Politics, MAGA and Evangelicals

[whutTHEYsay]

No Escape for Biden on the Cognitive Issue 240209
protectionist Feb’24 Snefbo: Biden as VP, did NOT have authority to have classsified documents in his home. prtctnst 340209 Snefbo00087

NotfooledbyW Feb’24 Vnefbo inserted a link: •¥• DocumentCloud excerpts: •¥¥•
… when he served as vice president and when the Afghanistan documents were found in Mr. Biden's Delaware garage in 2022, his possession of them in his Delaware home was not a basis for his prosecution because as vice president and president, he had authority to keep classified documents in his home.
end excerpts

Politics, MAGA and Evangelicals 240210
The Biden Docs Republican Special Council’s report states verbatim as follows:

“when he served as vice president and when the Afghanistan documents were found in Mr. Biden's Delaware garage in 2022, his possession of them in his Delaware home was not a basis for his prosecution because as vice president and president, he had authority to keep classified documents in his home.” ​

If you know better than Special Council Saint protectionist you need to reference your source as I have referenced the Document itself. I can’t imagine you have one. So my prediction is you will run. So prove me wrong or Stfu.

to Snefbo00087

 

[Mac1958]

That is why white Christian nationalists/evangelicals need to quit voting in Republicans who write tax laws that benefit wealthy Republicans who do not give a **** about the working and impoverished classes .

It’s as if people who consume things need to be happy the rich provide them with material things and the jobs that make it possible and STFU about trivial things such as concentration of wealth at the very top.

Not likely. Look at the "prosperity theology" that has taken hold. That excuses everything.

Religions can be easily twisted and perverted by phonies, and this one sure has been.

 

[Red Front]

If you're one of the many (like me) who thinks that much of America's Christian population has sold its soul to a con man, here's a really interesting interview -- and one really fascinating point.

Tim Alberta is a devout Christian who has been so troubled by this that he has written a book on the topic. The interview is almost 36 minutes, but there is one moment where I think he makes a very interesting (and even fair, kind of) point. This doesn't absolve the obvious dishonesty and rank hypocrisy that we see, but at least it explains it in a way:

At 11:46: "For a lot of these people who are panicked, who are just stricken with fear about the culture changing so quickly and the country turning on Christianity, and that their faith is in the crosshairs and one day they're going to be persecuted for their faith in this country -- a lot of folks believe that -- they think the barbarians are at the gates, and so they need a barbarian to defend them. To protect them.

"And so, they look at Trump, and the behavior and the rhetoric, and in some sense, because he is not bound by biblical teachings, not bound by biblical virtues, he is free to fight for them in ways that no good Christian ever would".

Holy crap, that's interesting. MAGA followers by and large and not very good at articulating their reasoning, and he does a very good job here. Again, it doesn't explain away many of the behaviors, but at least there is some reasoning here to grab on to.

Christians don't follow the teachings of Jesus and his apostles, hence Christians suffer due to ignorance and disobedience. These counterfeit "Christians" with their inordinate lust for this world, for mammon, for the base pleasures, recreation, trinkets, and luxuries of worldly life, pathetically pretend to be disciples of Jesus. When they behave this way the so-called "barbarians", the atheists, secularists, the irreligious, lose respect for Christians and their supposed devotion to God.

These "children of God" seem to be more concerned with the vested interests of the wealthy and powerful, holding the poor in contempt and doing everything they can to undermine the interests of the working class. Those who need to wake up in the morning and go to work for a wage. They promote the propaganda of the rich, which always demonizes the government in all of its activities except when it serves their profits. Government in the lap of wealth and the military-industrial complex, big oil, big pharma..etc, that's what Evangelical right-wing politics is all about:

