Republicans, Religion and the Triumph of Unreason

For many of the people at the top of the party, this is merely cynical manipulation. One of Bush’s former advisers, David Kuo, has said the President and Karl Rove would mock evangelicals as “nuts” as soon as they left the Oval Office. But the ordinary Republican base believe this stuff. They are being tricked into opposing their own interests through false fears and invented demons. Last week, one of the Republicans sent to disrupt a healthcare town hall started a fight and was injured – and then complained he had no health insurance. I didn’t laugh; I wanted to weep.

How do they train themselves to be so impervious to reality? It begins, I suspect, with religion. They are taught from a young age that it is good to have “faith” – which is, by definition, a belief without any evidence to back it up. You don’t have “faith” that Australia exists, or that fire burns: you have evidence. You only need “faith” to believe the untrue or unprovable. Indeed, they are taught that faith is the highest aspiration and most noble cause. Is it any surprise this then percolates into their political views? Faith-based thinking spreads and contaminates the rational.

Truthout: Republicans, Religion and the Triumph of Unreason

(via Disinfo)

3 Comments

  1. And folks say that antichristianity is immature or even passe. Feh! Its more relevant than ever if anything.

  2. Religion is an important component used to control the masses.

  3. “You only need “faith” to believe the untrue or unprovable.” This is a very significant insight. It also brings up important / interesting philosophical questions, such as whether or not we can lie to ourselves.

    Thank you Klint for posting many religious articles lately.

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