How the GOP learned to hate divorce, again - eviltoast
  • dhork@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    Maybe it’s just my skewed view of things, but it amazes me how the Religious Right has started to latch into views that have typically been associated with Catholicism. Most Protestant churches frown upon elective abortion as a form of birth control, but do not seek to outlaw the process entirely, under all circumstances. (The Anglicans are the one exception I can recall off the top of my head). And, of course, we know that the Catholic Church takes a much harder line on other forms of birth control than most Protestants, too. It seems interesting that the GOP are pulling all these Protestants back closer to the Pope’s views.

    Now we have the GOP getting closer to the Catholic point of view on divorce as well. Not quite going so far as to push to ban it outright, but definitely making it harder. I wonder what Henry VIII would think of that.

    • Billiam@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      It’s not that surprising. The Catholic Church is one of the least progressive large religions in the US, so it makes sense that if you were attempting to weld regressive policies with religious fervor, you’d start there.

      • dhork@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        Yes, but historically Catholics and Protestants didn’t get along. When one obtained power, they used it to club the other one. It’s interesting that they’ve achieved this weird power-sharing agreement here that so obviously favors the doctrine of the smaller side. It’s as if they have no problem setting aside their doctrinal differences if the end goal is subjugating women, and have agreed the Catholic approach is better for that.

        • HobbitFoot @thelemmy.club
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          5 months ago

          You basically had Protestants shrink far more drastically in the USA compared to Catholics and Mormons. With the rise of the religious right, it became easier for Protestants to accept some traditional Catholic beliefs in return for political support.

          That said, American Protestantism is a clusterfuck of different churches with wildly different beliefs. The beliefs may be slowly coming together, but there is no firm Conservative Christian Canon yet and cracks are already starting to form with abortion and divorce.