False Gods

False Gods

"Safeguard Creation. Because if we destroy Creation, Creation will destroy us! Never forget this!" – Pope Francis

By J.M. Hamilton (5-31-2015)

There’s a great deal of news and studies out on the state of religious faith in America, various faiths’ beliefs in science, and the resulting political shakeout.  One of the charts that caught my eye was identified in a piece w/in the Washington Post (The surprising links between faith and evolution and climate denial — charted, by Chris Mooney), whereby America’s mainline faiths were lined up between two axis, denoting belief in evolution and belief in man’s impact on climate change (i.e. as indicated by greater support for environmental regulation).  Crunching data from the recent Pew Survey, most American mainline religions (Christianity being the primary religion) line up along an axis that either accepts or rejects, in many instances, evolution and man made climate change in fairly equal measure. 

What surprised the author at the Post and Josh Rosenau, from the National Center for Science Education, who took the Pew data and mapped out the graph, is the number of faiths that are accepting of man’s impact on the climate, and evolutionary theory.   However, beyond that, they are still attempting to draw conclusions (see graph here). 

For me, however, the graph is very revealing, when we couple it with other studies and findings.  As we will see shortly, Rosenau’s graph very much has a political component, as well as an educational component.  Those less likely to believe in manmade climate change and evolution, were fundamentalist Christians, such as Evangelicals, Pentecostals, and Baptists.  Those more likely to believe in same were conservative and secular Jews, Atheists, Agnostics, and Buddhists.  Falling in the middle ground are Mainline Protestant faiths, and Catholics (albeit more Catholics appear to believe in evolution than in climate change).  And now before we go much further some additional core analysis and facts:

·      The base of the Republican Party is largely made of socially conservative fundamentalist Christian groups, such as Evangelicals, Pentecostals, and Baptists.

·      A very recent Pew Study on Religion in America showed that from 2007 through 2014, the number of Americans self-identifying as Christians dropped from approximately 78% to 70%.  

·      The same study showed the religiously unaffiliated, or those as having no particular religious faith, during the same time frame, rose from 16% to 23%, almost a quarter of the U.S. population.  

·      Agnosticism and Atheism are clearly on the rise within this group, but more surprising still, or possibly not so surprising, are the number of former Christians, who have joined the unaffiliated camp.  Ex-Christians, among the adult population, now make up 19%.

·      A rising number of millennials are joining the ranks of the unaffiliated, or as having no religious faith.

·      Meanwhile, Mr. Thomas Edsal at the New York Times noted in a piece, back in 2012, entitled, The Politics of Going to College, that the more educated you are the less likely you are to vote Republican.  This was a hot topic in 2012, because Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum (yes, he’s back … he announced again this week) slammed higher education.  As a Republican, Mr. Santorum had good cause.  Demographics, the GOP’s lack of appeal to anybody other than white males, and the abandonment of the Republican Party by those with a higher education, would cost GOP nominee, Mr. Romney, the election (under circumstances and an economy that should have, presumably, led to a landslide victory in his favor).

·      In the last year or two, at least one Republican Governor, and leading GOP presidential contender, doubled down on the concept; Mr. Walker savagely cut the University of Wisconsin’s budget.  If fact, Governor Walker’s efforts can be best characterized as a full frontal assault on higher and public education.   

·      So if the GOP’s base are fundamentalist Christians, and the fundamentalist base – like the GOP – deny evolution and man’s harmful impact on the climate and the environment, and the educated are increasingly rejecting the Republican Party, does this mean that a large number of fundamentalist Christians in America lack a college degree?  Unfortunately, and verily, it is so.  We know this because of a separate study conducted by Trinity College (out of Hartford, CT), which shows fundamentalist Christians have the lowest level of educational attainment, among all faiths and secularist, within the U.S. (see page 18 of 26 w/in the PDF file).

·      Conversely, practicing and secular Jews, Eastern Religions (Buddhist and Hindus), those likely to believe in manmade harm to the environment and evolution, were more likely to have achieved a college degree and enjoy higher education.  This from the same Trinity College Study.

·      More scary still for the Republican Party is that their supporters, or base, are dying off in more rapid numbers than the Democratic Party’s base.

