Article: Has the religious right given up?

This might be a more Patio-style article except that, if the assertions from the person analyzing the situation are true, maybe the Fundies will get the hell out of our reproductive choices.

LINK

If, as the author states the conservative churches "retreat .... from engagement in American public life," does that mean politicians and laws will wash back from a tide encroaching into such personal segments of the public's life? I hope so. My memory serves me to remember that the conservative crap started in the late 70s with people like Jerry Falwell and Phyllis Schlafly. The Reagan and Bush administrations certainly fed the fundamentalist ambition for power but - particularly in the view of same sex marriage - the fundies are losing battles across the country. Maybe, as the author writes "In some ways, this sounds like a return to the early decades of the 20th century, when fundamentalist Protestants lost an earlier round in the culture war with theological modernists, and responded by withdrawing almost entirely into the shadows, which is where they remained until the late 1970s."

Cool beans. Please do retreat into enclaves and quit trying to interfere into the lives of people who don't believe the crap you fundies spout.

Well, it appears their stance on same-sex relationships/marriage is assuring that once more they'll go down in history as being on the wrong side of civil rights....again.

As for retreating...I will cross my toes and hope that happens. They do seem to be getting more power-hungry, though, so I doubt they'll retreat anytime soon. They aren't just coming after the gays, but the straights, too. When they're not waving "God Hates Fags" signs, they're trying to knock the birth control pills out of women's hands.

They may just back away from publicly hating on the gays (but will still remain bigots I'm sure), and focus on women.

When the fundies retreated in the early 20th century, they felt helpless and isolated. Many didn't have telephones; until the late 1930s, one-third of American rural homes didn't have electricity. They knew little of the outside world and they didn't have any way to fight it.

Now, every fundie has the Internet, television, radio, and texting. They feel more threatened than ever, and all I see is that they're fighting harder than ever. Lost the gay marriage battle? Okay, go after abortion with ultrasound requirements, waiting periods, clinic restrictions, and personhood amendments.

Just wait for the Republican primaries. The candidates will be pandering even more to the far right, not to the moderates.

The results of the midterm elections show the Pharisees evangelicals still have significant influence over the neo-conservative movement.

Where that influence is in 2 years is another matter. As for a retreat, no not quite. It's simply a crawking back to regroup. President Obama's immigration move could very well re energize them and push some not quite middle of the roaders more toward the right.

They'll be tied up for the next few weeks fighting the so called war against christmas. (bah f^&$*g humbug) Then we'll see them again.

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“There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man.”

When you see the ocean retreating back from the shoreline an unusual amount, aren't you supposed to GTFO?

In all seriousness, though, it may be my upbringing in a crazy conservative household, but I don't want to trust this as a green light to fall into complacency. They genuinely believe that they are doing right with their control of women and bigotry, and they believe that they are in the majority for thinking these things.

I guess I'm seeing this more as a change in their tactics than an actual victory.

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seamstress
When you see the ocean retreating back from the shoreline an unusual amount, aren't you supposed to GTFO?

In all seriousness, though, it may be my upbringing in a crazy conservative household, but I don't want to trust this as a green light to fall into complacency. They genuinely believe that they are doing right with their control of women and bigotry, and they believe that they are in the majority for thinking these things.

I guess I'm seeing this more as a change in their tactics than an actual victory.

I agree, no one does evil more wholeheartedly and cheerfully than when they think they are doing right. They won't ever give up the fight to fuck over literally everyone who is less white, less male, and less rich than them. These people won't ever stop. I see it as a retreating and ACTING less crazy to appeal to the moderate folks, and then shoehorning their way back in. They ARE that sleazy. So I'm not taking my eye off of these bastards at all.

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learnernotlurker
When the fundies retreated in the early 20th century, they felt helpless and isolated. Many didn't have telephones; until the late 1930s, one-third of American rural homes didn't have electricity. They knew little of the outside world and they didn't have any way to fight it.

Now, every fundie has the Internet, television, radio, and texting. They feel more threatened than ever, and all I see is that they're fighting harder than ever. Lost the gay marriage battle? Okay, go after abortion with ultrasound requirements, waiting periods, clinic restrictions, and personhood amendments.

Just wait for the Republican primaries. The candidates will be pandering even more to the far right, not to the moderates.

Their biggest threat is access to information. If they can keep information out of people's hands, they can exert more control. Sounds much like what oppressive regimes do to keep the people under control.

I wouldn't count on the fundies going quietly into the night. They'll regroup, change tactics(like trying to add hoops and restrictions for abortions in the US)

They believe God is on their side eyes2

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catharsist
...appeal to the moderate folks...

...Let me assure you as a moderate folk that I am in no way fooled by these nutty fucks. I also don't see any victory here. They're retreating to change their strategy. Honestly I fear they are actually winning here too.

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solarsong

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catharsist
...appeal to the moderate folks...

...Let me assure you as a moderate folk that I am in no way fooled by these nutty fucks. I also don't see any victory here. They're retreating to change their strategy. Honestly I fear they are actually winning here too.

To be fair, you are also not an idiot. The masses would probably eat this shit up.