About the difference between the Enlightenment religion and other religions

Because major religions disagree on theoretical matters, such as the nature of God, the nature of Christ, metaphysics, etc.

BUT major religions (mostly) agree on practical matters: family, good behavior, temperance, the Golden Rule, the fact that usury is bad, etc.

This religious lowest common denominator is called “the natural law”: the law that every culture is based on. C.S. Lewis called it “the Tao”. See the annex of his book “the Abolition of Man” for examples from every culture and every moment in history.

The natural law can be summarized as “don’t be selfish”. Since people are not selfish, society can function. Everyone has to sacrifice his selfishness for others so the society can function. For example, in all major religions, looting is bad even if it feels good, even if you feel discriminated.

The religion we have in the West comes from the Enlightenment and can be summarized as “be selfish”. Liberty means “do what you want and someone else will reap the consequences of your selfishness”. Equality means “Receive things that you haven’t earned and someone else will pay”. Rights mean “you deserve this but someone else will have to bear with the externalities”. Political correctness is only the last version (the last sect) of this religion.

The Enlightenment religion hit the masses during the 60s and, since then, it has been a steady decline. You cannot found a society upon people being selfish. Society becomes a fight of everyone against everyone, because every one wants to maximize his selfishness against the selfishness of others. This is why political correctness cannot last for millennia. While other religions build society, the Enlightenment religion destroys society.

“After all, there are only two religions, that of God and that of man, and an infinity of theologies” Nicolás Gómez Dávila