Religion & The Left

Much is made of the influence of religious conservatives in the Republican Party. The mainstream media has been fairly obsessed with the topic for a generation.

Arthur Brooks wrote this article for National Review Online on the influence of secular Americans on the Left in general and the Democratic Party in particular. Here's an excerpt:

Secular liberals, and especially those who are explicitly nonbelievers, have become a major force on the political left. Researchers have found, for example, that delegates to the Democratic National Convention — the politically-active folks who nominate the Democratic candidate for the U.S. presidency — are more than twice as likely to be completely secular as the population-at-large.

Further, secularists are by far the most politically active liberals at the grassroots level. In the 2005, the Maxwell Poll on Civic Engagement and Inequality revealed that those who never attend religious services are just 11 percent of the adult population in America. But they are 21 percent of self-described liberals, 27 percent of liberals who contribute money to political causes, and 33 percent of liberals who attend political rallies and events. The bottom line is that the Democratic party — at least at the national level — depends critically on nonbelievers. They have influence over American liberal politics that extends far beyond their actual numbers in the population.

Regardless of one's thought about this phenomenon, it's interesting information for the digestion and discussion of politicos.

Comments

[It is finished]

Interesting post Jubel. It's what I've seen happening for a long time in California and it seems to be across the U.S. Democrat's will say they have a "private faith" or that they accept all religions but they don't really believe in a God that will force them to change thier lifestyles or practices. There are lots of kind Democrats how do good works for lots of reasons but most do not really believe in a God who will take away any perceived "freedoms" Some of my best friends are Democrats and I love them dearly but this has been my experience.

[Bladerunner]

Jubal--interesting information. If you attend religious services you are religious according to Brooks, the American Enterprise institue and the National Review. but do the math:

67% of liberals who attend political rallies and events attend religious services.

73% of liberals who contribute money to candidates attend religious services.

79% of self-described liberals attend religious services.

Thanks to Brooks, the AEI and the NRO for making the case that liberals in America are religious.

And Jubal--my prayers are with you in your last quarter of need, with Servite & Crespi tied up at 7-7).

[ww]

导热油
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[Patricia]

Interesting, and it supports my own opinion that once people leave their religion of origin, like many ex-Catholics I know, they search for something to fill that void (politics?). Growing up Catholic was intense, especially in pre-Vatican II days, and I sense a lot of folks are searching for that intensity again, so they become activists.

[Dan Chmielewski]

Matt --
Thr First Amendment has a separation clause designed to keep church and state separate; what is the point of this post except to attempt to create a wedge issue.

Given how much conservatives adore Ronald Reagan, you seldom saw the man in church.

What's the point here?

[Thanks, Baghdad Dan]

DanC:

Do you lefties have some rule against using your brain?

Leaving aside your warped view of the Establishment Clause (maybe one day you and your fellow libs will figure out that a letter from Thomas Jefferson to a friend isn't the Constitution), Jubal offered some food for thought, some research findings for discussion.

Stop being such a defensive priss and take a cue from BladeRunner. He's a Dem I respect because he's able to discuss an issue. You just spew out buzz words and catch phrases like a party hack.

[Hello pot, your black]

A "defensive priss"? Wow. That is not very Christian-like calling other people names. I don't think Jesus would have said that.

[tylerh]

Hey, that's some pretty amazing blogspam, ww: can someone tell what the those white balls are?

Back on point,

I agree that, in some vague average sense, the nature of religiosity is different on the Right and the Left in American politics. However, moving beyond that fuzzy statement is difficult since the idea of "religion" varies so much from person to person. Two examples:

(1) An Atheist Orthodox Jew is *NOT* a oxymoron. (I've met some).

(2) I know Quakers who argue that many regular Churchgoers are *NOT* religious because those churchgoers merely "practice" but do strive to understand, and thus fail to be religious. Kierkegard also made a big deal about this point.

Thus, any discussion that mixes spirituality, religion, and politics is going to tend to be full of people talking past one another.

No wonder we've got some boneheaded posts on this topic.

[Tylerh]

Patricia,

great point. I too have felt that almost messianic zeal amongst the politically engaged. Your speculation almost certainly correct in at least some cases.

[Thanks, Baghdad Dan]

tylerh, Pat:

Are you blind? Can't you see this is a cunning attempt by Jubal to create a wedge issue? And you fall right into his trap by having a civil discussion about it!

Thank goodness DanC is around to sniff out Jubal's trickery!

[Dan Chmielewski]

"Leaving aside your warped view of the Establishment Clause (maybe one day you and your fellow libs will figure out that a letter from Thomas Jefferson to a friend isn't the Constitution), Jubal offered some food for thought, some research findings for discussion."

The letter from Jefferson was to James Madison and represents the first time the "Wall of Separation" was described, but I would based my statements moreover on six to seven Supreme Court decisions dating back to 1947 as constitutional grounding.

And here is a complete summary of case law on the separtion of church and state.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:United_States_church-state_separation_case_law
Knock yourself out.