The fallacy of the logic and facts approach

You have to talk to people in terms that they will understand.  I don't mean intellectually understand, I mean in a way that resonates with them.  The problem with conservatives is we believe in facts and we believe in logic. Facts and logic can bring you to the truth, but that in itself is not a universal truth because many people operate illogically.  That's a fact conservatives often overlook.  The logic and facts approach is pure fallacy in many situations.

When talking to a woke liberal, we often forget that facts don't matter to everyone.  What resonates with people are things that affect them emotionally.  Take for example the notion that inflation has recently been at historical highs. Telling someone that fact has far less emotional impact than saying simply "I can't afford eggs anymore."  Implicit in that latter statement are a couple of fundamental notions that all revolve around empathy;

• it is likely they are in the same boat, or a similar one and have similar complaints
• complaining sounds whiney and woke liberals love that (snarky but not untrue)
• they can sympathize and feel bad for you (woke SJWs have to have an underdog to protect)

You have not only started a discussion with something that they can empathize with and also get behind trying to solve.  It's the start of a more pliable conversation instead of a debate.  You have started on what is probably common ground or at least at a place of empathy or sympathy.  The way forward at least exists from that point.  Hammering someone with facts will more have the opposite effect; entrenchment.

We don't do enough as conservatives to understand our audience and with each generation that happens it gets harder and harder to do because each generation has been Overton windowed further away from the fundamental truths of life.  I'm not talking just religion here, I'm talking about even the fundamental basics of common sense (e.g. 2 genders).

We have to understand that we are currently on the losing side of the culture war.  We have not lost but we are losing.  That means we have to work both harder and smarter.  I'm not suggesting I have all the answers as to who.  But I think one of the key notions is that we need better understanding.  We need to understand how to connect, but in order to do that we need to understand the map, the lay of the land as it currently exists.  We cannot change beliefs for the better without having both a starting point and an end point.

Here, as an example of trying to get to that understanding, Ken Ham discusses the state of Gen Z as it pertains to (lack of) religious belief.  It's a specific but excellent example of how to change the direction of society from a massive leftward drift to back on course.

Go to church atheists

I get that there are a lot atheists in Western civilization.  There's an antagonistic view of religion, particularly Christianity for far too many people on the Left.  That's a shame. There are a lot of things anyone can take from the fundamental precepts of Christianity (and Judaism, or other religions for that matter).  The liberal left has, wittingly or not, thrown the baby out with the bathwater.

In addition to the fundamental goodness of the Ten Commandments, the sermon on the mount and countless other principles expounded in the Bible, concepts like the Protestant Work Ethic, the sanctity of marriage (as opposed to immorality in sexual conduct), the golden rule and other doctrines that come from a religious base.  These are good concepts to live by and are the basis of a sound society.  

Atheists, the left in general, and in fact communism argues that we can achieve these virtuous ideals without God, without religion.   That notion has failed repeatedly to be proven correct.  Religion has a place in society regardless of whether you practice it or not, regardless of whether you choose to believe or not.  There is room for religion in society even for those who choose not to believe.

That is because religion has something healthy to contribute to society.  My father was a devout atheist and spent a lot of my childhood deriding religion.  My grandparents on both sides were very religious, so I was able to see both sides of the spectrum.  After we were adults, my father once said to my brother and I that he wished he had involved religion in our lives.  He was able to see not only what values it helped impart, but that it offered an alternative to a wildly liberal education system that had it's own agenda. He still did not believe or support a belief in God, but he believed there was a lot of good that the church could do to help instill personal values, personal responsibility and personal ethics.

Atheists in America howl for separation of church and state to an absurd degree of separation.  Yet they cannot seem to separate the value of the principals from the tenets of the institution (the church).  Conversely, in what seems like an effort to remain relevant, many churches too seem to have forgotten many of the principles that they were founded upon.  But that is a sermon for another day.  

Personal I would consider myself a Christian (albeit flawed).  While I do not wish to impose my beliefs upon anyone else, it would be a kinder, gentler society if those who oppose religion, were merely non-practitioners rather than openly hostile. Church (or a synagogue) is not going to poison society.  It's meant to be a pillar that society can leverage to its advantage.  To claim that Christianity is bad for society is akin to the claim that America is the source of all evil in the world.  Neither is true, neither accusation is deserved.  But liberal shorthand not only allows for it, it calls out for it.  That is more evidence that a lack of religion is anathema to good neighbors, and a healthy society.  If you want to claim that society is better without religion, you'd better practice the golden rule you claim to be able to achieve without a church being needed.  So far, no luck.

Midterms Matter: In California 24, please support Justin Fareed

In California's 24th congressional district, results matter.  Proper representation matters.  Justin Fareed is not a career politician.  He's a hard worker. He's a visionary.  He's a fighter.

He knows taxes are just too high.

He's not a politician, he's a local man with the same values as California.  He's no do-nothing, careerist politician like his establishment lackey opponent.  Justin Fareed's common sense pragmatism is in line with voters' values.  But to represent the district, he needs your help to the finish line in this tight race.  Please support his efforts; volunteer, donate or at least check out his positions on his website. And by all means - vote. 

Thank you.