Friday, March 29, AD 2024 12:24am

Politics as Substitute Religion on the Left

 

 

I have long noted that for many people on the Left politics serves as a substitute religion.  The thought is not original to me of course, but now the idea is beginning to spread to organs of the mainstream media.  Emma Green in The Atlantic notes:

So what does all of this mean for the 2018 elections? While many Democrats seem to be more politically fired up than Republicans, it’s not clear that this will translate into big wins at the ballot box: Eighty-one percent of Democrats said they’ll absolutely or probably vote in November, compared with 82 percent of Republicans. But this wave of political energy may say something about the identity of Democratic voters—particularly those who don’t have strong religious or institutional ties. “There’s a sociological story you can tell about this community,” said Eitan Hersh, a political scientist at Tufts who is writing a book on what he calls “political hobbyism.” “This online world of political identity … is basically acting as a replacement for people who maybe a generation or two before would identify as Catholic or as Jewish or as Irish or Italian.”

Think of it as the Pod Save America voter: largely elite, politically plugged-in, constantly discussing the Republicans’ latest political shenanigans at dinner parties—and more focused on national problems than local affairs. “You see Democrats who will say on surveys that their most important issues are the environment or racial equality, and they take absolutely no interest in voting in local primaries or local municipal elections, where a lot of those issues are worked out,” Hersh said. “It’s a lot more gratifying to be talking about the Kavanaugh hearing.”

Go here to read the rest.  Two observations.  First, this fact helps explain the utter hatred and fanaticism that so often are features of hard Left websites.  For them this is not merely a political disagreement, but a dissing of their true faith.  Second, and you may take this to the bank, it is completely pathetic to have politics as the center of one’s life and being.

 

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Art Deco
Art Deco
Friday, October 12, AD 2018 5:31am

I see Mr. Prager took a gander at the latest editorial in Commonweal. There’s a (fairly shifty) evangelical contingent with similar dispositions. A disproportionate share of them seem to be academics. You can see how the minds of a pair of these specimens work here:

https://thewayofimprovement.com/2018/10/08/david-brooks-a-complete-national-disgrace/#comments

Art Deco
Art Deco
Friday, October 12, AD 2018 6:04am

Remember Grant Gallicho, the Commonweal editor who used to offer his gems of wisdom (homosexual conduct is not sinful, &c &c; all my gay friends think, & c &c) on Open Book? He’s now the head flack for the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Nate Winchester
Nate Winchester
Friday, October 12, AD 2018 6:42am

Good effort, Art. I saw one of the other comments there trying to run a kafka trap but you countered him well.

Foxfier
Admin
Friday, October 12, AD 2018 9:20am

Yeah, definitely one of the worse excuses.
“Absolutely everyone she says was there says no such thing ever happened– so it must have!”

Bob Kurland, Ph.D.
Admin
Friday, October 12, AD 2018 9:22am

And if it isn’t radical politics as a substitute for religion, it’s scientism, or both.

GregB
Friday, October 12, AD 2018 9:35am

One thing that I wonder about is how these hanging judge (no pun intended) anti-BK types would conduct themselves as members of an actual trial jury.

Philip Nachazel
Philip Nachazel
Friday, October 12, AD 2018 10:26am
Penguins Fan
Penguins Fan
Friday, October 12, AD 2018 1:18pm

Robespierre, Marx, Hitler……all hated Christianity and desired it to be desrtoyed. The depths of innocent people mattered not to any of them. Marx begat Lenin, Stalin, Mao. Mohammed fits on this group too.
They all wanted to create the perfect society. None succeeded.

Ernst Schreiber
Ernst Schreiber
Friday, October 12, AD 2018 5:24pm

Since nature, even human nature, abhors a vacuum and politics can’t fully substitute for religion:

Witchcraft and ritual have become more prominently associated with progressive political causes in recent years with the rise of the contemporary #magicresistance. Last year, for example, a 13,000-strong Facebook group formed to cast regular binding spells on Donald Trump.

But in the aftermath of the bitter fight over Kavanaugh’s confirmation, during which the judge firmly denied sexual misconduct against Ford or other women who came forward with similar allegations, rituals have become more than just an emotionally rewarding part of political energy-raising. They’ve also become a form of self-care.

https://www.vox.com/identities/2018/10/10/17952388/magic-ritual-spells-self-care-feminism-brett-kavanaugh

Howard
Howard
Saturday, October 13, AD 2018 5:22am

Let’s be honest: It is not only the Left that substitutes politics for religion. Many people on the Right do not value the GOP as a tool for advancing the Kingdom of God; they value Christianity as a tool for advancing Republican priorities. Both sides have their go-to “reverends” who will be careful to present an edited gospel that only shakes they other guy’s boat.

Philip Nachazel
Philip Nachazel
Saturday, October 13, AD 2018 7:36am

@ Ernst Schreiber.

I just read your link. I’m reminded of the saying; If you don’t stand for something you’ll fall for anything. In this case substitute (something) with someone.. Jesus Christ.

The pagan resurgence and influence is tied into the sophisticated form of spiritual abandonment by many a parent who tells the world; We don’t force our child into any structured religion. We simply allow them to follow what moves then. They choose.

We have so many opportunities to evangelize.
The culture is creating disappointment, depression and dependency on the State.
So many wounded souls and not nearly enough healers to tend to them. The mission fields are fifty feet outside your front door.

Penguins Fan
Penguins Fan
Saturday, October 13, AD 2018 10:23am

Howard, your comment would best apply to some Evangelicals in the US, but they are way outnumbered by the Left. At any rate, the Washington GOP Establishment hates its base and really doesn’t care either way.

Howard
Howard
Saturday, October 13, AD 2018 10:51am

The United States is among the first nations of European descent to fail explicitly to acknowledge its authority is a gift of God. Eventually, every government either claims to serve God or to be God.

Philip Nachazel
Philip Nachazel
Saturday, October 13, AD 2018 4:41pm

The Declaration of Independence is not a favorite document of the DNC. Go figure. Sacred honor is nothing more than an oxymoron for those who professe to be Democrats.

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Monday, October 15, AD 2018 12:58pm

[…] Lindsay Schlegel Quæritur: Official Latin of Fatima Rosary Prayer – Fr. Z’s Blog Politics as Substitute Religion on the Left – Donald R. McClarey J.D., TACatholic The Film Tells the Story of Irish Chaplain on […]

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