3.19.2008
The Ramifications of a Post-Christian Society
Reverberations from the Pew Forum's groundbreaking U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, the first independent survey to place modern Paganism over the one million mark, are still being felt. Recently The Chronicle Review, a publication of The Chronicle of Higher Education, explored some of the ramifications of these findings.
"...findings in the study shed new light on issues around which there has been no scholarly consensus ... it is becoming increasingly obvious that the term "Judeo-Christian" no longer makes sense, given how many Americans are neither. But the favorite terms to replace it - "Judeo-Christian-Islamic" or "Abrahamic" - seem equally inappropriate. It is not just that Buddhists, who do not trace their roots to Abraham, may outnumber Muslims, who do. It is that the combined percentage of those who identify themselves as either Hindu (0.4 percent) or from "other world religions" (0.3 percent) does so as well. We are not one nation divided into three monotheistic faiths. We are a nation characterized by many faiths, as well as by none."
If America is no longer a "Judeo-Christian" (or "Abrahamic") country, what does that mean? Alan Wolfe, director of the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life, claims that the era of a common Christian morality is coming to a close.
"The fact that we now have so many religions in this country suggests either that no common morality is possible, or that, if it is, religion cannot be its most important source. The ways in which religious diversity either increases or detracts from speaking about the common good ought to be a subject stimulated by Pew's conclusions."
Which means that we could see a day when divisive "culture war" and other "social issues" will cease to be a tug-of-war between liberal secularists on one side, and conservative Christians on the other. Instead, there will be a variety of viewpoints and moralities involved in the discussion, changing the entire dynamic of debate.
Some will wonder if this is simply a statistical "blip" before some new Great Awakening re-asserts Christian moral dominance in America, but Wolfe says that data points to Christian denominations having retention problems across the board, including the "conservative" and "evangelical" denominations.
"Protestant denominations ... were all losers ... Pew has found that the strictest of all churches, at least in the sheer amount of proselytizing time and energy it requires, has the lowest overall retention rate ... whatever the case in the past, there is no strong evidence of strict churches attracting a disproportionate share of members now ... If the religious world of adults in the United States is diverse and in constant flux, the religious affiliations of young Americans, who will be tomorrow's voters and citizens, are even more so. Three times as many Americans under 30 as those over 70 are not religiously affiliated."
These problems haven't escaped the notice of conservative and evangelical churches, but their attempts to fix what they define as an "image problem" may be too little and too late.
"Christians are supposed to represent Christ to the world. But according to the latest report card, something has gone terribly wrong. Using descriptions like "hypocritical," "insensitive," and "judgmental," young Americans share an impression of Christians that's nothing short of ... unChristian."
Of course, this doesn't mean that we'll be living in some sort of multi-religious utopia any time soon. Those in power rarely let go easily, and we may see battles over issues of religious morality and political influence get a lot worse before they attain a new balance. America may have woken up into a new "post-Christian" society, but the hangover from two hundred years of Christian dominance will most likely give us headaches for many years to come.
Labels: America, Pew Forum, post-Christian, Religion, The Chronicle Review, U.S. Religious Landscape Survey
1.16.2008
(More) Religion and Politics
According to a Reuters blog posting, a group of Catholic, evangelical and mainline Protestant leaders have released a statement urging presidential candidates to stop using religion to further partisan goals. Co-sponsored by Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good and Faith in Public Life, the statement decries the "troubling" ways that faith has intruded into political competition.
"In this year's presidential campaign, we are troubled to see candidates pressed to pronounce the nature of their religious beliefs, asked if they believe every word of the Bible ... and faced with prejudicial analyses of their denominational doctrines"
The statement lays out three guiding principles that candidates should follow:
1. That religious differences should not be used to marginalize or disparage candidates.
2. That candidates should acknowledge "that no faith can lay exclusive claim to the moral values that enrich our public life."
3. "While it is appropriate for candidates to connect their faith to their policy positions, their positions on policy must respect all citizens regardless of religious belief."
While these principles were written by a coalition of Christian believers, they are written in such a way that just about any religious believer (including this Pagan) could endorse them. The question is if anyone will pay attention to these social justice organizations. Their call for a cease-fire in the Christmas Wars went largely unheeded, and certain politicians seem ever-more eager to use religion in order to further their political careers.
