What is culture? It really is easy to define culture. What the term "culture" implies (etymologically "to cultivate") is far different from the function of culture. Culture functions as the institution that resists change, and maintains established norms and customs. Every culture, be it Christian, Tasmanian, architectural, legal, Hindu, Native American, goth, Roman, or whatever is endowed with myths. These myths may be the founding of a nation, the mysteries and rites of a secret society, the doctrines and dogmas of a religion, et cetera. Joseph Campbell establishes that there are four primary functions of myth, which are to put the individual in accord with him or herself, with society, with nature, and, ultimately, with the cosmos. But there is a much deeper layer to the myths, an overarching function that covers these four mythic functions. The higher function of myth is to serve as the means by which culture can maintain and preserve its customs and norms. In other words, myth is the mechanism by which culture resists change.
Given all that, the "sacred" is little more than those principles and norms that a given culture has established as eternal truth. They are supposedly absolute, and cannot be challenged, nor argued with.
So what happens when change is being imposed upon a culture? The culture will then resist it with the only thing culture has to use in order to resist change: it calls forth the myths. American, and, in fact, the whole globe, is enduring a great deal of change currently, with the strive for gay rights, equality for women, the rise of secularism, Occupy Wall Street, ethnic diversity, economic equality, et cetera. All these things challenge the current customs and norms of America, and calls for a different social structure.
In the face of change in the political, social, economic, and religious structures of contemporary America, it seems to be no marvel at all that conservative culture would start to resort to the Bible (the sacred and the myths) as justification for why gays shouldn't be allowed to marry, abortion should be illegal, "In God We Trust" should remain the motto of America, and atheists should be burned at the stake. I feel I have spoken a bit harshly by calling the religious right "nut cases". They're not really "nuts," it's just the function of culture manifesting itself. None of this dismisses the fact that if change is necessary, then the struggle for it must persist.
Likewise, I should apologize for the hastiness of my conclusions of Southern culture in my post Southern Nice. I did receive some criticism and grief from some fellow Southerns, so let me clarify and restate my position. I had said that the Southern Culture is filled with hate. This is not entirely accurate, and a rather hasty conclusion. If I may quote Yoda, "Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate." So when culture is challenged, naturally fear arises - the fear that the culture is wrong, or inferior - which leaves one in question about their "naturalized history." Doubt is the critical issue here, because doubt of the sacred principles one thought was eternally true inevitably leads to fear. This fear would cause one to become angry towards anyone who has challenged their culture, and ending in hate toward that person or persons.
Now, this does not mean every culture will end in hate toward those who want change. All three levels resulting from doubt will be present. So Southern culture is not all animosity, but a fine mix of fear, anger and hatred on a number of conditions, differing from person to person.
But there is a resistance in that resistance to change, for a culture should not stagnate. If water sits for too long it will eventually stagnate. So it is necessary for culture to change, progress, and move forward if it doesn't want to be corrupt and stagnant. As Yoda next says, "Hate leads to suffering." This is quite a paradox, for culture has to change, and will eventually change (lest it dies out), even though the very function of culture is not to change.
Ultimately, the resistance we get from the conservative, religious right is not as simple as "they're just a bunch of nutty crackpots." It is simply the normal thing for a given culture to do in the face of change. The only question at hand is: where change is necessary, how can it be made in the wake of resistance? Do we accommodate the change? Or let the culture stagnate and suffer?
"Come mothers and fathers throughout the land, and don't criticize what you can't understand. Your sons and daughters are beyond your command. You're old road is rapidly aging, please get out of the new one if you can't lend your hand for the times they are a-changin'."
~Bob Dylan
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