When the alt right and pols like Pence speak about keeping religion in government and school, they mean solely Christianity and their brand of Christianity at that. Forget about all the other religions in the world and not to mention that there are people who do not have a religion or believe in it. What a bunch of total hypocrites! People who profess to be true believers are frequently the biggest liars and the least moral. Their behavior says it all.
10
I have never felt that Trump believed in any religion. In his eyes, he is God. How can there ever be another?
10
Deals with the 'devil' usually backfire. Hope this one backfires real soon.
11
The legal definition of death is the cessation of brain activity. Therefore, the logical legal definition of life is the onset of brain activity, which occurs after about 21 weeks of pregnancy. If we want to be a country of democratic law, as opposed to Christian Shariah law, there is no reason to forbid abortions in the first trimester. These fanatics also oppose the use of condoms, which has been shown beyond any doubt to REDUCE drastically the number of abortions. This is incontrovertible proof that the Christian Taliban is not so much anti-choice, as anti-SEX. These are the philosophical descendants of those who instigated the crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, and the persecution of Galileo.
15
Trump isn't a religious fanatic .. he's been pro gay rights for 25 years and only recently changed his position on abortion but the way he talked about late term abortion showed that he's probably more in line with public opinion. Early term abortion and contraception access aren't going anywhere .. late term abortion will probably always be available in deep blue states and none of this is relèvent until roe vs wade is struck down far into the future
3
I find it somewhat curious that when one person has an imaginary friend its called delusional. When ten of millions do its called religion.
15
The Christian Right might be all-powerful right now, but they really need to drop the Christian part of that name. They are not Christians at all. Jesus wouldn't know them and would probably kick them out of the church if he had the chance.
14
As far as Christian followers for Trump it is not a question of which deadly sin he has committed but if he has missed even one! Seven Deadly Sins of Christianity.the sins of pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and sloth. No, he has and is doing every single one. How does that fit with your pious view of the world?
7
Watching these smarmy psychopaths claiming to know what God thinks as the lie and cheat their ways through life impresses me with the utterly determined stupidity of a country pining for the end of the world.
I wouldn't give you two cents for the integrity of any fruitcake who believes Jesus died for their sins.
I wouldn't give you two cents for the integrity of any fruitcake who believes Jesus died for their sins.
9
The solid support Trump got from the religious right in America demonstrates the very real lack of moral principle on the part of the religious right. In spite of their condemnations of the morality of others, they cast off the weight of their supposed superior morality as soon as there is an apparent payoff for them. It is impossible to actually believe that a man like Donald Trump has any religious interests, at all. His behaviour, his history of behaviours, are those of an amoral narcissist.
Their Jesus was correct when he told them that they can not serve two masters without coming to hate one of them. It appears that Jesus lost out. Power, politics, and money came first
Their Jesus was correct when he told them that they can not serve two masters without coming to hate one of them. It appears that Jesus lost out. Power, politics, and money came first
17
Contrary to Mr. Pence, there was no "creationism" vs. "evolutionism" argument at the 18th century, when the founding fathers were alive. The notion of "creationism" as he means it in a modern context simply did not exist.
15
Does Mike Pence realize that the Declaration of Independence is from 1776 and Charles Darwin was born only in 1809? In 1776 there was no Science of Evolution for the signers of the Declaration of Independence to believe in. It seems that ignorance is rampant in the Trump administration. What a nightmare...
1
The basic truth of Jesus' teachings are thrown overboard for the one seemingly simple belief in the personhood of the fetus. I sense great dishonesty and laziness here. These true believers get to ignore helping their fellows, even the babies and toddlers in terms of healthcare, nutrition, education, all the things that make up quality of life. So much of their behavior and belief is anti-life.
9
Is he some kind of bad joke. 3"Until death do us part,"s, "Avoiding STDs was my Vietnam." Cheating in business. Lying so often in his first week in office.
The religious right has scammed the religious right so often, I guess it's become habitual. It's a dull fog in which they search for their God with ever more emptying pockets.
The religious right has scammed the religious right so often, I guess it's become habitual. It's a dull fog in which they search for their God with ever more emptying pockets.
4
Some of the most telling TV shots of President Trump's inauguration were of him during the benedictions by the various religious leaders. Everyone in the crowd, including his family, had their heads respectfully bowed. Everyone except the new President. The grim frown never left his face as he stared into the hostile and threatening future. And his head never bowed.
3
Isn't it time for all Americans to stop identifying all the lies, unconstitutional and almost criminal actions of the current administration and start addressing ideas and steps that can be used to deal with preventing the crises that are beginning. Americans have always considered ourselves having the ability to get things done and this time the future of the country is at stake.
3
The inference of a bargain between the religious right and Mr. Trump implies that there is a moral element to the religious right. There isn't. It's about power, money and subjecting women and members of other religious persuasion. This is a deal between a morally corrupt religious movement and a corrupt politician.
13
Does Mike Pence realize that the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776 and Charles Darwin was born only in 1809? There was no Science of Evolution for the signers of the Declaration of Independence to believe in or disbelieve in. Ignorance is rampant in the Trump administration.
16
Trump's election converted this atheist leftist to a core belief of the caricature of biblical Christianity (I was raised a staunch Roman Catholic, studied immense amounts of Catholic and Protestant theology, read more versions of the Bible than I care to recall): the importance of righteous anger. So going against a lifetime, I am buying some nice guns and a bunch of ammunition, here in gun-unfriendly California. Because none of us really knows where all of this is going to end. We do now that the antagonisms in our society are at fever pitch. While my wife and I are old, our children are not. They are buying guns as well.
