By Rudy Barnes, Jr., October 5, 2024
The secularization of American culture reflects the supremacy of secular political values over religious moral values. The failure of the church to promote altruistic moral values that provide for the common good is the result of a public obsession with partisan politics, coupled with the failure of the church to promote the common good in politics..
The greatest commandment to love God and all of our neighbors as we love ourselves is a universal moral imperative to promote the common good. It’s taken from the Hebrew Bible, was taught by Jesus, and accepted by Muslim scholars as a common word of faith; but none of the Abrahamic religions have promoted the common good as a moral imperative of their faith.
God was considered sovereign in both politics and religion before the 17th century, when the Enlightenment shifted political sovereignty from God to humankind, and democracy allowed man to become the master of his political destiny. It also allowed secular political values coupled with a shrinking church to make the common good of faith a meaningless political ideal.
That’s how humankind evolved from ancient to modern times, and how we will continue to evolve. Secularization is the dominant force transforming morality in both religion and politics. God and religion still remain factors in the moral evolution of our culture, along with reason and new discoveries in knowledge; but the future is anyone’s guess.
Fareed Zakaria has accurately described secularization as the major force driving cultural evolution, and cultural values are continuing to change. Wars or economic upheavals could provide an impetus to religion to provide for the common good; but history tells us that we should not depend on religion to shape America’s moral values in politics.
God is accepted as America’s supreme spiritual power, with Jesus as the Word of God; but democracy has allowed human depravity to shape its future. God inspires through prophets like Jesus who taught universal truths that promote the common good, but God’s truths have been outweighed by political and religious forces motivated by greed and the lust for power.
Popularity is the measure of success and driving force in both politics and religion, and history has confirmed that human depravity often trumps God’s reconciling love in both realms. There have been interludes of enlightened altruism that have motivated world events, but human depravity seems destined to continue to corrupt religion and politics.
Dum spiro spero is Latin for While I breathe I hope. That’s been the state motto for South Carolina since 1777. History tells us that human depravity and the lust for power are more popular than faith, reason and altruism, but we can always hope that one day our faith and reason will enable us to overcome our human depravity and promote the common good.
Notes:
This short video with Fareed Zakaria on The Secularization of America is worth watching. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBlUdoqg2R0. For an earlier related article by Zakaria, see https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/04/05/trump-religion-secularism-authoritarian-populism/.
The debate between JD Vance and Tim Walz underscored the contrast between a bright and articulate Vance and the more pedestrian Walz; but David French has explained that such a comparison is shallow, given Vance’s corrupt commitment to support Trump. “JD Vance can be an excellent, persuasive communicator. Like many good lawyers, he’s a chameleon. Depending on the audience, he can breathe fire — the way he does on MAGA podcasts or at Trump rallies — or he can present as a calm, reasonable man, completely at home in a lunchtime think tank discussion. The most frustrating part of the debate was how comprehensively deceptive it was. Voters who tuned into the debate without any knowledge of the candidates would think they were watching a contest between two civil, respectful people who agreed on many core values but merely disagreed on policy. The Vance of the infamous “childless cat ladies” comment was gone. Nowhere did we see the version of Vance who told his supporters to “keep the cat memes flowing” when he and his running mate were fanning the flames of slander and bigotry against the Haitian immigrants of Springfield, Ohio. Absent for a moment was the bitter ideologue who once said, “I think our people hate the right people.” If this was your first look at Vance, you might even be tempted to think, “How nice that Donald Trump would have such a thoughtful person by his side in the Oval Office. In choosing Vance and discarding Pence, Trump traded actual decency for a man who can simulate decency, and that’s exactly what Vance did at the debate. But he couldn’t keep it together for the entire evening. At the very end, the mask slipped. When pressed to say whether Trump lost in 2020, Vance said, “Obviously, Donald Trump and I think that there were problems in 2020,” and Vance had the gall to say, “It’s really rich for Democratic leaders to say that Donald Trump is a unique threat to democracy when he peacefully gave over power on Jan. 20, as we have done for 250 years in this country.” vice-presidential debates can still be instructive. And on Tuesday night, voters learned exactly why MAGA loves Vance so much. He’s a talented communicator. He has a compelling life story. He can make the ideological and policy case for Republican populism better than any other politician in America. And he’s no Mike Pence: He would wreck the Republic for Donald Trump.” https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/02/opinion/vance-trump-maga-walz-vice-presidential-debate.html.
