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So I went over to Reverend Barber's website [View all]
https://www.breachrepairers.org/moralagendaAnd it is clearly trying to create a progressive version of the 1980s Moral Majority. They state "This Higher Ground Moral Declaration provides a moral agenda for our nation on issues including: democracy and voting rights; poverty and economic justice; workers rights; education; healthcare; environmental justice; immigrant rights and challenging xenophobia; criminal justice; LGBTQ rights; and war-mongering and the military."
All things that every progressive whether theist or not should support. But if you look at the bulleted list below the intro, each point provides a religious quote, usually from the Bible, and a secular argument. What they are calling "moral arguments" are really religious arguments. Furthermore, throughout the site, you can see the pictures, the wording, the leadership, the events are all clearly aimed at a religious audience.
So my questions are these:
For religious folks: Do you really think atheists would feel comfortable at events sponsored by these groups and using this sort of language? I am sure they won't turn an atheist away. But if they are not the target audience, wouldn't they rather go to a less overtly religious event?
For atheists/agnostics: Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Give that most people in America identify with a religious faith, and the right has successfully created a powerful rightwing religious movement, isn't it good that the religious left form a countermovement? It's a given you don't share their religious values, but if you share political values, can you work along side them?
My position is that this is a very good thing. Religion is still a powerful force in this country. Ceding religious politics to the right has brought us Donald Trump. But giving up on religious voters completely is not the answer. Surely some see the hypocrisy are looking for an alternative that speaks their language.
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The moral foundations of religion are simply too ephemeral to build much on them
Pope George Ringo II
Apr 2018
#6
From the looks of the website, they will mine the Bible and other religious texts
marylandblue
Apr 2018
#43
There's no need to tie yourself up in semantic knots trying to make excuses for this stuff.
Act_of_Reparation
Apr 2018
#64
I'm An atheist now but for years was a member of the Assembly of God church.
njhoneybadger
Apr 2018
#31
It is indeed a good thing. We need many voices with many messages, but all with one big message.
dameatball
Apr 2018
#52
I also thought they could do endorsements now.....no? Seems like I read it "somewhere".....:)
dameatball
Apr 2018
#60
You need me to explain how "Because God says 'No'" is unreliable moral metric?
Act_of_Reparation
Apr 2018
#100
If they oppose Rump the Nazi fascist traitor, I dont care if they have wings and
Eliot Rosewater
Apr 2018
#101
Barber's Christianity is more in line with what I was taught when I was young.
CrispyQ
Apr 2018
#103
There are too few atheists to take them into accoutn as a religious constituency.
DetlefK
Apr 2018
#104