So going back to Mr. Rosenau and his outstanding questions, it’s really not surprising…. The more educated you are, the more likely you are to be a mainstream Protestant, Jew, practice an Eastern religion (such as Buddhism), or be a secularist or unaffiliated.  You are also less likely to vote for the Republican Party, and tend to accept enlightenment and science.  In short, if you enjoy greater education, and still have a faith, science compliments your faith and belief in the Goddess above.  Some persons of faith even prefer to believe that enlightenment and science are gifts from our creator.

These are generalizations based upon the aforementioned recent studies, and there are exceptions to these generalizations.  Moreover, holding a college degree does not automatically make one educated or enlightened, and there are many educated people who hold no degree.

We also maybe witnessing the polarization of religious faiths, and the politicization of religion in America, on a scale heretofore unseen or acknowledged, particularly among fundamentalist Christians.  Which might account for a large number of millennials rejecting faith, the expanding numbers of the unaffiliated, and rising number of ex-Christians. 

Note:  If your exposure to Christianity is based upon fundamentalist Christianity, the rejection of science, and the acceptance of the GOP…. One might understand the millennials’ inclination to run for the unaffiliated hills.  Full disclosure: Your humble author does consider himself to be very much affiliated with Christ (he prays Christ is affiliated with him), and is a recovering Republican.  Moreover, I am a huge supporter of Senator Warren, and think Mr. Rand Paul is on track in many instances – certainly not all.  Mr. Paul’s attack on government surveillance of U.S. citizens is both inspiring and 100% accurate.

The Pew Study shows Catholics, and Mainline Protestant faiths, getting hit hardest by the declining number Americans willing to acknowledge their faith.  As I wrote in my piece last spring, Revolutionary Messiah, Pope Francis appears to be a blessing from above and the timing of his ascension couldn’t have been better for Christians and Catholics.  Indeed, the Pope seems intent on dragging the Vatican and the Roman Curia - kicking and screaming - into the 21^st Century’s blinding light.  Pope Francis has pushed rising income and wealth inequality to the forefront, and attacked an economic system that bails out the wealthy on the backs of the poor.  When it comes to homosexuality, perhaps in acknowledgement of a large number of homosexuals within the Church’s clergy, the Holy Father responded: Who am I to judge?  (The Vatican’s condemnation this week of Ireland's gay marriage plebiscite, and outcome, was very disappointing.)  The Pope has also been involved in foreign affairs, recognizing the Palestinian State, and bringing together the U.S. and Cuba.  And the Pope has stated that evolution is not incompatible with the teachings of Christ; and that man made climate change is a real threat. 

For real fireworks look forward to the Pope’s speech before the U.S. Congress later this year… it should have many GOP Congresspersons sweating, profusely.

In short, the Holy Father walks the walk, and talks the talk; and holds true, again and again, to the teachings of Christ:  love your neighbor as yourself; judge not others; and as Christ did, advocacy for uplifting the poor, here on this earth.  Christ also taught us to be in awe of the Goddess’ creation and power, and certainly that must include respect for ourselves and the planet.  If the Pope would allow women to enter the priesthood, and acknowledged their reproductive rights, he’d be batting a thousand.  Having said that, Pope Francis has already wildly exceeded many Catholic’s expectations. 

What then to make of fundamentalist Christian faiths and sects?  It’s sort of a chicken and egg argument:  1) Are fundamentalist Christians so myopic in their faith, so bent on the return of Christ and the Rapture, that they have completely written off the planet, indeed - possibly praying for its demise - in an end of days apocalypse (that they are completely unaware of GOP policies)?  Or 2) do fundamentalist Christians, and their leadership, really support the GOP’s agenda of: unlimited carbon poisoning for the Goddess’ creation, the planet; denial of science and evolution; war against women; tax cuts for the rich; bailouts for the wealthy… indentured servitude for the poor; the U.S. criminal/prison industrial complex that preys upon minorities and the poor; raging income and wealth inequality and the crony economy; the GOP’s support for free trade agreements that have left a smoking crater in the U.S. and European economies, and lead to third world exploitation; religious, gender, sexual orientation, and socio-economic bigotry…. And on and on and on? 

