Bonnie Erbe of the Chicago Sun-Times makes the argument that religion offers useful structure.
Observing the GOP presidential primary, Erbe contrasts religion in American and Europe. She notes that Europe is not zealous in their belief or non-belief, that they recognize religion sates certain basic human cravings. Referencing a Financial Times of London review of three books, she uses the three views - of the importance of religion, the illogical nature of religion, and a middle ground - to lead back to the GOP debates that show the candidates each in turn trying to prove their religious fervor. To think of them even suggesting G-d doesn't exist would be, well, sacrilegious: Erbe points out that in America atheism is frowned upon. She wonders at the way 90% of polled people in the US claim to believe in G-d while many don't regularly attend services and makes the conclusion that even anonymously Americans are afraid to be atheistic. Erbe believes religion answers unanswerable questions and provides a strong social structure, and that atheism could learn from this kind of structure and potentially provide a new climate for discussion.
Faith as a social and internal structure has basis in my life: whether I decide to stay Jewish (at this point I am pretty solid in my beliefs) or not, that I was brought up in an actively Jewish family has given me a rich heritage and has introduced me to some of the most important people in my life. American Jewish culture is unique, and because so many values are constant in most Jewish families in this country, I want to be Jewish because I find the community so welcoming and familiar. This concept of religion as a structural system can be related applied to religiously active countries - but I wonder if it excludes people of different religions. Having separate religious circles is relevant in most countries of the world - namely the struggle between the three monotheistic religions so characteristic of the Middle East.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Marking Period 4: Monday #1
My general topic for this marking period is religion. I looked into Israeli-Palestinian conflict columns but had some trouble finding recent articles, so for now my focus will be the way religion fits into national society.
Henry G. Brinton of USA Today writes about the good versus evil mentality of American politics.
Brinton begins by using twentieth century examples of the US banding together against foreign enemies in times of war, but in times of peace we turn against each other. He cites this "duality" as religious in nature and present for the purpose of pinning blame on others. Its relevance is clear in the upcoming 2012 Election, where the concept of political extremes as a source of evil has come into play. A poll by the Center for Political Participation revealed that 61% of Americans think this good-versus-evil is unhealthy for our democracy. Brinton then cites New Testament professor Susan Garrett on two examples of Christians calling other Christians evil (I have to wonder what this means for non-Christians...), using this as a lead-in for his belief that there are no devils running for president in 2012. Rick Perry called our moderate president a "socialist," crossing the line into straight demagoguery. Gingrich called Romney dishonest for his work as a venture capitalist. Although creating an enemy can get votes, making other Americans into enemies is a waste of energy. Brinton believes we should focus this energy instead on foreign enemies or internal problems, such as "substance abuse, racism, sexual addiction, domestic violence or the disintegration of the American family." (As a pastor of the Fairfax Presbyterian Church in Virginia, the religious nature of his examples is to be expected.)
I'm only sixteen, but in my life I have on some level witnessed this concept of "duality" in action: from a young age it was drilled in my head to Osama bin Laden is - was - a terrible person, and as I've grown older I've become more aware of Democrats and Republicans attacking each other like two sides of bitter civil war. This topic of duality in the government of a fairly religious country might be able to be applied to the governments of other countries, and not just primarily Christian countries, either. Mr. Brinton called it a very Christian style of thinking, but Islam has a very good-versus-evil mentality as well.
Henry G. Brinton of USA Today writes about the good versus evil mentality of American politics.
Brinton begins by using twentieth century examples of the US banding together against foreign enemies in times of war, but in times of peace we turn against each other. He cites this "duality" as religious in nature and present for the purpose of pinning blame on others. Its relevance is clear in the upcoming 2012 Election, where the concept of political extremes as a source of evil has come into play. A poll by the Center for Political Participation revealed that 61% of Americans think this good-versus-evil is unhealthy for our democracy. Brinton then cites New Testament professor Susan Garrett on two examples of Christians calling other Christians evil (I have to wonder what this means for non-Christians...), using this as a lead-in for his belief that there are no devils running for president in 2012. Rick Perry called our moderate president a "socialist," crossing the line into straight demagoguery. Gingrich called Romney dishonest for his work as a venture capitalist. Although creating an enemy can get votes, making other Americans into enemies is a waste of energy. Brinton believes we should focus this energy instead on foreign enemies or internal problems, such as "substance abuse, racism, sexual addiction, domestic violence or the disintegration of the American family." (As a pastor of the Fairfax Presbyterian Church in Virginia, the religious nature of his examples is to be expected.)
I'm only sixteen, but in my life I have on some level witnessed this concept of "duality" in action: from a young age it was drilled in my head to Osama bin Laden is - was - a terrible person, and as I've grown older I've become more aware of Democrats and Republicans attacking each other like two sides of bitter civil war. This topic of duality in the government of a fairly religious country might be able to be applied to the governments of other countries, and not just primarily Christian countries, either. Mr. Brinton called it a very Christian style of thinking, but Islam has a very good-versus-evil mentality as well.
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