RANK	PARENT	SUBSIDY VALUE.	NUMBER OF AWARDS
1	Boeing	$15,388,954,161	952
2	Intel	$8,355,503,416	127
3	Ford Motor	$7,718,954,966	684
4	General Motors	$7,494,705,750	783
5	Micron Technology	$6,786,681,915	19
6	Alcoa	$5,727,691,764	134
7	Cheniere Energy	$5,617,152,523	43
8	Amazon.com	$5,532,086,473	433
9	Foxconn Technology Group (Hon Hai Precision Industry Company)	$4,820,110,112	74
10	Texas Instruments	$4,286,328,869	69
11	Volkswagen	$3,880,517,317	209
12	Sempra Energy	$3,828,022,782	51
13	NRG Energy	$3,405,383,876	264
14	Venture Global LNG	$3,285,883,566	6
15	NextEra Energy	$3,008,691,129	116
16	Sasol	$2,836,049,845	72
17	Tesla Inc.	$2,829,855,494	114
18	Stellantis	$2,795,436,436	213
19	Nucor	$2,518,064,340	171
20	Walt Disney	$2,483,328,762	255
21	SkyWest	$2,418,120,282	981
22	Iberdrola	$2,380,537,196	109
23	Toyota	$2,304,226,689	237
24	Shell PLC	$2,210,816,246	131
25	Samsung	$2,178,196,443	83
26	Oracle	$2,167,890,528	90
27	Mubadala Investment Company	$2,124,035,097	62
28	Nike	$2,104,917,829	153
29	Hyundai Motor	$2,048,610,159	17
30	Alphabet Inc.	$2,010,825,527	124
31	Brookfield Asset Management	$1,968,826,437	231
32	Meta Platforms Inc.	$1,963,051,772	61
33	Exxon Mobil	$1,906,554,975	227
34	Paramount Global	$1,845,796,313	332
35	Nissan	$1,842,814,165	98
36	Apple Inc.	$1,833,837,442	61
37	Comcast	$1,827,808,120	390
38	Berkshire Hathaway	$1,821,579,761	1,190
39	Summit Power	$1,783,593,414	6
40	General Electric	$1,737,066,990	994
41	Air Products & Chemicals	$1,726,928,435	87
42	Cleveland-Cliffs	$1,705,497,604	129
43	Southern Company	$1,694,958,172	45
44	Energy Transfer	$1,680,763,748	155
45	JPMorgan Chase	$1,663,593,063	1,147
46	Vornado Realty Trust	$1,623,857,336	33
47	Duke Energy	$1,580,417,759	86
48	Wolfspeed Inc.	$1,560,125,015	63
49	Rivian Automotive Inc.	$1,532,854,012	3
50	IBM Corp.	$1,495,438,545	367
51	General Atomics	$1,476,687,046	111
52	OGE Energy	$1,427,570,182	15
53	SCS Energy	$1,419,011,796	5
54	Panasonic	$1,384,147,584	61
55	Microsoft	$1,363,926,937	111
56	Lockheed Martin	$1,334,594,360	319
57	Sagamore Development	$1,320,000,000	2
58	Northrop Grumman	$1,275,514,883	284
59	Corning Inc.	$1,262,885,869	389
60	Vingroup	$1,254,000,000	1
61	Continental AG	$1,244,875,478	111
62	RTX Corporation	$1,168,240,858	779
63	Jefferies Financial Group	$1,144,919,260	17
64	SK Holdings	$1,081,550,283	9
65	Valero Energy	$1,053,812,692	207
66	Dow Inc.	$1,049,354,213	640
67	AES Corp.	$1,030,194,632	132
68	Hyannis Air Service Inc.	$1,018,366,272	417
69	Abengoa	$988,188,652	43
70	Exelon	$982,955,949	57
71	CF Industries	$982,271,715	129
72	Pyramid Companies	$966,050,097	91
73	Mazda Toyota Manufacturing, U.S.A., Inc.	$900,000,000	1
74	Apollo Global Management	$896,345,186	586
75	LG	$881,567,511	87
76	Delta Air Lines	$878,093,932	17
77	Centene	$877,508,496	56
78	Bayer	$850,128,391	212
79	Honda	$849,832,301	92
80	Shin-Etsu Chemical	$828,683,936	106
81	Enterprise Products Partners	$826,988,371	89
82	SunEdison	$813,584,873	113
83	Goldman Sachs	$800,873,386	253
84	E.ON	$782,609,880	38
85	Archer Daniels Midland	$771,819,773	1,116
86	EDF-Electricite de France	$766,205,550	36
87	Warner Bros. Discovery Inc.	$764,594,690	217
88	Triple Five Worldwide	$748,000,000	4
89	Bank of America	$744,566,157	929
90	EDP-Energias de Portugal	$733,674,868	14
91	Related Companies	$687,200,000	1
92	Koch Industries	$673,998,188	495
93	Caithness Energy	$670,379,738	29
94	Wells Fargo	$653,074,103	540
95	Entergy	$638,345,893	234
96	OCI N.V.	$627,879,406	5
97	FedEx	$621,948,452	624
98	Chevron Phillips Chemical	$619,839,444	20
99	Bedrock Detroit	$618,000,000	1

