incremental theological freedom, halleluja!

Over at Daily Kos, Gregory Paul delivers the Good News (pardon the pun)

Although still a small minority, nonbelievers are easily the fastest growing segment of the population. The rise of liberalism is more incremental, but they already make up a very large and growing minority that when allied with the often sympathetic moderates constitute the great majority. Basically, America is undergoing a delayed version of the sociopolitically progressive secularization that has already occurred in all other advanced democracies. To a certain extent this is because the conservative movement has always contained the seeds of its own destruction, and these seeds are sprouting.

This secularization is a good thing, even from the perspective of left-oriented believers, "liberal Christians" and other non-conservative and unorthodox believers. It means less dogmatism and orthodoxy, plain and simple. That makes it easier to practice open-minded faith and perhaps even save people from spending their lives being taught to be ashamed of their critical thinking skills and sexual urges!