Great stuff! I’ve recently started identifying as a state and social pluralist while not being a religious pluralist, meaning I believe everyone should be able to live, love, and believe as they want so long as it doesn’t cause obvious harm to others.
I find it impossible to control my face and sometimes my voice when in situations like that. At the mention of “unparalleled religious freedom,” for example, I might have reflexively burst out with a single "HA!" to which my husband would have elbowed me in horror.🤣
We went to the Ellensburg Rodeo a few years ago and not only was there a cringy opening prayer, there was also a ~*history*~ lesson about a rosy relationship between white settlers and Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation residing there.
The emcee went on to tell the crowd that he was grateful he didn't need to ask anyone to rise for the national anthem. I was expecting some patriotic sentiment (the kind I remember from events like these growing up in North Idaho) but this felt very much like a response to wider efforts to unlearn one-sided stories about the birth of this nation. It's fascinating and scary how easily patriotism bleeds into white Christian nationalism. Maybe they've always been one in the same?
Yikes! It's disheartening to see how the culture wars infect even simple things like rodeos. Things have definitely gotten more heated as folks (mostly on the Left) began pushing back against the popular American narratives around race. Pre-Black Lives Matter I remember expressing warm feelings towards police and a German friend was like, "you've got to be kidding me, the police are not your friends."
As someone born into a religion that felt forced on me and that I walked away from, I relate to feeling easily perturbed by any sense of assumption of monoculture around religiosity, not to mention assumption that religion, especially Christianity, defines goodness or is or would be good for everyone. I'm glad you shared that your husband took the prayer at the rodeo in a different way. It’s so interesting how our different lenses and backgrounds impact so greatly how we interpret the world around us.
American-branded freedom to self-determination, to pursuit of the western Big Rock Candy Mountain lure, or to centering individual principles no matter who gets hurt (a la Hobby Lobby / florist/ cake shop activists) was never the freedom Jesus advocated. Christian freedom is inextricably wedded to self-sacrifice. But those who want to leverage faith for power have been glossing over that part forever. Golden Rule-type thinking underpins many belief systems for good reason - it’s beneficial to society. When flag wavers for religious freedom invert it, it reveals their true values: in-group dominance over authentic Christian faith.
It might be not be fair to assume your rodeo announcer meant it as a dog whistle, but it’s legitimate to fear that people received it that way. Sadly, the prayer for humility has been sidelined.
Beautifully said! American Christianity has, unfortunately, become so much more about power over others rather than self-sacrificing for the good of others.
I would have had no problem if the prayer had restricted itself purely to asking Jesus to protect the participants. Public prayers are given in many official occasions (the DNC, Congress, state assemblies, local councils). But a prayer in appreciation of "religious freedom" is basically a dog whistle for Christian nationalism. That prayer is giving appreciation to Burwell v. Hobby Lobby (freedom to block access to birth control). Or Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission (freedom to discriminate against gay couples). "Religious freedom" had never been mentioned in prayers in the past before the rise of Christian nationalism.
As a lifelong atheist, raised by atheists, I’ve always felt on the outside of most religious debates, including those about persecution. But I also have noticed that I’m much more comfortable claiming my atheism now than I was, say, 20 years ago. Is that because there’s less religious persecution or because I’ve just grown more comfortable with who I am? I know I feel like a minority as an atheist, but I’m also perfectly comfortable letting others believe whatever they wish.
I can understand your trepidation--there was a Danny Westneat article in the Seattle Times recently about how "atheists" used to be the most widely distrusted group. (Now it's "Republicans.") At any rate, I'm glad you are more comfortable and hopefully that others are more accepting.
I’ll see if I can hunt down that article. I used to just not say much when the conversation of religion came up, or I’d even fib and say I was a lapsed Quaker (grain of truth there). But the older I get the less I give a damn what anybody thinks of me and I just let my unbelieving flag fly.
Great stuff! I’ve recently started identifying as a state and social pluralist while not being a religious pluralist, meaning I believe everyone should be able to live, love, and believe as they want so long as it doesn’t cause obvious harm to others.
