This morning a wildlife video popped up in my social media feed showing a small deer in the mouth of a leopard. As the life left its body, the deer began to struggle violently. Using the last of its energy in a desperate attempt to free itself from the jaws of death, these were its death throes. From city councils to state legislatures, district boards and HOA meetings, even in private employment. And now in Louisiana public schools. We are witnessing a desperate Christian minority attempt to maintain relevance. The death throes of organized religion.
The Founders of the United States did not create a Christian Nation. They created a nation with freedom ‘of’ religion. This freedom, by its very nature, provides for freedom ‘from’ religion. In the landmark 1962 case of Engel v. Vitale, the Supreme Court upheld that forced prayer in school was unlawful. It was upheld again in the 1992 case of Lee v. Weisman, and has been upheld since then in cases arguing against forced secularization of the public sphere. Despite these legal precedence, there has been a resurgence amongst Christian Conservatives to introduce forced religion in public settings.
The latest example is the state of Louisiana passing a law mandating that the 10 Commandments be posted in every classroom of every public school from Kindergarten thru college. Though similar laws have been struck down in the past, there is no way to guess what our current extreme-right Supreme Court will do. It is a flagrant attempt to force Christianity on children. Conservatives likes to use the word ‘grooming’ and ‘indoctrination’ when referring to activities involving children. Usually when it involves having kids think for themselves or being taught that diversity and inclusion are good things. In my mind, forcing kids into religion absolutely qualifies as indoctrination. It’s a membership drive.
Religious zealots falsely believe that this is a Christian nation, and it’s easy to understand why. For the first two centuries since its founding Christians experienced a majority. Their religious morality often shaped our nations early laws and influenced society. But starting in the mid-20th century a shift began, and a quarter of the way into the 21st century we are now within one generation of the end of the Christian majority. Based on numbers from the Pew Research Center, people who identify as Christian make up 64% of the population, down from 90% in the middle of the last century. More ominous for Christians, their numbers are expected to decrease to 35% by 2070. While people who identify as having no religious affiliation will rise from 30% today to 52%.
It is estimated that based on falling attendance, over 100,000 churches will close in the next two decades in the United States alone. Since 1937 American attendance at church services hovered in the mid-70% region. That figure remained nearly unchanged until the start of the 21st century when it dropped to 47%. As of 2023 has dropped to 30%. Meaning that once a week just 3 in 10 Americans attend formal religious services. And from my perspective, that is a good thing.
Over the last 8 years we’ve seen religion weaponized in the US. Christian Nationalism, a movement based on the idea that America was founded by and for White Christians, has been aligning itself with white supremacist, fascists and Neo-Nazi’s. Christian Nationalist symbols appeared at the January 6th Insurrection as well as many Trump rallies. They are also closely tied to Republicans, and herein lies the problem. Christians, and others who subscribe to religious beliefs, are consolidating political power to maintain influence and control over the country. And they are more willing than ever to support political violence to gain political power.
White Christians are losing more than a religious majority, they’re losing their racial majority as well. A study from the Pew Research Center estimates that single-race White people will fall below 50% of the U.S. population within the next 20 years. This makes the next two decades perhaps the most precarious in American history. Religious identity is closely tied to Racial identity. In the last 8 years racial hate has come out of the shadows and into the light. People are saying the quiet part out loud. Neo-Nazis and the KKK are marching in the streets with torches and instead of being condemned are referred to as “very fine people.”
My family moved to California from Iowa in 1948, and brought with them their conservative political and religious beliefs. As a child I was subjected to Sunday School and Christian Schools. My mom even sent me to a Christian day care, where at the age of 5 I was beaten unconscious by the owner with a leather belt. So you can probably understand why I equate child abuse with forcing children into religion.
Education is one reason for a decline in religiosity. A Pew Research study found that people who are more highly educated are less likely find religion to be important in their lives. Perhaps the most interesting cause is Pluralism. The consequences of living in a diverse society where liberal values of tolerance are celebrated. This would explain conservatives obsession with canceling DEI programs, rewriting history books, and suppressing LGBTQ rights. Their weapon against Tolerance is Intolerance.