What effect will Fundamentalist Evangelical Christianity have on America?

Question

We have already seen the effects of Fundamentalist Monotheism in Iran and Afghanistan. Much of what they do is also commanded in the Hebrew Bible, and most of it was not done away with in Christianity until it failed in Jerusalem and took hold in Europe.

Even then, you have the Inquisition, the Crusades and the Witch burnings, plus slavery/servitude and many other Biblically mandated Institutions like Genocide.

Only secularism has managed to civilize regions of the world, as diverse as Europe and Taiwan.

But the Evangelicals think that we need a dose of the Old Time Religion that condemned the tribe of Judah to exile and sank Europe into the Dark Ages.

Should we give them another chance? They seem like such nice people on the 700 Club and at those Mega-Churches.

And Mikey Sever is their new middle aged poster boy.

I like your t-shirt, auntb

Answer 1

I think the largest effect it will have is after the rapture of the church. People might......rethink things.

Answer 2

lolly, that remark is one of the stupidest answers I have ever heard in my life, it is wrong on almost all points.

There have been many wars, with no religious significance, look at all the genocides that stem from ethnicity (Rwanda, Yugoslavia, etc.)
The Catholic Church is far from a fundamental Church.
Having premarital sex has had proven emotional, and physical negative affects, so arguing the Catholic Church is crazy on not allowing birth control, is invalid. Because abstinence is the only 100 percent form of birth control, and the negative affects of premarital sex the Catholic Church is quite intelligent.
Then claiming abortion is correct, is not a matter of religion it is a matter of legality. If a pregnant women is murdered it is double murder, murder her unborn child and it is legal, that is an obvious double standard.
Should religion be abolished, absolutely not, if we did not have religion good people would be good, and bad people would be bad. With religion,however, bad people have to act good, call it a scare tactic but it does keep people in line. Also if one has a society without religion, that society is not a free society, and will end up like the Communist regimes.

You are entitled to your opinion, but your opinion is just wrong. To the original poster, I do agree, that we do not need a theocracy, as that is also not a free society.

Answer 3

Theoretically, if our Republic works the way it should, the only effect any religion will have on America is at the voting booths. All religious people should follow their religion and respect others rights to follow a different one or none at all. Hopefully after the next Presidential election, the sway towards certain religious affiliations will correct itself.
The only other way Religious followings would effect America is to make society a better place to live in. The religious should concentrate on feeding, clothing and housing the homeless by either their own actions or at the voting booths to make government help in this area. The Religious should concern themselves with finding families for all the unwanted babies since they do not want abortion available. the Religious should concern themselves with ending all wars and creating world peace. If the Religious would stop trying to force everyone into follow their particular beliefs and put their beliefs into ACTIONS, then they wouldn't have to force anyone to believe, others would willingly follow their example.

Answer 4

I think the effect will be a positive one.

There exist many grass roots movements in the US. Bringing back prayer in school, creation science and other alternative options to learning about disproved evolution theories.

The new testament churches were made up of local communities, not the unholy Globo-Church we see in Rome that placed their god on earth:the pope.

Secularism gets no credit for civilization. Those counties (like Taiwan) were a direct result of christian, capitalistic countries like the US providing opportunity via imports. The same can be said with western Europe. Getting paid for working is a christian concept.
For the last 200 years the christian leadership of this country has also maintained a positive relationship with Israel, for this reason, the US has received many blessings.

Much of the tragedies Guido mentioned have been a direct result of the countries/empires relationship with Israel: Egypt, Babylon, Africa, Rome,Africa, all these cultures have two things in common: they are defined by the past (ruins, famine) and all had crossed Israel before their downfall.

Answer 5

I do not agree that only secularism is civilizing. But it is true that fundamentalism is dangerous. These two extremes do not represent the entire spectrum of spiritual thought.

I think the fundamentalists will only do serious damage if they are unopposed by anyone except atheists and materialists (to the extent those two are different). We need diversity to replace the attempt to force uniformity. We need to stand up and say "My relationship to the Divine is personal, and no one else has a right to force me into a mold." That is in fact the meaning of the First Amendment.

And we do need to protect and defend the First Amendment and all our Constitutional rights. Or as one of my favorite tee shirts says, "The Constitution: It's not just a good idea, it's the law."

Answer 6

Fundies have already had quite an effect, electing the Idiot as President of the United States. However, the dew is off the rose, and nobody is buying their hypocritical "family values" crap this time around.

Mega-churches will continue to enrich those who run them, while exploiting gullible "believers". However, from a historical perspective, the long-term effect of Evangelicals on American society will be virtually nil.

Answer 7

If you are interested, rather than just baiting, you should read the works of George Marsden, author of the most authoritative books on Fundamentalism in American history. He is quite good and a very well respected scholar. I recommend these two books first:

Fundamentalism and American Culture: The Shaping of Twentieth-Century Evangelicalism, 1870-1925

Understanding Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism

Answer 8

Religion has been the cause of every war ever fought on this planet. We should do away with all religion - like John lennon said! The Catholic church is the biggest cult on the planet - telling everyone not to use birth contorl and that abortion is bad. How ridiculous. Intelligent people shoud be able to play nice together without the threat of going to some imaginary hell. Just my 2 cents.

Answer 9

Very little if any. You have to realize that Fundamentalists are in a HUGE minority. Do you know anyone who actually watches the 700 club without the intention of making fun of Pat Robertson?

Answer 10

I don't think that they will have much of an effect at all. The US is the most religiously diverse country in the world, and the fundies are definitely not in the majority. While they will occassionally stir up some trouble, I don't think that they will have a big impact.

Answer 11

I think as it grows, it will have the power to destroy the America that was shaped by the Constitution and replace it with imposed morality based on one religion.

We are already seeing it. Scientific inquiry being mocked and pushed aside for religion. The freedom of all people of faith and those of no faith is being threatened. Wars are being justified by invoking God.

I think it will happen slowly enough, and with the "best" of intentions, that no one will stop it until it's too late.