Democrats and Republicans may disagree on many issues, but they are unanimous in their insistence that America is a deeply religious nation. "It is a truism that we Americans are a religious people,” candidate Barack Obama declared several times before his election in 2008, echoing a sentiment that seems nearly universal. Media pundits, like the politicians they cover, reflexively describe America as "very religious,"as if devout religiosity is a defining characteristic of America and its people.
It's Time to Challenge America's 'Very Religious' Self-Image
Political psychology: how a nation defines itself means something.
Democrats and Republicans may disagree on many issues, but they are unanimous in their insistence that America is a deeply religious nation. "It is a truism that we Americans are a religious people,” candidate Barack Obama declared several times before his election in 2008, echoing a sentiment that seems nearly universal. Media pundits, like the politicians they cover, reflexively describe America as "very religious,"as if devout religiosity is a defining characteristic of America and its people.As I discuss in some detail in my book, Nonbeliever Nation: The Rise of Secular Americans, this national self-perception—the unquestioned assertion that we are a very religious country—is both wrong and dangerous. The sooner we debunk the myth of American piety, the sooner we will be on the road to rational public policy.
To read the rest of this article from Psychology Today, click here.
Tags: america, democrat, election, nation, nonbeliever, obama, religious, republican, secular, self-image
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