And no, they are not Trump supporters either. Nor part of the religious WRONG.
And no, they are not Trump supporters either. Nor part of the religious WRONG.
8
Poor Jesus, he really does attract the very worst, sanctimonious hypocrites. Of course it's not the first time his name has been sullied, but somehow this spiritual and political rebel of Judea has been appropriated by people who represent everything that he abhorred and are the exact antithesis of all that he preached. Jesus served the poor, cared for the needy, embraced those that society repelled, lived among dissenters and outcasts, defied the rules of a cruel empire, fought against corruption and detested the self-righteous hypocrisy of the power mad Saducees and Pharisees. Now the power mad, corrupt republicans and "religious right" invoke God and Jesus as they support an indecent liar and cheat and together they conspire to harm the least powerful among us: to strip children of quality healthcare and a good public education; to threaten sick people with loss of insurance; to abandon working people and the poor while giving billionaires tax breaks; to humiliate women by denying them the right to make their own decisions about their own bodies; to refuse refugees fleeing persecution, torture and certain death. In the words of the great Max Von Sydow (in "Hannah and Her Sisters"), "If Jesus came back and saw what's going on in his name, he'd never stop throwing up."
17
I wish that liberal progressives would show a little tolerance towards those who lean conservative. They are so critical of those who think differently from them and only see one point of view - theirs. They are narrow minded and need to show a bit of consideration towards those whose opinions vary.
3
The Religious Right is the United States of America's version of the Taliban. They want to have a theocratic plutocracy. Unfortunately with Trump as president we are halfway there.
9
My jewish grandparents arrived at Ellis island in 1898. They worked hard, my parents worked hard and i worked hard for 45 years and still working.
But i am not a Christian. What about muslims who arrived in the 1800's. Am we now less American because I don't pray to Jesus? Am I less America because i dont want women seeking back room abortions, and that did happen prior to Roe vs Wade.
I want a separation of church and state because I don't agree with Christians on many issues. On some i do. But i should never be tested for my patriotism or me beliefs. I reject that donkey president and his mule henchmen. This president will set us back, especially if you're LGBT, Muslim, Black, Hispanic. His executive orders paint a broad brush of divisiveness, prejudice, fear, and promotion of Christian values over American values. The damage just begun.
But i am not a Christian. What about muslims who arrived in the 1800's. Am we now less American because I don't pray to Jesus? Am I less America because i dont want women seeking back room abortions, and that did happen prior to Roe vs Wade.
I want a separation of church and state because I don't agree with Christians on many issues. On some i do. But i should never be tested for my patriotism or me beliefs. I reject that donkey president and his mule henchmen. This president will set us back, especially if you're LGBT, Muslim, Black, Hispanic. His executive orders paint a broad brush of divisiveness, prejudice, fear, and promotion of Christian values over American values. The damage just begun.
5
This is a road bump in the decades-old disestablishment of Christianity as the real if not legal established religion of the U.S.
One of the signs of Christian desperation is their total abandonment of their principles--and the teachings of Jesus--in order to get power to force people to follow their sectarian tenets, whether they want to or not.
Every year more and more people come out as agnostics and atheists. Every year the number of Christians becomes smaller. This is especially true of the young and well-educated. Look around you: Three generations of higher education and they're out the door!
Time is not on the side of the established church.
One of the signs of Christian desperation is their total abandonment of their principles--and the teachings of Jesus--in order to get power to force people to follow their sectarian tenets, whether they want to or not.
Every year more and more people come out as agnostics and atheists. Every year the number of Christians becomes smaller. This is especially true of the young and well-educated. Look around you: Three generations of higher education and they're out the door!
Time is not on the side of the established church.
4
While visiting Thomas jefferson's home Monticello you will see that the achievement he was most proud of is not the Declaration of Independence, but Virginia's Statute for Religious Freedom. It is what is carved on his tombstone. He is also the author of the concept of the Wall of Separation between church and state.
Alas, most of the sheep in this misguided flock are also heavily armed and convinced that a new Revolution or Holy War is due. We are heading for medieval times.
Alas, most of the sheep in this misguided flock are also heavily armed and convinced that a new Revolution or Holy War is due. We are heading for medieval times.
1
I can't personally speak for other aspects of the Trump agenda, but as a former educator with 25 years experience in what was considered one of the more dangerous "zone" schools in the city, I know that once you take God and religion out of the classroom,standards pf behavior, scholarship, respect for the flag and the country deteriorate. We have become a society in which "laicite", that is to say secularization, is now commonplace, and the result is failing schools in which for students, anything goes. How many students graduating h.s.today could pass a word usage test, distinguish between a subject noun and a predicate noun, know indicative and subjunctive tenses, diagram a sentence.? How many know what happened at Munich in 1938 or have heard of Voltaire? Just some examples. De Vos is onto something: higher standards, and she deserves our support. We must dispense with the "laisser aller" view towards education of the young. The Religious Right, led by reformers like de Vos, is onto something:Tougher standards so that a high school diploma has value, and is not just a worthless piece of paper. We have gone too far to the left in American society. Trump "admin" represents a return to sanity, not only in our schools, but in our foreign and domestic policies as well.
