Politics as the New Religion for Progressive Democrats

The Atlantic ^ | October 11, 2018 | by Emma Green

[Oldeconomybuyer]

The voters who are most amped for the 2018 elections look elite in nearly every way. They are Democrats, college-educated, and largely secular. They are likely to be women, but they’re not necessarily white or particularly young. These are the people who might post rants about Donald Trump on Facebook or harass their friends to donate to Planned Parenthood. They may sign petitions on Change.org or follow the Facebook page of the U.S. Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke, even though they don’t live in Texas. Maybe they attended the Women’s March two years ago, or the March for Our Lives this spring.

“Whoever is in the losing party tends to be more energized,” said Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg, the director of the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University. “They have something to win back.”

It’s the segment that’s surprising: Religiously unaffiliated voters, who may or may not be associated with other civic institutions, seem most excited about supporting or donating to causes, going to rallies, and expressing opinions online, among other activities. Political engagement may be providing these Americans with a new form of identity. And in turn, they may be helping to solidify the new identity of the Democratic Party.

Perhaps the takeaway from this is that the Democratic Party is going through a transformative moment of both sentiment and identity. Many liberals are feeling anger, and finding ways to express that. The elite part of the party, especially those who are well educated, is most engaged. And for these people, progressive politics may offer a form of meaning making, especially if they are disconnected from other forms of ethnic or religious identity.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

[RoosterRedux]

New?

Politics has always been the religion of atheists.

[Jim Robinson]

“Whoever is in the losing party tends to be more energized,”

They must be energized then, because they’re definitely losers.

[Amendment10]

"They are Democrats, college-educated [??? emphasis added], and largely secular."

College-indoctrinated is a more appropriate term than college-educated imo.

[sphinx]

Emma Green is one of the undercover rational people at The Atlantic.

[RitaOK]

Great article, there. Interesting about the professor claiming to meet more Progressive women, I think it was, who are now religiously affiliated than ever before, she said.

Tells me that the Christian churches have failed. They are so unserious and they are broadly unrecognizable from the Christian faith, teachings and practices of even the 1950’s.

The difference is extremely stark from the 19th century churches, in the West.

[CincyRichieRich]

Religion of hate.

Religion of piss and vinegar.

[RoosterRedux]

After food, water, a mate, and a roof--and given a little time--the main human drive is to find meaning to life.

There are plenty of exceptions...mostly of the Hugh Hefner variety (developmentally challenged--stuck in boyish adolescent fantasies).

But atheists turn to politics to find their meaning.

As an aside, there are plenty of religions which are not based in the truth and provide only delicate/flimsy meaning.

Satanism, Mormonism, Islam...all bullshit. Adherents are admonished not to examine their religion too closely. To do so is heresy.

But the search is, for most folks, THE most powerful drive in the end.

Remember, most folks are just looking for meaning. Only a few are actually looking for the Truth.

Now the real mystery begins when one discovers he/she is seeking the TRUTH. And is actually willing and, in fact, insistent on following logic and reason in finding the Truth.

Real Christians take heart.

There are multitudes of teeming souls looking for the REAL TRUTH.

Be patient...and be ready to share the Gospel or some tiny sliver of it. Often times, it is only a sliver that will strike the correct chord in the heart of the unbeliever.

Listen and watch...and be ready to share.

[Luke21]

Excellent post.

[smvoice]

2 TIMOTHY 3:1-13.
EXCERPT: v.5-7: “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away”...
“Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

[RoosterRedux]

Thank you for noticing. I was afraid I was alone in this perception.

This stuff has been kicking around inside me lately.

I would think other Christians would have the same stuff kicking around in them.

Your post gives me courage. It should give you courage.

[DeweyCA]

Have been saying this for quite some time. Victor Frankl in his book, Man's Search for Meaning, makes this exact point. I have seen it in my family. One of my brother-in-laws is an arrogant ignorant ACLU atheist. He is as progressive as you can get and proud of it. He is always talking politics. He has nothing else. It is his religion. It gives him something bigger than himself to think about. He doesn't do anything about because he is too selfish to be willing to sacrifice for anybody, but it makes him feel superior to deplorables like me.

[RoosterRedux]

Viktor Frankl is one of my heroes.

[trebb]

Yep - and I bet a lot of them are feeling more demoralized than energized...watching what their Party has become probably hit a number of them hard. For the rest, putting everything they had into stopping Kavanaugh, only to have their butts handed to them, had to knock their breath out.

MAGA!!!!!!