The backlash against rightwing evangelicals is reshaping American politics and faith

[luv2fly]

The backlash against rightwing evangelicals is reshaping American politics and faith
Ruth Braunstein

Some sociologists believe that the rising number of non-religious Americans is a reaction against rightwing evangelicals. But that’s just part of the story.
Tue 25 Jan 2022 06.13 EST

What if I were to tell you that the following trends in American religion were all connected: rising numbers of people who are religiously unaffiliated (“nones”) or identify as “spiritual but not religious”; a spike in positive attention to the “religious left”; the depoliticization of liberal religion; and the purification and radicalization of the religious right? As a sociologist who has studied American religion and politics for many years, I have often struggled to make sense of these dramatic but seemingly disconnected changes. I now believe they all can all be explained, at least in part, as products of a backlash to the religious right.

Since the religious right rose to national prominence in the 1980s, the movement’s insertion of religion in public debate and uncompromising style of public discourse has alienated many non-adherents and members of the larger public. As its critics often note, the movement promotes policies – such as bans on same-sex marriage and abortion – that are viewed by growing numbers of Americans as intolerant and radical.

In a 2002 article, sociologists Michael Hout and Claude S Fischer argued that a significant trend in American religion – the skyrocketing number of people disaffiliating from religion – could be partly explained as a political backlash against the religious right. In the two decades since this article was published, a wealth of additional evidence has emerged to support its general argument. Sociologists Joseph O Baker and Buster G Smith summarize the sentiment driving this backlash: “If that’s what it means to be religious, then I’m not religious.”

While pathbreaking, this research has been relatively narrow in its focus. This is because it has typically started with the puzzle of the rising “nones” and worked backward in search of a cause, landing on backlash against the religious right. I wondered what would happen if we flipped this question around, and started with the rise of the religious right and public concerns about its radicalism. We could then consider the varied ways that backlash against it has manifested, including but not limited to the rise of the “nones”.

More at

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jan/25/the-backlash-against-rightwing-evangelicals-is-reshaping-american-politics-and-faith

[ck4829]

1. Good. It's a very deserved backlash.

[hamsterjill]

30. As a Christian myself,

It is absolutely a deserved backlash. This segment has gotten way off base of the true elements of Christianity in my opinion.

[ck4829]

33. 100% agreed

[sop]

2. Great article.

“If that’s what it means to be religious, then I’m not religious.” My sentiments exactly.

[texasfiddler]

3. I hope the backlash grows and the ranks of the rightwing evangelicals continue to dwindle.

The line that describes my sentiment. “If that’s what it means to be religious, then I’m not religious.”

[NurseJackie]

4. This pleases me and gives me a little bit of hope for the future.

Thanks for posting this!

[Raster]

28. No kidding!!!

#FalseProfits #LetUsPrey

[3Hotdogs]

5. Yeah? Wait 'till the Kraken and Jesus gets a-hold of their sorry asses.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

6. Loved the quote, much like Gandhiji's famous sayings about Christians.

Sociologists Joseph O Baker and Buster G Smith summarize the sentiment driving this backlash: “If that’s what it means to be religious, then I’m not religious.”

I love your Christ. I do not love your Christians. Your Christians are so much not like your Christ.

[Klaralven]

7. Dubious - its the conservative, evangelical denominations that have grown

While mainstream denominations like Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian have shrunk. As the mainstream protestant denominations have taken up more social justice causes, their conservative members have either shifted to the evangelicals or abandoned organized religion.

[Hortensis]

9. It's not an either-or, though. Many have been leaving traditional

organized denominations and morphing their religious beliefs into other forms.

A lot of them have been "deconstructing" their denomination's Dagwood sandwich of traditional beliefs into a more with-it salad bowl by selecting the ingredients they want to keep and discarding the rest. This has been a big movement, just not dramatic enough to show up on the TV news.

Some are resurrecting antique religions (some not so benign) or seeking "deeper" "wiser" belief systems from far parts of the planet.

The disposition of some has caused them to turn to occult beliefs and woo-woo, replacing organized religion with yoga, astrology, whatever's trending, often putting themselves at the mercy of nuts and predators. We're seeing this in a lot of ways, including the anti-vax movement's growth through stay-at-home mothers in social media groups, QAnon, and a well-known TV personality running on woo in the Democratic primary.

My DIL's yoga teacher/friend quit teaching yoga through a local municipality after her classes were swamped by people soaked in notions picked up from social media and expecting yoga to accommodate them; that was a couple years ago now.

