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ellenrr

(3,864 posts)
Fri Jan 15, 2016, 03:16 AM Jan 2016

"Revisiting the Cult of the Supreme Being"

"The tradition of Spinoza, Rousseau, and Robespierre provides a promising alternative for positive conceptions of the good in civic life.

Instead of the liberal doctrine of the separation between church and state, these figures promoted the institutionalization of a secular morality to strengthen popular sovereignty and combat injustice. They all addressed oppression and social alienation in contrast to the elitist “New Atheist” approach of directly attacking the religious beliefs of the poor and the marginalized as a political solution."


https://www.jacobinmag.com/2016/01/robespierre-rousseau-religion-separation-church-state-kim-davis/

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"Revisiting the Cult of the Supreme Being" (Original Post) ellenrr Jan 2016 OP
Rejection of governmental "sovereign authority" has become an article of 'faith' in the U.S. ... Freelancer Jan 2016 #1
If you go talking 'bout Robespierre you can count me out. Warren Stupidity Jan 2016 #2

Freelancer

(2,107 posts)
1. Rejection of governmental "sovereign authority" has become an article of 'faith' in the U.S. ...
Fri Jan 15, 2016, 04:55 AM
Jan 2016

If I'm understanding the article correctly, it doesn't seem likely that the secular commonality proposed is feasible here. In the U.S., the transition hasn't been from a royal authority to that of an elected governmental authority with the same power to be the moral shot-caller. The U.S. model intentionally divested the government from having "sovereign authority" over moral matters, while tasking it with enforcement of laws based on religious proscriptions -- kind of crazy, when you think about it.

The majority of Christian denominations in the U.S. -- those to which I've been exposed at least -- rail against the slightest exercise of governmental direction in the moral arena -- even when the effect would be in keeping with the tenets of their faith. That's not likely to change, since there's big collection plate money to be had by making the government out to be Satan, which is ridiculous, of course. Satan is me (Kidding).

 

Warren Stupidity

(48,181 posts)
2. If you go talking 'bout Robespierre you can count me out.
Fri Jan 15, 2016, 07:40 AM
Jan 2016

While the terror of the French Revolution pales in comparison to its re-implementations by the likes of lenin, stalin, mao, and pol pot, it set the framework for why vanguard parties are a real bad idea.

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