I found this great quote via Andrew Sullivan. I think it really gets to the heart of the issue of why some are so desperate to mix conservative politics and religious fundamentalism.

It's from Philip Wentworth's 1932 article on how college destroyed his faith:

It is no accident...that the groups which are demanding ever more stringent laws to regulate our private lives are identical, almost to a man, with the religious groups in the population. It makes no difference whether they are Protestants clamoring for stricter enforcement of prohibition or Catholics agitating for stricter legislation regarding the dissemination of birth-control information. In both instances increasing pressure is being brought to bear upon government to take over the practical functions of religion--and for the obvious reason that religion, in its decay, is no longer able to do its work in the world. (Emphasis mine).

To me, this seems exactly right, but I wanted to consult with the SiftMind to see if I (or Wentworth) are off base.

Discuss.