First Amendment Fundamentalists

As I reluctantly opened my eyes this morning, I was greeted with a very interesting speech by Rabbi Michael Lerner on my alarm clock radio. Essentially he said the problem progressives have with capturing the hearts of those we are losing to the "right" lies in our inability to acknowledge the importance of spirituality and articulate "politics of meaning."

He argues, that progressives' disdain for religion has made them deaf to the spiritual needs that underlie the move to the right. The left's unwillingness to engage in a serious debate about issues of spirituality has left a void which is exploited by Republicans. The sometimes justified anger over the way that some religious communities have fostered racism, sexism and homophobia, has created a knee-jerk hostility to religion that has both marginalized people on the left who actually do have spiritual yearnings and simultaneously refused to acknowledge that many who move to the right have legitimate complaints about the selfishness in American life.

I think he has put his finger on a huge issue that has crippled progressives in their attempts to move beyond dominance only in traditionally blue states. 86.8% of Americans view themselves as religious. To ignore that religion and spirituality are at the heart of most people's lives is foolish.

Also, I think there has been a tendency to advocate so strongly for a separation of church and state, that the adherents become as narrow minded as the right wing fundamentalists they oppose. I by no means have the answer to all of the problems that plague the left (if I did I’d probably be an overpaid consultant right now). That said, it is imperative that we begin to address the place spirituality should play in every day life and move away from this rabid need to secularize politics. Lets talk about real Judeo-Christian values that demand we take care of our fellow man and prevent the violence of war. It could be just the right jump start we need.