[Snoopy 7]

8. Recovering Catholic

I also am broken hearted about my religion but, it's because I can't stand the pedophile's who get away with rape and are not prosecuted because someone decides to be judge, jury and assist in the crime by moving the pedophile to another diocese. These are thousands of INOCENT CHILDREN who have been RAPED and I can not continue to turn my eyes...

[azureblue]

17. but no one says anything about the Baptists

They are far worse, but they cover it up better. Pedos, infidelity, child abuse, spouse abuse, racists (where do you think the Klan came from, and what religion used the Bible to justify slavery?) you name it. They just "confess, and Jesus forgave me, so I'm good to go". I have known way too many of these flaming hypocrites in my life, and they make Catholics look like beginners.

Why don't we hear more of it? Because most of the RWers are Baptist. And I think that is why they make such a racket over Catholics - deflection. They will not let their religion be defamed. Aaaand - guess what religion all the TV evangelicals are? You got it - Baptists. Every one of them.

I wondered about my being Catholic until I had a chance to sit with a Jesuit priest, over a bottle or two of wine, and he explained the Jesuit version of Catholic - "question what you are told and what you believe, until you are certain to yourself that your belief is true. And show it through your works. Faith alone is useless without putting it into action."

And there is the problem with Baptists - they are all about unquestioning faith, and forgiveness,, if you just believe that Jesus forgave you. BS.

[Klaralven]

35. Baptists are about 11.3% of the population, so most RWers can't be Baptist

The list of evangelical denominations goes on for pages. In total they are about 25.4% of the population.

Mainstream protestants are only about 14.7% of the population and are a somewhat shorter list.

Historically black protestants are another 6.5%, and resemble evangelicals more than mainline protestants.

https://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/#religions

[The Jungle 1]

10. I have mixed feelings

Christ's teachings are good for humanity. As are many religions and their teachings.
The right in America has completely perverted Christ's teachings into something unrecognizable. Which has also occurred with other religions
Until we can get back to actual religious teachings then religion is not helping.

Christ did not ask us to help the poor
Christ demanded we help the poor
Christ said nothing about judging the poor
Christ was real clear about who would do the judging.

1 in 7 children in this nation do not have enough food!

After God formed man in Genesis 2, He “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and it was then that the man became a living being”. Although the man was fully formed by God in all respects, he was not a living being until after taking his first breath.

[azureblue]

18. And Jesus said

if you do not help the poor, the sick, the elderly, the stranger, you are going to hell. No mincing of words.
And, yes, the Bible says in 3 places that life begins at first breath, so all of these anti abortionists are just making it all up and ignoring what their religion says about it.

[jmowreader]

29. A lot of them base their position on Jeremiah 1

Specifically, the verse that says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.”

They seem to neglect this verse refers to exactly one person, the Prophet Jeremiah, a man who was born to spread the Gospel to the nations. God would have no time to do anything else if He was getting acquainted with every embryo that gets formed.

Some of them like the commandment that says not to kill, but when you consider (1) the Old Testament contains A LOT of killing (if you’ve seen A Clockwork Orange you remember that Alex loved to read the OT in prison because of how violent it is), (2) Leviticus 20 has a very long list of people you’re required to kill as soon as you find out about them and (3) the vast majority of people who walk around armed profess Christianity as their faith, one tends to wonder why that’s in there.

No, no, the real reason they’re against abortion is that abortion hurts their feelings. And they say that WE are the snowflakes!

[The Jungle 1]

41. I don't think it is about their feelings.

It is about control of women and forcing women to submit to someones else's religion and ideas. The oppression of women has a long history. No one will convince me that women in America have equality even now. Women in America must shake the cage. Yes there is a good argument that men should help shake.

In Exodus 21:22 it states that if a man causes a woman to have a miscarriage, he shall be fined; however, if the woman dies then he will be put to death. It should be apparent from this that the aborted fetus is not considered a living human being since the resulting punishment for the abortion is nothing more than a fine; it is not classified by the bible as a capital offense.

[Karadeniz]

34. So right!!! The entire character of the false Christianity was cemented into place by the first

Council of Nicaea's mission to create a creed that everyone would swear belief in, because nothing shows devotion to spiritual values like kowtowing to the demands of a psychopath like Constantine, right? Faith in the creed replaced seeking/finding, asking/
Receiving by the individual, the start of blind unquestioning faith, no mention whatsoever of the behaviors which Jesus said MUST accompany faith to demonstrate one's true faith...well, no need to go into all the actions by the Church which diverge from scriptural messages!!!