See also 36 key lines to explain the Vance-Walz vice presidential debate, at https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/02/politics/vp-debate-key-lines-what-matters/index.html.
Other commentary on religion, values, politics and the future of the church:
(12/8/14): Religion and Reason
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2014/12/religion-and-reason.html
(3/8/15): Wealth, Politics, Religion and Economic Justice
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(8/9/15): Balancing Individual Rights with Collective Responsibilities
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2015/08/balancing-individual-rights-with.html
(10/18/15): God, Money and Politics
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2015/10/god-money-and-politics.html
(1/30/16): The Politics of Loving Our Neighbors as Ourselves
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2016/01/the-politics-of-loving-our-neighbors-as.html
(6/4/16): Christianity and Capitalism: Strange Bedfellows in Politics
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2016/06/christianity-and-capitalism-strange.html
(9/17/16): A Moral Revival to Restore Legitimacy to Our Politics
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2016/09/a-moral-revival-to-restore-legitimacy.html
(9/24/16): The Evolution of Religion and Politics from Oppression to Freedom
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2016/09/the-evolution-of-religion-and-politics.html
(11/5/16): Religion, Liberty and Justice at Home and Abroad
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2016/11/religion-liberty-and-justice-at-home.html
(12/31/16): E Pluribus Unum, Religion and a Politics of Reconciliation
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2016/12/e-pluribus-unum-religion-and-politics.html
(1/21/17) Religion and Reason Redux: Religion Is Ridiculous and Corrupts Our Politics
https://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/01/religion-and-reason-redux-religion-is.html.
(1/28/17): Saving America from the Church
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/01/saving-america-from-church.html
(3/4/17) Ignorance and Reason in Religion and Politics
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/02/the-need-for-revolution-in-religion-and.html
(3/18/17): Moral Ambiguity in Religion and Politics
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/03/moral-ambiguity-in-religion-and-politics.html
(4/22/17): The Relevance of Jesus and the Irrelevance of the Church in Today’s World
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/04/the-relevance-of-jesus-and-irrelevance.html
(4/29/17): A Wesleyan Alternative for an Irrelevant Church
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/04/a-wesleyan-alternative-to-irrelevant.html
(6/24/17): The Evolution of Religion, Politics and Law: Back to the Future?
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/06/the-evolution-of-religion-politics-and.html.
(7/1/17): Religion, Moral Authority and Conflicting Concepts of Legitimacy
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/07/religion-moral-authority-and.html.
(4/22/17): The Relevance of Jesus and the Irrelevance of the Church in Today’s World
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/04/the-relevance-of-jesus-and-irrelevance.html
(9/9/17): The Evolution of the American Civil Religion and Habits of the Heart
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/09/the-evolution-of-american-civil.html.
(12/16/17): Can Democracy Survive the Trump Era?
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/12/can-democracy-survive-trump-era.html.
(8/12/17): The Universalist Teachings of Jesus as a Remedy for Religious Exclusivism
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/08/the-universalist-teachings-of-jesus-as.html.
(10/7/17): A 21st Century Reformation to Restore Reason to American Civil Religion http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/10/a-21st-century-reformation-to-restore.html.
(12/23/17): If Democracy Survives the Trump Era, Can the Church Survive Democracy? http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/12/if-democracy-survives-trump-era-can.html.
(8/12/17): The Universalist Teachings of Jesus as a Remedy for Religious Exclusivism
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(1/20/18): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on Morality and Religion in Politics
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(3/17/18): Jefferson’s Jesus and Moral Standards in Religion and Politics
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(4/28/18): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Virtues and Vices of Christian Morality http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2018/04/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on.html.