"I have opponents in this race who do not want to change the Constitution. But I believe it's a lot easier to change the Constitution than it would be to change the word of the living God. And that's what we need to do is amend the Constitution so it's in God's standards rather than trying to change God's standards so it lines up with some contemporary view of how we treat each other and how we treat the family." - Mike Huckabee, January 14, 2008
Looks like someone has already thrown principles one and two right out the window. This, along with other recent developments, seem to point to a presidential season that refuses to stop using religion as a weapon. If this trend continues, what will happen when a true religious outsider (other than a Mormon) makes a serious run for political office? Having seen brief glimmers of that future, I can tell you that it won't be pretty. Let's hope the principles set forth by Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, and Faith in Public Life, take root in future elections, because it seems unlikely they will this year.
Labels: America, Christianity, politics, Religion
1.15.2008
Religious History, Religious Freedom, Religious Outsiders
One thing that those in the religious (in America's case Christian) majority don't often understand is that the term "religious freedom" can mean very different things to those not enjoying the fruits of political (or statistical) power. When Presidential candidates like Mitt Romney or Mike Huckabee sing the praises of religious tolerance, while simultaneously drawing boundaries on that tolerance (for Secularists and Mormons respectively) it sends a clear message. Religious freedom and tolerance are for me, and not necessarily for thee (and if for thee, then grudgingly).
Indeed, for some Christian activists "religious freedom" means freedom to pass laws privileging their faith, freedom to exclude non-Christian displays of faith, and ultimately, the freedom to harass us. In many cases, when faced with the real, messy, kind of religious freedom, Christian activists back off as quickly as possible. So it is through this lens that I greet two new developments in the name of religious freedom. The first comes from President Bush, who has declared January 16th, the anniversary of Virginia's passage in 1796 of the Statute for Religious Freedom, as Religious Freedom Day.
"In an era during which an unprecedented number of nations have embraced individual freedom, we have also witnessed the stubborn endurance of religious repression. Religious freedom belongs not to any one nation, but to the world, and my Administration continues to support freedom of worship at home and abroad. On Religious Freedom Day and throughout the year, we recognize the importance of religious freedom and the vital role it plays in spreading liberty and ensuring human dignity."
Bush has done this every year during his Presidency, and a site has popped up to help parents and children celebrate this day. Their takeaway message? Public schools shouldn't hinder your (Christian) faith!
"In too many instances, public school teachers tell students they cannot include their faith in their homework assignments or classroom discussions ... schools need not be "religion-free zones." It is often the case that parents who complain to school officials about what they think are violations of the "separation of church and state" do not understand the appropriate and lawful place religious expression can have at school. Religious Freedom Day is not 'celebrate-our-diversity day.'"
In fact, some journalists have criticized these "freedom days" as "Christian freedom days".
"The roots of the annual proclamation may have been different when begun 13 years ago (celebrating Jefferson's stand that there should be no state-supported religion and no discrimination based on faith), but today there's a chance that those who spread the proclamation around - possibly even Bush himself when he invokes "the Almighty" - have a particular brand of Christianity in mind when they talk about religious freedom."
The second instance is House Resolution 888 (still under consideration) which purports to designate a week every year to honor the nation's "rich spiritual, and religious history." But again, while it sounds good at first, reading the resolution makes it clear that this is meant to honor a very restrictive (and revisionist) reading of American history.
"House Resolution 888, sponsored by Congressman Randy Forbes (R-Virginia), is currently before a House committee and has 31 co-sponsors. It purports to be free from singling out a specific religion, yet contains dozens of proclamations with clear fundamentalist Christian overtones. Five pages of footnotes cite specific Bible passages, the Gospels, churches, and include Biblical references taken from historical monuments such as the Lincoln Memorial ... Forbes, who in 2005 founded the Congressional Prayer Caucus in an effort to ensure Christianity's place in politics, told the Virginian Pilot he introduced his resolution to combat a "well-orchestrated movement" by "radicals" to keep Christianity and religion in general separate from government."
In fact, the resolution contains several misreadings and omissions in order to give the impression that America was not simply Christian in character, but a "Christian Nation". It leaves out the real religious legacy of America, the one that stems from the Constitution not enforcing an official religion. The one made up by Deists, Freemasons, and Enlightenment values. The nation where President John Adams and the Congress unanimously approved the following statement.
"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion"
Real American religious history is a history of Native Americans fighting forced assimilation, a history of Quakers being jailed as traitors for resisting war, Transcendentalists opening up to Buddhist and Hindu thought, "Joss houses" of the immigrant Chinese, and eventually, the feminist thealogians and "new pagans" (both home-grown and imported) who helped revive the worship of gods and goddesses long thought to be extinct. The real legacy of religious freedom in America isn't simply the ongoing twists and turns of the Christian majority, but a legacy of outsiders and free-thinkers who fight for (and sometimes achieve) the full inclusion promised by the First Amendment.
