Trust_Reality
Trust_Reality's Journalweaponization of religion
"Onward, Christian Soldiers"
From the United Methodist Hymnal (575) on-line:
1. Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
with the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
forward into battle see his banners go!
Refrain:
Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
with the cross of Jesus going on before.
4. Crowns and thrones may perish, kingdoms rise and wane,
but the church of Jesus constant will remain.
Gates of hell can never 'gainst that church prevail;
we have Christ's own promise, and that cannot fail.
Benjamin Franklin: "A republic, if you can keep it."
"We" were able to keep it for quite a long time.
Republicans are going to be mostly in control of everything. Will they step up to save our republic?
Do we have our own Neville Chamberlin/Hitler appeasement agreement brewing with Trump and the Republican party? Apparently so. There has been a long list of appeasements since Trump entered the scene. The justice system led by the MAGA members of the Supreme Court has totally failed us, Trump having played them and the system like a banjo.
BUT, maybe it is not over, not completely. Maybe we can still save our republic. But only if we function in the real world. There are a lot of people who have taken the oath to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Will we capitulate or will we fight? In various difficult situations Presidents have often said, all options are on the table. For we the people, it appears all options need to be on the table.
Maybe we should give up on the Biden-Obama Pollyanna view of Republican politicians.
The recent crop of Republican politicians display the lowest level of integrity I have seen in my lifetime (81 yrs). It is astonishing.
And Republicans in general, voters, of course not every single one, but many, are unbelievable as well.
I think their most astonishing feature, but not all that surprising when one looks at history, is the willingness to engage in or tolerate religion based meanness.
Religion based meanness. Isn't that something.
Please give this a look.
Democrats need to stop soul searching about the election. The Democratic candidates had almost no chance of winning.
This was not a normal election. Stop normalizing it just like the MSM did. Even Biden normalized it in advance by declaring that voters would need to be the ones who held Trump accountable thereby excusing the justice system from its responsibility.
The system is actually rigged. (The R-Jackass has neutralized the term “rigged” with his BS, so I am using the term, actually rigged.)
The sting, the takeover, has been being set up for decades.
Courts were actually rigged by Mitch McConnell, the Heritage Foundation, the Federalist Society, and some greedy-class billionaires.
The Citizens United Supreme Court ruling opened all the doors.
There are crooked acting judges like Aileen Cannon.
There has been massive amounts of disinformation both from internal and external sources orchestrated by internal oligarchs and external governments. (Free speech is both our greatest strength and greatest vulnerability.)
There have been ongoing attacks on government agencies, especially those that try to restrict profiteering and polluting by big amoral and immoral corporations.
Republicans have been courting and grooming religious people for years.
Republicans have out smarting Democrats politically for years. (When Democrats have the majority, Republicans use Senate Rules to block most useful legislation and appointments. They make sure Democrats' campaign promises are not well fulfilled. Then at election time, they successfully accuse dems of being a do-nothing or ineffectual party. Congress is also distorted by large amounts of Gerrymandering.)
And there was the Republican candidate, a once-in-a-generation, world class con man. He has an astonishing ability to portray sincerity when lying. And we know how much lying he engages in.
There were also the boundless mobster type threats from the R-jackass. He frightened people. He promoted and inspired violence. (Based on the Constitutional requirements to be president, Al Capone could have been elected president. Right? Donald Trump could have been elected president. Oh, wait...).
All of this and I have said nothing about the racism and misogyny set free by the R-jackass.
Briefly for Democrats... To avoid perceptions of people being “talked down” to, don't lecture. Ask questions. Point out something then ask them to “give that some thought”. Or just ask questions, such as, “Who do you think should have access to affordable health care?” “Who should pay the largest amount of taxes?” Most Trump voters are not dumb, they are most likely misinformed and uninformed. And brainwashed. Point out FIRMLY that persons, even though very busy trying to pay the bills, need to pay attention and be able to sort out what is true and what is not true. Persons not willing to do that are grossly irresponsible as it pertains to our freedoms and our democracy.
How to talk to your cultish neighbor
Be kind and curious, especially curious. Ask questions that make them think. (One person who I think inspired this advice is Steven Hassan, PhD.)
I have been trying to think of useful questions. Here are some ideas:
1. Do you ever get frustrated with democracy?
Do you know of a form of government that would work better for how we could structure and manage a functional society?
2. If we had a dictatorship do you think Trump would be the best person to be in that position... the person in control of everything?
3. Who is your favorite dictator historically?
4. Eight years ago when Trump came down that glitzy escalator, where did he come from? (Press the issue. Many think Trump was sent by God. And don't call it "golden" staircase.)
5. Politicians always make promises. What is your favorite promise from Trump? (Press for specificity.)
6. What is the worst experience you have even had with someone who may have been an immigrant?
7. Elon Musk is very supportive of Trump. What do you think he expects to get from a Trump presidency?
8. In this country, who do you think should have most of the wealth?
9. In this country, who should have access to affordable health care?
10. Why do you think oil companies keep claiming climate change is not a thing, or at least not caused by humans?
11. Do you know the difference between a machine gun and an AR-15?
Regarding some of these questions (likely answers), if they say it, the thought goes through their brain. If you say it, it can easily go in one ear and out the other, or be a forgettable comment during a debate or argument.
Inviting more ideas.
