Observations and inanities by a second-shift assistant supervisor in the Puppy-Grinding division of the Evil Atheist Conspiracy® (our motto: "Sure it's cruel, but think of the jobs!"), your host, Brent Rasmussen.
Senator Brownback Needs a Lesson in History
During his announcement of his decision to run for President the Senator encourages us to look to history:
"Search the record of history. To walk away from the Almighty is to embrace decline for a nation," Brownback said. "To embrace Him leads to renewal, for individuals and for nations." http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070120/ap_on_el_pr/brownback2008_2
OK, I’ll bite Sam. How about Rome? Starting in about 500 BCE Rome becomes a republic. It then grows, becoming a great republic and then the largest empire in history. During this time it generally endorses the Greco-Roman pantheon of gods and throughout most of the period it is generally accommodating to other religionists as long as they don’t upset the political status quo. They do however, endorse several persecutions of Christians.
This brings to the year 313 CE. So what are we looking at, about 815 years? Good. Now in 313 Constantine recognizes Christianity and ends the last persecution. In the 380 CE Theodosius I proclaims Christianity the only religion of the empire. In 410 CE the Visigoths capture Rome and the empire crumbles. A scant 30 years from Christian theocracy to distruction.
Now what lesson am I supposed to take from history?
The scary thing is, he could win
The Republican frontrunners are going to crumble, and among the possible right-wing replacements, he's the one best supported by the religious right. Then he'll go on to face either Hillary Clinton, who's less electable than a brick, or Barack Obama, who'll look like Brownback-lite with his rhetoric and religiosity.
Actually, the Roman Empire isn't the best example of a state that crumbled because of Christianity. It was already in decline when Constantine recognized Christianity. On the contrary, earlier adoption of a monotheistic state religion could infuse something new into the Empire and prolong its existence.
A better example of Christian-influenced decline would be the Crusades. At the time, Arab civilization was the most advanced in the world in terms of scientific understanding. I read an anecdote of a crusading leader who caused two sick subordinates to die because instead of listening to the advice of a Syrian physician who used empirical medicine, he listened to the advice of a Christian cleric who advocated radically violent treatment.
Handicapping
Alon,
Good to "talk" to you again. I hope grad school is going well. You make a good point about Brownback's chances, as wingnuts try to out wingnut each other in a primary and then have to figure out how to look "moderate" in the general election. As for me, I'd like to see Brownback get the GOP nomination. It would be a good test to see if reality truly has taken some hold in the U.S.
As for the Roman example, the point was not that embracing Christianity was a factor in the collapse of Rome, although Gibbon and others since have made causal arguments. But merely that a nation's association with any particular religion has had no discernible affect on its fate.
It all depends on Stevens and Reid
Harry Reid is too pro-life for me to trust him to make sure Stevens' replacement will be pro-choice. It's hard enough with a nominal Dominionist like Bush in charge, but if the President is a real Dominionist whose central agenda item is outlawing abortion, having a Dominionist in charge will be a serious problem. If he gets the nomination, he has a very serious chance of winning, if only because the available Democrats are too weak.
Dangerous
Sam Brownback is one of my state senators. Prior to his election to the senate, he was my congressional representative. There's far more at stake here than faulty understanding of history -- Brownback is just plain dangerous to everyone with a viewpoint other than his own.
and other religions?
Of course, Brownback conveniently ignores dynasties like those of Egypt and China, wherein the kingdom lasted for centuries under other religions. They never walked into the embrace of Yahweh, so it kind of begs the question to put them in the category of "walking away" from the Hebrews' god.
Those kingdoms are the longest-lasting in all of recorded history, and yet...no Yahweh, no Jeebus.
tantum religio potuit suadere malorum
Lucretius
running on religion
Brownback is a tool, and I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see him as the Christian extremist candidate. How far he makes it in the primaries will be quite revealing as to how much influence these folks hold over the Republican party. I can't imagine he'll be able to compete with McCain, but the gibberish coming from his mouth should keep we atheist bloggers busy.
Excellent
Very nicely done!
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