figmentPez
Staff member
I think a big part of the problem is that there's a small sub-set of evangelicals who are obsessed with politics, surrounded by a lot more who just want to avoid politics at all costs, and most of those who want to avoid politics are getting all they know about politics from that small obsessed sub-set. That obsessed group is ill-informed by conservative talk radio. They hear heaping boatloads about politics, but it's just a pile of shit. So they're obsessed with money and fear, all dressed up in faux-righteousness. They don't really know what's going on, but they're fired up about it, and ready to shout down anyone who disagrees.
So, the larger group, that doesn't want to have to do anything with politics, hears about politics from the obsessed, and they get a filtered version of a filtered version. Very often the money and fear gets toned down enough to just sound like retirement planning and concern for family. So the "non-political" group hears about how Trump hates government as much as they do, and that the "never Trumpers" and the "tax loving Democrats" are all against them, and persecuting "good people" just like the Church is persecuted, so they shouldn't believe all the lies they hear. They should listen to the old men of the church, who they've been brought up to trust, because who really wants to deal with politics anyway?
And the dissenters? The ones who have heard enough about politics to know that things are bad? They get shouted down. Anything less than perfection is used as evidence that their position is false. If they can't respond to every talking point from the radio that day, without any chance to check facts, then they obviously don't know what they're talking about. If they become upset, then they're just being emotional and are obviously wrong. There's no way for them to win, especially when the sin card gets pulled out. "But you've lied before. How can you condemn the President for lying when you've lied?", "You've lost your temper. You're not suited to be President, who are you to judge him?"
And so the system perpetuates itself. A majority is convinced that it's best for them to stay out of things, that they want to stay out of things. Manipulated by a minority, who are in turn being manipulated by an even smaller group in power.
So, the larger group, that doesn't want to have to do anything with politics, hears about politics from the obsessed, and they get a filtered version of a filtered version. Very often the money and fear gets toned down enough to just sound like retirement planning and concern for family. So the "non-political" group hears about how Trump hates government as much as they do, and that the "never Trumpers" and the "tax loving Democrats" are all against them, and persecuting "good people" just like the Church is persecuted, so they shouldn't believe all the lies they hear. They should listen to the old men of the church, who they've been brought up to trust, because who really wants to deal with politics anyway?
And the dissenters? The ones who have heard enough about politics to know that things are bad? They get shouted down. Anything less than perfection is used as evidence that their position is false. If they can't respond to every talking point from the radio that day, without any chance to check facts, then they obviously don't know what they're talking about. If they become upset, then they're just being emotional and are obviously wrong. There's no way for them to win, especially when the sin card gets pulled out. "But you've lied before. How can you condemn the President for lying when you've lied?", "You've lost your temper. You're not suited to be President, who are you to judge him?"
And so the system perpetuates itself. A majority is convinced that it's best for them to stay out of things, that they want to stay out of things. Manipulated by a minority, who are in turn being manipulated by an even smaller group in power.
