Why do blue collar workers fight unions that would clearly benefit them? Why would soccer moms oppose clear air and water regulations that keep their families safe?
Why would intelligent, well educated people take political stands that are not in their best interests and clearly do not benefit them?
How Religion's Demand for Obedience Keeps Us in the Dark Ages explains these paradoxes by tracing the role of religious teaching through history.
The most fervent advocates of religion in the modern world are also the most deeply inculcated with the mindset of command and obedience, which has dangerous consequences.
The religious right plays an unusual role in American politics, especially recently. Their emphasis on obedience and rigorous respect for church law is revealing. Obedience is revered far more than reason.
We thought birth control controversies were settled 40 years ago, but they have become a contentious issue once again. Most American Catholics do NOT adhere to their church's teachings on the subject. Reason is triumphing over repression, but this is not universally the case.
This is a follow up to an earlier post How the Top 1% Exploits the Other 99% which featured another AlterNet article How Christian Fundamentalism Helped Empower the Top 1% to Exploit the 99%
If your religious and spiritual practices expand, enhance and empower your participation in democratic activities and your enjoyment of life, it is serving you well. If it restricts and restrains your reason and abilities to respond to life challenges intelligently, reject it.
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