Definitions
Christianity: the historical worldview that believes Jesus to be the Divine Savior of mankind; the literal bible as the authority of orthodoxy; absolute morality & natural law; a spiritual, inner focus of personal enlightenment with emphasis on positive interpersonal relationships; God is central, acknowledged, and engaged; human equality; individual freedom, responsibility, freedom of conscience, and self control; self rule.
Progressivism: a worldview that blends Marxist collectivism & Darwinian evolution; moral relativity or amorality; political activism; outward focus on others and society; exclusive materialism emphasis; control of all aocial institutions; social justice; state power to control all aspects of society; opposition to capitalism, the American experiment, and Christianity; the State is central; atheistic/naturalistic basis, God is irrelevant, unengaged, ridiculed, denied, or ignored.
These 2 worldviews are polar opposites in almost every area of social and individual life. They are competing worldviews for the soul/defining character of America. Both are religious and/or philosophical beliefs.
1. Indoctrination.
All education consists of and includes, philosophical and/or religious indoctrination.
A. Both Christianity and Progressivism have been indoctrinated/taught as the preferred worldview in their time.
B. The decline of church attendance & orthodox belief, with the growth of atheistic naturalism, collectivist beliefs, and nanny state controls, reflects this transition in worldviews.
C. The state and all social institutions are dominated/controlled by progressive ideology, and exclusively indoctrinate the progressive worldview.
2. Timeline
B. Progressivism.
The shift began early 20th century; was interrupted by world wars against totalitarian aggression; continued in the 60s; became the dominant religious belief by the 21st century and continues to this day.
1. Progressivism dominates all social institutions: academia, entertainment, the press/media, government.
2. Progressive ideals and beliefs have been mandated by legislation and judicial activism, not majority vote: Abortion, global warming, atheistic/ naturalistic beliefs in origins, and socialist ideals.
3. Alternate views are censored, bullied, or shouted down. Legislation and courts are used to establish Progressivism as the exclusive belief system.
4. Legislation, the courts, academia, and all progressive institutions continue to strip any history of acknowledging God and Christianity as a social influence, in favor of a naturalistic/secular revision.
C. Christianity.
The worldview of the American founders. Emphasis on biblical themes of freedom, personal responsibility, self improvement, human equality, absolute morality.
1. It was the dominant worldview for the first 100-150 years of America.
2. Bibles were printed by the early congress for education of the citizens in social and moral interaction.
3. Religious tolerance was emphasized and different beliefs accepted, in general.
D. Points of transition.
Christianity as a social influence peaked in the 1950s. Progressivism grew steadily from the 60s until now.
1. 'In God We Trust' was added to currency.
2. 'Under God' added to pledge of allegiance, and recited by school children.
3. Prayer was common and encouraged in school, govt, and other social gatherings.
4. 'Godless Commies!' were exposed, sought out, and prosecuted for unamerican activities and treason.
5. By the 60s, evolution was allowed to be taught, then grew through judicial activism until it became the exclusive taught belief about origins.
6. Abortion was legalized by judicial activism in 1972, opening the floodgates of amoral relativity.
7. Crime rates were historically low during the Christian era, but have steadily grown in the progressive era.
Christianity, as a belief system, will not go away, imo. Its demise has been predicted constantly... by people nobody remembers... over the millennia. But it remains a significant, life changing worldview, with a spiritual connection with the Almighty as a powerful draw for understanding the meaning and purpose of life.
But its influence and importance as THE defining worldview in America is, and has been waning.. for decades.
It is ironic that some progressives are jumping on the 'Christianity is dead!' bandwagon. It seems that every 40-50 years, for as far back as you look, someone is predicting, 'The End of Christianity!' Huffpo has tossed their hat in the ring, and will eventually join the forgotten list of fools who have made this prediction.
Atheism to Defeat Religion By 2038 | HuffPost
Of course, what they mean by 'Religion!', is Christianity. It is no surprise that the progressives see Christianity as an enemy to defeat. It is contrary, in almost every area of human existence, to Progressivism.
