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God and Country

More of that trump style hyperbole and extreme talk. So much fear.
"the left is loaded with demons" just like in Nazi Germany: "I don't think it's people anymore; I think you're dealing with demons talking through people."

Dude thinks I'm a demon. I mean Demons go help push cars up snowy hills on steep streets that are by their houses right?
Demons volunteer at their local elementary school right?
Demons go to the humane society of Utah just to take dogs out of their cages and on walks right?
Demons feed the homeless on thanksgiving right?

Maybe we need more demons?

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Hopefully, even for MAGA, a world in which demonic forces seize control of millions of Americans, is a “reality” for only the most delusional. I think the point Taylor was making is simply reminding people of the dangers that can become possible once one’s opponents are dehumanized. Of the dangers in allowing our divisiveness to go way the hey too far into the world envisioned by some Christian nationalists, in which invisible evil forces are part of our current scene. Spiritual conspiracism? It’s nuts, and needs to be called out as nuts.
 
this isn’t anything new. The JBS mixed right wing politics and Christianity too. The difference is, they hadn’t taken over the GOP and found a useful idiot for president, until now. Free article:

 
Hopefully, even for MAGA, a world in which demonic forces seize control of millions of Americans, is a “reality” for only the most delusional. I think the point Taylor was making is simply reminding people of the dangers that can become possible once one’s opponents are dehumanized. Of the dangers in allowing our divisiveness to go way the hey too far into the world envisioned by some Christian nationalists, in which invisible evil forces are part of our current scene. Spiritual conspiracism? It’s nuts, and needs to be called out as nuts.
The funny thing I find is how many fellow LDS think that Christian nationalism will benefit them. It’s pretty insane given the tenuous relationship other Christian sects have with Mormonism. Indulging in this conspiracy and helping fascism isn’t going to lead to more religious freedom for my religion, but far far less. Unfortunately, many here won’t know that until it’s too late and they’re already on the figurative cattle cars.
 
this isn’t anything new. The JBS mixed right wing politics and Christianity too. The difference is, they hadn’t taken over the GOP and found a useful idiot for president, until now. Free article:

Agreed. Lots of concurrence between the JBS and MAGA beliefs, and mainstreaming their extremism in our current moment…


Matthew Dallek is one scholar shedding light on this:


 

“On this holy weekend, one man is taking the Resurrection personally.

Donald Trump is presenting himself as the Man on the Cross, tortured for our sins. “I consider it a great badge of courage,” he tells crowds. “I am being indicted for you.” Instead of Christ-like redemption, he promises Lucifer-like retribution if resurrected.

In January, he put up a video on Truth Social about how he is a messenger from God, “a shepherd to mankind.”

Trump is, as the nuns who taught me used to say, “a bold, brazen piece.” He is a miserable human who cheated on his wives, cheats at golf, cheats at politics, incites violence, targets judges and their families and looked on, pleased, as thugs threatened to hang his actually pious vice president.

Yet, more and more, Trump is wallowing in his Messiah complex”.
 

“On this holy weekend, one man is taking the Resurrection personally.

Donald Trump is presenting himself as the Man on the Cross, tortured for our sins. “I consider it a great badge of courage,” he tells crowds. “I am being indicted for you.” Instead of Christ-like redemption, he promises Lucifer-like retribution if resurrected.

In January, he put up a video on Truth Social about how he is a messenger from God, “a shepherd to mankind.”

Trump is, as the nuns who taught me used to say, “a bold, brazen piece.” He is a miserable human who cheated on his wives, cheats at golf, cheats at politics, incites violence, targets judges and their families and looked on, pleased, as thugs threatened to hang his actually pious vice president.

Yet, more and more, Trump is wallowing in his Messiah complex”.


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“On this holy weekend, one man is taking the Resurrection personally.

Donald Trump is presenting himself as the Man on the Cross, tortured for our sins. “I consider it a great badge of courage,” he tells crowds. “I am being indicted for you.” Instead of Christ-like redemption, he promises Lucifer-like retribution if resurrected.

In January, he put up a video on Truth Social about how he is a messenger from God, “a shepherd to mankind.”

Trump is, as the nuns who taught me used to say, “a bold, brazen piece.” He is a miserable human who cheated on his wives, cheats at golf, cheats at pohat a fascinating litics, incites violence, targets judges and their families and looked on, pleased, as thugs threatened to hang his actually pious vice president.

Yet, more and more, Trump is wallowing in his Messiah complex”.

That is some great writing. I guess it should come as no surprise that these people who have been swindled by religion are now swindled by The Rapist.
 
That is some great writing. I guess it should come as no surprise that these people who have been swindled by religion are now swindled by The Rapist.
In all seriousness, that’s a core part of their identity. Look at it, MAGA had 2 years of having control of the House, Senate, and White House. Did it make them any happier? “The Forgotten Man” had their boy in office for 4 years, are they any less militant now? A core feature of fascism is:

1) Believing one is pure and better than others (especially better than racial and religious minorities).

While also

2) Believing one is constantly the victim of a well organized conspiracy (usually organized and funded by Jews, non-Christians, liberals, academics, and elites).

So it actually makes perfect sense for them to be fooled by a rapist masquerading as their savior. Deep down inside, I think a lot of MAGA knows Trump is full of ****. But they don’t care. They’d rather go down with this ship than admit their snot nosed academic minded neighbor was right all along about Trump and his vile “movement.”