Until these resolutions, proclamations, and laws truly embrace the whole religious diversity of America, instead of simply trying to find clever ways to privilege the majority, these measures won't be about religious freedom or "honoring" our history. They should be seen for what they are, attempts to slowly batter down the separation of Church and State. This kind of "freedom" and "honor" I will gladly do without.
Labels: America, Bush, Christianity, House Resolution 888, Religion, Religious Freedom
12.07.2007
Religious Outsiders and the Presidential Race
God-talk in the Presidential race, especially for the Republicans, is heating up. Everyone is trying to prove just how Christian and Jesus-loving they are to the nation. Recently, Mitt Romney's "don't be scared of my Mormonism" speech, and the sudden rise of Southern Baptist (and former governor) Mike Huckabee (the new evangelical fave sucking votes from Romney) have intensified talk about God and the executive branch even further. They, along with John "we are founded on Christian principles" McCain, seem to be reinforcing the notion that only a man of (Christian) faith can properly lead America.
"Romney delivered an address that simultaneously pleaded for religious tolerance and urged intolerance of what he termed the "religion of secularism." The former Massachusetts governor at once declined to discuss the specific dogmas of his own faith while seeking to convince the bigots in his political party that, like them, he accepts Jesus Christ as the Son of God and his Savior ... Whatever bland assurances they may offer to the contrary, both Romney and Huckabee have implicitly endorsed religious tests for a presidential candidacy. Both suggest that only leaders who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are qualified to lead. Huckabee says that we should choose a president who speaks "the language of Zion," meaning a fundamentalist Christian like himself. Romney says that among the questions that may appropriately be asked of aspiring presidential candidates is what they believe about Jesus Christ..."
The values of secularism, the values that protect religious minorities, atheists, and agnostics from being isolated and discriminated against are called "anti-religion" by Romney, while the other candidates (with the exception of Giuliani) all try to prove their anti-abortion bona-fides by gaining endorsements from groups like the National Right to Life Committee. It comes down to the fact that there is an "unofficial" religious test for President, be sufficiently Christian, or don't bother running.
The scary thing is, this is just the beginning. Once the Presidential primaries actually start, expect things to get vicious on the religion issue. With both Democrats and Republicans struggling to prove they are sufficiently monotheistic and Bible-believing to head an (in theory) secular office. Obama wants to build "a Kingdom right here on Earth", Clinton is a member of a scary underground Christian organization called The Fellowship which seeks to bring Jesus back to Capitol Hill, and all the Democratic front-runners have a hard time granting equality to homosexuals (while Republicans have no trouble denying an equal role for gays at all).
"Democrats are tiptoeing around gay issues, probably because they believe the gay vote is theirs regardless. Republicans are poised to make gay marriage a major, divisive issue again in 2008, since they know it will mobilize so many single-issue voters to go out to the polls and vote Republican ... And no one wants to talk about the fact that marriage, at least in the legal, government sense, is a "civil union" with all the rights that go along with that, and has nothing whatsoever to do with God, the Bible, or religion..."
So where does all this religious fervor leave modern Pagans, agnostics, atheists, and adherents to minority faiths? Out in the cold. Second-class citizens in the race to build a "Kingdom" based around a single religious outlook. In a race where everyone is trying to prove their fidelity to Jesus (instead of sticking to issues of running this country), anyone who doesn't accept Jesus as their role-model or savior is removed from the conversation.
Labels: America, Paganism, Presidential election, Religion
11.20.2007
Hate Crimes Towards "Other"
The FBI has released its data on hate crimes for the year 2006. Reported incidents of hate crimes have risen since 2005, from 7163 incidents to 7722 incidents. That number may be much larger since only a small fraction of law enforcement agencies even bother to report to the FBI (they aren't required to by law), for instance, the incidents involving nooses in Jena were not reported to this study. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is the breakdown of religiously motivated hate crimes in 2006.
"Of the 1,750 victims of an anti-religion hate crime:
* 65.4 percent were victims of an offender's anti-Jewish bias.
* 11.9 percent were victims of an anti-Islamic bias.
* 4.9 percent were victims of an anti-Catholic bias.
* 3.7 percent were victims of an anti-Protestant bias.
* 0.5 percent were victims of an anti-Atheist/Agnostic bias.
