When I lived in Britain in the mid 80’s, I was shocked at the lack of religiosity. I blamed it on Socialism. People would ask me what the biggest difference was between Britain and the USA. I had been struck by the difference in how success was viewed. Growing up in the USA, successful people were to be emulated; success was something to be aspired to, no matter what avenue that success took. While living in Britain, I was often surprised/shocked to watch how successful businessmen were denigrated. I heard a radio interview from Britain, during the rioting in 2012.The girl being interviewed was asked why she was ransacking a shop in her own neighborhood. She said ‘I want this stuff.....and why does he (the shop owner) have this, he doesn’t deserve it’. The unemployment rate for youths aged 16-24 is down to around 10% now, in Britain and that’s good. But why would anyone think that they deserved something they had not worked for? The waning of religiosity is stealing the necessary character that previously meant taking responsibility for oneself........in Britain and here.
In countries with established churches religion was identified with the government and the ruling classes (even if the ruling classes weren't very religious). Faith came to be seen as something imposed from above rather than something rooted in the ordinary lives of ordinary people.
Socialism has much to do with the decline of religion in Britain and Europe -- the energy that traditionally went into religion turned toward socialism in the 20th century -- but affluence and consumerism may have dealt religion the worst blow.
The girl being interviewed was asked why she was ransacking a shop in her own neighborhood. She said ‘I want this stuff.....and why does he (the shop owner) have this, he doesn’t deserve it’. The unemployment rate for youths aged 16-24 is down to around 10% now, in Britain and that’s good. But why would anyone think that they deserved something they had not worked for? The waning of religiosity is stealing the necessary character that previously meant taking responsibility for oneself........in Britain and here.
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I remember when the Vet and very successful author James Herriot died, how the British media castigated him for not having left more to charities. As if it was their treasure to spend (or get). It was brutal. Then and there I realized that GB is not like the US yet.
......... it’s beginning to look as though secular values aren’t up to the job of opposing them. The trouble with secular values when they are cut off from their Judeo-Christian roots is that they are arbitrary. Autonomy? Dignity? Equality? Says who?
Pretty true here too but the one difference we have is the 2nd amendment and guns in the hands of citizens. Will it be enough?
There is something to this (although Islam is indeed the real reason we are doomed). Facebook has highlighted something I've always been aware of, but now has become inescapable: liberalism has usurped religion for many Americans. As soon as one of my FB friends posts a mildly conservative economic point along the lines of, say, increasing the minimum wage ends of hurting poor people (because employers simply hire fewer people), many other people on FB respond along the lines of, “You have no compassion.” There is almost no objective argument made; it is simply about we-care-about-poor-people-and-you-don't. Overwhelmingly, the politically liberal people do not practice a religion, regardless of which box they check on a form, while the more conservative types are much more likely to go to church or synagogue regularly. (An exception are the libertarian types, who may not be churchgoers, but also don't feel compelled to prove how virtuous they are by reflexively voting for government spending on social programs.)
My point is that many people believe their political liberalism fulfills their religious obligations. And many Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish clergymen are partially to blame, having given up preaching about God years ago. Now, they lecture their dwindling congregations about how they should help “the poor” by higher taxes. Well, be careful what you wish for...