Part 2 of our continuing series: I’m Pissed!

By P. Getty

A new study by Malka, Soto, Cohen, and Miller (2010) suggests that Christianity, and religiosity more generally, leads to political conservatism, which in turn leads to opposition to “social welfare.” On the other hand, these same religious scruples relate to a desire to help those less fortunate. These two pathways, the authors suggest, might be accounted for by “competing influences rooted in a combination of personality processes and contextual-discursive surroundings.” I wonder then, if the House Republicans’ desire to repeal the health-care bill reflects a belief that Christ would do the same thing in the same situation (contextual-discursive surroundings), or if they are just power-hungry,  with eyes on the White House (personality processes)?

To steal a line from Peter Griffin of Family Guy, the Republicans “really grind my gears!” The Republicans aren’t the only ones that rub me the wrong way when it comes to health care, of course. Insurance companies like Aetna, specifically, do too. While the previsions of the new health-care bill slowly come into effect, Aetna and other insurance providers do all they can to take advantage of needy consumers. In some cases, they do so by jacking-up premiums. Other times, they do it by denying coverage to pregnant women, because, apparently, an unknown conception occurring a week before coverage begins is a “preexisting condition.” While the new health-care bill will eventually prevent similar drops due to “preexisting conditions,” the House Republicans have promised to do all they can to let the insurance companies continue to act like money-lusting hornswogglers.  That’s right. The Republicans with their “Christian conservative values” seem to be taking advantage of the once Democratic majority’s dying quivers in an attempt to kill the bill’s remaining provisions and implement their own version of a health-care bill designed simply to add cash to the already-lined pocks of the insurance companies. While there is little hope for the Republicans evil plan to do so in the short term, due to the Democratic Senate Majority and President Obama’s veto pen, the fact that they are trying proves one thing: the Republicans are a bunch of hypocritical dicks interested more in defeating Obama in a 2012 election  than helping the less fortunate receive health care. As f’ed up as their actions might be, I bet if you asked the Republicans, they would tell you that they are just doing what Christ would do.

What does a Republican House mean for Health Care Reform?

Malka et al. (2010)

The season for reason

By, Adam K. Fetterman
“This Season, Celebrate REASON”, reads an American Atheists billboard by the Lincoln Tunnel. This is another in a long line of billboards and signs reminding people that atheists are out there. The apparent goal of this campaign is to let “closeted” atheists know that they are not alone. This seems particularly necessary during the holiday season as atheists may feel more like they are in the minority than other times of the year. For some, this time of the year requires them to pretend to be religious for fear of social reprisal. Therefore, being reminded (e.g. by billboards) that they are not alone can definitely have positive effects. However, as to be expected, the religious community (mostly Christian) is not responding with acceptance and positivity (though some are). Some have said the billboards are disrespectful and attacking. So, in response, religious organizations are putting up billboards of their own. According to the New York Times, there appears to be a quite interesting sign battle going on in Texas. The atheists’ sign reads “Millions of Americans are Good Without God” on the side of the bus, followed by a truck with a sign reading “I Still Love You – God” and another claiming “2.1 billion Christians are good with God”. While it would be a fairly funny scene to witness, it hits on an old argument about where morality comes from.

For many years, many have assumed that religion is the foundation or source of morality or pro-social behavior. In a recent review, Preston, Ritter, and Hernandez (2010) indicate that religion does not have a monopoly on morality and pro-social behavior. In fact, they indicate that religiosity only predicts moral or pro-social behavior in specific contexts and can actually predict increased anti-social behavior in certain contexts. The authors go on to discuss the differences between religious and supernatural beliefs in regards to moral and pro-social behaviors.

Another researcher arguing that religion is not the ultimate source of morality and pro-social behavior is Sam Harris. He has found (as well as others) quite compelling evidence of naturalistic or evolutionary foundations of morality and pro-social behavior. In fact, I have made arguments about certain motivations that would lead all people to be moral, in previous posts. In the end, it appears to be pretty clear that one can be “Good without God”. With some of the reactions to these billboards (e.g. defacing and anger), it seems apparent that religiosity does automatically make one moral.

More Sacramento-area atheist billboards are vandalized. By, Bill Lindelof, Sacto 9-1-1

Dueling billboards face off in Christmas controversy. By, Laura Dolan, CNN

Atheist bus ads rattle Fort Worth. By, James C. McKinley Jr., New York Times.

Sam Harris’ Website

Preston, J. L, Ritter, R. S., & Hernandez, J. I. (2010). Principles of religious prosociality: A review and reformulation. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 4, 574-590.

Read all of Adam K. Fetterman’s posts here.