Here is an interesting result I’ve mentioned from a recent Pew Survey about views on Islam of Americans.
Fav.Not Fav.DK/Ref.White Protestant344125Evangelical294625Attend weekly 235423Attend less often383329Non-Evangelical403624White Catholic433423Secular502525
Keep this in mind if you read Hitch’s argument that George W. Bush is a force for secularism. Frankly, I’m tired of objections about patriarchal Christianity from a certain sector while at the same time “non-Western” faith traditions get a pass in this department. I think the “secular” subset of the population can be decomposed into two fragments, those who are propelled by deep unified principles, like the people at Internet Infidels (who have even attacked Hindutva, something most Americans don’t even know about), and so have a skeptical eye toward religion in the generality, and those who have specific gripes against a religion because of their life experiences.
I see this division as a reflection of the divide between Hard Seculars and Cultural Creatives. I suspect that the growth in the ‘No religion’ category over the past 15 years is a reflection of the dynamism of the latter category, while hardcore skeptics and rationalists remain at around 5% of the population. As an illustration of what I feel is the hypocrisy in the treatment of conservative Christianity in comparison conservative Islam,1 I listen to NPR rather frequently, and every few months there is a story about a modern, but religiously traditional, Muslim family. The pro-woman nature of the Muslim religion is highlighted by interviews with the women of the family. When am I going to see similar reports about strong evangelical Christian women? Or the fact that though evangelicals wish to convert the world, they understand that such a conversion is not going to come by force but through missionary persuasion?. I’m not holding my breath.
Addendum: One could argue that you face and stand off the Enemy Before You. Frankly though, I don’t think that that objection is viable anymore, especially after the murder of Theo Van Gogh.1 – Can you imagine a major liberal blogger declaring that “conservative Christianity” is just not a useful term? Posted by razib at 09:21 AM