Ah, politics!

First of all the intent of this thread is not to start arguments over partisan issues. I have strong views and I’m sure anyone reading this probably does too. Think about the issues and vote your conscience. But as we gear up to the Presendential election this fall it seems to me important to take stock of where we are in our culture, re: the intersection of poltics and religion.

As I said, Basham’s book has create quite a stir. I’m not primarily going to focus on her critique of other evangelicals. Just make some observations from the perspective of an outsider who used to be one of the family. I grew up in the evangelical church. I speak the language.

*The first observation is so obvious that it might be easy to miss. The complete conflation of right wing politics and christian belief on display here. There is absolutely no seam showing between them. To this way of thinnking if you don’t agree with their political agenda, immigration, abortion, gender, gay rights, etc, you’re not simply mistaken or misinformed on the issues, YOU”RE NOT REALLY A CHRISTIAN!

Now don’t get me wrong, evangelicals have always tended to conservatism. My parents voted for Nixon because they didn’t want the Pope giving Kennedy marching orders. (Only Billy Graham could do that!) But I’m old enough to remember the “pre-political” church. I was raised to believe that the purpose of the church was to “save souls”, not pass legislation. You know, My kingdom is not of this world. How quaint that seems now. The change really started in the 1980s with the rise of the partisan political preachers and the Religious Right. Jesus says, vote my way! The church as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Republican Party. But a funny thing happened on the way to the sunday service. Rather than being content to be exploited, the bible-thumpers took over the Republican party.

What is dangerous here in my view is that these folks no longer believe in the seperation of church and state. Millions of Americans have come to believe that this country was founded to be a Christian Nation and that the laws should reflect that. Now these folks aren’t field stripping AK-47s in hopes of a revolution, but they do have a pernicious idea that directly attacks the foundation of our democracy. I hear it all the time. “Seperation of church and state is not mentioned in the Constitution.” True enough, the words themselves aren’t there. But consider the First Amendment.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…

The equation balances two factors. On one side, religious freedom. On the other, the government cannot favor one religion over another. The constitution intended to create a secular government, a neutral field where all parties can meet without threat to each other. Toleration, and coexistence. Sorry for the civics lesson, but attacks on this idea are attacks on our democracy. I don’t care what other people believe, really, I’m not militant in my unbelief. But this issue does set me off.

*My second observation rests on the psychological concept of Projection. Projection is defined as a defense mechanism where a person attributes their own thoughts, feelings, or traits onto someone else, either consciously or unconsciously. Notice as you watch the video how every criticism she has of the so-called “Left” is even more overwhelmingly true of her own viewpoint! Every issue she raises is mirrored in her own outlook.

Basham accuses the Evangelical Left of being supported by monied interests.
She accuses the Evangelical Left of being infiltrated by ideological interests.
She accuses the Evangelical Left of politicizing these debates.

What I wonder about is, as the definition says, is she projecting consciously or unconsciously? It’s hard to believe someone as media savvy as she obviously is can be that clueless. Is there a deliberate strategy going on here? I guess I’m too simpleminded for all that kind of deviousness. I’m left to wonder, is she a liar or a fool?

YouTube apologist Gavin Ortland, one of Megan Basham’s main targets, responds. Ortland is educated and rather more sophisticated than many of the current crop of apologists. But it’s hard to describe him as anything but conservative. His main crime seems to be the suggestion that, since human caused Climate Change is the current scientific consensus, maybe Christians should at least consider their arguments.

Here is a recent discussion of fundamentalism and evangelicalism. I find the perspective from someone inside the movement very interesting although I certainly don’t agree with everything he says. Ortland makes some points worth discussing.