Worshipping the State: How Liberalism Became Our State Religion

"Secular liberalism is a kind of inverse image, like a photo negative, of the religion it has so energetically worked to displace for the past several centuries. It is a kind of anti-Christian religion as extensive in its claims as the Christianity it denies, with its own set of passionately held beliefs and dogmas. It doesn't just look like a religion. It doesn't just function like a religion. It is a religion. - p. 307From the time I was a teenager back in the 1960's I knew in my gut that there was something drastically amiss with the direction our country was headed in. I became even more convinced of this while attending a public college in the early 1970's. Like so many others I have had a great many misconceptions about the actual origins of many of the outrageous ideas and worldviews that have been steadily taking hold in our country. For virtually my entire lifetime the specter of secular liberalism has been advancing incrementally and relentlessly. One wonders how in the world did this happen? Recently I heard a fascinating interview with author Benjamin Wiker, PH.D. I immediately became convinced that his latest book "Worshipping the State: How Liberalism Became Our State Religion" would address many of the nagging questions that I have had about these issues for all these years. And while this was not a particularly easy read I found that I could not put this one down.Throughout the pages of "Worshipping the State" Benjamin Wiker introduces us to a number of influential philosophers whose ideas have contributed mightily to the secular liberalism that has become so prevalent in our day. Much to my surprise, many of these ideas and concepts are hundreds of years old. Wiker explores the radical anti-Christian ideas proffered by such luminaries as Machiavelli, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Auguste Comte, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and most especially the Jewish-Dutch philosopher Benedict de Spinoza. Shame on me because I had never even heard of Spinoza and as it turns out that his ideas are among the most important in the advancement of the secular liberal agenda. According to Wiker Spinoza's concept of a three-layered "human pyramid" goes a long way in helping to explain radical liberalism's contorted view of the world. You will discover why liberals seek to tear down the moral integrity of Christianity to a more easy-going moral code that nearly everyone can follow with very little effort. Thus, we have the emergence of the mainline or liberal Christian churches that are entirely at home in this world. These so-called churches and their leaders are useful tools in the drive to advance the statist agenda. As Benjamin Wiker so very cleverly puts it "You don't need the Nicene Creed if you're nice". In addition, Wiker shines the spotlight on the ruthless tactics employed by liberals down through the centuries to help them to get what they want. Clearly, as far as these folks are concerned "the ends justify the means".While "Worshipping the State: How Liberalism Became Our State Religion" is definitely not light summer reading most readers should be able to grasp the vast majority of the concepts that author Benjamin Wiker is trying to get across here. This is a scholarly and well-written book that goes a long way in helping to explain precisely how we got here. In the final chapter of the book called "Disestablishing Secular Liberalism" the author offers up a number of concrete suggestions and strategies designed to finally begin reversing all of this nonsense. But make no mistake about it.....we Christians certainly do have our work cut out for us. The election of Barack Obama and the radical policies being pursued by his administration are merely the culmination of a centuries-long effort to replace Christianity with a new secular religion. We cannot let them succeed. If you are concerned about these monumentally important issues then I believe that reading "Worshipping the State" would be a marvelous way to get yourself up-to-speed. In many ways this book proved to be a revelation to me. Highly recommended!

Echoing many other reviews I will say this book is simply, a must-read. It is a key that will open up a grand and oversweeping perspective on the Church's relationship with the world. This is true even if you are already well versed in the Church's history. It will provide a context for any and all other books you have or will ever read on Church history.I will be honest then the description is a bit misleading. Although, it definitely delivers on how we got to where we are today in the U.S. in the 21st century. However, what it really is a whole brief introduction to the history of the Church and world's attack on her and so as I just mentioned what it does is provide a necessary context in order to make the most sense out of far more detailed Church histories.I am only 3/4 of the way through it but so far it has been perfect in balancing readability and detail. You might want to read other books after this filling in more of the details, but this is the one book you must read to get the whole picture from the beginning.

look no more...if you've ever been totally confused about the political spectrum - even from political scientist themselves - then this book will definitely iron the wrinkles out of your confusion...i will never look at politics, government and even religion the same ever again...i began in the world as a conservative, became a "lefty" as a young man, but eventually came to describe myself as a libertarian for several years now - and i've been disillusioned w/them all...i believe many can relate to what i'm saying, b/c they usually are self-described "independents"...i left the protestant church years ago, also, but i must confess this author has piqued my interest in Catholicism...secularism alone as a worldview sickens me, b/c there are just so many internal inconsistencies w/the worldview...the man has done his research, and even if you don't totally agree w/everything he has to say, it will still be enlightening nonetheless...atheists and secular liberals will not think too highly of this book...but then again, cognitive dissonance is never easy to deal with...their rationalizations will be blatant - to say the least...regardless, the interpretation of the history presented in this book is convincing.

