New research from the Journal of Religion and Health shows that Evangelicals are more likely to vote Republican and to be more irrational. They have been conditioned by their religion to be more irrational.
They also tend to be against the LGBT community, African-Americans, Muslims, and against women controlling their own bodies. The religion has become a form of politics as well.
Another poll from The Washington Post and the Kaiser Family Foundation, Republicans blame “lack of effort” for the economic condition of poor people. On the other hand, Americans who are atheists, agnostic, or of other religions said that “difficult circumstances” were more likely to be the cause of poor peoples’ economic conditions.
The Washington Post reported:
“The question is, of course, not just an ethical one but a political one, and the partisan divide is sharp: Among Democrats, 26 percent blamed a lack of effort and 72 percent blamed circumstances. Among Republicans, 63 percent blamed lack of effort and 32 percent blamed circumstances. And race mattered, too: Just 32 percent of black Christians blamed lack of effort, compared to 64 percent who blamed circumstances. . . “
“When comparing demographics and religious factors, the odds of Christians saying poverty was caused by a lack of effort were 2.2 times that of non-Christians. Compared to those with no religion, the odds of white evangelicals saying a lack of effort causes poverty were 3.2 to 1.”
These findings are an example of “system justification theory.” This is the concept that finds ways to justify unequal societal outcomes as something “natural” instead of that should be controlled or changed.
Republicans have become a party that hates poor and sick people. Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) once said:
“My understanding is that [the new proposal] will allow insurance companies to require people who have higher health care costs to contribute more to the insurance pool. That helps offset all these costs, thereby reducing the cost to those people who lead good lives, they’re healthy, they’ve done the things to keep their bodies healthy. And right now, those are the people — who’ve done things the right way — that are seeing their costs skyrocketing.”
It is past time for Republicans to learn to use that compassion that their religion preaches.
Featured image via Twitter.