1
I cringe when the word Christian is used to describe Mr. Trump's Evangelical base. True Christians are no respect of persons,(Romans 2:11). True Christians are humble, (James 4:6). True Christians know that loving money is ungodly, (1 Timothy 6:10). True Christians know they can't impose their religious beliefs on others as Our Heavenly Father gives us free will when he says, "Choose you this day who you are going to serve,"(Joshua 24:15).
Some of the individuals mentioned in this article have chosen to serve man and their political affiliations over God which is heartbreaking. But as King Solomon said, "there is nothing new under the sun." Jesus negatively encountered the religious establishment during his day with the Pharisees and Sadducees just as we are seeing today. I could be wrong, but I believe that real Christians don't belong to any political party but are independents and vote based on policies and the character of the individuals seeking office.
I'm saddened by the hypocrisy that is shown daily, but I know it will all work for the good although It doesn't look that way right now. I pray that Mr. Trump will stop attacking the press and walk in humility, but in the meantime, I will continue to love the non heaven out of him from afar and seek Our Heavenly Father for directions regarding how to best navigate these unbelievable times. We know they are Christians by the love they have for one another no matter if they are black, brown, white, yellow or orange.
Some of the individuals mentioned in this article have chosen to serve man and their political affiliations over God which is heartbreaking. But as King Solomon said, "there is nothing new under the sun." Jesus negatively encountered the religious establishment during his day with the Pharisees and Sadducees just as we are seeing today. I could be wrong, but I believe that real Christians don't belong to any political party but are independents and vote based on policies and the character of the individuals seeking office.
I'm saddened by the hypocrisy that is shown daily, but I know it will all work for the good although It doesn't look that way right now. I pray that Mr. Trump will stop attacking the press and walk in humility, but in the meantime, I will continue to love the non heaven out of him from afar and seek Our Heavenly Father for directions regarding how to best navigate these unbelievable times. We know they are Christians by the love they have for one another no matter if they are black, brown, white, yellow or orange.
2
Mass deportation, racial / religious profiling and discrimination, blatant lies by the highest office, torture. A quick, sweeping power takeover by a man who was not even voted by te majority of the people. An election affected by the intervention of foreign government; a leader who hides his economic ties to foreign nations. Nepotism is rampant. If this was done by a military leader it would be undoubtedly called "A Coup."
1
Those who are beset with life's troubles turn to religious belief because citizens who seek political leadership choose to turn away from the actual reason for the existence of government, which is to assure there is enough food clothing and shelter for for all the citizens. Religion should have no place whatsoever in any form of governance.
3
Trump has no business being president and even Republicans with their notoriously shallow judgement know it.
But this contemptible man's victory is the direct result of the vile politics of personal destruction fostered now for decades by a hate filled group called the Republican Party. Not all of them? Show some who have clean hands.
They don't limit the ugly politics to the presidency, it's everything, all the time, pouring poison into the well of American Democracy. Today, we are looking at the airport mess created by the sheer bureaucratic incompetence of the Trump.
The Republican Party has become one of the most corrupt organized groups even - they make organized crime look weak.
We've are holding people at the airports who are legally entitled to be here - those with green cards . It is a mess.
But this contemptible man's victory is the direct result of the vile politics of personal destruction fostered now for decades by a hate filled group called the Republican Party. Not all of them? Show some who have clean hands.
They don't limit the ugly politics to the presidency, it's everything, all the time, pouring poison into the well of American Democracy. Today, we are looking at the airport mess created by the sheer bureaucratic incompetence of the Trump.
The Republican Party has become one of the most corrupt organized groups even - they make organized crime look weak.
We've are holding people at the airports who are legally entitled to be here - those with green cards . It is a mess.
4
It is widely held that the purpose of religion is to offer comfort and guidance in traveling life's pathway. It is more frequently found today, as a means of defining one's self by a well defined list of beliefs and behaviors. This insulates and isolates people from argument and debate, and provides a rich field for charlatans and demagogues who merely need to frame their programs as the enactment of those beliefs to have the believers fall into lockstep with them. There is simply no defense against true believers. They can't be outshouted because their fingers are in their ears. They can't be outfought because they accept martyrdom, They can't be taught by example because the examples are already demonized. They can only be outvoted. People can be motivated to vote by being shown something that they want to happen. We must cast our values in a easy-to-understand positive statement of intent. We may only have one chance before night settles for good.
Great article. I'm not totally shocked by Trump's action with respect to abortion, mostly because of his choice of Pence as VP. But only recently, when a reporter asked Trump what women who needed abortions would do if the Supreme Court anulled Roe v. Wade, he said it would be up to the states and if a woman wanted an abortion she could go to another state. of course that shows a lack of consideration for women who can't afford to go to another state, stay in a hotel, etc., but it's not what a religiously anti abortion person says.
5
Of course Mr. Trump can and has found many likely candidates within the evangelical community for positions within his ludicrous 'government' - they represent some of the most fanatical, unhinged pseudo-citizens this country has ever produced. So this is simply a rich pool from which to pluck fruit for his cabal. It appears that we are witnessing the unthinkable...when one especially includes the unbelievably just arrogantly-dumb Ms. DeVos in this group of so-called candidates, what once could not be imagined - people thrust into the Republican fold who are even more ignorant, more clueless than Sarah Palin, who set the (very low) bar. Who would've thunk it possible, Homer?
