Don't Tread on Me God
  by Dr. David Eller

The essence of America is freedom, democracy, and dissent. Americans do not like anyone telling them what to do; we have an inherent (and mostly healthy) disdain for government and authority. In fact, America was born, and is born again every day, by people literally leaving behind their tradition societies and authorities and starting over in a “new world” of their own choice and making.

The essence of religion, on the other hand, is conformity, absolutism, and obedience. Gods do not like anyone refusing their commands; they have an inherent (and mostly pathological) disdain for human will and individuality. In fact, choosing your own truths and values is heresy and is tantamount to sin. Many have died over the centuries for it, and many more are apparently going to pay for it today.

This is why I find the current controversy over the Catholic Church’s stance on doctrinal points amazing. Not that I find their stance amazing; everyone knows what it is, and it is not substantially different from that of any other mainline Christian sect. What dumbfounds me is that people could be surprised by it – that the Church has rules and that it intends to enforce them. Presumably, people know why they are in a religion – because they believe its claims are true and its values are good. If not, why be in it? But once you accept that, your freedom of choice is over.

I was stunned recently to see a Catholic questioning the bishops, asking “Who do they think they are?” The answer, of course, as they should already know, is “the very representatives of God on earth.” The bishops are just passing along what the Church says, which is just passing along what God says. What were you expecting? A vote? God to reconsider and announce, “Oh, well, I guess my orders were wrong”? Or just as unlikely, “Hey, here are my orders. Take them and see what you think”?


I for one am glad that this and other churches have been blunt about what they demand; the revolt against such pronouncements is good but confused. The reaction should not be, “How can you do that to me?” but “Sorry, I don’t go for your rules, so I guess I can’t be part of your institution.” American Catholics don’t like it, and other Americans do not like religion trying to tell people what to do. But that is what religion does. If you do not like being told what to do – and paying the penalty for disobeying – perhaps religion is not for you.


And that takes us to the deepest meaning of this whole subject. Many people think that America is a Christian country or that it was founded on Christian values. However, as the current situation shows, a part, maybe the key part, of American character and society is not Christian at all. In fact, we should go so far as to say that it is non-Christian, even anti-Christian. Americans do not bow to authority and do not blindly obey their leaders.

 

Their democratic spirit does not come from religion, and it does not fit religion. It is fundamentally irreligious. America is, in a real way, anti-religious, and religion is, in a real way, anti-American. That realization deserves some serious reflection – and some serious self-redefinition.


 

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