[brewens]

11. i made a meme with a pic of Jed Clampet, saying "I Recon That's One A Them Evanpedical

Christians." I throw that up every time they have some preacher caught with kiddie porn or whatever. I won't have to wait long to do it again.

I've alienated a few of what used to be Christian friends. One thing I like to point out is that slavery could not have existed anywhere where Christians took control unless Christianity was a crock of shit. They don't like that.

I used to be friends with a guy named Mark Trigsted. He was our quarterback in high school and went to West Point. He was expected to take over for Leeman Hall as the army QB but washed out. No one knows why. Then he went full-on evangelical. He now is completing his seminary or whatever you call it to be a preacher. He's a tall good-looking dude that is perfect for scamming poor old people out of their grocery money. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he was riding around in a private jet in a few years.

Interesting note, his sister, Lori Trigsted McCann recently was appointed to fill the seat of Aaron Von Ehlinger, the Idaho state representative accused of raping a young intern.

https://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/law-justice/2021-09-27/former-state-rep-aaron-von-ehlinger-arrested-in-georgia-on-rape-warrant

[The Jungle 1]

42. Maybe a bit foggy

Ephesians 6:5 reads,
“Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.”
Colossians 3:22 reads,
“Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.”
1 Peter 2:18 reads,
“Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.”

There are more slaves right now then ever in the past. Boycott chocolate it you don't agree with slavery.
IMO slavery does fly in the face of Christ's teachings. So we agree on that.
What I disagree with is how the world claims to have ended slavery. WE HAVE NOT. Columbus was a sick pervert but he would fit right in today.

[Girard442]

12. Me, I'd move the Evangelicals over to the "Nones.'

If they really believed in an all-powerful Deity, they'd be behaving a lot differently than they do now.

[Hortensis]

13. What it says about evangelical backlash against the backlash is interesting.

A lot has been written about the backlash against religion in general due to politicization and radicalization on the right, but this is about evangelicals who remain (defiant):

Finally, backlash is not a one-way street – the experience of being the object of political backlash has led to a counter-backlash among the conservative Christians who comprise the religious right. White evangelical Christians believe that they are being illegitimately persecuted and are increasingly invested in the boundary between the perceived morally righteous and their enemies. Religious conservatives not committed to Trump and the Republican party are being pushed out. Those who remain are not only deeply loyal to a shared political project, but less likely to encounter internal checks on radical ideas.

Even as this group is shrinking by some measures, recent data suggests that growing numbers of nonreligious and non-Protestant Americans are adopting the label of “evangelical” – not as a statement of their religious identity, but as a statement of their political identity as rightwing Republicans or supporters of Donald Trump. Together, these counter-backlashes seem to be driving this movement toward deeper political radicalism.

Taking them way too long to self destruct. Their survival and toxic influence on entire nations certainly aren't their own doing.

[Rebl2]

21. So they

have hijacked “evangelical” to mean they are aligned with trump, who is not religious at all. In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if he has nothing good to say about religion and finds religious people to be fools.

[Hortensis]

36. :) A lot of evangelicals famously know little about their own religion

because they aren't interested. Their religion's their identity; they know they're "god's good people" (no matter what they do), and wear god's label on their cultural/political warring against today's world.

So when you think about it, it's not really that different for other cons to just slap the label on their foreheads. Like tRump, as you say. SOP for scoundrels and hypocrites, like the subversive RW populists who call themselves patriots and subversive LW populists who operate behind the progressive and socialists labels.

I'm sure you're right about tRump's massive contempt. Psychologists say tRump may believe in god, but right below god would be him. He must loath the Christian right leaders whose bidding he's had to do to get their support and spend many hours plotting vengeance.

[Native]

14. Another interesting paragraph from the article...

Even as this group is shrinking by some measures, recent data suggests that growing numbers of nonreligious and non-Protestant Americans are adopting the label of “evangelical” – not as a statement of their religious identity, but as a statement of their political identity as rightwing Republicans or supporters of Donald Trump. Together, these counter-backlashes seem to be driving this movement toward deeper political radicalism.

[Sympthsical]

15. The hypocrisy has eroded its power and credibility

Of course, it remains profoundly powerful in many areas of the country and electoral politics. However, I think the broader culture is simply moving on over time at an accelerating pace.

Once "good Christians" excused away Trump, there really was nothing left to say was there? What is their faith if it is rarely adhered to and disposed of at the slightest convenience?