2
The spectrum of thoughts and ideas presented here is a good example of the fractured state of our nation. I am an old man and cannot see any resolution of this in my limited lifetime. Political strife, religious strife and cultural strife mixed together create a sociological stew of unimaginable complexity. Add to that we have an Earth which is showing signs of crisis and biological threats in the form of epidemics close behind. These are dark thoughts but ones which would not occurred to me 50 years ago. Am I just old?
One of the problems with this article is that Goldberg neglects to really define what she means by the religious right. She hauls out names associated with Christian conservative activism from the 80's and 90's and then seems to suggest the 80% of evangelicals who voted for Trump are in one mindset with these leaders. This wouldn't stand up to any serious questioning. If you wanted to argue that the religious right consists of voters who are both conservative and Evangelical (and that term defies easy categorization), then you're talking about an incredibly diverse population that would fall all across the political spectrum on any given issue. And I would say their reasons for voting for Trump would reflect that same diversity. One observation I will make about Evangelicals on both sides of the political divide, but I would say even more so about those who are conservative is that they are much more skeptical and pragmatic about politicians and politics than in the days of the Moral Majority. The choice is either to flee political involvement altogether (as many did prior to the 80's) or to do what one can realizing that just as in foreign policy one is dealing with complex and flawed human beings.
2
Trump is a pagan. And just like Judas, the Evangelicals have sold out not for 20 pieces of silver, but for promised seats on the Supreme Court. The leaders of their community have proven themselves to be the false prophets Christ warned about. Their flock has stepped off the path and now will be forever linked to the man who can plunged this world into murderous chaos. When Moses returned from the mountain he witnessed his people worshipping the golden calf. It is an analogy which applies.
8
That phrase in the article--American exceptionalism. The Christian Right throws that around. I agree that America is exceptional. It looks as if we're about to become exceptional in a new way. Among developed nations we'll be exceptional in regressivism as we teach religion in science classes, deny health care to millions and discriminate in favor of one religion. Unilike Europe, we're refusing entry of refugees to our country, We--the country of the Marshall Plan are repeating the shame of turning away desperate people as we did before WWII.
5
There's a major problem in American society. It's been the major problem for several hundred years. It came into specific relief this week when Emmitt Till's accuser backtracked on her testimony. She should be lynched, and I wouldn't complain if, for good measure, her entire gene pool was too. And while we're at it, let's throw in all the white flighters and their offspring who are now tormenting longstanding urban residence with their wishy-washy racist idiocy. They're all going to go back to their silly suburbs, eventually. Let's lynch them before they displace any more real people or du0plicate themsleves again. The biggest problem with US History is that we haven't been lynching enough average typical self-satisfied proud white suburban Americans. Ken Lay would have a been a good start. We should have lynched him for treason. Enron, Tyco, lynch em all. They're traitors. Lynch em. Wall Street would be a perfect place to start stringing folks up. We could set up some gallows over the stupid bull. We could be the world's greatest lynchers. Trump could be the lyncher in chief. He'd be excellent at it. He'd be the best. We'd be the best lynchers, and the world would envy us our ability to lynch people. Everyone would want to lynch like us.
And, if we got lucky, we could lynch the president.
It would be the greatest lynching. Really. It would.
And, if we got lucky, we could lynch the president.
It would be the greatest lynching. Really. It would.
2
"Trojan Horse" implies deceit, but I don't see any deceit here. Trump agreed to fight the abortion industry, abortion opponents gave him their votes. It was all out in the open. The deceit was in prior years when Republicans pretended to oppose abortion but did little to eliminate it. The deceit was also in the 1973 Supreme Court when they pretended to find abortion rights in the Constitution but couldn't even identify where in the Constitution the relevant passage was.
1
You criticize conservatives for having voted for Donald Trump but what about those liberals who voted for Hillary Clinton? Many of those who voted for her were staunch Bernie Sanders supporters but when she gained the presidential nomination turned their support to her. The same thing happened to those of us who voted for President Trump.
Donald Trump was not our first choice but we could not pull the lever for Hillary Clinton. We just did not like her for a variety of reasons.
He did win the electoral vote and is now our president. We cannot look into his heart and see how he truly thinks and feels. The country is divided now more than ever before and will probably stay that way unfortunately for his entire presidency. There are things that those of us like about Donald Trump and things we do not. If you are conservative, you mainly agree and if you are liberal you do not like anything. That is just how it goes.
Christians are generally good, kind and generous people. The ones that I have met through my Church have helped me tremendously. They give of their time and efforts and help those who are less fortunate. They talk the talk and walk the walk. We do not always agree on public policy but there is more that unites us than divides us. We have learned to agree to disagree. We all have a voice.
Donald Trump was not our first choice but we could not pull the lever for Hillary Clinton. We just did not like her for a variety of reasons.
He did win the electoral vote and is now our president. We cannot look into his heart and see how he truly thinks and feels. The country is divided now more than ever before and will probably stay that way unfortunately for his entire presidency. There are things that those of us like about Donald Trump and things we do not. If you are conservative, you mainly agree and if you are liberal you do not like anything. That is just how it goes.
Christians are generally good, kind and generous people. The ones that I have met through my Church have helped me tremendously. They give of their time and efforts and help those who are less fortunate. They talk the talk and walk the walk. We do not always agree on public policy but there is more that unites us than divides us. We have learned to agree to disagree. We all have a voice.
3
Let's see. The Bible says do not murder. And it also against the law. Does that mean we are not separating belief in Bible from government?
