will admit I have not yet seen the ad either, but there is no way CBS is going to flush their corporate image for the revenue from one single ad. If it were that offensive, they would simply pass.
However, a spokeswoman from the National Organization For Women said of the ad, "It is hate masquerading as love. It sends a message that abortion is always a mistake.” Really? You know this even though nobody in your group has seen the ad yet? No, they are simply spewing the same kind of intolerance they so frequently accuse their opponents of having. The only message I take from it is this: “We are Pro-Choice, as long as you make OUR choice.”
They don’t want to debate viewpoints, allow for public discourse, and try to have their opinion prevail; they want to extinguish any whisper or thought of opposition. They don’t view Tim Tebow as a decent role model; he is the enemy. Do you still think members of that organization don’t hold their political views in the same esteem as the 10 Commandments?
Thankfully, very few Pro-Choice people are like this. Most are just average Americans with a viewpoint, the same way not all Christians agree with Pat Robertson’s agenda or ideas.
I could include the Michael Vick story, or the Greenpeace whaling stories, or even stories about nominating Supreme Court Justices as more examples of overzealous or extreme “cause” members who have taken to extremes in support of their causes and beliefs. In each case, you can find examples of people who are willing to go to extraordinary lengths to have their cause prevail.
The idea of Politics and Causes becoming a religion for some doesn’t sound quite as far fetched as it did 3 minutes ago, does it? Is it any wonder that Politics and Causes have become these huge battlegrounds in our society today? One group feels as though they are answering to a higher authority, while the other group thinks they ARE the higher authority.
I could continue writing so much more on this, but I simply wanted to put forth the idea for now. See how others react to this idea after they ponder it for a bit. This is how a good debate and discussion can begin.
Think about this for a minute. If you were to take an “honest” poll (where people simply spoke the truth rather than thinking about what the pollsters want to hear or whatever paints themselves in the best light) of some of the hard-line supporters of some of these causes: Pro-Choice, Earth First, PETA, Greenpeace, etc.; you would find they are very rarely members of an organized religious group, but their passions for their causes run as deep as your average devout Evangelical Christian Pentecostal church member. I mean, if you are willing to get on a boat, sail to the Antarctic region and try to disable whaling boats by ruining their engines; you are certainly more passionate about your cause than many Christians or Jews I know. I don’t know many Sunday School members who will live in a tree for months at a time for their beliefs.
My point is, these activists are as ardent and fervent in their beliefs as your stereotypical Shiite Muslim is to their faith. They feel as though they are saving the world, the way many Christians feel. Some are willing to resort to acts of defiance and even violence in the pursuit of their cause. Or in other words, their politics and causes have become their religion.
With such passion and devotion, comes many things, good and bad. They are frequently tireless workers for their cause, very devoted, very dedicated. However, such a blind devotion brings baggage as well. To demonstrate this, I offer the following to consider.
Nearly every left-leaning cause group has members who profess to be open-minded, first amendment loving members of society. Their enlightenment comes not from the Bible or the Koran, but from some higher learning or caring about a particular cause. Yet when you get right down to it, they tend to be just as animated, close-minded and intolerant as your typical Pat Robertson supporter.
As evidence, I offer a recent example. Look at the forthcoming Tim Tebow Super Bowl Ad promoting a Pro-Life decision his mother made in the past. If you don’t know the story, read here: http://abcnews.go.com/WN/t
Several groups have written, called and protested for CBS to pull the ad from the Super Bowl lineup. Why? Have they see the commercial and found it to contain untruthful or overtly offensive material? No. According to those at CBS who previewed and allowed the ad to air, it does not even contain the words abortion or pro-life. It simply tells the story of how Tim Tebow exists today only because his mother made a choice some of these groups don’t agree with, a Pro-Life choice. I will admit I have not yet seen the ad either, but there is no way CBS is going to flush their corporate image for the revenue from one single ad. If it were that offensive, they would simply pass.
However, a spokeswoman from the National Organization For Women said of the ad, "It is hate masquerading as love. It sends a message that abortion is always a mistake.” Really? You know this even though nobody in your group has seen the ad yet? No, they are simply spewing the same kind of intolerance they so frequently accuse their opponents of having. The only message I take from it is this: “We are Pro-Choice, as long as you make OUR choice.”
They don’t want to debate viewpoints, allow for public discourse, and try to have their opinion prevail; they want to extinguish any whisper or thought of opposition. They don’t view Tim Tebow as a decent role model; he is the enemy. Do you still think members of that organization don’t hold their political views in the same esteem as the 10 Commandments?
Thankfully, very few Pro-Choice people are like this. Most are just average Americans with a viewpoint, the same way not all Christians agree with Pat Robertson’s agenda or ideas.
I could include the Michael Vick story, or the Greenpeace whaling stories, or even stories about nominating Supreme Court Justices as more examples of overzealous or extreme “cause” members who have taken to extremes in support of their causes and beliefs. In each case, you can find examples of people who are willing to go to extraordinary lengths to have their cause prevail.
The idea of Politics and Causes becoming a religion for some doesn’t sound quite as far fetched as it did 3 minutes ago, does it? Is it any wonder that Politics and Causes have become these huge battlegrounds in our society today? One group feels as though they are answering to a higher authority, while the other group thinks they ARE the higher authority.
I could continue writing so much more on this, but I simply wanted to put forth the idea for now. See how others react to this idea after they ponder it for a bit. This is how a good debate and discussion can begin.
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