Why is America so religious?

[thesummerqueen]

Oh, by the way darlin' - you should start listening to a podcast called Cognitive Dissonance. Not only is it hilarious in that Lewis Black way we like, and Tom has one of my favorite "radio" voices, but I think you'd get a kick out of the content.

[DeistPaladin]

A good step towards your own demise is to have your population infested with religious insanity. Look at Sarah Palin for example. If she gets in, you're fucked.

Sarah Palin looks scholarly compared to some of the latest crop of Republicans. Stand her next to Bachmann, Perry or Trump and you can see what I mean.

The trend certainly isn't good. I remember when we worried about the prospect of "president Quayle" back in 1988. He kicked off the whole anti-intellectual schtick with his condemnation of the "cultural elite". It's gone downhill from there.

Reagan -> Quayle -> W. Bush -> Palin -> Bachmann/Perry/et al.

To quote the Daily Show, it's a ponzi scheme of stupid.

[Minimalist]

Most countries which have the highest standard of living are becoming increasing secular and less religious.

Our standard of living has eroded considerably since 1980. Even so, the percentage of people who have abandoned religion is rising.

[reverendjeremiah]

Most countries which have the highest standard of living are becoming increasing secular and less religious.

Our standard of living has eroded considerably since 1980. Even so, the percentage of people who have abandoned religion is rising.

We can honestly say that Reagans president was a pivot point of the downfall of America into ever more right wing oppression.

[Minimalist]

Absolutely. Reagan put a warm, grandfatherly face on repression and greed.

[AthiestAtheist]

Apparently, because God has blessed us more than any other nation... LMAO... Take THAT England...

Keep your stinkin' god, I'll take Darwin any fucking day.

You've got Darwin on your fucking money! Damn... I couldn't imagine the uproar there would be if someone proposed that in America. Fuck, they fight tooth and nail to keep "In God We Trust" the national motto, saying it's "not religious". Bullshit.

[DeistPaladin]

You've got Darwin on your fucking money! Damn... I couldn't imagine the uproar there would be if someone proposed that in America. Fuck, they fight tooth and nail to keep "In God We Trust" the national motto, saying it's "not religious". Bullshit.

I think it's more or less tradition that only a nation's citizens are put on their own money. I nominate Carl Sagan. Thomas Paine would be good too.

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Most countries which have the highest standard of living are becoming increasing secular and less religious.

Our standard of living has eroded considerably since 1980.

Sad but true. America is still a 1st World Nation only in terms of overall income but an overwhelming share of that is owned by the top 1%. Our income inequity puts us on par with 3rd World Nations.

[orogenicman]

To answer the OP question, The United States is so religious in large part because of its history, which goes back to the colonies. Many Europeans fled religious oppression in European countries. And so many of the the settlers themselves were very religious. Those traditions have been passed down, generation by generation, to the present.

My own family was among those that came here in 1640 to escape English oppression of Catholics. They founded the Catholic colony at St. Mary's, in Maryland. Of course, when we got here, the English protestants who were among those doing the oppressing back home had already established a colony at Jamestown. Naturally, it wasn't long before fighting erupted between the two groups. It was to prevent that kind of sectarian violence that was among the reasons Jefferson wanted the 1st amendment passed.

[Mister Agenda]

I think a combination of religious immigration, a 'free market' in religion, and a weak social safety net in comparison to most other developed countries. Although America was largely a product of the Enlightenment, we've had waves of immigration from countries that could be characterized as highly religious. Churches aren't supported directly by taxes (although their tax breaks mean the rest of us have to make up the difference) and depend on recruiting members to support themselves. And insecurity feeds the need for reassurance.

[Minimalist]

because of its history, which goes back to the colonies.

True in some cases...mainly New England. Most of the southern colonies were commercial enterprises. New York was founded by the Dutch who stole it from the Indians and who in turn were robbed of it by the English.


The real crazed fundie horseshit movement that we are dealing with it now began with John Nelson Darby in the 1830's and a nutty teenager with visions of fucking jesus in the sky. Our resident moron contingent can in one way or another trace their insanity back to that pair of clowns at least as far as all this rapture bullshit goes.