Then these same "Christians" who don't give a hoot about the poor, including the children who are born in environments of scarcity, pretend to care for fetuses in the wombs of strangers. Young single women who are mostly likely of modest means and can't even afford to be pregnant, much less give birth and raise a child, will have the same Christians who forced her to remain pregnant through the heavy hand of government, defund all of the government programs that will help her access maternity care, Medicaid, food and housing assistance, job training, employment opportunities, child daycare, school lunch programs, afterschool programs..etc.

The so-called disciples of Jesus defund those programs that help single, impoverished mothers, raise their children. Where is the holy spirit here? Where is your God? He's not working through you that's for sure. Cry your crocodile tears for embryos and fetuses in the uteruses of strangers (who you clearly don't give a rats about), while single mothers and their babies are struggling to survive, in an economy where the cost of living is through the roof and wages simply don't cut it. Cry me a river "Christians" (The mammon worshiping, fake disciples of Jesus, whining about persecution). Boohoo.

 

[initforme]

I look at the very wealthy televangelist and am amazed by how they have used Christianity to fleece their followers. They aren't teaching Christianity in any way shape nor form.

 

[initforme]

Prosperity and Christianity don't mix.

 

[Mac1958]

I look at the very wealthy televangelist and am amazed by how they have used Christianity to fleece their followers. They aren't teaching Christianity in any way shape nor form.

By its very nature, religion is extremely easy to corrupt and leverage.

 

[initforme]

By its very nature, religion is extremely easy to corrupt and leverage.

These crooks are Uber wealthy and people keep sending them money. Why average people choose to support Uber wealthy people is truly a phenomenon. But it happens.

 

[sparky]

Anecdotally, i'm a recovering Christian that wouldn't piss on a church if it were on fire, & didn't vote for Trump and think maga's a cult

That said , folks in my county voted me in as GOP delegate last week.

They (my neighbors) pursued and talked me into this

Imagine my surprise, me...un uneducated two syllable farm boy with boots full o' manure attending local and state convention

yer all so f*cked!

~S~

 

[Red Front]

Prosperity and Christianity don't mix.

I have nothing against prosperity, including Christians being prosperous, but why do they have to do it at the expense of the poor and working class? At the cost of the public good. Why? These so-called "Christians", are so brainwashed that they serve the interests of the wealthy ruling class against their own socioeconomic interests.

Most of these Evangelicals are working-class people, some of them aren't even that well-off financially, yet they continue to vote for politicians who undermine their well-being and success. Wealthy elites who don't give a hoot about them or their ability to make ends meet and get their kids through college or enjoy the benefit of having full medical coverage and not going bankrupt in medical bills. They vote for right-wing Republican politicians who don't care about them and just serve the vested interests of the rich.