I met a guy from The Soviet Union back in 1987 or so. He told me back then that in his opinion the New york times was on a par with Pravda. We have all heard about the young girl who went to Columbia University because she wanted to change the world.Liberals . . . To them the end does justify the means even if they don't know what the hell is actually going on in this world. They are for the most part miserable people who's mission it seems is to interject themselves into your perfectly good world and try to make you as miserable as they are. They would tell you what kind of car to drive and what to think. If one disagrees with them they will whine ,scream and break things. Christianity is an obstacle to them so be on your guard people of faith.Read this book. They WILL be coming for you if you let them.

This book asks the question why modern liberals take strange and sometimes immoral positions in politics? The answer is that liberalism was defined specifically against Christianity from the beginning. Starting with liberalisms' origin in Machiavelli's ideas then following it forward through various enlightenment philosophers we see how it mutated then split into classical and radical liberalism. Classic liberalism showed it's lack of morality in economic darwinism and the oppression of the working classes. Where radical liberalism showed even worse immorality in the savage brutality of the French revolution and communist dictatorships. We end up by investigating how our modern American society was largely taken over in the 1860's by ideas originating in liberal European universities.As a Christian I highly recommend this book.

This is a very good book for anyone interested in religious freedom and the place of religious ideas in modern politics and law in Western countries, but particularly in the United States.Dr. Wiker's basic argument is that liberal secularists have used the idea of separation of church and state to push religion out of the public sphere and exclude it from public discourse, while replacing it with the dogmas of liberal secularism, progressivism and political correctness.Dr. Wiker starts with an explanation of how separation of church and state was originally a Christian idea, dating from the earliest days of Christianity, based on Jesus' statement that "My Kingdom is not of this world." Christians and the Catholic Church deliberately separated the church and the secular state on the grounds that the Church must remain above, and distinct from, the concerns of the political state. But that position still allowed the Church to exercise moral influence on the political state.He then goes into a very interesting explanation of how political philosophers and political leaders from Machiavelli, Henry VIII, Thomas Hobbes, Spinoza, John Locke and others deliberately advocated, and enacted, the submission of religion to the purposes of the state.Dr. Wiker then shows how the American Founders' idea of the separation of church and state, which was intended to prevent the establishment by government of a state religion like the Anglican Church in England, has instead been twisted to mean that religion must be excluded from public discourse while the ideas and dogmas of liberal secularism have been elevated to the status of a "state religion."Overall a very interesting book. Dr. Wiker writes well and gives straightforward explanations of some fairly dense and convoluted philosophical positions. This book is well worth reading for anyone interested in the history of these intellectual ideas and the place of religious freedom and religious ideas in modern politics and law.August 2013 Update to Original Review: In light of the just released Ontario Human Rights Commission ruling that atheism must be given equal status as "a religion" this book, despite its focus on the US, is well worth reading for Canadians interested in freedom of religion and the legal status of religion in Canada.March 2014 Update to Original Review: With Premier Marois having called a provincial election in Quebec and a cornerstone of the PQ election platform being the Secular Charter, or Charter of Values, which imposes a secular state in Quebec, this book is worth reading for its comments on the nature of the liberal secular state and its attitudes toward religious freedom.25 May 2014 Update to Original Review: Rex Murphy's article in the 25 May 2014 National Post is on exactly the topic Dr. Wiker deals with in this book - how liberal secularists (Rex Murphy's article uses Justin Trudeau as a primary example)treat their political beliefs as "sacred" and regard them with "religious" fervour. Good article by Rex Murphy.

Whatever the pros and cons of gay marriage, I am surprised to find it hailed as a new idea. Actually, it is an old idea. The Emperor Nero, for instance, reputedly married other men: sometimes as bridegroom, sometimes as bride.In similar vein, this book exemplifies the refrain that, "There is nothing new under the sun." The de-Christianisation of the West -seen as an advance by its proponents - may also be seen as a return to ancient paganism. Wiker makes the cases for regress convincingly: charting the whole process in meticulous detail.Francis Schaeffer made the same point in 'How Should We Then Live?' (1977): "We are back with ancient Rome." This is a more detailed and updated analysis of the same territory, from a Catholic perspective.An illuminating survey of the modern landscape. Well worth a read: for Catholics and non-Catholics, religious believers and sceptics alike.

This book was really good. I can highly recommend it. It shows the historical development of ideas and how secularism took over the universities. It also it shows what can be done to fix the problem.

because it reflects the truth --- its good to get an efficient service ---a promise of service that is fulfilled