(3/17/18): Jefferson’s Jesus and Moral Standards in Religion and Politics
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(3/31/18): Altruism: The Missing Ingredient in American Christianity and Democracy
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(4/7/18): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Need for a Moral Reformation
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(4/28/18): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Virtues and Vices of Christian Morality http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2018/04/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on.html.
(8/31/19): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Politics of Christian Zionism
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(9/29/18): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Resurrection of Christian Universalism
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2018/09/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on.html.
(10/6/18): Musings on Moral Universalism in Religion and Politics http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2018/10/musings-on-moral-universalism-in.html.
(11/3/18): Musings of a Maverick Methodist: Has God Blessed Us or Damned Us?
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(11/10/18): Musings on the End Times: God’s Rapture or Satan’s Rupture?
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(12/1/18): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Mystical Logos
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(3/2/19): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on a Post-Christian America
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(5/25/19): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Divinity and Moral Teachings of Jesus
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http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2019/08/musings-on-dismal-future-of-church-and.html.
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http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2019/08/musings-on-christian-nationalism-plague.html.
(8/31/19): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Politics of Christian Zionism
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2019/08/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on.html.
(9/7/19): Musings on the Self-Destruction of Christianity and American Democracy
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2019/09/musings-on-self-destruction-of.html.
(9/14/19): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on Chaos as a Prelude to a New Creation
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2019/09/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on-chaos.html.
(10/5/19): Musings on the Moral Relevance of Jesus to Democracy
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2019/10/musings-on-moral-relevance-of-jesus-to.html.
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http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2019/11/musings-on-jesus-and-christ-as.html.
(12/7/19): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on Religious Triumphalism and Politics
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2019/12/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on.html.
(12/14/19): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on Prophets, Scripture and God’s Truth
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http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2019/10/musings-on-moral-relevance-of-jesus-to.html.
(10/26/19): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on Discipleship in a Democracy
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(11/16/19): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Irrelevance of Morality in Politics
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2019/11/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on_16.html.
(11/23/19): Musings on Jesus and Christ as Conflicting Concepts in Christianity
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2019/11/musings-on-jesus-and-christ-as.html.
(12/14/19): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on Prophets, Scripture and God’s Truth
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2019/12/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on_14.html.
(12/28/19): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the End as a New Beginning
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2019/12/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on-end-as.html.
(1/11/20): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on Christians as a Moral Minority
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2020/01/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on.html.
(2/1/20): Musings on the Sacrifice of Jesus on the Altar of Partisan Politics
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2020/02/musings-on-sacrifice-of-jesus-on-altar.html.
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http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2020/06/was-jesus-prophet-of-gospels-or-christ.html.
(7/18/20): Musings on Atheism and Religion and Living Life to the Full
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2020/07/musings-on-atheism-and-religion-and.html.
(2/1/20): Musings on the Sacrifice of Jesus on the Altar of Partisan Politics
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2020/02/musings-on-sacrifice-of-jesus-on-altar.html.
(3/7/20): Musings on America’s Need for a Politics of Reconciliation, not Revolution
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2020/03/musings-on-americas-need-for-politics.html.
(4/4/20): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Resurrection of America’s Values
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2018/03/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on.html.
(11/7/20): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on Good and Evil in Religion and Politics
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2020/11/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on-good.html.
(5/16/20): The Evolution of America’s Libertarian Democracy from Plutocracy to Kleptocracy
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2020/05/musings-on-evolution-of-americas.html?.
(5/22/21): Musings on Morality and Politics and the Need for a Civil Religion in America
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2021/05/musings-on-morality-and-politics-and.html.
(4/1//23): Musings on a Common Word of Faith and Politics as a Means of Reconciliation
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2023/04/musings-on-common-word-of-faith-and.html.
(5/20/23): Musings on God’s Simple, Universal and Timeless Truth
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2023/05/musings-on-gods-simple-universal-and.html.
(8/5/23): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on How We Love God
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2023/08/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on-how-we.html.
(8/25/23): Musings on Changing Christian Doctrine to Promote the Common Good
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2023/08/musings-on-changing-christian-doctrine.html.
(2/24/24): Musings on Religion and Pragmatic Altruism in Democracy
https://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2024/02/musings-on-religion-and-pragmatic.html.