There are millions of awesome Christians out there. But what's the point if the broader faith is not about living a good life, but instead wielding a hammer to damage the perceived out-groups? At some point you have to start asking the question, "Why are all your leaders such incredibly shitty people?"

If I were still Catholic, and I saw my archbishop having drunken parties with women on his yacht, don't you think at some point the thought, "Maybe I shouldn't follow this guy . . ." is happening? If my pastor lived in a $30 million mansion, I wouldn't think, "Yes, get that third tennis court. Just like Christ would do."

It works on a lot of people who were raised in that environment, but far fewer people are buying in than exiting out. And once you're out, there is usually little cause to return. Once you see how ridiculous and false the political and cultural structure is, the power over people diminishes.

It will remain with us for quite a while yet, but it's starting to ebb from the rise of the 70s and 80s, particularly under Reagan. It's always cyclical in our history. What we're seeing now from the GOP is a realization that power cannot be held much longer without manipulation.

And I think a lot of them know it, which is why we're seeing what we're seeing.

[Blue Owl]

16. Three words: Jerry Falwell Junior

[Raster]

27. Two more words: Pool boy.

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-jerry-falwell-jr-miami-beach-pool-boy-evangelical-explained-850380/

[jmowreader]

31. There are a bunch of them

Remember the Tennessee preacher who was recently caught in the house with one of his female employees, both sitting around almost completely naked.

[dawg]

19. From my perspective as a Christian liberal, this is doubly heartbreaking.

Not only are these people poisoning our politics, they are actively driving people away from the church. I could not design a more diabolical plan to undermine the teachings and priorities of Christ's message if I tried.

[keithbvadu2]

20. Political Christians rather than Christians of faith.

[Karma13612]

38. I have to steal that.

Political Christians.

Absolutely perfect for rebutting these hypocritical RW Christian nut jobs.

[keithbvadu2]

39. Feel free. If you make money, send me half. If you get shot, you get full credit.

Feel free.

If you make money, send me half.

If you get shot, you get full credit.

[Karma13612]

40. Hahahahaha

[AllaN01Bear]

22. there are some of us christians who cant stand the evanglicals as well

do gods work quietly and without fanfare. i am not going to say any jugmental statement at this time .

[Martin Eden]

23. They claim they are victims of persecution because of their religious faith

When in fact they are driving people away not because of their private faith but because of their very public hypocrisy and repugnant politics.

Rightwing evangelicals are their own worst enemies.

[Horse with no Name]

24. The unfortunate truth is that the power is being centralized

By the religious minority who will dictate how we live for next few decades.
I’m not sure we won’t have another crusade.

[msfiddlestix]

25. Interesting perspective, wish political leaders reflected similar understanding

if wishes were fishes and all that...

I've been hoping to see nominations to the SCOTUS were of no religious affiliation for actual "diversity" of thought.

I read a few days ago a nomination of a Muslim Woman for a Federal Court I believe it was (can't remember which circuit) understanding the point, but cringing just as much as if it were a Catholic or a Pentecostal etc etc etc.

We don't need more religious worshipers on the bench, we need non-religious legal scholars on the bench.

For very OBVIOUS reasons. I'm sick of laws or decisions based on Religious (read extreme Christian) ties, beliefs, roots.

Sick of it. Fascists Totalitarians. Misogynists to boot.

[ananda]

26. Or rather whitewing evangies.

...

[roamer65]

32. They haven't seen "backlash" yet.

Wait until Roe v Wade is overturned.

I am hoping for outright persecution at that point.

[Botany]

37. Close to Woodstock, VA I saw a barn with TFG & Jesus

walking arm in arm with American and Confederate flags in the yard.

[keithbvadu2]

43. Donald and Jesus

(The title is in order of MAGA importance of course)
.

.

[AnnetteChaffee]

44. Speaking as someone who identifies

as Spiritual but not Religious, I thank you for the opportunity to respond to this interesting topic.

As a child, I was particular. Almost other-worldly. I always questioned where we went when we weren't "here", where "there" was, and what exactly was "Heaven". I was able to see and perceive things that were unique, which I believe fed that desire to understand.

As I grew into my teens, I began looking at religions and I tried out many of them. I ultimately found that the truth was within, not in a building or in a book. I think MANY humans are coming to that conclusion, and that is why "religious" leaders are in a full scale panic. They see their Money and Power/Greed slipping away.

Most major wars have a basis in religion - the future is going to be interesting when religion is no longer important enough to kill each other over.

Annette