​

 

[Mac1958]

These crooks are Uber wealthy and people keep sending them money. Why average people choose to support Uber wealthy people is truly a phenomenon. But it happens.

Most of these Evangelicals are working-class people, some of them aren't even that well-off financially, yet they continue to vote for politicians who undermine their well-being and success.

The part of this that really gets me is the fact that religion -- real, sincere religion -- provides answers, hope, strength and guidance for so many who really need it. But all these phonies take their money, fill them with fear and paranoia, and feed them lies for their own gain, and the true Christians are left holding the bag.

The phonies use religion and the truly religious as a tool to get what they want. It doesn't get much more cynical than that.

 

[Mac-7]

I have nothing against properity, including Christians being prosperous, but why do they have to do it at the expense of the poor and working class? At the cost of the public good. Why? These so-called "Christians", are so brainwashed that they serve the interests of the wealthy ruling class against their own socioeconomic interests.

Most of these Evangelicals are working-class people, some of them aren't even that well-off financially, yet they continue to vote for politicians who undermine their well-being and success. Wealthy elites who don't give a hoot about them or the Christian's ability to make ends meet and get their kids through college or enjoy the benefit of having full medical coverage and not going bankrupt in medical bills. They vote for right-wing Republican politicians who don't care about them and just serve the vested interests of the rich.

​

At the cost of the public good. Why?

The answer is simple

Most Christians other than the Pope are not Marxists

When people are allowed to strive for whats best for themselves and their family - within the rules of fair competition - the nation is better off

More education leading to a sit-down job or a skilled trade is good

Wisely investing some of their earnings for the future is good

Avoiding a bleeding heart wipe-every-nose public welfare policy is not selfishness

Its common sense that forces marginal people to make better decisions in their lives

 

[Red Front]

The answer is simple

Most Christians other than the Pope are not Marxists

When people are allowed to strive for whats best for themselves and their family - within the rules of fair competition - the nation is better off

More education leading yo a sit-down job ir a skilled trade is good

Wisely investing some of their earnings for the future is good

Avoiding a bleeding heart wipe-every-nose public welfare policy is not selfishness

Its common sense that forces marginal people to make wiser decisions in their lives

Not everyone is born with the same access to resources and abilities, hence your indifference for those who you deem unworthy of assistance or want to "discipline", actually undermines everyone's success, including the people who you personally value, not just the people you dislike for whatever reason.

The economy also needs infrastructure, for the economy to run properly and laws that protect the rights of workers while supporting local businesses. As a small business owner, if you live and operate your business in a society that considers healthcare a human right, then you'll have healthier and happier employees and the government (The tool created by the people to manage their civil affairs) can ensure everyone has sufficient health coverage, through Medicare or some other means.

People like yourself demand single pregnant women remain pregnant by force of arms (The heavy hand of the government = people with guns enforcing the law), while you defund government programs that assist young, single mothers receiving healthcare, food and housing assistance, job training, child daycare..etc. Stop complaining about such social ills when you're a main contributor of it due to your indifference and lack of social consciousness.

 

[Mac-7]

Not everyone is born with the same access to resources and abilities, hence your indifference for those who you deem unworthy of assistance or want to "discipline", actually undermines everyone's success, including the people who you personally value, not just the people you dislike for whatever reason.

I dont want a managed economy where everyone has the same income by government mandate

Having rich and poor is a normal human condition

America is great because more people can improve themselves and live comfortably no matter what income level they start at provided they make wise personal decisions

 

[Mac1958]

Not everyone is born with the same access to resources and abilities, hence your indifference for those who you deem unworthy of assistance or want to "discipline", actually undermines everyone's success, including the people who you personally value, not just the people you dislike for whatever reason.