(8/10/24): Musings on the Universal Teachings of Jesus as a Common Word of Faith
https://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2024/08/musings-on-universal-teachings-of-jesus.html.
(11/21/20): Democracy Has Survived Donald Trump, but Can the Church Survive Democracy?
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2020/11/democracy-has-survived-donald-trump-but.html.
(12/19/20): Musings on Finding a Path to Reconcile America’s Polarized partisan Democracy
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2020/12/musings-on-finding-path-to-reconcile.html.
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http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2021/01/truth-and-reconciliation-in-politics.html.
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http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2021/02/the-moral-corruption-of-christianity.html.
(3/6/21): Musings on Socialism, Capitalism, Democracy and Debt in Politics and Religion
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2021/03/musings-on-socialism-capitalism.html.
(3/20/21): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Radical Moral Teachings of Jesus
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2021/03/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on.html.
(3/27/21): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on a Civil Religion in a Divided America
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2021/03/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on-civil.html.
(4/17/21): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Future of the Church
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2021/04/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on-future.html?
(5/22/21): Musings on Morality and Politics and the Need for a Civil Religion in America
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2021/05/musings-on-morality-and-politics-and.html.
(7/17/21): Christianity and Politics: Separated by Irreconcilable Differences
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2021/07/christianity-and-politics-separated-by.html.
(8/14/21): Musings on Conflicting Concepts of God’s Truth in Christianity
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2021/08/musings-on-conflicting-concepts-of-gods.html.
(1/22/22): Musings on Popularity as a Corrupting Influence in Democracy and Christianity
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2022/01/musings-on-popularity-as-corrupting.html.
(1/29/22): Musings on the Inadequacy of Religious Moral Standards in American Democracy
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2022/01/musings-on-inadequacy-of-religious.html.
(4/23/22): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on Why Americans Are Losing Their Religion
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2022/04/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on-why.html.
(4/30/22): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Obsolescence of Christianity in Politics
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2022/04/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on.html.
(6/25/22): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Church and the Greatest Commandment
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2022/06/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on-church.html.
(8/6/22): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on Moderating Hatred in Partisan Politics
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2022/08/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on.html.
(8/13/22): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on Religion and the Wisdom of God
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2022/08/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on.html.
(11/5/22): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on Jesus, the Church and Christian Nationalism
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2022/11/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on-jesus.html.
(11/12/22): Musings on the Need for a Civil Religion in America’s Dysfunctional Democracy
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2022/11/musings-on-need-for-civil-religion-in.html.
(12/10/22): Musings on the Evolution of Christianity into the American Civil Religion
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2022/12/musings-on-evolution-of-christianity.html.
(3/11/23): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Future of Christianity and Democracy
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2023/03/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on-future.html.
(3/18/23): An 18th Century Preview of America’s Political and Religious Schisms
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2023/03/an-18th-century-preview-of-americas.html.
(6/24/23): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Cost of Discipleship to the Church
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2023/06/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on-cost.html.
(7/22/23): Musings on the Need for Altruism in Christianity and the American Civil Religion
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2023/07/musings-on-need-for-altruism-in.html.
(8/19/23): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on a Universal and Altruistic Jesus
http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2023/08/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on.html.
(10/7/23): Musings on the Demise of America’s Dysfunctional Democracy and the Church
https://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2023/10/musings-on-demise-of-americas.html.
(12/23/23) Musings on the Advent of Jesus as the Light of the World and the Universal Logos
https://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2023/12/musings-on-advent-of-jesus-as-light-of.html.
(3/2/24): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Need for an Unconventional Faith
https://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2024/03/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on-need.html.
(3/27/24): Musings on Going Back to the Future on the Evolution of Christianity
https://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2024/04/musings-on-going-back-to-future-in.html.
(6/15/24): Musings Why Churches Ignore the Moral Teachings of Jesus https://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2024/06/500-musings-on-why-most-churches-ignore.html
(8/3/24): Musings on Popularity as the Measure of Success in the Church and Democracy https://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2024/08/musings-on-popularity-as-measure-of.html.