I sure as hell hope, for the fundamentalist sake, it’s the former.

Fundamentalist Christian support for the GOP really boils down to nescience versus malintent (or shades of grey somewhere in between).  Given the lack of education within these tribes, and how the flock is being led astray by educated church leadership, the GOP, FOX news, and talk radio….  it’s entirely possible that benign or willful ignorance is at play.  It’s long been acknowledged that a principle strategy of the GOP is to play the fear card, and they do it very well.  Of course, the antidote for fear is education, which helps explain why the GOP is adamantly opposed to higher education….. there goes the Republican Party’s electoral base.

But who am I to judge?

Otherwise, the fundamentalist appear to the aligned with a political party that not only doesn’t adhere to the teachings of Christ, but may have joined the other side.  As for the GOP, they pander to their base during election time, and then promptly ignore them until the next election cycle; unless of course, it is to legislate a false morality, for the American Taliban.  So much for the separation between church and state. 

The GOP led culture wars are a convenient distraction from real economic issues: The GOP’s agenda of holy wars without end - that have bankrupted the nation; and ever rising wage and wealth inequality, caused in no small measure by free trade and trickle down tax policies. 

And speaking of false gods….  Some Americans have turned Ayn Randian capitalism into a new faith and religion.  Arguably, the unappointed leader of this new religion is none other than Mr. Warren Buffett.  Admirers and stockholders travel to Omaha annually to hear Mr. Buffett pontificate on the new faith, at Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholders meeting.  Spun out with folksy charm, the billionaire makes it all sound easy, that he’s a man of the people, and he genuinely cares.  And that you too, with perseverance, can become wealthy beyond imagination. 

However, when we closely examine Berkshire Hathaway’s actions, vis a vis some of Mr. Buffett’s comments, inconsistencies come to light:

1)   Mr. Buffett has been said to lament the tax rates he and other plutocrats pay (which are often non-existent to exceptionally low), versus the tax rates, say his secretary pays.  But then we learn that Mr. Buffett helped finance Burger King’s recent tax inversion or tax avoidance scheme.  My guess is this is just the tip of the iceberg in Berkshire’s efforts to keep their conglomerates effective tax rate well below his secretary’s tax rate.

2)   Mr. Buffett said that the plutocracy has been engaged in class warfare against the poor and the middle class for sometime, and that his side won.  And yet, if anything, Berkshire Hathaway’s lobbying efforts have picked up steam, particularly under the Obama Administration.  Looks like Berkshire’s class warfare is not about to let up anytime soon.

3)   Mr. Buffet has called the Federal Reserve the greatest hedge fund around.  Mr. Buffet would know, since he and his companies have been one of the largest beneficiaries of the Fed’s actions.  Actions that have done little to turn the economy around, and have harmed the middle class.

4)   Warren has called derivatives and swaps financial weapons of mass destruction.  And yet, Mr. Buffett’s companies play with these weapons and have profited from them immensely; these weapons are also largely reinsured by the American Public (meaning the taxpayer does not profit from these instruments of mass destruction, but is called upon to pick up the pieces, when they go off – see the 2008 financial crisis.)

5)   Many of the monopolies and oligopolies Mr. Buffet’s conglomerate holds are able to make exceptional amounts of money, because the products are well known, and often enjoy relatively inelastic demand.  Meaning Mr. Buffett can set price.  In such a market, it does little harm to Mr. Buffett’s profits, and certainly less harm to the businesses themselves, to pay his employees a living wage.  And yet, Mr. Buffett has been quoted recently as stating that higher minimum wages will harm the working poor.  His statist solution: Have our bankrupt federal government expand the tax credit for the working poor.  In this manner, Mr. Buffet’s monopolistic profits go untouched, and the working poor continue to be the State's wards.

Mr. Buffett certainly is no god, or even a free market deity; but he certainly is a crony economy master.

P.S.

And finally, kudos and accolades to Messrs. James Baker III and Bruce Bartlett (both former Reagan Administration officials) for telling the truth about Israel and Fox News, respectively.  These men actually harken back to a time when the GOP stood for something, as opposed to the blind worship of the rich and the powerful conducted by today's GOP.

Copyright JM Hamilton Publishing 2015