Greetings and Salutations and a Merry Festivus to everyone!
As this is my first post here, I do hope I have selected the correct venue.
I am working on a novel (potentially a series of novels), involving a world where the Moral Majority and the Christian Right in general succeeded in re-vamping our Government and Constitution in their image ca. 1980 or so.
While much of the story happens in the near future, the events that followed that deviation in our history. Here is what I see has happening:
1) Once in charge, traditional denominations (Catholics, Methodists, Lutherans) are deemed too European and or socialist, and ostracized possibly criminalized.
2) The various theocratic constituents turn on themselves, over arguments of text, interpretations, inerrancy, ritual, etc further dividing our nation into territorial and militant theocracies.
3) The lack of education beyond a biblical based one, leads our industry, military, and economy into a rapid tailspin. Coupled with a militant religioius furvor and a willingness to use WMD against religious threats creates a dark national security picture.
4) Pockets of non-theocratic regions would exist in places like pragmatic new england and much of the left coast.
5) Punishments against "sins" especially social sins are swift and brutal
What other characteristics might I consider tossing in the path of my characters? I have also been making a list of historical events and potential historic events that could shape such a world. Any suggestions there?
Andrew