The economy also needs infrastructure, for the economy to run properly and laws that protect the rights of workers while supporting local businesses. As a small business owner, if you live and operate your business in a society that considers healthcare a human right, then you'll have healthier and happier employees and the government (The tool created by the people to manage their civil affairs) can ensure everyone has sufficient health coverage, through Medicare or some other means.

People like yourself demand single pregnant women remain pregnant by force of arms (The heavy hand of the government = people with guns enforcing the law), while you defund government programs that assist young, single mothers receiving healthcare, food and housing assistance, job training, child daycare..etc. Stop complaining about such social ills when you're a main contributor of it due to your indifference and lack of social consciousness.

They have fallen into some destructive binary thinking patterns that are only reinforced by the voices they trust. I see the Left do some of the same things, but not nearly to the degree the GQP has over the last decade or so.

To me, the goal should be in finding an optimal point on the spectrum between reasonable help and dynamic self reliance. Both sides of this make reasonable assertions, but unless the two can collaborate and share ideas, where we ALL have skin in the game to make it work, this ridiculous and counterproductive all-or-nothing tug of war will continue.

That goes for virtually ALL issues, by the way.

 

[initforme]

Average working people fawning over Uber wealthy people is an american phenomenon it doesn't matter the party. It's utter stupidity. Here Mr ubercwealthy I'm going to send you my money. Head scratcher.
Jesus was all about helping the least among us because the poor are going to be the o es entering heavens gates. Uber wealthy? Refer to the camel and the eye of the needle.

 

[initforme]

The poor are not a drain on america. That is a fact.

 

[Red Front]

I dont want a managed economy where everyone has the same income by government mandate

Having rich and poor is a normal human condition

America is great because more people can improve themselves and live comfortably no matter what income level they start at provided they make wise personal decisions

I dont want a managed economy where everyone has the same income by government mandate

That's a gobbledygook, irrelevant strawman. When did I ever suggest that the government would micromanage everyone's life and income, rendering everyone equal and bland like tasteless oatmeal? I never suggested that at all, that's just another one of your silly, disingenuous caricatures.

Having rich and poor is a normal human condition

So is disease, hunger, war, a life expectancy of 40 ..etc. You need to evolve and grow up. People like you are a public health hazard, undermining human progress and well-being. What morally and intellectually inept people like yourself fail to grasp is that we're all in this together and when there's illness or "inflammation" in one area of society, it ultimately negatively affects everyone, undermining your own health and security. Whenever we have the means to reduce or eliminate human suffering and scarcity, we should, if not must. Otherwise, everyone is at risk of loss and failure.

America is great because more people can improve themselves and live comfortably no matter what income level they start at provided they make wise personal decisions.

In an ideal world that would be the case, but that's not how the real world works, including our society. People flourish when they have access to resources, as opposed to being born in poverty and in an unstable home and community plagued with drugs and crime. When there is a robust social safety net for the working class and communities in general, everyone does well. Both the wealthy employer class and their employees. Everyone gets access to resources and opportunities for personal growth and success.

Competitive, modern market economies need robust government-developed and supported infrastructure and good regulations. The wealthy express otherwise in their propaganda that is consumed by the working class, but behind closed doors they cherish government infrastructure and support it, provided it serves their vested interests. The big-money capitalists love government regulations when they make the cost of entry into their industry much more expensive, increasing their market share and profits. What is needed is an effective regulatory framework that serves everyone's interests, not just the ruling class. One that contributes to the public good.

 

[whutTHEYsay]

In the battle of good vs evil, how much more prominent is evil in this world? 230922 #00001

A depressing statement perhaps, but if anyone truly disagrees state so. One need not look even beyond a particular range within our own orbit to know that evil is winning, globally it's clear that the good is in decline. Is it 75% evil to good.raio? 60%, 80%? How can humanity recover unless actions usurp belief alone? We need more good people to ensure that evil is stymied but the numbers aren't in Goods favor. Actions seem to be beaten by belief or even worse, by non-belief.

