The Authoritarian Personality Type: Fundamentalist Christians on parental Rights part 1

If you haven't yet, please read: www.theauthoritarians.com

Another (sheesh, get off of the soapbox loser!) video about Dr. Bob Altemeyer's research on right wing authoritarian personalities. I need to state again that this is not specifically right wing as in right wing Republican, but anyone who tends to bow towards strict authoritarianism. In the US these may be fundamentalist Christians who vote conservative Republicans, but might be a fundamentalist Moslem and vote Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran if Iranian.

Altemeyer reports a series of test questions given participants where they are asked how they would react to several scenarios. Groups were randomly selected and given one of three scenarios:
1)A law is passed that public schools go back to teaching strict Christian values and theology.

2)You live in an Islamic country. A law is passed requiring strict Islamic teachings at the public school your child attends


3)A law is passed where from early on in public schools children would be taught that there are no gods, and that belief in such is illogical and against all science.

As would be expected, low RWA's, including atheist, agnostics, and the vast majority of Christians opposed ALL three scenarios as bad laws because religious beliefs are one's personal business and should be imposed nor negated in a public school. Fundamentalist Christians, on the other hand, answered differently.

Christian fundamentalists overwhelmingly believed scenario 1 was a good thing and said they would support it. When question about if this would interfere with other's beliefs or lack of, they stated that we live in a Christian nation and the majority rules. If you do not like it send your kids to private school or leave.

Those fundies given scenario 2 strongly opposed it for the same reason that low RWA's did (wrong to impose your belief on others). When questioned about the fact that this takes place in an Islamic nation, the common reply was that the rights of the minority have to be respected.

And, as no surprise, for scenario 3 the fundies were opposed for the same reasons given in #2. What might surprise some Christians, however, is that atheists overwhelming agreed. Atheists did not support opposing religion in a public school as it violated the rights of parents in raising children how they choose.

Part 2:

Another study by Altemeyer proposed that an atheist teen (raised by atheist parents) approaches you and asks you for advice on spiritual matters because they are questioning their parent's beliefs. Another group was given the same question but the teen was a Christian teen raised by Christian parents

The results might be fairly predictable! Low RWA's, including Christians said they would recommend the kid talk to a parent, a friend, a pastor, etc. because it was not their place to interfere. Fundamentalist Christians, on the other hand, overwhelming believed it was their place to convert the atheist teen! They also believed that it would be wrong for anyone to try to convert the Christian teen, because spiritual issues are a parents business.

Category:

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Tags:

• Altemeyer
• authoritarians
• right
• wing
• RWA
• Christian
• Islam
• Moslem
• fundamentalists
• Fundamentalism
• hypocrites
• liars
• frauds
• convert
• evangelize
• school
• prayer
• creation
• creationism
• evolution

[EucharistOfHypnos]

I'm a bisexual multi-ethnic atheist with strong egalitarian leanings, and I'll be the first to say that the RWA scale is a total crock. The guy isn't a doctor -which doesn't necessarily mean anything by itself, but his lack of scientific integrity is glaring-, and the test is very poorly worded. There are better meta analyses out there if you're really interested in seeing correlations between the current fundamentalist political movement and fascism.

[LithodidMan]

@EucharistOfHypnos I am curious about where you believe his scientific integrity is lacking, I have read a huge number of his papers and marvel at the rigor he employs when compared to many other researchers in the social sciences. Also, why would you say he isn't a doctor? He earned a legitimate PhD at an accredited university and holds a professorship...

[TheFallibleFiend]

One thing I noticed raising kids was that I consistently deferred questions from kids of religious parents with "You should really talk to your Dad" or "Have you asked your mom about that?" WHEREAS, fundamentalist type parents often initiated religious discussions with my kids and tried to give their views - and encouraged their kids to try to convert mine, sometimes in very rude ways.

[LithodidMan]

Yes, I have encountered the same thing. A child in my youngest son's class preaches constantly to him and to me (he is 8). I just deflect and change the subject but it is pretty clear he is not doing this on his own.

[tattooskin72]

My feeling is that if you are going to teach about one religion, you better be teaching about them all. I know in Texas they just passed a law that they will be teaching the bible as "literature" or some crazy crap like that. but it's just the Bible and no other religious text. To me that's bullshit.

[LithodidMan]

If it is done from a secular viewpoint I do not see a problem. The reason the Bible (in this culture) and not others would be justified as it is the most influential religious book in our society. And, again if done right, might get people to make the leap that you can teach this as mythology and it makes a bit more sense that way.

[JDMarine89]

Charlie Sheen?

[KKDragonLord]

@LithodidMan If its in Texas, its most certainly Not done from a secular viewpoint. The Texas Governor Rick Perry admitted proudly that creationism is taught in his schools alongside evolution despite the 1987 supreme court ruling forbidding it.

[crackerz99]

@vadimcream i think thats the voice from one of hte guys in king of hte hill.

[cybermone]

Its surprising that a loving mob with attitudes you describe frame challenges to these attitudes as pesecution for their godliness.

[edwardsson777]

Interesting -- as the video "freedom from conscience -- psychopaths" points out, the psychopath resists all authority over him or her. However, the psychopath runs our political system and then fills subordinate positions with people who are rule followers.  Interesting irony.

[EucharistOfHypnos]

@LithodidMan no shit? most PhDs plaster their letters all over the place, I didn't see him lauding himself, so I assumed he wasn't one.

I went back and looked up more about this guy, and I was wrong.

[14nationalsocialist8]

lol That research is nothing but Jewish programing

[vadimcream]

I've always meant to ask, is that your voice at the top? It sounds like it might have been taken from the Simpsons... If that's you your redneck voice sounds exactly like Hank Azaria's.