Chuck Grimes wrote:
>
>
> On the other hand, I do have to battle the social and political belief
> systems that attend these faiths precisely because these have presumed
> to embrace and extend themselves to the wider political world. In
> other words, I do not share the paradoxical position of the liberal or
> progressive believers who find themselves caught between two worlds. I
> am no caught between two worlds and do not share the conflicts that
> arise from that position.
This will not do. It is a sort of vulgar idealism which can be rejected on the grounds of a sort of vulgar historical materialism.
No social and political belief systems attend these faiths. Rather, these faiths attach themselves to various social and political belief systems.
Jerry Falwell is not homophobic because he is fundamentalist (or whatever).
He is fundamentalist because he is homophobic.
The faiths have no necessary political social implications whatever. Those within the faiths simply mold their faiths to fit their social and political beliefs, which are otherwise grounded.
Carrol