Losing a religion

I recently realized that I have overlooked a religion.

I frequently tell my students that we live in a secular society. That's a good word, "secular."  It comes from the Latin saeculum, which literally means "the world" and specifically the world in which time exists, as distinct from worlds of the eternal. Just though you should know that.

Anyway, we live in a secular society, I say, mainly to draw contrast between our modern values and those of the Middle Ages. It occurs to me, however, that I am being somewhat unfair to modern society. We are without a religion of the supernatural, without gods and heavens and hells and afterlife, but we are not without faith in a system. Ours is a secular religion, and its name is Capitalism.

Since this is a blog about atheism, I figure it's high time that Capitalism had its turn in the dock.

First, let me establish in more detail what I mean when I say that Capitalism is a religion, then proceed to the way in which it is our religion, and finally to explain why I do not believe in it.

How is Capitalism a religion? First, it claims to be universally and eternally true. Second, it claims there are unseen forces at work in the world that cannot be measured. Third, it claims to know the True Nature of Man.  Fourth, it claims that all who are not believers are doomed. Fifth, because it's always a good idea to have a fifth, its high priests form a protected caste in society. Sixth, it claims that those who suffer deserve to suffer, and those who prosper deserve to prosper, according to a set of rules that are beyond the reach of Man to alter. Seventh, it claims that its institutions (e.g., banks) ought not be subject to the same laws that govern men. Eighth, we wage war in its name. There's more, but eight is not a bad place to stop.

It can be said that Capitalism is our religion because we have sanctified it in our laws and glorified it upon our tongues. We cling to it as the only possible explanation for the world-as-we-know-it, and condemn all doubters as heretics. We do not worship money, as some claim; these do not perceive fully. Money is a mere object, a manifestation. We no more worship money than a Christian worships an icon. It is Capitalism, the invisible god of the Free Market, that we venerate.

I don't like long blog posts, so I'll stop there. I'll explain why I'm an atheist when it comes to Capitalism in a subsequent post. I'm awfully busy and it may be a while.

We actually worship a second god. Its name is Nationalism, but I'll put that off for another essay as well.