Conspiracy by the Right to Revert Humanity's Progress

During the economic boom of the 90's, the U.S.A was also advancing in other spheres, namely science, secularism and politics. However, in the recent years of the economic decline, the entire process has reversed itself.

Science is recieving a lack of funding and to rub it in, conservative leaders are literally forbidding the progress of American science with the nation's laws and courts. It is no wonder then, that Asian countries such as South Korea are siezing the future of bio-medical technologies with advancements in stem cells that would be illegal in the United States. It is no wonder then, that European countries are siezing the future of physics and engineering with advancements in particle acceleration technologies that aren't adaquately funded in the United States.

Throughout history, technological decline has almost always been accompanied by a decline in secularism and a rise in religion. Now is no exception. It is cool again to be Christian in the United States and if you are an atheist you are shunned and generally made an object of ridicule. I know this from experience. Aside from biased observations, that notion is supported also by financial data: sales of religious clothing and music have boomed and church attendance has grown dramatically.

However, religion growing is not necessarily a bad thing. I believe that people should be free to believe in whatever they want. The bad thing is what the growing religions teach. Tolerant religions have actually experienced a decline in membership despite the general growth in other churches. Churches like the Roman Catholic Church, which teach intolerance and general hatred torwards groups like gays are growing in membership. This, along with a decline in secularism and tolerant religions and faiths, has contributed to the degree of being nearly the sole cause torwards an actual decline in the civil rights of people in this country. Briefly, people are losing their rights to be human.

Recently, a constitutional ammendment was even backed by our president to limit the rights that these people should have as humans. His only defence was along the lines of a shallow defintion of the word marriage. "Because the word marriage as defined by a book called Webster describes the union between a man and a woman, 10% of our population should be denied human rights." That's right, an entire constitutional ammendment based on bigotry that is poorly masked by the shallow definition of a word. If we want to save our nation, and ultimately the progress of humanity, we must not look to our past. After all, things were worse in our past. Instead, we must look torwards the future and define ourselves by what we really want to be instead of what we once were.

I don't know that it is an actual, thought out conspiracy.
But I think you are correct in your observation that the right wing elements of politics in general, are the ones that want to maintain the status quo, and talk "about the way things, used to be".
They do seem very threatened by new ideas and any change in the system as a whole.
It's interesting that it has come to the point of them actually proposing amendments to the constitution that actually prohibit things that represent change.
It seems a great paradox that the USA, a country modeled from a NEW type of government, and NEW ideas, is now so bent on maintaining the status quo and suppressing new ideas and processes.
Well you know what they say, "Follow the Money".

The last time a church "entity" was in sole control of certain governments was a time period called "The Dark Ages". Go figure.

This nation is quickly falling behind in many areas because certain "religious" people don't want man to use what God gave to accomplish many things.

They would rather a man stay paralyzed for life than to mess up a petri dish of "live".

This, and other examples, is not making good use of the intellectual, scientific, and thinking processes that GOD instilled in man to further his experience.

[edit on 24-5-2005 by madmanacrosswater]

RedDragon says:

During the economic boom of the 90's, the U.S.A was also advancing in other spheres, namely science, secularism and politics.

We were advancing in "politics"? Is this some sort of code for "national politics was moving in a way of which RedDragon approved"?

And are you saying that we were "advancing in secularism" because there were more non-religionists in the news? How is that an "advance"?

However, in the recent years of the economic decline, the entire process has reversed itself.

When you say "economic decline" are you implying that there has been a decrease in the GDP between 1990 and 2005?

In 1990 we were running a 4.2% budget deficit. After a peak in 2000, we are again running a 4.2% budget deficit. ( source )

The GDP was $7.112 trillion in 1990; it was $10.390 trillion in 2003 (adjusted for inflation, i.e., 2000 dollars). ( www.eh.net... )

Are you saying that personal, family, or household income has declined, even in constant-year dollars? I suggest you look at pubdb3.census.gov... and attempt to get some factual data.

