>
>
>Look at the history of religion via politics. Religion is one of the leading
>sources of social criticism in the US - because it allows for a "higher law"
>that serves as a trump card against popular sovereignty. If the state were
>back
>by religious authorities... ("a higher law") then the critique of religion
>would be a more attractive resource (which would include the internal
>critique
>of religion as well). Religion is appealing because of the disenchanting
>effects of modernity.
no, actually, a higher law does back popular sovereignty in the popular imagination via the declaration of independence in the US. these truths are self evident, blah blah. seriously. i had a debate of the C at another list. a fellah who i know offlist to recognize that rights have no grounding in anything whatsoever, nonetheless took the position in public that rights were grounded in a 'higher law' and that was god and so be it. better that than have our guns taken away from us on the basis of some social constructionist nonsense, he figured.
kelley