Gallup has come out with a new poll-map, by state, showing the importance of religion in Americans' daily lives. It seems that, on average, 65% of Americans consider religion important in their daily lives while 35% do not. Ohio ranks 25th, with Ohioans considering religion to be important in their daily lives by 65%.
Importance of religion by state
Now compare Gallup's poll findings on religious importance to the electoral map for the 2008 presidential election.
2008 presidential election by state
Those who read this blog regularly already know where The Reverend stands on the topic of religion. I will always champion the right of all Americans to practice their religious beliefs as they see fit. At the same time I believe that religion, when taken seriously, as 65% of Americans obviously do, is needlessly divisive and socially destructive.
The most religious states, in order, are Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana, Arkansas and Georgia. Those states, coincidentally or not, are also the same states that voted by the largest margins against President Obama. Of the top 15 most religious states according to Gallup, only North Carolina voted in the majority for Obama.
It is true, just as with religious practice, that Americans have the perfect right to vote for anyone they please, regardless of religious beliefs or state residency. Again, at the same time, it is hard to dismiss the correlation of Republican-voting states with the most religious states.
If you are part of the 65%, and usually bristle when reading criticisms of religion….or Republicans, you probably should stop reading about now.
During the presidential campaign, John McCain, representing the Republican Party, targeted, almost exclusively, the GOP base. The choice of Sarah Palin as McCain's running mate was made with this same base in mind. That base, as we see from the maps, is concentrated in the most religious states.
Generally, McCain campaigned on "more of the same" Republican dogma, particularly on national defense and economic issues. Sarah Palin campaigned similarly, although her rhetoric was much more abrasive. More tax cutting primarily benefitting big business, anti-reproductive choice for women, tough, militaristic talk aimed at Muslim countries, even further deregulation for the benefit of corporations, particularly Big Oil, more Supreme Court Justices like Roberts and Alito who favor the powerful at the expense of the weak, a big business-favoring plan for health care, and an overall respect for capital's rights at the expense of labor.
States with a high percentage of religious voters voted overwhelmingly for that platform….in some cases even in higher percentages than they did for Bush in the two previous elections.
The Christian Saviour, whom these religious voters worship, taught, almost exclusively, contrary to the GOP platform. Jesus spoke out against the powerful, the wealthy, the religious, the warmongers, the intolerant, the hypocrites,…..but he ALWAYS taught his followers to help the powerless, society's marginalized, the unclean, the poor, the outcasts, the oppressed. Jesus taught peace, not violence and war. Jesus spoke his harshest words to the most religious, those who elevated in importance the trivial over basic human concerns.
The American states where religion is seen as extremely important in daily life are the same states that voted overwhelmingly against the teachings of their Teacher. The American states where religion is regarded as extremely important in daily life voted overwhelmingly for our nation's most powerful and against the common human concerns of our nation's, and the world's, powerless.
These religious voters seek to defend their support for the powerful, the militaristic, and the wealthy by reverting to old pious sounding arguments over zygotes, taboo sexual orientations, fears of the "Other", "Christian" nation sponsorship of religious symbols, loving the sinner and hating the sin, defense of the Chosen at the expense of the ghettoized, and the use of violence for peaceful(!) purposes.
Wouldn't the Christian Master, if he were alive today on earth, say the same words he spoke to the most religious in his day? Wouldn't Jesus, today, still speak the same words to those who ALWAYS favored the powerful over the powerless in his day?
Wouldn't he?
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
What would Jesus do? Hopefully not wallow in negativity and constantly attack others under the quise of making the world a better place.
Rev,
You can hate the Rep. base it is your right. But McCain did not pander to that base but rather attempted to postion himself as someone that distanced himself from that base and attempted to market himself as something different(whateverthe hell that was).
Rev. I think you have overblown the message of the election. Obama received what52-53% of the votes. Hell I could have done almost as well running against 8 years of Bush, a lousy economy,promising every special interest group their day in the sun and having an opponent whose only hook was he wouldnt be as bad as me.
I'd think you'd be writing about how Obama's filthy $1.2 trillion roll in the pig slop is going to save our economy, Reverend. Are you having second thoughts?
Good post Rev. You know a little before the election I said "goodby" to " All the King's Men" not because of what King says but because of what his bloggers say all they time. I never managed to find very much that was positive for me in the posts. I love to hear and discuss opposing opinions I do not love to hear negativity. I continued to read your blog because I often find positive and informative posts and sometimes I even get fired up and join in. Most people post both places but your insights make it worth my while to read this blog. Why must so many people be so negative? Authentic discussion is what it will take to turn this country around — new ideas — a different approach to old ideas. It is easy to be negative It is difficult to be constructive. Thank you for thoughtful postings.
