From my experience, the US is unique among developed countries in how effectively religion has been weaponized and has permeated its way into politics. Combine

From my experience, the US is unique among developed countries in how effectively religion has been weaponized and has permeated its way into politics. Combine that with the electoral college system and we have minority rule by declining but increasingly radical evangelicals [1]. This Faustian bargain with Trump largely explains his election victory in 2016 and his near-victory in 2020. I've never seen anything like this elsewhere. Obviously there are religious troubles elsewhere eg the Republicans (Catholics) against the Unionists (Protestants) in Northern Ireland. I grew up in Australia and we just don't have this radicalism. Abortion isn't a defining hot-button issue. The issue of gay marriage was settled by a popular vote and then largely considered settled and most people just moved on. I, personally, don't really care what anyone's religion is. That's your choice. But where I draw the line is when that minority tries to enforce their religious view into law. SCOTUS's unwillingness to act against Texas's SB8 bill (where normally they'd stay it pending full review, particularly when it so flagrantly violated 50 years of established constitutional precedent) is shocking and deeply disturbing. So where I otherwise wouldn't care, I'm pleased to see the decline in this article of evangelicals in particular. [1]: https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/archive/2021/05/evangelicals-republican-voters/618845/ https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/archive/2021/05/evangel...