Liberal ''Whateverism''


The real religion of America? Liberal whateverism. I’m John Stonestreet and this is the Point.

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What do moralistic therapeutic desists become when they grow up? Sociologist Christian Smith, who used that phrase to describe the spiritual views of American teenagers, suggests they become followers of “liberal whateverism.” They may have personal religious whateverism, but they trivialize religious truth claims as nothing more than personal preference.

“Liberal whateverism” replaces right and wrong and judgment with a vague sort of  “karma” -- not the Hindu kind, but the belief that people just basically get what they deserve.

Moralistic Therapeutic Deists believe God wants us to be good and happy but is otherwise uninvolved. But Liberal Whatever Karma makes God unnecessary altogether. This seems tolerant of all religions, but only if you whitewash religious differences. Liberal Whateverism doesn’t foster real dialogue and it won’t move us forward. But we need this dialogue because religious questions are the most important that can be asked. For thePointRadio.org, I’m John Stonestreet.


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Further Reading

Religious Tolerance: Karma, Christ, Whatever?
Christian Smith | The Huffington Post | September 16, 2011



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