1
There will eventually be a price to pay for Evangelicals having made a pact with the devil.
10
Michelle Goldberg is one of the most prolific columnists of our times.
This is a well-researched article.
Trump has overly empowered right wing groups in this country.
And right along with him, they admire and cheer Vladimir Putin for his support of “traditional values” and discriminatory policies against LGBT equality.
However--and this is a BIG however:
This past July, Putin signed a law to smother religious liberties. A Russian leader who is Protestant said the law creates a path for mass persecution of Christians who don’t belong to the Russian Orthodox Church. Putin's law makes it a crime to practice evangelism unless they receive “a special permit” from the government.
That's not religious freedom.
And come on---who was the biggest playboy in Manhattan? That comment about taking the little cracker and a bit of wine at church was stunningly offensive.
This is a well-researched article.
Trump has overly empowered right wing groups in this country.
And right along with him, they admire and cheer Vladimir Putin for his support of “traditional values” and discriminatory policies against LGBT equality.
However--and this is a BIG however:
This past July, Putin signed a law to smother religious liberties. A Russian leader who is Protestant said the law creates a path for mass persecution of Christians who don’t belong to the Russian Orthodox Church. Putin's law makes it a crime to practice evangelism unless they receive “a special permit” from the government.
That's not religious freedom.
And come on---who was the biggest playboy in Manhattan? That comment about taking the little cracker and a bit of wine at church was stunningly offensive.
1
The "religious" right has made a deal with the Devil incarnate. They're storing their "treasure" on Earth, where moth and rust corrupt. And they're oh, so busy making a show of praying out on the street corner, where they think everyone will see them and think they're "godly," when their Guidebook tells them to "pray in the closet, you hypocrites!"
Some "Christians."
Some "Christians."
5
Wake up, Trump means nothing. Oligarchs are in control.
5
As we begin our frightening descent into the world of the far right, let's remember that this extremism will help to politicize a lot of people that would not have otherwise cared, and the pendulum will eventually swing back left stronger than ever.
5
Whatever it means to be a Christian, these people ain't it.
13
Who is Pence is the answer to your question, Alec. Pence gets some of their goals met as Trump tweets nonsense, and should it all go pear shaped, Pence becomes Prez.
Michelle has outlined just how pervasive the religious right is in Trump's cabinet. It's startling, and if it is just Trump currying favor and not his personal conviction, it is going very far in the wrong direction.
Let get this straight - a narcissist who was recorded bragging that he could get away with "grabbing women by the .... because I'm rich" is now president due to "divine intervention"? Seriously? Such people should stop wasting their time going to church, and immediately seek intense therapy. This situation is even more hopeless than I thought.
45
If the religious right had any real character or depth, they would be known as "the religious left".
34
Someone is going to have to send missionaries to them and convert them to a faith that can live with unbelief and heresy and fight it only with love. Perhaps they will have to go door to door with tracts like Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormons. Mainstream Christian churches should be organizing to do this, but they arent.
There are televangelists who encourage their followers to send them money, saying that this is God's will and that God will send them blessings or help for their problems in return. Missionaries could start with the people on one of these preacher's mailing lists, visiting them, talking to them about a greater God, and bringing them into a community of love that is probably now lacking in their lives. But churches that could support such missionary work prefer to send people to Africa or South America; they know how vicious such televangelists and their ilk can be, and prefer not to stir up trouble and bring Christian intolerance down on their heads.
There are televangelists who encourage their followers to send them money, saying that this is God's will and that God will send them blessings or help for their problems in return. Missionaries could start with the people on one of these preacher's mailing lists, visiting them, talking to them about a greater God, and bringing them into a community of love that is probably now lacking in their lives. But churches that could support such missionary work prefer to send people to Africa or South America; they know how vicious such televangelists and their ilk can be, and prefer not to stir up trouble and bring Christian intolerance down on their heads.
11
The truth is Trump makes deals. He is not concerned with moral foritutde or Constitutional principles. He does anything necessary to win.
That he exploits the anti-abortion zealots is cynical on his part, opportunistic on theirs. Politics makes strange bedfellows.
But what will he do if Ivanka says: "Daddy- women should have choice !"
That he exploits the anti-abortion zealots is cynical on his part, opportunistic on theirs. Politics makes strange bedfellows.
But what will he do if Ivanka says: "Daddy- women should have choice !"
50
He'll say, "People like you and me can do whatever we want. We're stars." In Trump world, laws, like taxes, are for the little people.
5
Sure, the pro-life zealots since 1973 did not know how to protest, until Donald came along in 2016. Duh.
And don't forget that Trump really hates women, all women who defy him in any way. That was a major part of his hatred of Hillary and still is whenever he has to consider that she not he, won the popular vote. For him the only use for women is sexual satisfaction--nothing else.
2
Correct! 'Beneath the tinsel ( Trump) of Washington is the real tinsel (Pence!).
28
Michelle,
Brava ! , from one of "those" women in the pink hats.
Brava ! , from one of "those" women in the pink hats.
16
"We go high by wearing silly hats!" Just what the Middle Class needed, eh?
The stunning hypocrisy of the evangelical Christian right is simply amazing. If these self-proclaimed Christians lived their Christian beliefs, America would be a much more inclusive country that looked after the economically and socially disadvantaged citizens. Instead, they ignore the teachings of their faith. WWJD?