I haven't heard that term before. Very interesting!
I find it impossible to control my face and sometimes my voice when in situations like that. At the mention of “unparalleled religious freedom,” for example, I might have reflexively burst out with a single "HA!" to which my husband would have elbowed me in horror.🤣
😂 yes! Maybe I should've popped off about the mosques, temples, etc!
We went to the Ellensburg Rodeo a few years ago and not only was there a cringy opening prayer, there was also a ~*history*~ lesson about a rosy relationship between white settlers and Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation residing there.
The emcee went on to tell the crowd that he was grateful he didn't need to ask anyone to rise for the national anthem. I was expecting some patriotic sentiment (the kind I remember from events like these growing up in North Idaho) but this felt very much like a response to wider efforts to unlearn one-sided stories about the birth of this nation. It's fascinating and scary how easily patriotism bleeds into white Christian nationalism. Maybe they've always been one in the same?
Yikes! It's disheartening to see how the culture wars infect even simple things like rodeos. Things have definitely gotten more heated as folks (mostly on the Left) began pushing back against the popular American narratives around race. Pre-Black Lives Matter I remember expressing warm feelings towards police and a German friend was like, "you've got to be kidding me, the police are not your friends."
"It was AMERICA!!" I grinned.
As someone born into a religion that felt forced on me and that I walked away from, I relate to feeling easily perturbed by any sense of assumption of monoculture around religiosity, not to mention assumption that religion, especially Christianity, defines goodness or is or would be good for everyone. I'm glad you shared that your husband took the prayer at the rodeo in a different way. It’s so interesting how our different lenses and backgrounds impact so greatly how we interpret the world around us.
Another great post. Thank you, Katharine.
yes, I think this sensitivity, while sometimes a pain, can be a real asset in helping others rethink their assumptions.
American-branded freedom to self-determination, to pursuit of the western Big Rock Candy Mountain lure, or to centering individual principles no matter who gets hurt (a la Hobby Lobby / florist/ cake shop activists) was never the freedom Jesus advocated. Christian freedom is inextricably wedded to self-sacrifice. But those who want to leverage faith for power have been glossing over that part forever. Golden Rule-type thinking underpins many belief systems for good reason - it’s beneficial to society. When flag wavers for religious freedom invert it, it reveals their true values: in-group dominance over authentic Christian faith.
It might be not be fair to assume your rodeo announcer meant it as a dog whistle, but it’s legitimate to fear that people received it that way. Sadly, the prayer for humility has been sidelined.
Beautifully said! American Christianity has, unfortunately, become so much more about power over others rather than self-sacrificing for the good of others.
I would have had no problem if the prayer had restricted itself purely to asking Jesus to protect the participants. Public prayers are given in many official occasions (the DNC, Congress, state assemblies, local councils). But a prayer in appreciation of "religious freedom" is basically a dog whistle for Christian nationalism. That prayer is giving appreciation to Burwell v. Hobby Lobby (freedom to block access to birth control). Or Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission (freedom to discriminate against gay couples). "Religious freedom" had never been mentioned in prayers in the past before the rise of Christian nationalism.
good point about the recent change around this. Yes, it struck me as very dog whistle, too.
As a lifelong atheist, raised by atheists, I’ve always felt on the outside of most religious debates, including those about persecution. But I also have noticed that I’m much more comfortable claiming my atheism now than I was, say, 20 years ago. Is that because there’s less religious persecution or because I’ve just grown more comfortable with who I am? I know I feel like a minority as an atheist, but I’m also perfectly comfortable letting others believe whatever they wish.
I can understand your trepidation--there was a Danny Westneat article in the Seattle Times recently about how "atheists" used to be the most widely distrusted group. (Now it's "Republicans.") At any rate, I'm glad you are more comfortable and hopefully that others are more accepting.
I’ll see if I can hunt down that article. I used to just not say much when the conversation of religion came up, or I’d even fib and say I was a lapsed Quaker (grain of truth there). But the older I get the less I give a damn what anybody thinks of me and I just let my unbelieving flag fly.