And even if we were in an economic bust -- which we're not -- how do you see a correlation between such economic problems and the rise of a religious outlook in the United States?

Science is recieving [sic] a lack of funding and to rub it in, conservative leaders are literally forbidding the progress of American science with the nation's laws and courts. It is no wonder then, that Asian countries such as South Korea are siezing [sic] the future of bio-medical technologies with advancements in stem cells that would be illegal in the United States.

I certainly wouldn't argue that; it is the influence of the American religionists which obviate against stem cell research, and this is, in my opinion, a Bad Thing Indeed. But....

It is no wonder then, that European countries are siezing [sic] the future of physics and engineering with advancements in particle acceleration technologies that aren't adaquately [sic] funded in the United States.

And you're attempting to correlate the cut in our national R&D with a resurgence in faith in the United States? Hardly. Part of the reason that our R&D budget is suffering is the ever-increasing "entitlement" programs already legislated and untouchable -- an agenda which seems to have the full backing of the "progressives" in this country. What would you have us cut, Red Dragon? Do I sense an agenda here?

Throughout history, technological decline has almost always been accompanied by a decline in secularism and a rise in religion.

And during the outlawing of religion in the late unlamented Soviet Union we saw such "technological advances" as Lysenkoism!

Now is no exception. It is cool again to be Christian in the United States and if you are an atheist you are shunned and generally made an object of ridicule. I know this from experience.

I see.

You're saying you get the same treatment that the Jesus Freaks used to get? And you don't think that Jesus Freaks still get hoo-rawed on a regular basis?

Aside from biased observations, that notion is supported also by financial data: sales of religious clothing and music have boomed and church attendance has grown dramatically.

So people are spending more money on religious clothes, more Christian music is heard, and more people are going to church? I still don't see any correlation between an increased religiosity and all the bad things you decry.

However, religion growing is not necessarily a bad thing. I believe that people should be free to believe in whatever they want.

Why, Red Dragon, how absolutely ... Christian ... of you!

The bad thing is what the growing religions teach. Tolerant religions have actually experienced a decline in membership despite the general growth in other churches. Churches like the Roman Catholic Church, which teach intolerance and general hatred torwards [sic] groups like gays are growing in membership.

Drag, i don't think you understand the role of religion. Religion postulates rules and an absolute morality. Depending on the particular flavor of religion, the adherents believe that this is good -- no matter what, and that is bad -- no matter what.

Any structure that does not recognize and proselytize some sense of morality (whether or not you and I may agree with it) is not really a religion at all.

Briefly, people are losing their rights to be human.

My, how dramatic!

... we must look torwards [sic] the future and define ourselves by what we really want to be instead of what we once were.

Drag, the good news is that such a self-definition is underway as we speak.

The bad news is that it's not happening the way you want it to!

//ed to shorten link//

[edit on 24-5-2005 by DontTreadOnMe]

And during the outlawing of religion in the late unlamented Soviet Union we saw such "technological advances" as Lysenkoism!

I don’t think it truly is less religion = more science. As there can be plenty of things that can negatively effect science. However I’m quite sure that the fact that strict religious beliefs and great research and development really don’t get along at all. As can be seen now and throughout history, nations and cultures with strict religious beliefs often while surrounded by a single authority (dark ages and the Catholic Church), science was poor at best.

Along the lines of how an increase in the more strict forms of Christianity can be bad for growth in technology, I would have to somewhat agree. Newer technologies and research often comes in conflict with the beliefs archaic institutions, and thus can cause quite a bit of hostility. For example the first use of anesthetics as seen by the more conservative if I’m not mistaken. Or perhaps the use on contraceptives being seen as immoral and having the potential to turn all women into whores. History as shown many times old religious beliefs getting in the way of progress.

Despite this I do feel that an increase in religion is not the only cause of this. Plenty of reasons probably exist, mostly among our leaders. I’m sure murdered micro biologists and altered scientific findings don’t help.