89
Is that so? Well then, if the Clintons lived their self=proclaimed Methodist beliefs in Little Rock and D.C., they'd be back in the White House now.
Instead they got impeached and sued for sex harassment all over the land while hiding their 33,000 wedding/yoga emails. The DNC's albatross.
Instead they got impeached and sued for sex harassment all over the land while hiding their 33,000 wedding/yoga emails. The DNC's albatross.
3
GTM, you degrade women by saying, in effect, that if they all had enough money, they wouldn't have abortions. Lack of money is only one reason among many why a woman might decide to end a pregnancy. The reason for her choice shouldn't be anyone else's business.
1
Their faith teaches them that God bestows manna from Heaven on those in His grace. That's why they value everything in $.
Jesus must be rolling over in his grave...or somewhere.
44
You have to wonder how Jesus felt about liars and hypocrites trading on false piety.
59
Apparently Pence et al have not hit Jesus' "white-washed sepulchers" hit on hypocritical religious folk yet.
And probably wouldn't get it if they read it.
1
You have to wonder also how Jesus felt about parades by the Elites celebrating Abortion and Homosexuality the year 'round. "Jesus wept."
2
This is a strange double standard.Many Democrats uncluding Bernie Sanders have said they are open to Trump on trade despite all their affection for Trump.Why can't Republicans do the same?
3
When will you join the West in the war to eliminate Islamic fascism?
And please, no more Peace Prizes for war-making presidents here. It's too twee, Stockholm.
And please, no more Peace Prizes for war-making presidents here. It's too twee, Stockholm.
Border Tax is idiotic: Travelers may be more apt to carry goods with them upon returning to the U.S. from abroad. Corporations might restructure so that the entity that actually imports goods and services does not have to incur a tax liability. There is also the complex issue of the prices American subsidiaries in foreign countries would charge the parent company for goods sold to the parent for sale to the U.S. market or as components for goods that might be exported or for sale in the United States. The president has bragged about his ability to use the tax code to reduce or eliminate his tax liability. Would anyone think sophisticated corporations with legions of accountants and lawyers could not do the same. To this extent a Border Adjustment Tax would clearly discriminate against smaller companies that could not afford such expertise.
Finally, in the short run at least the Border Adjustment Tax would be inflationary. Not only is it a negative for productivity but since the U.S. runs a large trade deficit the hike in import prices from a Border Adjustment Tax would feed directly into the domestic price structure. The group that would be hurt most by a Border Adjustment Tax is the WMT shopper since WMT imports the large majority of the products it sells to consumer. By and large these consumers probably comprise the core constituency of the Trump administration and thus the new Republican party..."
http://seekingalpha.com/article/4039655
Finally, in the short run at least the Border Adjustment Tax would be inflationary. Not only is it a negative for productivity but since the U.S. runs a large trade deficit the hike in import prices from a Border Adjustment Tax would feed directly into the domestic price structure. The group that would be hurt most by a Border Adjustment Tax is the WMT shopper since WMT imports the large majority of the products it sells to consumer. By and large these consumers probably comprise the core constituency of the Trump administration and thus the new Republican party..."
http://seekingalpha.com/article/4039655
I am never open to people who will not negotiate except from a position of overwhelming advantage, like the coward who has been handed the master trigger of the US nuclear arsenal.
This topic deserves much more attention than the media has given it. Very important to note that it is NOT Trump who is picking the cabinet. It is hedge fund billionaire heiress Bekah Mercer and her team of Conway/Bannon/Pence. The Mercers originally backed hard-core Christian conservative Cruz, but recognized the opportunity and switched horses. They provided the Trump campaign with Mercer/Bannon and the services of Breitbart and Cambridge Analytica which they fund/own. They convinced Trump to select Pence as VP. They have an extremist Christian agenda. Look into all their picks: Sessions, DeVos, Price, Pompeo, Purdue, Perry, Carson and of course Flynn, Bannon, Conway. These folks share their extremist Christian views. The Mercers are the marriage of Christian and alt-R, far more extreme than the Kochs. important to note that Christian/alt-R see Russia as a key ally. Media need to DIG IN.
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The role of the Mercers eat al. should be given attention by the NYT.
3
'Christian' and 'Christianity' are now proper names--brand names--but neither copyrighted nor trademarked. '..ity' like '...ism' indicates an ideology'; '...ian' indicates an adherent or attribute. Otherwise any ism whatsoever could be called 'Christian'.
Originally it was used at Antioch (now in Turkey), ca. first century CE to refer to a separatist branch of Judaism--based on Paul's spinning the life, torture and death of Jesus (a Jew) through the lens of "Leviticus"--atonement by sacrifice--human sacrifice. This was spun as "love" of humans.
From there it only gets worse--rendering Jesus' teachings--summed up by "good Samaritans caring for neighbors"--as hollow (not hallowed) phrases.
Today Pence and Co. twist "loving neighbors" into forcing women with unwanted pregnancies to gestate and mother unwanted infants. That's the same brand of "love" their god showed in creating torturing and killing Jesus.
Pence says "life is winning"--as though quantity trumps quality. As though it's breeding livestock for sale or service as drones or slaves.
"Prolife" certainly does not mean "pro-quality of life." For that all unwanted babies would automatically have education funds. Their mothers given guaranteed incomes.
Anti-abortion is really pro-slavery.
Modern day "Christianity" is now a name for deluded bigotry.
