Mark Lilla's "The Politics of God," from yesterday's New York Times Magazine, reflects the bafflement of the liberal intelligentsia in coming to terms with the worldwide revival of religion. Lilla is a respected political scientist at Columbia University, and his essay begins with all the pomposity of the secular liberal establishment. "We in the West are disturbed and confused...We find it incomprehensible that theological ideas still stir up messianic passions...We had assumed this was no longer possible...We were wrong."
Having discovered the obvious--that God is dead only in Manhattan--our campus Sherlock gives us a potted history of the religious wars. These wars culminated in what he terms the Great Separation. Yes, Lilla is genuflecting, as all approved New York Times pundits must, to the grand scheme of separation of church and state. "We have chosen to keep our politics unilluminated by divine revelation." Apparently Lilla has forgotten about the Declaration of Independence, which traces the source of our inalienable rights to none other than "the Creator." The doctrine that "all men are created equal" is derived from the theological concept that we are all equal in the eyes of God.
Nowhere does Lilla confront the obvious problem that his Great Separation is not even close to what the American founders had in mind. Even Jefferson, the least religious of the founders who first used the "wall of separation" phrase in a letter, permitted a far more public role for religion than we have today. Although Lincoln was not a conventionally religious man, his speeches were full of ruminations about divine providence and about God's active role in shaping the destiny of America. Lilla may disagree with the founders and with Lincoln, but he pretends like they were aberrations in some grand narrative of liberal enlightenment. He neglects to point out that today's Great Separation is a product of a series of Supreme Court decisions starting in the 1940s.
Consequently when Lilla accurately diagnoses "the revival of political theology in the modern West," he is not (as he thinks) identifying a rebellion against modernity or America or any of that. He is identifying merely a revolt against the extreme secularism that has captured academia and the courts in the past few decades. This extreme secularism has given atheists and unbelievers full control of the public square on the specious grounds that unbelief is politically safer than belief. As I will show in my forthcoming book What's So Great About Christianity, the ideologies of unbelief have littered the world with more corpses in a few decades than all the religions have managed over millennia. Isn't it time to stop crying over three-hundred year old denominational conflicts that occurred on another continent, not here in America?
Lilla's article contains one worthwhile insight. He recognizes that Islam is better tamed by traditional Muslims like Tariq Ramadan than by secular liberals who have little or no influence in Islamic countries. Otherwise he can do no better than end on a note of liberal self-congratulation. "All we have is our own lucidity," he writes without a trace of irony. "We have wagered that it is wiser to beware the forces unleashed by the Bible's messianic prose than to try exploiting them for the public good." Put this way, I don't really disagree. But who is this "we" that Lilla keeps referring to? I suspect this is academia talking to academia, Manhattan liberals cheering up other Manhattan liberals. I hope the Supreme Court discovers that it is also wise to beware the revisionist doctrines of secular pundits like Lilla.
Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 8)
16. If not for the Declaration of Independence, we would all be Catholic...Yet because of the Declaration of Independence, we have freedom to worship a frog if we want to!...We will always have different denominations, but the truth of the matter is...We must NEVER submit to heresies, but ALWAYS remember that Jesus Christ was the Son of God! He died! He resurrected from the dead, and He is coming back to earth to rule and reign in Jerusalem over the world! Revelation chapter 20...We have that right to be righteous indignant over Jesus Christ! And we will!
Bridget at 10:18AM on Aug 20th 2007
17. Dr. Pantin: What about the vast majority of African Americans - - traditionally God-fearing, Jesus loving, and many of whom are evangelical? We tend to be social liberals, (voting Democratic) but we tend to be ignored by conservatives in the religion debate.
Frankly, it's why I don't trust Republicans. The "invisibility" they cast upon people who love God but don't agree with their social agenda is not worth the price of publicly with them on God. I often wonder if I will see any of these "brothers and sisters" in heaven. Oh yeah, only the ones who can "see" me now.
Not marginalized at 10:26AM on Aug 20th 2007
18. That should be "publicly agreeing." Sorry.
Not marginalized at 10:29AM on Aug 20th 2007
19. The separation of church and state is not at odds with the religous beliefs of the fore fathers but shows they had a clear understanding of the dangers of religious fanaticism. If all men are truly created equal then one man's religion should be given precedence over another. The role of a politician's personal religion (or lack there of) is to guide their judgements, not rule the land. I grow tired of politicians wearing their religion like a new suit (it normally is) to cozy up to a large portion of the country who unfortunately vote based on faith... Geo
Geo at 10:33AM on Aug 20th 2007
20. I am curious how it is Mr. D'Souza, that you, a foreigner, comes to our country with it's freedoms, and thinks it's OK to comment on the way we practice our beliefs? How dare you, Mr. D'Souza, be the decider that God is dead - but only in Manhattan? I beg to differ, as there are certainly many religious groups in Manhattan who would be offended that you have decided this for them. When does the mass exodus begin for the believers and devout? Again, it is Mr. Lilla's freedom to choose what he does/doesn't believe. Did you get that??? It's his choice.
Perhaps instead of analyzing what's wrong with our country or attacking one of the many reasons I'm sure you are here: freedom to practice - OR NOT practice any religion you choose, you should go home to India and look within your country's doctorines and laws. I am not sure your same comments would be admissible in Mumbai. To say that God is dead - but only in Mumbai? How well would that go over? Rather than trying to decide that the way this country believes/does not believe, perhaps your efforts would be better put to use effecting change in your own country?
