Mike McLoughlin's Blog

Theocracy Hysteria Must Not Stop Us Taking Faith to Work

Mike McLoughlin — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 08:09:00 -0700

Secularists who oppose faith in the public arena such as workplaces often complain that allowing Christians to bring faith to work blurs the lines between church and state. Faith is a private matter, they say. So it ought to be kept for private affairs and not allowed to influence decisions in the public square. To permit it is to travel down the road to a theocracy.

A theocracy according to Webster's dictionary is “Government of a state by the immediate direction or administration of God; hence, the exercise of political authority by priests as representing the Deity.” Wikipedia has an article on the history of the word here.

TheocracyWatch, a project of Cornell University, documents the influence of religion in American politics. Many on the Left believe religion plays far too great a role in American public life. (See Street Prophets: When is a theocrat, not a theocrat? (w/poll!)) A number of these people have been recently published books on the subject.

Ross Douthat, a writer for The American Scene and Associate Editor for the Atlantic Monthly, writes a review of three of these books in the most recent issue of the magazine First Things.

“Most of these books aspire to be anthropologies, guides for the perplexed that lead the innocent reader through what the subtitle of American Theocracy calls “the perils and politics of radical religion.” There isn’t perfect agreement on what to call the religious radicals in question: Everyone employs theocrat, but Kingdom Coming also proposes Christian nationalist, while The Baptizing of America favors the clunky Christocrat. Others have suggested Christianist, the better to link religious conservatives to Osama bin Laden—and of course there’s the ubiquitous theocon, suggesting a deadly mixture of Oliver Cromwell and Paul Wolfowitz.

But the various authors are in agreement about the main point, which is that something has gone terribly wrong with the separation of church and state in this country, and that America is poised to fall into the hands of people only one step from the ayatollahs. Today’s battles aren’t just a matter of ordinary political factionalism, they insist. The hour is much later than that, and nothing less than the republic itself hangs in the balance.”

Douthat unpacks the complaints of the anti-theocrats well and shows their fears to be groundless. His review makes good fodder for those who would defend faith in the workplace from secular exclusionists.

Some others that have written on this topic:

Joe Carter at the evangelical outpost: Theocrats and Theophobes: Kevin Phillips and Carter’s Law of Political Rhetoric Also, the evangelical outpost: On Earth As It Is In Heaven: Americans and the “Theocracy” Canard

John at Brain Cramps for God: Toward a Definition of Theocracy

crimsonline: A moratorium on "theocracy" talk

GetReligion: Putting “theocracy” fears in their place

What's the Rumpus?: Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean the anti-theocrats aren't out to get me

Christian Alliance for Progress Blog: The Hysteria over Theocracy

The Wisdom of Canadian Crowds in Electing Faith Full Leaders

Mike McLoughlin — Mon, 23 Jan 2006 10:34:00 -0800

Barring an unforeseen meltdown of voter confidence, the Conservative Party of Canada will win today’s federal election. Many in the Liberal crowd will shake their heads and wonder how foolish Canadians could be to elect conservatives what with their neighbors to the south being governed by 'those stupid conservatives'.

There will be the inevitable excuses that the Liberals “lost” the election. That if they had just run a better campaign ...

Senior Writer for Globe Business asking the Wrong Questions about Daichendt's departure.

Mike McLoughlin — Wed, 10 Aug 2005 10:50:00 -0700

Gordon Pitts thinks the story about Gary Daichendt's sudden departure from Nortel is about the "peril and complexities of bringing God -- or, at least, talk of God -- into the corner office." (See The Globe and Mail: The risks of giving God a seat in the boardroom)

Daichendt has said he left because of disagreements over the direction Nortel was taking. See Pitts early piece: 'No ultimatum ...

Politics & Prayer in the Vancouver Sun

Mike McLoughlin — Sat, 23 Jul 2005 10:45:00 -0700

As I predicted here, the Liberal Left media in Canada continues to fear faith at work . Vancouver Sun published a feature on Social conservatism in politics in Canada today. (Pray: Canada's social conservatives are anxious to have their voices heard where it really counts in a democracy) It was peppered with the usual fear inspiring words used to demonize sincere people of faith who are forthright ...

God, Nortel and Business Leaders who bring their Faith to Work

Mike McLoughlin — Tue, 05 Jul 2005 15:20:00 -0700

James Bagnall is writing in the Montreal Gazette (Unanswered prayers at Nortel) about the recent departure of the new President, Gary Daichendt. (Daichendt Lasts Three Months at Nortel) Daichendt had come to Nortel three months earlier after a career at Cisco. He came highly recommended and was being groomed to be the next Nortel CEO after Bill Owens who is to retire soon.

As Bagnall tells it, Daichendt ...

Is MSM bias against faith at work Anti-Christian bigotry?

Mike McLoughlin — Fri, 24 Jun 2005 09:47:00 -0700

Check out The New New Anti-Semitism: Confronting Anti-Christian Bigotry at Evangelical Outpost

Evangelical Outpost says "The time has come, though, to say enough is enough. Several decades ago anti-Catholicism became the new anti-Semitism among "intellectuals." But now the hatred and disdain has broadened to include all conservative, orthodox Christians. This is the “new” new-anti-Semitism."

My last post on the MSM framing of faith at work as Religious Coercion is an ...

Framing Faith At Work. More Mainstream Media Bias

Mike McLoughlin — Fri, 24 Jun 2005 00:36:00 -0700

Time's article, "Whose God is their Co pilot? The US Air Force Academy faces charges that it has allowed rampant evangelization on campus" is the latest example of MSM bias against Christian faith at work. (See my post on Faith at Work gaining momentum for more examples) This story has been making the rounds of the Mainstream Liberal media (See also the NY Times Editorial: Zealots ...

Faith at Work Movement gaining Momentum

Mike McLoughlin — Sat, 11 Jun 2005 16:49:00 -0700

A national debate is developing in America on the role of religion in the public square especially in the workplace. Since the start of this year, PBS has done a special report on Faith in the Workplace. ABC News reported on Corporate Chaplaincy programs. CNBC TV did an assignment on God and Money hosted by Tyler Mathisen. Articles have appeared in major newspapers, the ...

Fear of Faith at Work in Canada. Liberal Media will just not let it go.

Mike McLoughlin — Tue, 31 May 2005 07:27:00 -0700

I agree with Len, Small Dead Animals, and Adam. This is a NON story but I predict that the Liberal media will not stop flogging it. I am sure we will be see a MacLean's article. Remember that article they did on Stockwell Day under headline "How Scary?"

So I predict the CBC will do a special report on their News Magazine outing "weird" creation ...

Fear of Faith at Work makes the Front Page - Globe & Mail: Christian Activists capturing Tory Seats

Mike McLoughlin — Sat, 28 May 2005 01:09:00 -0700

In what workplace is faith most feared? Is it the shop floor? The front office? How about the classroom? No, according to the Globe and Mail it is the Canadian Parliament. The headlines in Canada's national newspaper today reads "Christian activists capturing Tory races." The article lists a number of new candidates for the Conservative party who the Globe associates with the "religious right." (For an explanation ...