Originally it was used at Antioch (now in Turkey), ca. first century CE to refer to a separatist branch of Judaism--based on Paul's spinning the life, torture and death of Jesus (a Jew) through the lens of "Leviticus"--atonement by sacrifice--human sacrifice. This was spun as "love" of humans.
From there it only gets worse--rendering Jesus' teachings--summed up by "good Samaritans caring for neighbors"--as hollow (not hallowed) phrases.
Today Pence and Co. twist "loving neighbors" into forcing women with unwanted pregnancies to gestate and mother unwanted infants. That's the same brand of "love" their god showed in creating torturing and killing Jesus.
Pence says "life is winning"--as though quantity trumps quality. As though it's breeding livestock for sale or service as drones or slaves.
"Prolife" certainly does not mean "pro-quality of life." For that all unwanted babies would automatically have education funds. Their mothers given guaranteed incomes.
Anti-abortion is really pro-slavery.
Modern day "Christianity" is now a name for deluded bigotry.
62
Pence says "life is winning"--as though quantity trumps quality. As though it's breeding livestock for sale or service as drones or slaves.
--------------------------
As though you like to draw baseless inferences, eh, by twisting the patent meaning of what someone said, eh. How overwrought.
--------------------------
As though you like to draw baseless inferences, eh, by twisting the patent meaning of what someone said, eh. How overwrought.
Your assertion about the meaning the word Christianity is ridiculous. Since the French Revolution a great many words ending in -ism have carried an ideological connotation. But this is hardly a rule. Judaism and Buddhism are not currently associated with highly ideological movements. Same with Christianity. These all simply the English words for those respective religions. "Islamism", as opposed to "Islam", is a very recent coinage to denote a highly militant, politicized and occasionally violent variant of Islam.
You may remember, perhaps not fondly, the brief fluoresce of Dominionism, a sort of Christian Sharia movement, in the 1980's. It attracted a few hundred followers, some of them fundamentalist intellectuals. True, they never blew anything up but feel free to equate them with the real world wide terrorist movement, responsible for countless thousands of deaths, known as militant Islamism. It's "their God", not ours, you need to worry about.
You may remember, perhaps not fondly, the brief fluoresce of Dominionism, a sort of Christian Sharia movement, in the 1980's. It attracted a few hundred followers, some of them fundamentalist intellectuals. True, they never blew anything up but feel free to equate them with the real world wide terrorist movement, responsible for countless thousands of deaths, known as militant Islamism. It's "their God", not ours, you need to worry about.
1
President Trump brings to mind what the late evangelical John Stott called “the cramping bondage of our own self-centeredness.” In his book “Why I Am a Christian,” Stott observes that sin “is the rebellious assertion of myself against the love and authority of God, and against the welfare of my neighbor. God’s order is that we put him first, our neighbor next and self last. Sin is precisely the reversal of the order…”
19
Was it an Oprah Book Club selection? I only read those.
2
Thank you, NYT. Please continue to expose the hypocrisy and LIES.
Do not remain silent. We need your honest, aggressive journalism.
God help the US during these next 4 years.
Do not remain silent. We need your honest, aggressive journalism.
God help the US during these next 4 years.
66
And if Fake News can help God to help the US to curtail elective abortions of God's creatures, then just do it, NYT.
God help California, you mean. My condolences on the Chargers charging up I-5 to L.A. That's only the beginning.
Just shows the world the weak, disgusting and hateful hypocrites they really are.
32
Yes of course Santa Monica, but which "they" are you talking about? There are so many groups out there marching.
Soren Kierkegaard's observation is strengthened by the religious rights behavior: It is easier to become a Christian than to be one.
31
Hobbes said that life was "nasty, brutish, poor, and short." And he'd never been to Chicago....
The trouble with those "Christians" is that they are so un-Christian. Jesus was loving, accepting, merciful. And by the way, if you believe God created the world, evolution is part of how He did it. The minister in my church said as much.
30
The God invented by humans would have to figure out how the physical system it woke up in functions before it could manipulate physical laws in the manner humans believe it did.
The whole idea just removes the human condition one layer of onion-skin.
The whole idea just removes the human condition one layer of onion-skin.
The non-religious left knows more about faith than those who practice it.
52
A question for Vice President Pence: How many unwanted or severely handicapped children have you and/or Mr. Trump adopted and taken into your households? Please advise.
44
If you call or email his office, your chance of getting your questions answered rises dramatically. He avoids the NYT, like most Indianans.
Doesn't Trump look interested in the service? I wonder what is going through that mind. What a hypocrite!
17
The lead picture ignores well mannered 10 year old Kai Madison Trump, who sat through the entire lengthy and arcane Prayer Service with seldom a twitch.
2
I'm waiting for at least one woman to come forward at some point to say that she had a liaison with DJT that resulted in an abortion. And I'll believe her.
35
What all of this reveals is nothing utter than the base hypocrisy of evangelical fundamentalists.
31
Recognizing that Jesus Christ arose from the grave, he cannot be rolling in it
watching all these cold hearted "Christians" defy anything resembling
compassion, tolerance, or simple humanity.
watching all these cold hearted "Christians" defy anything resembling
compassion, tolerance, or simple humanity.
