Therefore, church membership being down is only good?
Only if (a) American communities absent religious institutions are de-radicalizing and (b) American communities that retain religious institutions are not vulnerable to leftist rhetorical gambits.
I haven't seen (a). The techbro libertarian is no less reactionary than the midwestern evangelist. And I'm not sold on (b), either, given how many leftists have come out of black churches and immigrant synogogues.
Hell, the abolitionist movement was a religious-powered movement. As was the populist movement of the late 19th century.
Only if (a) American communities absent religious institutions are de-radicalizing and (b) American communities that retain religious institutions are not vulnerable to leftist rhetorical gambits.
I haven't seen (a). The techbro libertarian is no less reactionary than the midwestern evangelist. And I'm not sold on (b), either, given how many leftists have come out of black churches and immigrant synogogues.
Hell, the abolitionist movement was a religious-powered movement. As was the populist movement of the late 19th century.