Crossposted at Spiritual Awakening
This morning, I had the opportunity to read an interesting diary entry on Booman Tribune called Good Christians. The focus of this entry was to show how fundamentalism within religious groups is threatening to destroy the foundational principles upon which the United States was built. I can agree that religious extremists are ruling the day; however, the issue is more than fighting back to opposite these religious groups, in my opinion. The real issue arises when the discussion turns to dealing with the waves of “religious extremists” in a manner that is constructive and meaningful. The anger and frustration that is produced may not solve the problem, but only empower the extremists – otherwise know as “fighting fire with fire!” What is the end result? In most cases, tempers flare, name calling is the “tool du jour” and everyone ends up standing in their own corner of the room with arms folded, lips pouting and no real resolutions come to the surface. (The vision of two little kids standing in separate corners of a room glaring at each other comes to mind!)
The question is this: “What is the root cause for this push to impose a specific religious thought or dogma upon individuals who may or may not believe in that specific religious thought or dogma?” It is an answer that I believe needs to be determined before any meaningful progress can be made. To begin to see the answer, I believe that we have to stop trying to fix the “symptoms” of the problem. Anger is a result of emotional reaction to being pushed. But, anger, in and of itself, may not be the root cause. Individual religious beliefs vary greatly since we are all unique and have different life experiences. Many of the religious extremists feel current laws, policies, and rules do not reflect the religious foundation that “they believe” formed the United States. Feeling betrayed these extremists determined that political strength would be the only way to regain and change laws they see as “ungodly.” Having gained political status, the extremists have begun to pass new legislation to “right the wrongs” and “bring America back to God.”
These actions have brought opposition groups to the surface. These groups see the changes as “forcing a certain brand of religious dogma” upon their lives and it must be stopped to ensure individuals can live based on their set of beliefs. It is natural reaction to expect and no one should be surprised. As rhetoric grows on each side, anger begins to show with increasing intensity. Each side believes they are right and the other side is
“out to lunch.” The end results are no communication, understanding, or comprehension of the concerns being addressed. This produces a stalemate between the two factions. No real answers are known and finger pointing abounds.
So, what is the real disease? My opinion is it comes down to one simple phrase: lack of respect. There is such a drive to win, the goal has been forgotten. All of the hot button issues have one thing in common, a lack of respect towards the individual affected by the specific issue. There is no room to allow the individual to make a choice and live with the consequences of that choice. Forced compliance to a religious dogma diminishes the reason for belief in that dogma. Most religious concepts are based on belief, or faith in that concept. To impose that belief on others create tension and rebellion. Throughout known history, societies that imposed a specific belief system eventually were consumed and destroyed by opposing factions that did not see the belief system as applicable to their lives.
The next question would be: “Can we, as a society, have the patience to find the disease and follow the prescription for the cure?” That, I can not answer because patience is not I personally learned the easy way and human beings tend to want things resolve immediately. It is interesting to see that we, as adults, continue to revert back to our childhood when we can not get what we want. We see this kind of behavior in our kids and work hard to teach them that they just have to wait. However, applying it to our adult lives proves to be more difficult at times. This might be part of the disease as well. A lack of respect; the inability to find the disease; have the patience follow the prescription to resolve the disease.
Each day I think about the issues we faces and wonder what can I do personally, to find the real and meaningful solutions to each issues. I believe that regardless of the issue at hand, if we can not identify the disease in clear and easy to understand terms, our ability to discover and follow the prescription to cure the disease will not produce the desired results. This is very important since our society and way of life will depend on finding that root cause (disease) sooner, rather than later.
I understand where you’re coming from, but I have to disagree.
These are people who have given themselves permission to disrespect the lives, beliefs and very existence of people they have decided are evil/dirty/dangerous. How do you protect yourself from, and confront, people who think that way? This isn’t about winning, this is about the survival of a way of life.
I will talk w/ respect as best I can. I have many family members who subscribe to religious right dogma. I try hard, for my mother’s piece of mind, not to start arguments. When fundies at family gatherings raise their litany of complaints I ask for the subject to change, or I leave the room. I’m usually greated with a ramping up of the rhetoric. After a while you have to stand up and say enough.
A good example is the abortion issue. Now, using your prescription, we would start with a shared perspective that there are too many unwanted pregnancies. Lets work on birth control then, surely everyone could agree with that? Well, no, and even then there are going to be failures, so you’re back to abortion. Now we’re confronted with even the so-called allies using the language of the religious right when they talk about women’s health, so unwilling are they to confont the dogma. There IS no middle ground.
