Well that's fitting .. total-dick xtians helping to eradicate religious belief.

[Whateverist]

http://www.alternet.org/belief/religion-...stening-it

Political scientists Robert Putman and David Campbell, the authors of American Grace, argue that the Christian Right’s politicization of faith in the 1990s turned younger, socially liberal Christians away from churches, even as conservatives became more zealous. “While the Republican base has become ever more committed to mixing religion and politics, the rest of the country has been moving in the opposite direction.”

[Chad32]

Extremists will always push people away, due to their extremism. Depending on which group is larger, between extremists and moderates, either the moderates will leave, or the extremists will start a splinter group. That's why we have tens of thousands of denominations of christianity. The republican party is getting so entrenched that eventually it will fade out.

[Faith No More]

Hmmm...nowhere in that article did they point to anything that says that the rise of the religious right was an actual factor in the decline of religion. They've just noted that the two happened in close proximity to each other.

I understand their sentiment and agree that it was likely an influence, but this is all just speculation.

[Whateverist]

Hmmm...nowhere in that article did they point to anything that says that the rise of the religious right was an actual factor in the decline of religion.

Unless you count its title:

Christian Right Has Major Role in Hastening Decline of Religion in America

[Faith No More]

Hmmm...nowhere in that article did they point to anything that says that the rise of the religious right was an actual factor in the decline of religion.

Unless you count its title:

Christian Right Has Major Role in Hastening Decline of Religion in America

And that's my point. They're simply asserting it to be true without anything to back it up.

[Whateverist]

Yep, that's true.

[Minimalist]

Hmmm...nowhere in that article did they point to anything that says that the rise of the religious right was an actual factor in the decline of religion. They've just noted that the two happened in close proximity to each other.

I understand their sentiment and agree that it was likely an influence, but this is all just speculation.

Actually....Putnam and Campbell have written an entire book on the subject. They are commenting on Pew Foundation Research but for the back up to their studies I imagine you'd have to read their book.

http://www.amazon.com/American-Grace-Rel...416566732#

It's expensive!

[Mister Agenda]

I've often said that our efforts to promote skepticism pale beside the results fundamentalist evangelicals get.

[Tonus]

Yeah, I'm thinking that they're having a relatively small effect on the overall growth of non-belief. The shit they peddle as "truth" should get most of the credit. If someone offers me a shit sandwich, I don't turn it down because I thought he was being too pushy.