The elite mantra “It’s the economy, stupid!” most often has stood in for the axiom that secular concerns always prevail. Everything was about the nuts and bolts of growth, and if “social issues”—the inaccurate media catch-all for religion and all that heartland stuff—were mentioned, it was the concerns of the left—gender and sexuality equality—that got the repeated in depth coverage.
The media’s ignorance of religious Americans has deep roots. The nineteenth-century view of what enlightened people should believe has dominated politics, art, journalism, and intellectual life for well over 100 years. This has left many religious people feeling insulted and many non-religious people feeling undeservedly smug, as if their worldview has triumphed and religion will soon die out. Thus the media treated fraught social issues, from access to abortion to the teaching of evolution in schools, as settled matters. And one had to be living in a bubble to believe otherwise. But the objections of religious Americans refused to subside.
Racism, hate, homophobia, and white supremacy played a big part in the rise of the sociopathic congenital liar/ demagogue/ entertainer-in-chief Trump. But those were not the only culprits. When religion is ignored by those perceived to be in power over those convinced of their victimhood, there’s also hell to pay. And that hell can’t be dismissed as mere hate or racism, let alone mere rust belt income inequality. Many voters just couldn’t see themselves in the picture the Clinton campaign painted around the theme of its secular complacency.
What the Left and Right BOTH Don’t Admit About the Inconvenien…
What the Left and Right BOTH Don’t Admit About the Inconvenient Truth Concerning HOW We Found Ourselves in Trumped AmericaBuy My BookWhy I am an Atheist Who Believes in God: http://amzn.to/1QNuGuQRead my Blog: https://frankschaefferblog.com/
Posted by Frank Schaeffer on Sunday, July 9, 2017
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Thank you, Frank. Some voted for “The Bastard” only because they could never vote for “The Bitch” in 2016 . . . or as George W. Bush rightly observed, “That was some weird shit!” Not sure what to do now, except to pray and lay down the cudgels that we raise against each other in order to work together whenever and wherever possible. Peace.
PS: LOVE the texture on that poisoned pear!
Preach it, preach it!! Thank you!
Your clarity is truly remarkable, and your insights about both the left and the right ring true at every level! I am a progressive, a scientist and an artist (btw, I love your work) who is deeply depressed by Trump’s presidency–the destructive path he is taking us down and what his election has revealed about the disunity of this country. Though staunchly pro-choice myself, I have never dismissed the valid moral argument of those in the pro-life camp. As soon as Scalia passed away, it occurred to me that the election was going to be significantly impacted by the issue of his replacement. What I did not anticipate was that there would be so many millions of voters who were willing to overlook the reality of someone as deplorable as Donald Trump, someone who is the antithesis of integrity and morality, someone so mental unfit for the presidency–just to ensure that a fiercely pro-life justice replaced Scalia. I actually thought that the hypocrisy of such a vote would be too much for those on the religious right to bear. I was wrong.
Your video is very powerful, and your ability to inspire your viewers to take a brutally honest look at what is happening right before their eyes is indeed extraordinary. I do have one suggestion for any future pleas you decide to present in a video format. If you could alter your tone from one that feels like scolding anger into one that reveals your genuine love and acceptance of those on both sides of the political spectrum who are just trying to lead good and ethical lives, your videos could go beyond powerful; they could be transformative.
As you so rightly pointed out, the left’s unmistakable judgment of the right only serves to widen the gap and ignite more anger from those who feel judged. The tone of your video resembles that of many progressives who, when they are expressing their views on climate change or issues of social justice, do so with the knowledge and certainty that their tolerant and compassionate viewpoints are on the “right side of history.” They are unable to escape the paradox of feeling intolerant of intolerance. I, myself, have yet to master the ability to hide those feelings; when I express how I perceive the Trump presidency and the anti-science views of the far right as a massive assault on every value in life I hold dear, my smugness comes through loud and clear. With such a deep, personal understanding of the emotions on both sides of the political spectrum, perhaps you could be more adept than I have been at relaying your message without revealing your justifiable anger and certainty about the “rightness” and “righteousness” of your vision.
Like your style, Frank Schaeffer. Just found out about you and your work. I like very much your way of giving it straight to both the left and the right, so that the schism between the two can be bridged from BOTH sides. Your background seems to have poised you well to understand and speak to different groups with different philosophies and beliefs. We need more like you. Thank you.
Schaeffer wants Christians to stop believing the Bible and stop being Christians. Not going to happen. Frank, I view you as what you really are: God’s enemy, and my enemy.