* 8.4 percent were victims of a bias against other religions (anti-other religion).
* 5.3 percent were victims of a bias against groups of individuals of varying religions (anti-multiple religions, group)."
A couple things become immediately clear, one, that Christians (both Protestant and Catholic) experienced the fewest religiously-motivated hate crimes of any faith grouping (despite claims of widespread anti-Christian activity by some conservative Christians), and two, that a large number of religious hate crimes (coming in third behind Muslims and Jews) are towards faiths that check the "other" box in surveys. In fact, the number of incidents against "other religions" have risen since 2005, with 41 more victims of a religious-motivated hate crime in 2006.
The problem with this data is we have no idea who the "others" are. Buddhists? Hindus? Pagans? All of the above? There is no break-down within the category. While we can't say that "x" number of Pagans (or Hindus, etc) were the victims of a hate crime, we can assume that faiths on the fringes of the mainstream, non-Christian faiths, and new religious movements have seen an increase in hate crime activity since 2005. It may also be true that the crimes against "other" are much higher since the chances that rural law enforcement districts are going to report to the FBI when a Wiccan gets harassed are most likely slim to none.
On the other hand, this data shouldn't be used to hypothesize some sort of neo-"Burning Times" against adherents of Pagan faiths. Certainly incidents against "other" adherents are dwarfed by a still-huge number of anti-Jewish/Semitic attacks (over 1000 victims as opposed to 147). What we can say is that incidents of hate crimes against faiths outside the norm are potentially on the rise, and it is something we should pay attention to when 2007's numbers are released. These numbers should spark renewed conversation about how welcoming we are as a society to faiths outside the Christian comfort-zone, and why attacks on minority religions are growing.
Labels: America, Christianity, FBI, hate crime, Paganism, Religion
10.18.2007
Investigating the Saint of Death
Time Magazine has a profile feature on the cult of Santa Muerte, which looks at how the controversial syncretic religion has spread from Mexico and into the United States.
"Santa Muerte began appearing in U.S. neighborhoods with large Mexican populations only in the last decade. Walk down 26th street here in Little Village, one of Chicago's largest Mexican neighborhoods, and notice the tiny shops, or botanicas, selling statues, candles and palm-sized prayer cards bearing Santa Muerte's image. Notice references to Santa Muerte in Spanish-language newspapers. Young Mexican-American men are marking their bodies with Santa Muerte tattoos to prove their devotion. Middle-class, suburban-bred Mexican-Americans are snapping up black tee-shirts bearing Santa Muerte's image to reconnect with what they perceive to be part of their heritage. Last weekend, a Chicago art gallery opened an exhibit showcasing images from Tepito - with Santa Muerte figuring prominently. And Santa Muerte may gain even more credibility: the famed Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal narrates Saint Death, a new documentary about the phenomenon."
Time hints that part of the popularity of Saint Death is a Catholic Church riddled with scandal and hypocrisy. One devotee in the article says outright that she worships Santa Muerte "because of everything you hear with priests". What started out as a small splinter cult mixing attributes of indigenous religion, Santeria, and Catholicism is evolving into a far more mainstream concern that is advocating for legal rights and adopting friendlier imagery for its ever-growing body of followers.
"A small religious group that worships the grim reaper and is fighting for government recognition unveiled a softer image of their so-called Death Saint on Sunday: a woman with a porcelain face, brown, shoulder-length hair and long thin fingers ... "This image is one of justice, of freedom, but above all one that reveals the face of God," Romo said. Believers say the Death Saint kills only on God's orders."
The growth of Santa Muerte shows that there are religious needs that the dominant monotheisms are no longer meeting, and that Paganism and other new religious movements aren't isolated to Europe and the "first world". Religious diversity is basic human impulse, and attempts to get everyone worshiping the same God (in the same manner) are ultimately doomed to failure as the needs and wants of individuals, groups, and societies stray from entrenched dogma and doctrine.
Labels: America, Catholicism, indigenous, Mexico, Saint Death, Santa Muerte, Santeria, Time Magazine
10.13.2007
Pagans Take Stand on Military Intervention
Yesterday, a group of prominent Pagan organizations and individuals sent out a press release concerning the possibility of preemptive military action in Iran. The statement, spearheaded by M. Macha NightMare, Ellen Evert Hopman, Maureen Duffy-Boose, and Nancy Machin, calls for political leaders to use diplomacy as the primary means of dealing with recent tensions between the United States and Iran.
