Reach Out For New Allies

Perhaps this is a good time to seek out new allies who might respond positively to the recent trend toward cultural changes favoring secularism. It’s no secret that our American society is far from being a homogeneous one-religion package.  Our US history teaches us that the rise of American Christianity was a gradual one, advancing little by little to become a very big player in today’s knee-jerk behaviors and thinking - it’s become a cultural bias that most people seldom even recognize.  Yet, finding willing helpers with a natural motivation and ability to stem further evangelical efforts (in plain words, to quit their religious recruiting) may not be so easy... or will it?

Of all the institutions of our society, both public and private, big corporations may be ripe to consider a new change of policy. For their own good, large corporations are very interested in maintaining a positive public image; their degree of acceptability is without question directly tied to earning profit. Consider, for example, how the hotel industry and its hand-in-glove relationship with Gideons International has evolved.  Since 1899 when the Gideons first began supplying free Bibles for hotel rooms, the practice has remained virtually unchallenged. Showing favor to Christian evangelical interests has been good for business. Hospitals, too, have fallen into the habit of accepting and distributing Gideon Bibles as a routine part of their service and it has done them no harm. But now the question becomes: Has today’s religious climate changed enough to merit amending the old policies that favor just one religion? Have we reached a point where no religious bias should be shown?

Let’s get serious about our expectations with regard to religion, and let’s tell the corporate world we care about it.  Write letters to Hilton, Holiday Inn, Best Western and Ramada.  Say something (on paper) to the hospital association in your state.  Tell CEOs and corporate decision-makers about your feelings of religious alienation, about being second classed, and suggest to them that their making a small change of policy will help.  It’s time to speak up and be heard where it counts.  Make some noise.

Reach Out For New Allies