Washblog

The involvment of the Church in politicking for various candidates, initiatives or referenda is now so widely known and accepted as to be on an obvious collision course with the IRS - a worst-case scenario for everyone, not just Christians in the offending churches.  Part of the church-state separation that today's Republican doesn't understand is the wall keeping government out of the churches rather than the other way around; a distinction that was immensely important to the Founders, and is adamantly opposed by George Bush.  Allowed to control churches, one will soon find that the government doesn't like diversity; and that Mormon church will need to start acting Baptist if they want their government "help" to keep flowing.  This would be a disaster that would rend the fabric of our society in ways you can't even imagine; making today's struggles seem like a basket full of kittens in comparison.

People are starting to see this problem, because most people have a church of some sort.  They don't want their church endorsing this or that government action or candidate.  They want their church to help them reach heaven/God/Nirvana/Buddha/Yahweh/Allah.  This eroding of the clarity in church politics is, in my mind, the key point in the erosion of the Republican majority - people see a different way, and they see it doesn't have to cost them their church affiliation or their values.

Another piece of the obsolescence that warms my heart is the continued failure of booga-booga tactics.  These have been terribly effective for the last 7 years or so (they're always somewhat effective, and we use them, too), but people get tired.  They get tired of constant shrill warnings of terrorists, liberals, ungodliness - nobody likes a goody-two-shoes - and the whole thing just makes people think "Are we talking about this again?"  The lack of any scary events, after years of constant warnings, has a cumulative effect.  Massachusets is seeing this; after years of booga-booga about gay marriage, almost 2 years into having legal gay marriage, most of the state is fine with it, including conservatives.  Why?  Because their homes didn't crumble, their society didn't falter, their good kids stayed good, bowling was still on Tuesday, the church was still full on Sunday and ultimately, it just didn't matter all that much.  

There's obviously more here than I can write during my lunch, and I'd like to hear what you guys think - what forms do you see the creeping obsolescence taking?  The increasing acceptance that Bush lied/s?  The increasing common knowledge that this administration is corrupt and incompetent?  The ability of conservatives to turn their humor knives on each other is a big shining beacon to the creeping obsolescence.  I'll weigh in as I can today, but I am at work and it's not always easy to do in-depth thinking nor writing, so I'll add what I can tonight.  I'm pondering this, so hopefully I'll have something worthwhile to add.  Enjoy!