"We are an ad hoc group of Americans who practice diverse Earth-based religions. We affirm the wisdom of peace, tolerance, and justice. These principles are consistent with the values and beliefs of our Pagan religions. We seek to exist in goodwill and fellowship with all peoples, cultures, and nations. In so doing, we express our love for the Earth and acknowledge our interconnectedness with all living things.
In the face of escalating international tensions regarding Iran, we urge the use of diplomatic actions for a peaceful resolution of differences. We reject any rush to military action, since we believe that diplomatic means will lead to a safer, more just, and more constructive solution. Therefore, we call on our political leaders to use diplomacy to create goodwill, peace, and harmony among nations, religions, and peoples."
Among the organizations signing on to the statement are the Coalition of Earth Religions for Education and Support, CUUPs, Lady Liberty League, the ADF, Reclaiming, and the Church of All Worlds. The last time such a coalition statement was made, it was in support of the Ninth Circuit's 2002 ruling to remove "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance (a ruling that was thrown out by the Supreme Court on a technicality).
M. Macha NightMare, one of the organizers of the statement, admits that such a statement will carry little influence with the administration, but she hopes it will act as the beginning of a big spell-working and a catalyst towards further solidarity actions within the Pagan community.
"I know we rushed this. I felt a sense of urgency. I don't know how widely this will eventually circulate, and I am not so naive as to think it will do much good in terms of influencing the administration, but I do believe it shows solidarity among Pagans, concern for the commonweal, and a willingness to stand up and be counted. The more we can act in solidarity, the more seriously we may be taken as a valid voting block ... I'm viewing this as a big spell-working."
No matter your view on relations with Iran, it should be interesting to see if this does inspire more coalitions of Pagan and Heathen individuals and organizations to start taking stands, and injecting their voices into debates over political and social issues.
Labels: America, Iran, Military, Paganism, politics, press release
4.15.2007
Pagan Relics Old and New
When approaching the topic of ancient paganism, location is everything. For instance, locals in Ireland (and the UK) are often very proud of the ancient statues and landmarks from the pre-Christian era. To illustrate this point is a recent story in the Guardian concerning the Janus stone in the Caldragh graveyard on Boa Island in Ireland. Plans to possibly move the statue to a museum in Belfast is drawing an emotional response from the locals.
The Janus
Photo: Around Ireland
"The Janus, which has stood in the Caldragh graveyard on Boa Island in Co Fermanagh since it was put up by the Celts more than 2,000 years ago, inspired the Nobel prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney to write the poem, 'January God'. Locals hold the 2ft tall figure, depicting a man on one side and a female on the other, in awe ... rumours are circling that the statue may be moved to the Ulster Museum for its own protection. Opponents say it would be like moving Stonehenge to London ... Looking around last week at his fellow protesters gathered inside the graveyard where the statue stands, Carrigan added: 'These people and more like them are prepared to do the same. We will physically stand in the way of anyone trying to take the Janus away.'"
Similar responses have occurred in Ireland over plans to build a motorway through the Hill of Tara. These defenders aren't just some small band of Pagans (though Pagans have been involved in such efforts), but patriotic Irish citizens proud of their country's rich heritage and history. Pagan stones are a part of things, co-existing with their Christian heritage. A heritage that America doesn't share, which explains the often hysterical reactions to even the possibility of a pagan or non-Christian landmark.
"Sedgwick County commissioners have put a planned Stonehenge-like Solar Field in Sedgwick County Park on hold after some Wichitans worried that it had cultish religious connotations ... The privately funded one-acre project, which is similar to Wichita artist Steve Murillo's Riverside solar installation but on a larger scale, does come off as vaguely New Agey -- the artists call it a peaceful and "metaphysical" place of healing."
Local clergy fear goths and gangs if such a thing were to be built!
"What these exhibits tend to attract are kids into the Gothic, people who are on the edge of living and because of that they tend not to attract enough of the city who feels comfortable enough to go there ... Gangs, sometimes, will tend to be attracted there because it has a very mystical connotation. It's not a positive thing."
We see here the difference between a people unthreatened by their rich pagan past, and a people who have disconnected from such a history and the resulting religious insecurity that follows. Perhaps things here would have been different if the near-cultural obliteration of America's indigenous peoples hadn't occurred, but that is just speculation. What is clear is that as the numbers of modern Pagans grow, some places will feel keenly threatened by that growth and by any attempt to leave a permanent mark on the landscape.
Labels: America, Ireland, Janus stone, Kansas, Paganism
