The War on Christians ...

[Paul Mackin]

On Dec 25, 2005, at 11:16 AM, Dave Monroe wrote:

> Fundamentalist religions are, by definition, by
> choice, the single most undemocratic insititutions on
> this planet, if not the single most undemocratic
> institutions possible, authorizing themselves by the
> unassailable word of perhaps-to-likely nonexistent,
> and certainly, at any rate, unelected beings.
>
> Similarly, perhaps, with science, except science
> ostensibly does without that ultimate being, if not
> perhaps the unassailable (?) statements of
> mathematics.
>
> However, every time I read something about
> Creationism, Creation Science, Intelligent Design,
> whatever, nigh unto inevitably cite polls claiming
> that fortysomething to fiftysomething percent of the
> population of These Here You Knighted States actually
> believe in this crap,

They may SAY they believe it, or HOPE in it, but a majority don''t  
seem to believe in it in the same way they believe in the pursuit of   
material success and well-being for them and their children. The here- 
and-now takes  precedence over the promised future for most of the  
Evangelicals including George W. Bush.

In some ways it's the same as for European workers who used to  
believe in Marxism and the promise of a future worker's paradise.  
Most weren't holding their breaths. Weren't dividing up their stuff  
with the neighbors.

Different historical development in the two regions account for one  
turning to  religion and  other to Marx or other earthly ideologies.





> not to mention angels, UFOs,
> whatever, making what I take to be the implicit claim
> that, hey, maybe science, or, at very least, the
> teaching thereof, should be democratized.

The courts apparently think not.

> So maybe you
> can see the contradiction(s) here ...

A lot of contradictions including the materialism of the present day  
followers of Jesus. The Calvinists thought that material success was   
a visible sign of Godly favor. But that's not quite the same as  
saying God favors material success. There's that "the last shall be  
first" business to factor in.

As far as the contradiction of democracy is concerned, democracy can  
be a can of worms as seems likely to be the case in Iraq.

Also, majority rule certainly isn't guaranteed to benefit capitalism.  
See Bolivia, Venezuela.

>
> At any rate, Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Kickin'
> Kwanzaa, Rockin' Ramadan, whatever ...
>
Same to you Dave, and to p-listers everywhere.