For all your education, perhaps you are overlooking two of the fundamental things that make this country great: freedom of speech and freedom from religious persecution. You have not been denied your fundamental right to free speech or to your beliefs, as is evidence from your blog. Unfortunatley sir, you are turning your beliefs against others. Open your eyes Mr. D'Souza, we in this country are free to believe or not beieve as we see fit. And which ever we choose? It is our freedom to do so without having fingers pointed at us or being told we are wrong.
Di at 10:33AM on Aug 20th 2007
21. Bridget, there is no god, and the Apocalypse of John was from a set of writings that were the romance books of the time: apocalyptic writings. They were a dime-a-dozen.
Knight_of_BAAWA at 10:40AM on Aug 20th 2007
22. The only thing that is dead is Dinesh's brain cells. He shows what is typical of conservative -- you cant really call it thinking, it doesnt qualify as that -- ranting is more like it, with his Crayloa type smearing and coloring like a frustrated child,stomping his foot to make a point. If there is anything more discredited than a conservative its a Republican conservative.
As for the professor, no one knows who he is referring to when he says "we" but what we do know is that those who like to prostelytize about religion like Dinesh are the people who know least about it.
MR at 11:15AM on Aug 20th 2007
23. I haven't read Lilla's article, but if indeed his belief is that theological ideas are dead in the west, he is certainly mistaken.
Theological ideas are alive and well not just among "average-Joe churchgoers" but many contemporary scientists, as well. For example, the Director of the Human Genome Research Institute is a practicing Christian, as well as a biochemistry professor at Lehigh University (both were interviewed for an article in Time magazine). In my own experience, as a science student, I have encountered a number of scientists- biologists, organic chemists, among others- who are theists.
As one professor said, "I have seen no scientific evidence of proof of God, and I doubt people ever will. But in 40-plus years of work as a chemist, I have seen nothing that would not allow God to exist simultaneously."
The debate is not, of course, whether or not God exists, but whether or not people still have theological ideas, and the answer is yes.
Alex_Mack at 11:20AM on Aug 20th 2007
24. DD is not a devout Muslim. If this was the case he would not have referenced in earlier blogs about having a glass of Chardonnay. Choose your words and actions wisely DD for they are what give you credibility!
E at 11:25AM on Aug 20th 2007
25. This sentence I love:
"This extreme secularism has given atheists and unbelievers full control of the public square on the specious grounds that unbelief is politically safer than belief."
My sentence reaction to this sentence was:
"Amen, and again I say amen, preach it brotha."
Michelle at 11:54AM on Aug 20th 2007
26. 2 things: i don't believe dinesh had worshipped with the many who are worshipping in manhattan,multitudes actually....and i don't think dinesh or his admirers actually read the article----------david
david rowe at 12:08PM on Aug 20th 2007
27. 1. The "Creator" is mentioned in the Declaration of Independence, but Creator does not necessarily equal God.
2. Even including the word Creator was the result of a bitter fight and compromise.
3. The D of I has ZERO legal authority.
4. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" means that religious people have thr right to worship as they choose, but may not use the Congress to impose their beliefs on others by enacting laws based on religion.
5. D'Souza consistently takes quotes out of context and mischaracterizes them to support his position.
6. Who exactly are these "Manhattan Liberals" D'Souza constantly refers to? Is it wise for a member of a religious community with so many bad apples to make generalizations like that?
7. If you think it's OK to base public policy and lawmaking on a 2,000 year old fairy tale, then you need to have your head examined.
Why not go worship Cinderella's fairy godmother? I'll defend to the death your right to do worship her, Jesus, Fred Flintstone and any other fictional character your heart desires, just leave me the hell out of it and don't expect me to be subjected to laws based on the most unbelieveable (as in, literally, cannot be believed) story ever told.
David at 11:49PM on Aug 20th 2007
28. Mr. Sherard, it was an Atheist woman that prevented prayer in public schools. Coinsidering we have Jews, Christians, 7th Day Adventists, Muslims and many more trhat attend public schools, Christian prayer in public schools is offensive to others. A moment of silent reflection is a good way to go.
Why do so many hurl the word 'Liberal' as if we are the be all and end all to everything that is good. We live in America and choosing to be anti-war, anti-bush and so forth is everyones right.
I am not privy to Dinesh's place of birth, but what the hell does that have to do with the price of eggs in China? America has many people of every ethnicity and birth place, which doesn't make them less American than you or I. Racism, sexism, gender bias and any other ism you can name is alive and well in this country.
You all should add a bit of tolerance to your agendas and learn what peace can accomplish.
Peace.
BRING OUR TROOPS HOME NOW!!!!!!!!3,800 dead men and women. happy now GOP?
rhodalee at 12:23PM on Aug 20th 2007
29. rhodalee, prayer is not prevented in public schools. COERCED prayer is, but not prayer in general. Just to let you know.
Knight_of_BAAWA at 12:54PM on Aug 20th 2007
30. The only proof of "God" is in mathmatics. A=A, existence exists, 0+0=0, ergo you can't get something from nothing so something must have always been here. That "something" is what we call "God". What the nature of "God" is will probably remain a mystery.
The hatred towards Chritians exspoused by militant atheists has nothing to do with the mathmatic proof of eternal existence. It has solely to do with politics.
The ONLY belief that militant atheists are trying to destroy is the belief that the individual matters. Unfortunately for you Christians your savior proclaimed that the individual soul is ALL that really matters to God. This makes you a mortal enemy of collective doctrine.
Muslims have a collective religious doctrine that the militants find much more familiar, which is why they will be apoligists for Muslims while being totally intolerant of Christians.
If you Christians would recognize what's really going on you might have a chance of avoiding annihilation before it's too late.
Darkmanwp at 1:10PM on Aug 20th 2007