The problem started when the US became a secular country. Secular, not meaning we became a country of atheists - we replaced Christianity as our primary religion with politics. Partisans no longer view their peers on the other side of the aisle as the "loyal opposition". It used to be the other side were full of patriots who love their c…
The problem started when the US became a secular country. Secular, not meaning we became a country of atheists - we replaced Christianity as our primary religion with politics. Partisans no longer view their peers on the other side of the aisle as the "loyal opposition". It used to be the other side were full of patriots who love their country, they just have a different point of view as to how to solve the country's problems. Now the other side IS the country's problem. They are the enemy that needs to be destroyed. This makes compromise almost impossible, which is a big problem since compromise is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy.
You're right, of course. And it's particularly frustrating how a lot of those who've replaced Christianity with politics as their religion still evoke religion when condemning the other side (while carving out an exception from those beliefs and principles for their side).
The problem started when the US became a secular country. Secular, not meaning we became a country of atheists - we replaced Christianity as our primary religion with politics. Partisans no longer view their peers on the other side of the aisle as the "loyal opposition". It used to be the other side were full of patriots who love their country, they just have a different point of view as to how to solve the country's problems. Now the other side IS the country's problem. They are the enemy that needs to be destroyed. This makes compromise almost impossible, which is a big problem since compromise is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy.
You're right, of course. And it's particularly frustrating how a lot of those who've replaced Christianity with politics as their religion still evoke religion when condemning the other side (while carving out an exception from those beliefs and principles for their side).