For a long time now I have been puzzled about the way political analysts simply do not understand how essential religion is in the lives of American voters. They talk about economics and racism and a host of other factors that affect how a person may vote, but very few have grasped the fundamental place of religion in the voters' minds.

Yesterday I ran across this article that finally lays it all out. It describes in perfect detail how theology has come to define politics in America these days. I try not to get political here. But Mormonism is politics, and it has been since the rise of Brigham Young. A great deal of Mormon theology parallels, and surely borrowed from, the motifs in the article. And now I understand people like Dallin Oaks. I hope this isn't too out of line. Thanks.

https://www.politicalorphans.com/apocalypse-now-why-republicans-are-destroying-the-world/?unapproved=17048&moderation-hash=b0bbf6435cf5c5e9b5c1ff7d7530b042#comment-17048

Religion is detrimental to society.

The political leaders depend on having people follow an ism (referring to religion in this case but it is not always a religion) to retain power.

In return, the political leaders reward the religious leaders who are in the trenches preaching.

The political leader then throws some bones to the religious supporters (praise, granting some of their pet issues, etc.).

The leader (and often the religious leaders too) don't apply the rules to themselves. Their alliance is to maintain power and wealth for themselves, using the religion as a tool.

It's even more potent if they can imply that God is validating what they want the adherents to do. They never seem to question why it is that God will reward the sheep later but the kings and priests get rewarded today.