Moral heterogeneity in modern society blocks religion’s appeal to a shared conscience

Evidence

The public, however, is notoriously diverse. Modern citizens don’t subscribe to a unitary moral system—moral heterogeneity is said to be one of modern society’s defining characteristics (even if the modern state does promote a particular ethical outlook). The puzzle here is how a deprivatized religion can appeal effectively to the consciences of those who don’t accept its values. And the possibility of negotiation depends on the prior agreement of the parties concerned that the values in question are in fact negotiable. In a modern society such agreement does not extend to all values. — Talal Asad, Formations of the Secular, 907