Just a friendly reminder that secularism promises relativism but delivers a bona fide religion in its own right. Secularism claims to create a space where no truth claims, no moral values are allowed to offend the beliefs or values of other human beings — all is relative. While the human race has sought for world wide peace and harmony for millennia, secularism promises to do so by neutering the human race of that pesky organ of belief in the transcendent — any belief that what is true is true outside of your head, outside of your private heart.
In other words, two things are necessary: first, you must deposit your heart at the door. Of course they will give you a much smaller (gluten-free, made from 100% recycled materials) substitute, but this is necessary so that no one is offended. Big hearts risk hurt feelings. But second, you must note that this promise of the secular state must be received as all promises, by faith. The secular pubic square has not actually ushered in world peace, racial harmony, or economic justice. So when the promises come and the requests for you heart on a platter, please (for the good of humanity), realize that you are being asked to trust the elite social priests and priestesses. And in return they will give you several fat tomes of rules and regulations about being green and tolerant and tobacco free and which pronouns you can use.
The myth of secularism, the myth of a way of doing public life together that is religion-free is just that: a myth, a lie, a fanciful dream. And the purpose of the myth is to do the very thing Marx and others have accused religion of being — sedating people with opiates of, well, just another religion. You see, the problem with the world (we are told), are all these all-encompassing worldviews that set out to give absolute values and moral claims over every area of life. Wait, wait, wait, you say. Isn’t secularism a worldview that believes that all other “religious” worldviews are inferior due to their absolute claims and moral values? Ah, sweet boy, but secularism isn’t a religion. It isn’t? Oh no of course not. But, but…. Now run along a play. Here, have some more money we printed and free sex with anyone or anything. Now, there’s a good boy.
These non-religion religionists will balk and sputter and deny. And you can bet that these religion deniers will even stoop to making value claims about my accusation that they are actually closet-religionists. They will say this is “wrong” and “evil” and “immoral” and so on, and when they pull these red cards out and flash them for the world to see, they will have at that very moment proven our point. What happened to secularism? The difference, you see, is that they don’t appeal to a Supreme Being, a god, a deity, a holy book. Instead, they require even greater faith. They believe in, get this, nothing. Why should I rip out my heart and lay it at the feet of the secular priesthood demanding that I think or feel no thoughts other than affirmation and respect for men who abuse one another in the name of love? Because that’s why. Not because secularism made the heavens and the earth? Nope. Not because secularism died for my sins? Nope.
Secularism makes every bit as many demands as a traditional religion, only without the rational foundation of transcendent truth, goodness, and beauty. What has secularism done for us? Nothing. In fact, it must have done nothing otherwise it would be grounded in something outside of this moment. And there we are at the most irrational, insane religion in the universe: the promise of heaven on the basis of nothing. Here, give us your heart. Rip it out and put it here on this platter. We’ll dispose of the mess. That’s a good boy. Now run along and play with the rest of the Stepford Children.
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