Oldest Question, "Can we have a democracy without Christianity?"



The famous columnist, David Brooks, penned a long article in the NY Times lamenting the ceremony for the shooting victim, Charlie Kirk. Brooks is referred to as a moderate Republican and his piece went in that direction. He thinks of Christianity as a force for good in U.S. society but he did not like merging the Republican Party into a Christian denomination. This is what he saw in the Kirk funeral. 

Brooks, however, went off the rail when he wrote that the founding fathers advocated a nation with Christian values but one that is open to all beliefs. In the comments following the article a gazillion posters pointed out his misunderstanding of the diverse group called the founding fathers. There are many books available, and will be for centuries, debating the role the so-called founding fathers envisioned for religion. To begin with, they themselves were of several branches of the faith and, one could reasonably conclude, we not as a group very religious. Aside from the Constitution, thousands and letter survived from that time saved by family, friends and business associates. These letters revealed more about the founders' views on issues than any other source. There is not much deep faith revealed in letters and recorded recollections of conversations. 

The worst of David Brooks, however, was his use of the old saw, "Christianity contributes to a good society by providing an objective source of moral values." That is just as inaccurate as Kennedy Jr. saying Tylenol causes autism. If anything, Christianity is the source on no moral valuers or bad ones. Has Brooks ever read the Bible?

Certainly, we can have a democracy without Christianity. There is no relationship between the belief that one's vote counts and what religion is practiced. That people see the votes as important enough to participate is not related to whatever religion happened to be the dominant. Something I read decades ago has stuck in my mind. It was a reporter in India walking among villages and farmers talking about politics in India. One illiterate farmer, a Hindu of course, explained how it worked, "Prime Minister (Indera) Gaunde was in for a term and she failed. We voted her out. Now she's in again. If she fails again we'll do the same." 

We need a funeral to bury the false notion Christianity is necessary for a democracy. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ancient God, Bel (Baal), the Main Character in an Ancient Play

Image
In a British museum is a preserved stone tablet from Babylon. It dates to about 2,000 BCE. Someone labored patiently to inscribe an entire passion play featuring the god Bel. I reiterate this is a stone tablet, not a recopied papyrus. The play begins with the god Bel arrested by soldiers and taken off the stage. He reappears at a trial in the Hall of Judgement. Bel is innocent but is sentenced to death. In the next scene Bel is accosted by a mob. He is despised and rejected. The actor playing Bel is then taken by guard to a hilltop in a sacred grove. Two criminals are taken with him. One of these is released. The the audience then leaves the theater and follows the actor Bel and his guards to the top of a hill where the death scene is enacted by hanging from a tree. The audience returns to the theater for the dramatic final scenes. The dead Bel is stripped and prepared for burial. On a theatrical hill to the side of the stage is a tomb where the body is placed. A stone is rolle...
Read more

What Was the "Argument" in the Election

Image
I hate to add my blog to the piles of blogs and pundits analyzing and pondering the meaning of the just passed election. But that's what I feel like doing today. I've always like Senator Ted Cruz's summary of politics. He once said, "First, win the argument. Then, win the election." I think there is a way of applying that to anti abortion Catholics and Protestants. The link talks of Catholics who now feel they have no political home because Republicans let them down with Trump but they remain against abortion rights. Taking Cruz's win-the-argument thesis, I'd call the past election about an argument between two groups. One group's argument was, "Trump's a jerk." The other's argument was, "Abortion is wrong." The group, "Trump's a jerk," won the argument and then the election.  While one can argue the election, or any election, it about more complex issues, I believe in the end elections hinge on very simple ar...
Read more

Time to Forget the Christian Nation Thing

Image
While women are forbidden from being priests/preachers in some branches of Christianity thank goodness they are not forbidden from writing and lecturing about Christianity. A great article about the "Christian nation" notion shows us the U.S. is not a Christian nation and hopefully never will be. It is written by a woman with nerve and was published on a very Christian site, Christian Post.  Among the pilgrims were a few that wanted to establish a utopian Christian society. Some of their brethren stayed behind in Europe hoping the push aside worldly forces there and bring sinners to God. Today, whether it is the anti abortion, anti gay/trans, anti immigration or the put prayer back in schools branch there are those who want a version of what some pilgrims wanted, a utopian Christian society. The pilgrims were disappointed. Today's Christian utopians will be also. Here is why. The children of pilgrims did not believe the same things as their parents. Parents were roundly d...
Read more