[lbo-talk] Godless Good?

[Carl Remick]

>From: "Dennis Perrin" <dperrin at comcast.net>
>Reply-To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org
>To: <lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org>
>Subject: [lbo-talk] Godless Good?
>Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 16:38:01 -0400
>
> > Carl Remick wrote:
> >
> > >I'm amazed that I even have to say this:  to the extent that the
> > >left is associated with Christianity or any other religion it isn't
> > >a left at all -- it's magic thinking.
> >
> > Yeah, I'm tempted to say that the dependence of the U.S. left on
> > alliances with the religious is a symptom of our weakness. And if we
> > can't criticize the various superstitions, we're really limiting
> > ourselves.
> >
> > Doug
>
>Well, I was an atheist/agnostic from the ages of 15-40, and still a little
>bit after that, so I know the godless vibe.

Hmm, well I know godly oneupmanship:  "When I was a child, I spake as a 
child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a 
man, I put away childish things." -- 1 Corinthians 13:11


>But this idea that pwogs are
>"limited" because they have to share space with those who believe in a
>spiritual realm is itself limiting. I've no prob with criticizing
>superstition, fundamentalism, what have you -- critical thinking is part of
>any active life, and there are those who "believe" who are dangerous when
>not foolish. But don't shove everyone who believes in something other than
>what can be immediately seen into the same revival tent.

But that's just it.  Politics *is* about "what can be immediately seen."  
It's about making war or peace, delivering social services, ensuring 
occupational safety, etc.  It's not about saving souls; it's not about the 
hereafter; it's not about eternity.  Politics is concerned *exclusively* 
with the here and now.  That's why -- nutty as politics can be -- politics 
is not completely stark raving insane the way religion is.

Carl