If Trump wins, they win and they get to brutalize their perceived enemies.

If Trump loses, they win because they get to pretend to be the victims of a global campaign against their boy.

The one thing they’ll never do is admit that liberals were right about Trump all along. They’ll never admit to falling for a rapist. They’ll never admit that he’s merely using them to pay for his legal bills to stay out of jail. Never.
 
Religion is such a mind-****. It's terrifying the power these unfounded beliefs have on people. Of course we are past human sacrifices in the name of a God, at least, but it still holds such an unreasonable power over people it isn't funny.

Think of the waste of time going to church and celebrating made up stories from assholes who want power over you, your freedoms and your money. There are a few out there who live in righteous fashion and are badass but most live these lies and have contempt for others through it all. If I'm going to be contemptuous I at least want to do it without hypocrisy getting in the way of my conscience about it.
 
history doesn’t repeat. But it definitely echos. So many similarities today with the 1930s. Except, people are angry over being bored and demographic change, not punitive treaties and double digit unemployment.

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this is on my reading list:


You can hear the interview with the author here:

View: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/know-your-enemy/id1462703434?i=1000648807082
There has been a segment of our population that has always mixed politics and religion and they see authoritarian dictatorship to be preferable to liberal democracy. It’s unfortunate that this segment completely controls one of our two major political parties right now.
 
Think of the waste of time going to church and celebrating made up stories from assholes who want power over you, your freedoms and your money.

Religion is a social phenomena and humans are a social animal. We are more healthy when we have social bonds like those that religion fosters, and the benefits are astonishingly broad.

 
Religion is a social phenomena and humans are a social animal. We are more healthy when we have social bonds like those that religion fosters, and the benefits are astonishingly broad.


Yup, a lot of people think it's awesome. What are they supposed to say?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_religion
 
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Three Christian pastors respond to Trump’s claims that Christianity is under attack in the United States.


View: https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2024/04/11/trump-christian-nationalism-pastors-wisconsin-contd-af-orig.cnn

Wow. Glad to see some Christian leaders in this country have their heads on their necks and not up their asses. And kudos to that first woman who accepted the explanation about the date for trans awareness day being on the same day every year and just happened to fall on Easter this year. Unfortunately she is in the minority among those who are willing or able to accept that kind of response.
 
Wow. Glad to see some Christian leaders in this country have their heads on their necks and not up their asses. And kudos to that first woman who accepted the explanation about the date for trans awareness day being on the same day every year and just happened to fall on Easter this year. Unfortunately she is in the minority among those who are willing or able to accept that kind of response.
I sense a growing schism within American Christianity. It’s small but it’s growing, of spirit of the law folks vs letter of the law “orthodox” folks. I sense it the most when I compare Elder Uchtdorf speaking vs President Oaks. The former often speaks of the church screwing up and of love for one’s fellow man while the latter defends the church, reminds members that the church isn’t a democracy, and often will declare sexual minorities as sinners. Obviously, I have my personal beliefs and I hope they’re in accordance with god’s. But regardless of whether they are, I think traditional “orthodox” beliefs are leading to more hostility towards American democracy and society and emptying pews.

If Christian sects hope to remain relevant in this 21st century, I think they’re going to need to adjust. The typical, “obedience, don’t question authority, leaders are infallible or else god would’ve removed them, war on LGBTs, and women in the kitchen” mantra that might’ve worked in previous centuries, just isn’t flying in this age of empowerment for minorities and the internet. What could’ve easily been swept under the rug by the catholic church or Mormon church or (enter whatever church you want) doesn’t work as effectively when everyone has a smartphone and within minutes the world can know a story. Churches can no longer get away with gaslighting people (which in my experience, is very common). It wasn’t until I was a missionary before I learned the the church’s first president was a polygamist. And then it wasn’t until later that I learned that some of the women he married were underage, married to someone else, and engaged in sexual relationships with him. The list goes on and on, blacks in the priesthood, women and the priesthood, pro nazism feelings of the presidency in the 1930s and 1940s, LGBT community, etc. imho, transparency is best. I think a lot of people can deal with church leadership screwing up. It’s the gaslighting and then finally admitting the ****up once all other avenues have been exhausted.

Obviously, I don’t know what god’s true thoughts are on nationalism, feminism, LGBTs, priesthood, etc but I do hope for and believe that god is a helluva lot smarter than we are and far more tolerant. I’ll give you a story. My friend is a counselor in Utah and his family has basically adopted a young woman who grew up in a hellish environment. She was sexually abused from an early age by members of her biological family. She’s doing better now and is in counseling. She still makes poor choices, choices that orthodoxy requires she be punished for (she’s lds). She slipped up and slept with a guy on their first encounter while living in Provo. My belief is that god will take her hellish background, her tainted beliefs on what love is, and consider how she struggles to see herself as a human being (not merely a pleasure object) into account. She’s trying to be better! Likewise, I hope that a lot of people with problems and challenges will have the context of their lives taken into consideration rather than a spreadsheet total of bad marks that will condemn them.

This larger thinking I hope is the correct one and is one that Christian leaders adopt more in this century. And I hope that churches focus less on being right all the time and squashing the critiquing of leaders’ infallibility and do more on just trying to service ALL members of their community. God is smart enough to figure out the awards and punishments of people. Our job is to welcome them into our communities and show them a great time.
 
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