>It seems clear that the Left (both inside and outside the DP) will be out
>of commission for quite a few years until it can figure out how to
>neutralize the "values" issues (conservative religion, homophobia (reduced
>but still active), "pro-life," etc.). There seems to be a very large and
>(for now) immobile part of the country that resents secular people, "latte
>drinkers," "liberals," etc. These folks yearn for emotional security and
>will pay any price they need to to ignore reality -- they have dug in
>their heels in support of a world-view that we leftists consider
>delusional. We need to understand this fact and figure out how to deal
>with it, or we will be outside in the political cold for a very long time.
I was talking to someone about a book she's writing. She's discovered that Christians are even taking over things like 'career transition programs.' (This is something I did research on a few years ago, only, uh, secular ones.) As with daycare, singles meetings, family counseling, weekend retreats for couples, christians see a need--lots of unemployment among members--and they start hosting career transition workshops. They sometimes also provide material support, such as office space, computers, fax machines, phones, etc.
People from outside that particular community of faith can use the service, too, as long as they put up with the christian stuff. I'm sure a lot of them become members and/or are extremely sympathetic to these people--they've been a source of consolation and real support--a network through which to obtain a job.
Multiply that kind of things many times over -- in the form of faith-based human services for just about anything you can imagine, not to mention to serious economic networking and support they promise to their members --- that's what we are fighting.
it's not just an irrational belief that satan is real. it's about a very real human need for something that makes them feel part of something bigger than themselves and gives them a sense their life has some sort of meaning.
speaking of which, the last time i saw a secular appeal to the need for voluntary contribution to the community, about being part of something bigger than yourself because you care about more than yourself and you want to part of something?
A freakin' ad in SciAm encouraging the reader to join the military so they can help people in need.
kelley
"We live under the Confederacy. We're a podunk bunch of swaggering pious hicks."
--Bruce Sterling