This post the other day on NRO is a good reminder about how religions work, how they have to work. That is, every choice and every action is set against the tenets of the faith to be judged. Born Again Christians used to wear WWJD bracelets as a reminder that their faith commands them to live as Jesus would live. Muslims pray five times a day in order to remain in communication with god and, presumably, obedient to god.

That’s the way it has to be with religions. They are either all consuming or nothing. After all, if you can be a part-time Catholic, for example, what’s the point of Catholicism? Similarly, if you can pick and choose what parts of the faith to follow and which to reject, you cannot plausibly be of the faith. You can’t be on the team unless you follow the rules, all of the rules, exactly as described.

It’s why faithful Christians worry about watching Game of Thrones (apparently). The Bible makes no mention of the show so it is not clear if God condemns it or supports it. That leaves the faithful to puzzle through it looking for the correct answer. It strikes the secular ear as weird and silly, but when everything is experienced through the lens of a religion, religion is everything.

It is why I argue liberalism is a religion. It demands the adherents immerse themselves in the faith and judge everything through the lens of the faith. When you talk with a moonbat, it does not take long before they are hectoring you about some outrage or another. Even discussions of the weather will eventually turn into a debate about global warming. They may not sport crucifixes, but they are going to signal their commitment to the one true faith and proselytize if the chance arises.

A good example is this innocuous story about McDonald’s. The burger chain is the quintessential symbol of core America. it is the place where suburban moms have been taking their kids for fifty years. People around the world know the golden arches better than any other symbol of America. But, tastes change  and, like America, McDonald’s is on the decline. The article contains some “solutions” to their decline.

People are increasingly seeking out vegetarian options, even if they’re not converting into strict vegetarians, said Paul Shapiro, a spokesman for The Humane Society of the United States. He said that means it’s time McDonald’s offers a vegetarian option.

Shapiro noted that many other chains already court people who feel like skipping meat. Chipotle introduced a vegan topping called Sofritas. Denny’s and Johnny Rockets have veggie burgers, and White Castle recently said it would make veggie sliders a permanent part of its menu after their popularity as a limited time offer.

“So many of McDonald’s competitors are serving plant-based entrees, and McDonald’s is lagging behind,” Shapiro said.

Despite the mountain of evidence to the contrary, faithful Progressives still believe vegetables please the gods in some magical way.

In a column in The Chicago Tribune, Easterbrook said he wants to transform McDonald’s into “modern, progressive burger company on many fronts,” focusing on perceptions about its food and workers.

It came right after McDonald’s said it would raise the starting wage for workers to $1 above the local minimum wage. But labor organizers — who are calling for $15 an hour and union — said the move falls far short especially since it only applies to company-owned stores, which account for a tenth of U.S. locations.

Robert Reich, former labor secretary and a supporter of the Fight for $15 campaign, said raising wages across the chain would not only mend the chain’s image as an employer, but lower its worker turnover and help business.

Here’s you see the lunacy of the progressive faith. Fast food is for working class people, for the most part. Jacking up wages means jacking up food prices. But, that’s a big part of the liberal faith. Deep down, they hate poor people. Therefore, their preferred solution for McDonald’s is to transform it into something not McDonald’s.

Ronald McDonald has been a source of tension among some who say the chain uses its mascot to market unhealthy food to children. By retiring the red-headed clown, McDonald’s could start rebuilding its trust with many moms, said Jesse Bragg, spokesman for Corporate Accountability International, which has criticized the company’s marketing practices.

“It’s clear this brand has lost the trust of people,” he said.

Those who make a career of impersonating Ronald shouldn’t worry, though. Although he had faded to the background for a couple years, McDonald’s has defended its spokesclown as a “force of good.” Last year, it even gave him a new outfit and said he would be appearing on its social media sites more.

One of the more bizarre aspects of modern liberalism is the duality. On the one hand they give lip service to the old commie themes of anti-capitalism like marketing and sales. On the other, they really love money, as we see with liberal lions like Elizabeth Warren and the Clintons. The disdain for overt money chasing works best when the adherent has money. That way they can pretend their riches are due to their goodness, not their greed. McDonald’s using a clown to sell burgers is gauche.