Trump's insanity is our insanity
As Mary Trump said last night on Lawrence O'Donnell's show, all members of Donald's generation were damaged by the father, Fred Trump, due to his meanness and the way he wielded his power. What she neglected to say was that Donald's meanness and values, because of his power as president have had a somewhat similar effect on this entire country. During Donald's reign, the citizens of this country have suffered various degrees of insanity as well as emotional distress and disorientation. His perpetual lies and disinformation have further exacerbated the disorientation of reality. Add in Russian misinformation and FOX personalities like Tucker Carlson, and the result is that this country has been through a period of insanity. But we are gradually regaining our footing, our mental health, our orientation to reality. As strong leaders continue to speak the truth, and the justice system slowly but surely reintroduces reality to the lives of Trump's followers who have acted out, we as a nation are regaining our sense of who we are and what it means to be honorable human beings. We can be thankful to the numerous leaders and famous personalities who have stood up and spoken out in favor of truth, honor, integrity, and humanity. I am especially grateful for Kamala and the coach at this time in my 80 years of life.
How to defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and DOMESTIC.
I suggest it begins with... SPEAK THE TRUTH.
STAND UP.
SPEAK THE TRUTH.
VOTE, of course.
If this is valid, then spreading lies is a form of treason.
I say it IS valid and spreading lies is indeed a form of treason.
Divisiveness. Blame religions!
As a result of religions getting heavily involved in politics for several years now, politics have become more and more divisive. Why is that? Religious teachings and admonitions have an either-or structure. Good versus evil. Love God or presumed to be on the side of evil. Right or wrong. Good or bad. Believe what I believe or you cannot to be trusted. It is not just about differences of opinion. It is quite serious. I see religious differences in most wars and violence. All over the Middle East, Northern Ireland several years ago, Sunni versus Shia, believers versus infidels, even conservatives versus liberals. We are flirting with violence in this country – although that may be more about Trump's thugs than religious differences. Alito has been recorded saying something to the effect that one side must win. After 9.11 George W. Bush announced to the world, “You are either with us or against us.” In the Middle East, there are those who believe Israel must be completely destroyed. I have never ever heard a preacher promote the concept of compromise. Quite the opposite, in fact.
The either-or world of religion is at the heart of the abortion dilemma. I hear from religious people who say “I feel I have no choice (on how to vote).” It is all about abortion. On one side we have humanity and common sense, and on the other side we have religious dogma and political chicanery. We have heard the many stories such as the women who were advised to wait in the parking lot until they were about to die before they could receive medical attention that involved abortion, or the incest survivor who was impregnated at age 12. (Fortunately, the courageous young woman who has spoken out had options!)
Getting back to those who feel they have “no choice”. What a powerful and important statement. That is exactly what the abortion issue is all about, choice or no choice.
As I see it, living in the real world and being unable or unwilling to compromise is untenable. Even without a religious component, compromise can be difficult. Regardless of how religious one is, or is not, there is a reality associated with living in the real world. People must actually chose between humanity and common sense versus religious dogma and political chicanery.
Religions are divisive. Politics are divisive. The compounding effect of merging the two is a recipe for disaster.
My wife just talked with the Trump supporting sheriff next door.
My wife just talked with the Trump supporting sheriff who lives next door. He has two Trump signs in his corner yard and a banner on his fence. He is about 50, married, has two grown daughters neither of whom is married. He grew up in Iowa. As a neighbor, he tends to be very helpful, but neither he nor his wife participate in community social activities. His wife is home all day every day.
He admits owning an AR-15. He says they are good for two things, killing people, and “they are really fun to shoot.” If they were outlawed, he would have no problem handing his over. He assured her several times he is not a radical. He thinks large magazines are totally unnecessary and inappropriate. However, neither he nor his co-workers would be willing to collect guns from other people if they were outlawed. (She did not ask whether he would help round up people of color.)
He does not believe Haitians in Springfield, OH are eating cats.
As a peace officer or law enforcement officer, how could he support a convicted felon? Answer: Trump/FOX talking point ("they just weaponized the DOJ"
. He offered his opinion that Republicans going after Hunter Biden for making a mistake on his gun application form was wrong. I assume that helps him immunize Trump for making “errors” on numerous financial forms for which Trump has been convicted 34 times.
Why not Harris and Walz? “I do not know anything about them,” and he did not seem interested in learning. He thinks Trump is better for the economy. He worries about Harris because of Biden's economic policies such as canceling student debt. (He did not go to college because he could not afford it, but he took some courses to learn what he needed – he was an electrician before becoming a sheriff.) He worries that Democrats will move the nation toward “socialism”. He thinks that taking money from those with more and helping people with less is wrong. “It disincentivises them from working.”
Our impressions: He and his wife are minimally educated white people with little or no experience with people who are not white – even though he has hired Latinos to paint his house and install a patio. And they watch FOX. And he works in an environment that helps maintain his perceptions. We would not be surprised to find out that his wife is more “conservative” than he is.
As a girl dad, what about the things Trump says about women? “Oh it's just locker talk.” What about abortion? He does not think there should be a full ban on abortion.
It is reassuring that my wife had a courteous conversation with him to help us understand a little more about his thinking. If there is a local riot by Trump's thugs, I am a little less worried about what he would do. At least, from a previous conversation, we believe he agrees that Biden won the 2020 election.
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Gender: Do not displayHometown: Colorado
Home country: USA
Member since: Thu Nov 19, 2015, 11:31 AM
Number of posts: 1,908