52 Whole Number 227
Other proposals nominating Christianity as the in early to mid-19
th
century letters, do people talk to-
Nation’s chosen faith were considered in 1864, 1874, day on cell phones of equally deep-seated spiritual
1896, and 1910, but all were tabled. Others appeared convictions? Or perhaps it really was Elvis’s and rock
in the 1940s and ‘50s as a reaction against ‘godless n roll’s fault, that some still assert after 40 years?
Communism’, and others followed the prayer in
school decision of 1962. Another Christian defense
Sixties’ kids distrusted their parents and politicians
of the home amendment was proposed following the
for making the world go bad, so rebuild anew: throw
Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinski impeachment hearings
out religion, politics, and any and all rules, and de-
in 1998.
velop new ones based on whatever made you feel
good: sex, drugs, and rock n roll to start.
US Religion Today
Stop the War, Kill the Bomb, “Hell no, I won’t go”,
America continues to be seen as one of the most out- and trust no one over 21; these were the anthems of
wardly religious countries, but recall that most of the the day, and the result was a generation as ‘lost’ as
13 Colonies 300 years ago were founded for religious that of the Roaring ‘20s. Research shows most of
protection. A Harris poll in 2006 found that 58% of today’s destructive social elements listed previously
Americans were certain God existed, about 36% were had their beginnings during the ‘60s and ‘70s up-
unsure, while 6% announced their atheism. Europe’s heaval.
figures for religion, tempered by incessant and brutal
Why didn’t the participants later rebound, regroup and
war, are much lower. Polls have further reported that
the current trend in America (not to mention the Fun-
apply themselves to perfecting the world as prom-
damentalist fervor in Latin America and even China)
ised? Instead, they / we discovered the good life, and
shows about a third of Americans are Fundamentalist
ushered in the ‘80s Decade of Greed: gross Wall Street
Christians who believe in personal revelations, ‘speak-
indifference to corruption, likewise in Washington.
ing in tongues’, and Biblical infallibility
The rich got richer and definitely the poor got poorer,
.
and the middle class suffered too. The American spirit
For a country that put men on the moon in 1969-72, continued to plummet.
American society today is made up of 80% Christian
believers, 40% of whom reject scientific evolution
Ed, at the beginning of the 1970s drug craze, believed
principles and believe in the Creationist view of life’
that the 70s generation was totally lost to ‘feel good’
s
beginnings. One mainstream religious writer recently
and hopeless ego tripping. He firmly expected that
commented that the American Fundamentalist’s ori-
the following generation children would swing inevi-
entation was a major shift in religious outlook and
tably back, like a sine wave, to a more conservative
was quickly spreading around the world. Whereas tra-
lifestyle (not necessarily politically conservative),
ditional churches profess good works and faith for
after seeing the destructive antics of their parents.
the salvation of humanity overall, modern Fundamen-
But the curve of social change did not spring back. It
talism and Charismatic Christian groups maintain that
continued its downward spiral, politically, culturally,
individual salvation alone is necessary
ethically, and morally. Why hadn’t our inner spirits,
.
Wher
religious or secular, correct the situation? Did the
e’s Our Social Glue Today?
Iran crisis, the Mid East Crisis, the Oil Crisis, and the
We began with a view that focused on the palpable drug scene (maybe even disco music?), send America
decline in American’s values and character, so preva- into a hazy, hapless depression? Meanwhile, TV evan-
lent on TV, movies, recordings and headlines today. gelism was on the rise. Would these religious media
It is evidenced in declining test scores, wanton pro- empires aid in reinvigorating men and women and
miscuity, and gross materialism (which truly began save the day?
in the 1880’s). There is a seeming lack of motivation
to excel and improve, and we’re fed a nightly stream
No. Many people were apparently lulled into the be-
of negativism stating that Social Security, terrorism,
lief that all was lost in ordinary society and that TV
and climate change can only get worse.
Pastor X or Y was the only hope. And he told them
so. A lot of ‘love offering’ money changed hands and
Is it a defection from religious-centered lives that cer- the empires grew. There were Jim and Tammy Faye
tain TV and other pastors resolutely claim, that is to Bakker, Jimmy Swaggert, the Reverend Ike, Oral
blame? Whereas so many wrote of religious feelings Roberts, etc. After several showed human frailties in
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