Older folks die off, who were taught under the dominant Christian worldview, with belief in God, esteem for America, natural law and moral absolutes. The upcoming generations have been increasingly indoctrinated into progressive ideology.
From a cultural, objective viewpoint, ideological beliefs are indoctrinated, by every society.
Islam indoctrinated by muslims.
Christianity indoctrinated by Christians.
Progressivism indoctrinated by progressives.
This observation of the source of human ideology should be self evident. I am making no judgment about the truth or falsehood of the ideology, just the way it becomes the majority view.
Progressivism and atheism is no different. It is an indoctrinated worldview, promoted by the True Believers of the Faith. It is one religion taking over another, as the majority opinion.
Communism in Russia did it 100 yrs ago. The nazis did it later. Christianity did it in the middle ages. Muslims have always done it, and still are. But now, progressives are taking over as the majority belief, religion, or worldview, however you label it. Its been growing as a worldview for over 100 yrs, but has taken off as the exclusive State religion, for the last 30-40.
There is also the dilution of historical Christianity, into a new age, hodge podge of pop beliefs, that have no resemblance to historical, biblical Christianity, as defined by its Founder. If those mislabeled 'Christians' were categorized more accurately as hybrids of Christianity and Progressivism, the transition is even clearer, and the decline of true Christianity is more evident.
What makes an ideological shift possible is based on 3 major factors:
1. Control of the instruction/information outlets by the new ideologues.
2. Consistent, constant promotion/Indoctrination of the new ideology.
3. Censorship of the old ideology; caricatures and false narratives about it replacing the previous belief.
All 3 of these have been increasing, over the decades, making this ideological shift complete. Progressivism is currently the majority belief, though there is still a vocal minority of those with Christian based ideals.
It is not a 'straight up' battle for the soul of America. It is a slow creeping.. an infestation done on the sly, by deception, false narratives, propaganda, subversion, and court mandates. Due process is bipassed, as are open, transparent debates or discussions ABOUT the direction of society, and the worldview that drives it.
Progressivism does not even present itself honestly, as a religio/philosophical belief system, but as 'science!', to pretend absolute Truth for the core beliefs of Progressivism. All the tenets of Progressivism are shrouded in pseudoscientific terms, obfuscation, and derision for any opposition. 'Deniers!' 'Haters!' and other progressive terms of endearment fill the public discourse, and open bigotry is not only tolerated, it is encouraged.
The reality of Indoctrination cannot, and should not be ignored. Deception is rampant in this world, and failing to recognize our own, be it labelled, 'instruction', or 'training', or 'education', is a deadly mistake for a thoughtful, circumspective individual. Individual thought and critical thinking were once esteemed and pursued as an enlightened perspective, but now memorized dogma, conformity, and groupthink loyalty are the emphases.
Freedom certainly is a casualty in this climate, but so is knowledge and understanding.
Without taking the first step, and admitting that Indoctrination is possible in our own knowledge base, we can only be dupes for manipulators.. useful idiots for despotic controllers.
Core beliefs in Christianity that were once mainstream, have become a minority view for outliers.
Biblical authority and/or inerrancy
Creation
The Divinity of Christ
Gender identity
Moral absolutes
Equality
Salvation
..and many other tenets of the historical Christian faith have been diluted, disparaged, and distorted, to promote a caricature of biblical Christian beliefs. Followers of the cultural pop religion have a hybridized blend of beliefs, to keep the nostalgic remembrance of Christianity, but remove the offending points that upset the incoming ideology.
Of course, this new hybrid bears no resemblance to historical Christianity, and is nothing but a departure.. an embrace of historical heresies. But the labels are kept, to promote revisionism and to destroy the original.
It is easy to spot in 'liberal' denominations, where the pop views are embraced, and the historical, scholarly views are revised, distorted, and ridiculed.
