A new Gallup Poll shows the GOP is still the party of the pious. The more religious someone claims to be, the more likely they are to identify themselves as Republican.
Meanwhile, just what being "religious" means has taken on a distinctly American character. Like our population, our beliefs (or lack thereof) are a hybrid of conventional organized religion with a dash of this superstition and that ancient deity practice, claims a Washington Post article.
One of Arthur C. Clark's sci-fi books---I can't recall which---made that point, saying it is clear almost all religions are wrong in what they believe. Either one is right, or all are wrong, but their conflicting faiths can't all be correct. It had something to do with the first arrival on earth of an alien species, as I recall.
Alabama remains one of the more churched states, earning its place in the Bible Belt. But it's sometimes alien to outsiders. A northerner who just had wached a tape of a local TV news broadcast commented how surprised she was to see local commericals for churches...and to see the commercials of for-profit companies wearing their religion on their sleeves. There's a lawyer TV spot in Montogmery, for example, in which there's as much talk about the religious faith of the barrister as there is about the services he offers.
Those of the Hindu faith believe cows are sacred. And at least one Christian American farmer recently saw Jesus in one of his flock because the animal was born with a slightly crooked cross on it's forehead. And let's not forget the Mary in the Toast or Joseph in the water stain. We find the religion we need, and then swear by it (unless swearing is forbidden...).
[UPDATE: read about the state with a constitution that disqualifies officeholders "who shall deny the being of Almighty God".]
"But it's sometimes alien to outsiders. "
ReplyDeleteIt's sometimes alien to insiders, too, even if they grew up in it. I can vouch for that. Try as I might to understand what makes people believe (other than to see loved ones again or that there has to be a purpose to life) I cannot for the life of me figure out why modern day humans cling to something that just cannot possibly be true.
I wonder if there is any correlation between religiousness and being last at everything progressive and first at everything that sucks?
Can't believe that we're more "progressive" than NC.
ReplyDeleteAnd elsewhere on the web, Alabama is proclaimed the ninth least drunken state, or something like that. Utah takes top honors.