This May Become a Rant

Yastreblyansky mentioned Rod Dreher (understudy "conservative" columnist at the New York Times) who seems to believe that "American Christianity" requires saving by something analogous similar to St. Benedict's Rule.

There is a reason that I tend not to subject myself to the mumblings of "conservatives."  Entirely aside from their lack of respect for me (and I am everything that fascists hate, including intelligent), their "arguments" tend to be baseless.  Unfortunately, because Yastreblyansky did not directly quote Mr. Dreher, I actually had to read that thing.

(No, I'm not going to do a line-by-line fisking; that's more effort than the thing is worth.)

Let's begin with the headline: "Trump Can't Save American Christianity"  I have not gotten the impression from any of Trump's pronouncements that he ever intended to save "American Christianity." Frankly, most of the Republican legislators have spent the last ten years giving the impression that they have never read nor understood the Gospels. They do get rude language, though.

But four days after Anthony Scaramucci's filthy tirade went public, Team Trump's evangelical all-stars – pastors and prominent laity who hustle noisily around the Oval Office trying to find an amen corner –- still had not figured out what to say.

Meanwhile,

the Christian Broadcasting Network ran a puff piece proclaiming that a 'spiritual awakening is underway at hte White House,' thanks to a Bible study with what 'has been called the most evangelical cabinet in history.'

I know that "Oh, really!!" is at the back of your throat.  And then Mr. D. says:

The truth is, Christianity is declining in the United States. As a theologically conservative believer,I take no pleasure in saying that. ... the waning of Christianity will be not only a catastrophe for the church but also a calamity for civil society in ways secular Americans do not appreciate.

He cites a 2014 Pew study (link in original article) concluding that about one in 3 millenials "refuse to identify with a religious tradition."  He believes Americans are becoming more like Europeans or *gasp* Canadians, embracing what a sociologist at Notre Dame (Christian Smith) calls "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism."  He believes this is a bad thing.

(I of course don't think that conservative moralism is anything to embrace, but I am so much not a conservative.)

And then he brings up St. Benedict of Nursia, who fouded the Benedictine order (link in original).

I always suspect that what "conservatives" really want is to slot everyone into a monastery or convent.

Know why millenials are avoiding "traditional religion?"  Because they can see that a fair number of those moral mouthpieces are, ahem, speaking out of both sides of their mouths (I am not the only one with an expectation that virulent homophobic leaders have simply not been caught with the live boy in bed).  So-called "pro-lifers" have no objection to sending the born off to "wars of opportunity;" to denying poor (but born) children food,  medical services, schooling;  to trying to return women to the 1940s.  Good morning.

Conservatism remains the ideology of death if you're not a conservative.

No, actually, Trump is probably driving people away from "American Christianity."

(Yes, I am aware that this is not a coherent or cogent argument, either.  But this writer ignited peevishness.  Feh.)

Edited to add:  Echidne of the Snakes on the subject of "right-wing" Christianity.