Progressive run and controlled institutions rely heavily on Indoctrination. We see the results of that all the time, in public expressions from progressive indoctrinees.
Socialism? Global warming? Gender identity? Origins? White privilege? Anti gun memes? Abortion?
Pick ANY pet doctrine from progressive ideology, and you will find it dogmatically indoctrinated by academia AND the rest of the institutions dominated and controlled by this worldview.
Try to debate ANY of them rationally, and you will just get dogmatic assertions, fallacies, ridicule, and dismissal.
Progressive indoctrinees, especially younger ones, can recite ALL the talking points in the progressive tenets of faith, but they have no concept of history, arithmetic, spelling, grammar, science, or critical thinking. Memorized dogma, is the order of the day , not understanding of the world.
Progressives ESPECIALLY avoid the ideals and history of America, the Enlightenment, and freedom, in favor of revisionism and lies to promote their collectivist fantasies. Caricatures and smears of Christianity are also common, and dominate the propaganda megaphones.
Truth and freedom are casualties in this transition, probably never to be recovered, once it is complete.
...
It makes a difference, what you believe about the Universe, humanity, life, & eternity. Western civilization was built upon principles based on a belief in a Supreme Being, or some kind of Higher Power, over the affairs of men. From that belief, sprang several world & culture changing movements.
- The Reformation. 'Sola Scriptura' was the cry, as well as the concept of of ALL men being equal, no aristocracy, no divine right of kings, nor a holy priesthood, with special endowments from God. This was humanity's ticket out of the dark ages, & the ideological basis for most of what followed.
- The Scientific Revolution. Instead of science being a mandate from Religious Professionals, it became a process.. a methodology that was based on the uniformity of nature, & order in the universe. The printing press & a common language in scientific inquiry built a knowledge base, & many added to it. Copernicus, Kepler, Newton, & many others sparked this revolution, which had at its root the concept of an orderly Creator, whose Laws were immutable & consistent.
- The Age of Reason. This was closely tied with science, & had the same roots. These were the enlightenment philosophers, who promoted the concept of Natural Law, an overriding moral law that was over everyone, & the ruling elite were not exempt. It has been summarized as the right to life, liberty, & property, & was codified as a mission statement for governance in the American declaration of independence.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
These 'movement's were foundational for western civilization, & resulted in an ideology that found its purist expression in the American Experiment in self rule. Natural Law, human equality, and an acknowledgment of a Supreme Being were the foundation upon which America was founded, & were the core beliefs that influenced most of western civilization for over 100 years.
It began in the mid 1500s, when the reformation blew apart the status quo of the religious elite. Concurrently, Copernicus promoted scientific thinking, refuted a geocentric view of the universe, & laid the foundation for further scientific discovery. The ruling elite became fallible, & the illusion of them as 'speaking for God' was shattered. Truth was not a monopoly of the elite, but was a process of discovery. The printing press contributed to this as well, making the knowledge base available to a wider audience, & breaking the monopoly that the elite had over information.
Then, as human minds became free to think, unfettered by superstition & dark ages mandates, the CONSEQUENCES of this scientific enlightenment spread to the philosophical concepts of governance & human freedom. This was the spark that began the abolitionist movement, & from there led to women's suffrage, & even addressed the social evils of intemperate drunkenness.
By the 1800s, aristocracies were ending.. by peaceful or revolutionary means. Slavery was abolished in all of the 'civilized' countries. Women were getting the vote. Morality & human equality were elevated over the decrees of divinely appointed elites. Science was explaining the universe. Technology was building upon the scientific discoveries. Superstition was dying. The former belief in a naturalistic 'cause' for life for centuries, was debunked by Pasteur, as his experiments refuted the notion of 'spontaneous generation'. But at its peak, the winds of ideology began to change. In the late 1800s, 2 major events began a new movement in human ideology. Marx & Darwin represented a new ideological basis for a growing philosophical view:
Naturalistic Atheism
Two major works laid much of the foundation for the growing view of naturalistic atheism.