Respect can be shown only toward those who exhibit it toward others. Demanding that I and people like me “respect” their religious beliefs disarms me. It’s like taking away the shield and sword from a man in a sword fight.
I wish we were operating in a world that allowed us to resolved conflicts through reason, discourse, compromise, but we don’t live in that world.
You’ve expressed this beautifully, though, and I thank you for sharing it with me.
I can truly understand your side of this issue. The main focus of my thoughts is based on getting to the root cause so I ensure that I bring the right tools to address the problem. It is not my intention to “take away” your sword, but make sure that you bring the “correct weapon” (in other words, don;t end up bring a knife to a gun fight . . . figuratively speaking!).
To answer your question “How do you protect yourself from, and confront, people who think that way?” I would say that understanding the real intentions of these individuals is the key to finding the appropriate protection from their actions. If you are not aware of the deep seeded essence that causes the thoughts and actions in the first place, it becomes difficult to use the right resource in the correct measure.
On the abortion issue, you are correct in stating there is no middle ground. I guess my thoughts go beyond the actual process and look into the basic premise that every woman should have the option to decide what she wants to do. It’s not strictly about abortion, but the ability to make a conscience decision based upon her individual beliefs and needs.
Even as they pass these proposed laws, you and I would agree that abortions will continue to happen with dire results in many instances. It is the inability for an individual to decided for themselves that I see as the reason for the conflict and strife we are dealing with in today’s society.
Your statement on respect is on target! We may disagree but does not mean that we can not talk and gain understanding. Acceptance of an individual’s viewpoint is something that is disappearing and that is the part that scares me the most. It more about “conversion” than “acknowledgment” these days. Individuality is seen as being selfish these days and that also concerns me as well.
Thanks for your comments and I look forward to future opportunities to discuss this topic.
the main problem I see from the right is that their thinking is magical.
For example, I did a story last week on the level of black male unemployment in this country. I said that we should end the drug war as a part of the solution. A right wing site rebutted me by saying “how about black people just stop dealing and using drugs and go get jobs.”
Well, that is the same kind of thinking that says to women, “why don’t you not have sex if you aren’t prepared to be a mother.”
It makes sense in some kind of abstract way, but it is so divorced from reality that it is hard to know how to have respectful conversation with such people.
It’s a moral universe where the government never makes a policy that might help alleviate suffering, but where it is up to the government to punish the moral failings of its subjects.
Except we are not supposed to be ‘subjects’ of our government. We are supposed to be citizens with rights that protect us from our government and any attempts they make to dictate morality to us.
“Magical” is exactly it. If you define magic as “remaking reality by an act of will” — that is exactly what many fundamentalists are attempting to do. By attempting to eliminate any “truths” that conflict with their own, they are attempting to make their own truth into hard reality — or at least the reality as far as they can perceive it to be. Unfortunately, they are not the sole inhabitants of the reality they want to remake.
The root question, however, still remains why. Why is evolutionary development of life on earth a threatening concept–why does it MATTER whether Genesis (or anything else in the Bible) is literally word-for-word true? Why is it so vital for their beliefs that Good and Evil be so clearly defined, regulated and universal? Why is it more important to punish those who fall outside their definition of morality than help those who are suffering? Why this obsession with the law and punishment rather than justice and mercy? Why do they feel threatened by the existance of others whose beliefs or way of life is different than their own? Why do they tend to see a secular, civil state that does not reinforce their beliefs upon everyone to be a threat to them?
Why is there this underlying fear that if the reality around them does not perfectly reflect what they believe it “should” be, that the very foundations of their faith cannot survive it? Why is it so important that the world around them be so utterly predictable in its very nature?
The WHY has to be addressed, and the underlying fear and insecurity on all sides dealt with. Somehow…
the will to power. From the very first shaman at the beginning of human history it has been about power.
sybil has the right answer.
the funny thing is that as soon as they get power it will destroy them. why? because when you get power demands are going to be made on you and if you can’t deliver…well there it goes (see GOP 2006).
we’ve all heard about machevelli and unchecked power, but what i think he was really describing was the limits to any power however mighty it may at first seem.
Fundamentalism appeals because an authority figure offers a single, simple answer.
Fundamentalism holds no appeal for those who basically trust the universe. Unfortunately, it takes far more time to build trust than to destroy it.