That's a nice positive look at the blogs, mary. But seriously, how exactly is Reverends post "positive"? By bashing the opposition on the grounds of religious beliefs?
Would it also be positive if he made a map of where African Americans live, noted how they voted, then bashed them too?
larrt d.
There is data in Rev's post and he has stated his position based upon what he sees in the data. Anyone on this blog is welcome to state a different position based upon what they see in his data. Perhaps you could research, collect data, and present a similar post on where African Americans live, how they voted and then state your position just as the Rev did. Then anyone who wanted to present a different conclusion based upon data could do so and we could have a real discussion on the issues in an adult manner.
Thank you mary. I appreciate every one of my readers and try hard to keep the blog worthy of reading.
To larry and average….the concept of the GOP being diminished into a regional party, primarily centered in southern states,…..is not a new idea, nor is it my idea.
The allegiance that the Bible Belt states has had for the GOP the last 30 years is not a novel idea or concept, either.
What many folks shy away from is putting those two thoughts together and then stating the obvious. The most religious states support the GOP.
Since I know what Christianity is about and I know what the GOP is about, putting those two side by side for comparative purposes seems the only natural thing to do.
Does that make southern GOP voters evil or less American? Absolutely not. It should present pause for self-reflection, however.
Actually Reverend, in your initial post you are arguing that republican stances suffer for the fact that they are Christian, and state that the post will be in fact a critique of religion. Then you turn around and argue that dem stances are better because they are even more Christian.
I know mary would rather I 'research' the topic before I post, but the glaring hole in your logic is as self-evident as usual.
No, larry, your logic about my logic is not…logical.
The Republican Party finds it's most ardent supporters in the most religious states.
Republican Party policies run contrary to the teachings of Jesus.
Republican policies do not "suffer for the fact that they are Christian"….it's just the opposite. Christians, at least in those southern states, are voting, as I posted, AGAINST the religious teachings of Jesus, whenthey vote for the GOP.
Democrats, who do NOT find their most ardent supporters in the most religious states, take a secular humanist stance in their policies…..which wind up being closer to the teachings of Jesus.
Where, then, is that "glaring hole" in logic?
Rev,
I take great umbrage at your depiction of the religious right(which I am not part of) as supporters of militarism thus they support the party that embodies that concept.
Let us take a little stroll through recent history. JFK rose to prominence primarily through his fathers wealth and power and his insistence on the "missile gap" which was bullshit. He championed more military sending and we wont even waste our time diiscussing The Bay of Pigs. Clinton unilaterally decided to indiscriminately drop bombs on innocent people throughout Serbia. And let us not forget the ultimate hypocritie the self an-
oited Mr. Peace and Brotherhood–Jimmy Carter. When the Khemer Rouge were on the verge of collapse he paid the Thai government to provide sanctuary for Pol Pot and his henchman and funnelled hundreds of millions of dollars and weapons to that killing machine so they could continue to kill hundreds of thousands of Cambodians. Apparently Jimmy didnt think the millions they had already killed was enough.
Do these facts prove that all secular liberals such as yourself are blood thirsty militarists? I personally dont believe it but using your simplistic black and white style of deduction it must be so.
Rev, for decades I opposed what I felt was the intolerance, lack of compassion and simplistic ignorant black and white mindset of the right. Sadly I have slowly come to realize you and your ilk are no better.
Rev, this is a very thoughtful post. What I believe the map reflects is the fact that evangelicals, the overwhelmingly majority in the southern states, do in fact consider religion a stronger component of their life. As you look at New England and the West Coast, the people are more mainline Christian and Catholic. It's no secret that these folks are shyer about their faith and discussing it. I don't know that the map says much more. However there seems to be a 1:1 relationship between conservative and evangelical beliefs which in tern have a 1:1 relationship with the GOP ideals and principles.
Thanks Tom. And you have a good explanation of non -evangelical Americans. Non-charismatic, non-evangelicals consider their religion as personal and private, not to be worn on the sleeve but instead, practiced in the daily life.
angry….you have some good stuff in your comment. The militarism I was referring to that evangelical Christianity, primarily focused in southern states….embraces, is the relatively new-fangled defend-Israel-at-all-costs-to-bring-on-the-Rapture..militarism. I'm sure you're familiar with that stuff.
No question that both sides presidents have done bad things with the U.S. military. No question at all.
so what would jesus do. i believe our political views have left jesus out. and has also left the society we have created. for example. i was attacked by a springfield police officer. all with my hands behind my back. broken hand and tazered. then halled away . and was told i was being charged. if not for the honesty of two witnesses i would be serving 20 years. this officer lyied and also to his peers. but one thing i found out is that the law has so much power that i could not get no justice. the officer continues to act aggressive towards township residents. i type with a broken hand and scared to be seen in my township.