Charles Darwin, Origin of Species, 1859
Karl Marx, Communist Manifesto, 1848
Darwin laid the foundation for a naturalistic explanation of origins. There was no need for a Creator, as everything happened by some cosmic accident, then evolved to where we are today. Life is constantly evolving, & humans are just advanced animals. Some are more advanced than others, & they should manage & oversee the universe, based on their superior evolved intellect.
Marx had a social elite, and needed an atheistic world view to crush the evils of religious elitism, whom he saw as the opiate of the masses. But he only substituted a different elite, same as the old ones, but with different hats. His was a rule by altruistic elites, who could control the evolution of man, producing a New Man, who would live in harmony in their collective utopia.
So the result of this blend of new ideologies were many fold:
- Keep the elite. Manifest destiny, eugenics, & a superior ruling class grew from this ideology, based on evolved superiority instead of divine appointment. Human equality can be ignored, as well as Natural Law, for the expediency of 'evolving' a New Man.
- Science is no longer a process of discovery, or an inquiry into 'what God hath wrought', but became a god itself. The methodology was ignored, & the mandate of elitist superiority took precedence over scientific inquiry. Naturalistic Atheism became a mandated belief, not dispassionate scientific inquiry.
- Return to dark ages practices of mandates for Truth, instead of open inquiry.
Many movements in the late 19th & early 20th centuries built upon these new foundational ideologies. Russia found itself in a great civil war, & substituted the oppression from the Czars & the ruling aristocracy for oppression from the Bolsheviks & their new ruling aristocracy. Hitler's National Socialism built upon both marxism & darwinism, promoting an elite based on superior evolved strength, intelligence, & state control of everything. American eugenics was foundational in the progressive movement early in the 20th century, & darwinistic beliefs became the monopoly of thought through judicial decree. Other forms of socialism, despotism, & communism, all had at their root a naturalistic atheism basis. It is the foundational belief system for most of the revolutionary movements in the 20th century. Only Islam, with its similar elitist control, provided any competition for an ideological basis for human governance. The American Ideal became corrupted with progressive thought, & seized control of all the institutions in America, distorting the original intent, & slowly morphed the enlightenment principles it was based on, into collectivist elitism, with only an illusion of self rule.
The Great Deception of the 20th century: Naturalism is fact. God is dead.
- Naturalistic Atheism is a return to the animal ideal, where the stronger rule over the weak, & power is esteemed over morality. 'Might makes right', is the only rule.
- Its foundations are not built on Scientific Truth, but mandated beliefs, just like the dark ages.
- It is a move away from the enlightenment principles of human equality, freedom, & Natural Law, & back toward dark ages principles of elitist rule & Truth by Decree.
- Indoctrination & propaganda, not open inquiry, are the methods used for imposing the ideology upon the people. Lies & beliefs are presented as proven scientific principles, when there is no scientific methodology to support it.
- Information is controlled & censored. Open inquiry is not allowed, but conformity to the ideology is required.
This is the result of naturalistic atheism, as a controlling worldview. It is not based on enlightenment principles of human equality, freedom, & self autonomy, but the dark ages views of control, elitism, & oppression. This is the root of progressive ideology, as it usurps the American Ideal. This ideology is in control of almost all of the institutions in America, & they dominate every facet of governance, law, & justice.
Dark Ages --->>> Oppression, control, elitism, Truth by decree.
Reformation, Enlightenment, Reason, & Science --->>> Freedom, natural law, open inquiry, self rule & autonomy.
Marxist/Darwinist elitism-->>> Elitism, state control, Truth by decree, oppression --->>> Back to the Dark Ages, & the circle is complete.
“I believe that the duel between Christianity and atheism is the most important in the world. I further believe that the struggle between individualism and collectivism is the same struggle reproduced on another level.” ~William F. Buckley Jr
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