In the battle of good vs evil, how much more prominent is evil in this world? 230922 #00011

Rational Theism took hold in 1776 and its revolution was highly successful. But it lasted only as long as the founding generation that conceived it and lived it. { see post nf.22.10.03 #537 }

shockedcanadian appears to be endorsing the Cane Ridge Revival supernatural explanation for everything that overwhelmed the “rational theism” of the founding generation of leaders and the rebels who fought for them and individual liberty as an ideal.


Politics, MAGA and Evangelicals 240210 #648

That said , folks in my county voted me in as GOP delegate last week.

Question for Ssint sparky: Do you agree with what Saint shockedcanadian says in POST Srvwgo10704 below?


Roe v. Wade getting overturned!! 230905 #10704
shockedcanadian Sep’23 Srvwgos: “Once a child is formed that child has rights.” shckdcndn 230905 Srvwgo10704



Politics, MAGA and Evangelicals 240210 #658

 

[whutTHEYsay]

Fact One: There exists a Jefferson letter that he asked to be kept private. It is presumed that he wanted it ‘kept private’ because Jefferson was called an atheist and infidel by men of the cloth much of his political life. There are reasons Christian clergy and parishioners considered Jefferson’s atheism made him unfit for office . He never said he believed in the Divinity of Christ. That belief is required of one professing to be a Christian.

Fact Two: in the same letter Jefferson said this, “to the corruptions of Christianity, I am indeed opposed” from other writing we know Jefferson considered the corruptions of Christianity to be from: {The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth} , commonly referred to as the Jefferson Bible. It is one of two religious works constructed by Thomas Jefferson. The first, The Philosophy of Jesus of Nazareth, was completed in 1804, but no copies exist today.[1] The second, The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth, was completed in 1820 by cutting and pasting with a razor and glue numerous sections from the New Testament as extractions of the doctrine of Jesus. Jefferson's condensed composition excludes all miracles by Jesus and most mentions of the supernatural, including sections of the four gospels that contain the Resurrection and most other miracles, and passages that portray Jesus as divine.[2][3][4][5]}. Jefferson Bible - Wikipedia

Fact Three: In a letter to John Adams dated August 22, 1813, Jefferson named Joseph Priestly (an English Unitarian who moved to America) and Conyers Middleton (an English Deist) as his religious inspirations.[9]. Jefferson Bible - Wikipedia

Fact Four: Jefferson opposed Calvinism, Trinitarianism, and what he identified as Platonic elements in Christianity. In private letters Jefferson also described himself as subscribing to other certain philosophies, in addition to being a Christian. In these letters he described himself as also being an "Epicurean" (1819),[10] a "19th century materialist" (1820),[11] a "Unitarian by myself" (1825),[12] and "a sect by myself" (1819)

 

[SweetTea]

Most of these Evangelicals are working-class people, some of them aren't even that well-off financially, yet they continue to vote for politicians who undermine their well-being and success.

Explain how an average middle-class American voting for a Republican undermines their well-being and success. Allowing wealthy people to remain wealthy doesn’t keep me from becoming wealthy. Certainly not in this country.

Both sides of this make reasonable assertions, but unless the two can collaborate and share ideas, where we ALL have skin in the game to make it work, this ridiculous and counterproductive all-or-nothing tug of war will continue.

Yes, we all need skin in the game. Which party do you think has more people with no skin in the game? I’ll let you think on that one for a minute. It isn’t a difficult question for most rational people.

People like you are a public health hazard, undermining human progress and well-being.

Nonsense

People flourish when they have access to resources, as opposed to being born in poverty and in an unstable home and community plagued with drugs and crime. When there is a robust social safety net for the working class and communities in general, everyone does well. Both the wealthy employer class and their employees. Everyone gets access to resources and opportunities for personal growth and success.

Funny you never mention personal responsiblity. There are millions of examples of people coming from communities and countries with limited resources and making it in this country.