Religious, Agnostic and Atheistic Progressives

Religious Freedom
Bridging the Gap Between Religious, Agnostic and Atheistic Progressives.

by Ed Kaine

I believe in Freedom of Religion. It is enshrined in the Constitution's Establishment Clause; it forbids government from favoring one religion over another, or religion over secularism. 

Government's role is to protect and empower the people. I am free to worship, believe or disbelieve anything I choose. In fact I have a belief that, like waves on the shore, no 2 believers have the exact same concept of God. 

I am personally a complex Christian. I came to my personal brand of faith through a study of many religions, philosophies and practices as well as exploring atheism. I enjoy religious references and allegories in literature and have read and studied religious books. 

  -  "I bristle when the Strict Father model is applied to God and Jesus."  -

I find certain things draw me closer to God and some things distance me from God. In particular, I  bristle when the Strict Father model is applied to God and Jesus. To me Jesus was the ideal model of the Nurturing Parent.

I believe in the Social Justice Jesus who advocated for all people to be more free. His teachings all fit within a model where people are Nurtured and Supported. The freedom Jesus taught was freedom like Franklin Delano Roosevelt's four freedoms: Freedom of speech and religion and freedom from want and fear.

-  "The freedom Jesus taught was freedom like Franklin Delano Roosevelt's four freedoms: Freedom of speech and religion and freedom from want and fear."  -

In short, I believe and, think all Progressives believe, in a Nurturant Role for Government. Whether there is a physical, non-physical, metaphysical, metaphorical God or even if there is no God we want similar things for our country and our world.

I believe that if we are successful it is due to the heroic actions of our inventors and workers, people who work to improve life for themselves and others. To me they do this because of their desire to help their families, communities, their country and their world. I acknowledge that some believe this is God acting through them, personally I don't. I do believe in anyone's freedom to believe anything they want.

Ultimately, this is what Big Tent Progressives is about. Unifying all progressives because of their belief in the Nurturant Parent metaphor for Government. If we put aside our philosophical arguments about God and Man we can focus on the things that hold us together.


If you'd like more information please email: BigTentProgressives@gmail.com.