This this theory (that the Right is experiencing a God is dead moment) is interesting. I’ve had Christians, in an attempt to wrap their mind around a Godless/religion-less existence, ask, almost in a state of befuddlement, “but where would we get our morals/values??”. 1/
I’m often skeptical of people who say/ask this because it feels like projection, where they’re admitting/confessing that, but for religion/God, and the fear of retribution that it instills,.... 2/
…..that they would severely veer off their moral course.......and as a result, in their mind, anyone who does not worship a God or follow religious doctrine *must* be living a life that is as morally compass-less as theirs would be. 3/
As an interesting aside, it’s especially rich when anti-Trump conservatives/Christians blame progressives/atheism for the moral decay that Trump has helped usher in with record levels of *blessed* Evangelical support. 4/
Another factor may be that since the incentive structure of religion is often based around “belief/faith”, rather than behavior/deeds……then it creates a situation where people feel like they will be bailed out for their egregious/inhumane actions towards other human beings….5/
….as long their requisite belief/faith is strong enough.
What’s worse, is that if the egregious actions are committed in the name of their God/religion, there is not just a passive bailout factor for bad behavior, but an affirmative moral authority to commit those acts.... 6/
What’s worse, is that if the egregious actions are committed in the name of their God/religion, there is not just a passive bailout factor for bad behavior, but an affirmative moral authority to commit those acts.... 6/
....which essentially cultivates a, “the (moral) ends justifies the (egregious) means” mindset, that unfortunately isn’t isolated to religion because, due to the politicization of religion, this mindset permeates the political climate right now. 7/
And finally there may be some carry over effect from the belief that God chose a flawed man to lead the evangelical/Republican movement,…8/
….and as a result, since God approves of a flawed man/leader, engaging in flawed (unchristian-like) behavior to deliver God’s will (conservative judges: abortion, Bill Barr’s religious authoritarianism),…9/
…..then God is not only accepting of that egregious behavior, but endorses it……...because if God would choose Trump to be his conduit, then he must approve of that behavior…..10/
…and not just for Trump, but for those who emulate Trump…because if Trump is doing God’s work, then their emulation of Trump is also God’s work. In this context, their support Trump has exposes a psychopathological perversion of these institutions…11/
…..especially when religion is weaponized to exploit political issues that severely divide and traumatize the country….. 12/
