Fundamentalist Christianity is the topic Nicholas Kristof takes on today. He sees a revival in born again Christianity and a corresponding lack of understanding of that trend in the media and educated elites nationwide. He may be right on the widespread dismissal of this phenomenon by the media as a mistake in judgment. He does a disservice by not equating the evangelical movement with its Islamist counterpart. Two great religions have created in their midst an unthinking, retrograde population dedicated to mental blinders and an aversion to progress. The differences between the fundamenalist outlook and evangelical fervor of the Saudi's Wahabbi sect is different only in the name of the deity from the Bush administration's Bible study breakfasts and messianic vision of the world. From my point of view, they're all crackpots. You can't study the sciences without an appreciation for the beauty and symmetry of the Universe, so a religious viewpoint is eminently reasonable for anyone to hold. When it crosses over into delusion and denial of evidence, it becomes something else entirely.

My view on the matter is that a search for mystery is common in astrology, psychics, and fundamentalism. The willing belief that the moment of your birth is a signifcant determinant of your life is as silly and disprovable as the earth being flat, but that doesn't stop more Americans believing in astrology than astronomy. The same rejection of evidence and science is what has powered creationism and the efforts of religious conservatives to eliminate the teaching of evolution. The anti-logical outcome is also seen in arguments against sex education, birth control, needle exchange programs, and other public health issues where a theological belief competes with medical experience and public health. We see with President Bush's appointments to the National Institute of Health and other medical and scientific arms of the government that anti-science and anti-progress voices are still loudly heard.

I don't begrudge anyone their personal religious views. However, the First Amendment to the Constitution makes it clear that government can't make laws or take positions in favor of any one religion, the famous establishment clause. My hope is that the next administration which will surely (fingers crossed) replace President Bush in 2004 will return to a respect for scientific rigor. I also wouldn't mind if the media maintained its current disdain for the lunatic Luddites of the fundamentalist Christian flavor. I'll take a well balanced Methodist over an Ashcroft Pentecostal any day of the week. (no slight intended to decent Pentecostals everywhere. It's an Ashcroft thing.)
Updated 1:10 pm
posted by Dave on 9:46 AM | 0 comments link