Leftism as Secular Religion

[One Bad Pig]

Wasn't sure where to put this. I'm interested in the secular take on it. Where do you find meaning and fulfillment in your life? Let's try to keep things civil; I'm not really looking for debate here.

Source: Dennis Prager

source

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[Sparko]

So basically they are equating leftism with humanism?

There are right-wingers who seem to make a religion out of conservatism too.

I am also reminded of the Atheist Churches.

[firstfloor]

[Sparko]

Too bad communism didn't actually follow through on that.

[rogue06]

The parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) has the main character giving according to their ability not according to their need. And note how he took back what he gave the servant who buried the money and did nothing with it rather than used it to increase the owners wealth and gave it to the servant who had increased his wealth ten-fold.

Doesn't sound very socialistic to me.

[One Bad Pig]

Lemme know where you find something similar actually said by him.

[firstfloor]

Lemme know where you find something similar actually said by him.

You can be sure that Jesus said a lot more than is actually quoted in the Bible. The question then is how is he portrayed and what is his legacy. He is definitely portrayed as a left wing socialist who puts people before wealth. Mind you, he shows no interest in posessions because he thinks the world is about to end.

[rogue06]

You can be sure that Jesus said a lot more than is actually quoted in the Bible. The question then is how is he portrayed and what is his legacy. He is definitely portrayed as a left wing socialist who puts people before wealth. Mind you, he shows no interest in posessions because he thinks the world is about to end.

Jesus instructed His followers to take care of the poor. He never said anything about getting government to force others to do so.

I always find it ironic how those who refuse to listen to Him and scream about separation of Church and State whenever someone quotes Scripture when talking about social policy suddenly turn around and seek to try to use Him to support something they want.

[One Bad Pig]

Does anyone have an opinion on the actual article? The theory of Jesus espousing socialism is sorta tangential to that at best.

[Littlejoe]

[KingsGambit]

People as a general rule feel a need to belong to something greater than themselves so it does not surprise me that people look for something to fill the void. We have seen this with a few atheist churches, and more commonly, with Unitarian Universalism, which I view as functionally little different from an atheist church.

I have to question Prager's statement that leftists believe that people are basically good. Consider the rise of the social justice warrior cult that is rapidly taking over liberalism. This actually seems to have more in common with Calvinism than atheism in that it maintains that people are fated to be racist oppressors or helpless victims based on the color of the skin they are born with. They certainly do not believe that people are basically good. Even though Prager is off on that one, I think that this philosophy (intersectionalism) is very much like a religion, which still plays into his broader point.

Another thing I've noticed about politics is the fanaticism of libertarians, which is often of a borderline religious fervor. Extreme libertarians and anarcho-capitalists seem disproportionately atheist compared to the rest of the population at large, which I think would support Prager's point.

[firstfloor]

Jesus instructed His followers to take care of the poor. He never said anything about getting government to force others to do so.

I always find it ironic how those who refuse to listen to Him and scream about separation of Church and State whenever someone quotes Scripture when talking about social policy suddenly turn around and seek to try to use Him to support something they want.

[Ana Dragule]

The parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) has the main character giving according to their ability not according to their need. And note how he took back what he gave the servant who buried the money and did nothing with it rather than used it to increase the owners wealth and gave it to the servant who had increased his wealth ten-fold.

Doesn't sound very socialistic to me.

[Littlejoe]

Ummm...That's not John 3:9-11 you quoted. I believe you meant Luke 3?

IMO, that verse is talking about being prepared for the coming destruction of Jerusalem/end of the world (as they knew it).

[lee_merrill]

The search for meaning is certainly not found in one's political view, and the secular view has no meaning, as Dawkins said:

Source: River Out of Eden: A Darwinian View of Life

In a universe of electrons and selfish genes, blind physical forces and genetic replication, some people are going to get hurt, other people are going to get lucky, and you won't find any rhyme or reason in it, nor any justice. The universe that we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but pitiless indifference.

© Copyright Original Source

Though he still does try to find meaning!

Source: The God Delusion

The truly adult view ... is that our life is as meaningful, as full and as wonderful as we choose to make it.

© Copyright Original Source

Which is a rather astonishing contrast, in a universe such as he describes above, how can we find meaning in life?

Source: The God Delusion

If the demise of God will leave a gap, different people will fill it in different ways. My way includes a good dose of science, the honest and systematic endeavour to find out the truth about the real world.

© Copyright Original Source

There you have it, a book of facts would be meaningful, though I think most would find this unsatisfactory.

Blessings,
Lee