9
The NYT needs to stop referring to this group as "Christian." There is no group on the planet that is further from embodying the teachings of Jesus than the so called "Religious Right." For starters, they are completely disingenuous, pretending to be good people. Even the KKK is at least up front about their beliefs. The people described in your article hide behind masks of false virtue and piety. They must have no knowledge of Jesus, otherwise they would know such hypocrisy is repeatedly damned in the Gospels. Your newspaper needs to find another collective term for them. They are not even "religious" in any liberal definition of the word since they have no convictions; they sway with whomever gives them what they desire. Their this-worldly, carnal desires place them closer to Hell than Heaven.
18
The reason the Times refers to the group as "Christian" is to delegitimize it, making it sound like "opposing abortion" = "establishing an official religion". That's also why they photograph a woman with a rosary and keep talking about "church groups" involved in the march. It distracts attention from the fact that abortion law is based on dubious legal reasoning ( abortion being an "unenumerated Constitutional right") and that people have a perfect right to criticize it.
The civil rights movement frequently referred to religion and many of its leaders were ministers. Nobody found that illegitimate. It only became a "problem" when your political opposition starting doing it.
The civil rights movement frequently referred to religion and many of its leaders were ministers. Nobody found that illegitimate. It only became a "problem" when your political opposition starting doing it.
1
Reading this I thought of the medieval Catholic Church...a time when the Church (man) defined God and that God told society and the individual who they were and what they were to do. I find that a little scary!
12
The correct phrase for these zealots is Fundamentalist Christian Extremists. Keep that phrase handy, along with your pocket Constitutions.
38
These are exactly the people in the forefront of the minds of other people who insisted that Congress be denied any power whatsoever to give official respect to faith-based beliefs, before they would agree to ratify the Constitution. In the US, if one reads the first amendment as plain text, all law must deal with the real world, not any number of possible fantasy worlds.
Trump will probably never evolve but will become ever so creative seeing God in HIS own image. Trojans though pensive and encased in an armor of piety will not horse around when corn crops up as a reality principle in evolving trade discussions with our Mexican neighbors.
4
Most of the evangelical and political religious leaders are fake, fraud and phoney. They use the bible and Jesus Christ to get power and to get rich themselves. Unfortunately , we ordinary people listen to them and get misguided most of the time.
27
"I do not believe that just because you’re opposed to abortion, that that makes you pro-life. In fact, I think in many cases, your morality is deeply lacking if all you want is a child born but not a child fed, not a child educated, not a child housed. And why would I think that you don’t? Because you don’t want any tax money to go there. That’s not pro-life. That’s pro-birth. We need a much broader conversation on what the morality of pro-life is.”
- Sister Joan Chittister
- Sister Joan Chittister
36
When God fearing Christians against abortion each commit to taking in one or more of the babies that would otherwise be aborted then we'll talk. You must agree to raise these babies as you own until adulthood. No giving back the ones with terrible birth defects or the drug addicted. Let's see you be your brother's keeper. You want in everyone's business? Here is your chance. Oh, and if the mother delevopes lifelong psychological problems and needs hundreds of thousands of dollars of therapy because she was raped at 11 and she was forced to carry the child, you can pay for that too. Along with your private insurance policy that is unsubsidized.
29
Sadly, so-called "Christian Values" do not always align with Jesus' commands. I do hope that no-one here will confuse the Religious Right with what it takes to follow Jesus.
To be honest, I suspect that this will be a pyrrhic victory. Donald Trump does not really share true Christian values and the backlash will wipe them out.
To be honest, I suspect that this will be a pyrrhic victory. Donald Trump does not really share true Christian values and the backlash will wipe them out.
10
Cruz was a snake sunning himself on a flat rock out in the open.
Pence is a snake in the grass.
Smiling faces beware.
Pence is a snake in the grass.
Smiling faces beware.
25
One can only hope that Trump figures out like Cersei Lannister, how to get rid of the High Septer and his minions otherwise the rest of us may have to pretend to pretend to know things we don't know.
2
Stop mistaken the so called "religious" right for Christians. I am a Christian and these people are nothing of the sort. It is all about greed and control with them. They don't care about life; just control. It's all a farce. They follow none of what Jesus taught.
16
A Faustian bargain and a shameful one. That said, does the NYT ever get tired of lumping together all people of faith with these obvious political operatives who, at least in some cases, wear their faith almost as loosely as the Donald.
At least this reporter correctly uses the term religious right as that crosses denominational boundaries. There are evangelicals who loathe this president and his lifestyle. There are Mormons and Catholics and Pentecostals and mainline Protestants and religious Jews who fear and oppose Mr. Trump and the Bannon world-view. But never miss an opportunity to bash religion by failing to note, Ms. Goldberg, NYT reporter, that plenty of persons of faith will fight this administration.
At least this reporter correctly uses the term religious right as that crosses denominational boundaries. There are evangelicals who loathe this president and his lifestyle. There are Mormons and Catholics and Pentecostals and mainline Protestants and religious Jews who fear and oppose Mr. Trump and the Bannon world-view. But never miss an opportunity to bash religion by failing to note, Ms. Goldberg, NYT reporter, that plenty of persons of faith will fight this administration.
9
The percentages of those "religious" opposing the anti-Constitutional actions and belief systems of Mr. Trump are small- probably why this lumping of everyone is occurring.
That a sexual predator and person who settled up a giant fraud case just before the fundamentalists voted for him is pretty telling.
That a sexual predator and person who settled up a giant fraud case just before the fundamentalists voted for him is pretty telling.
1
Bringing God to the US government- who could honestly object to that, unless he/she is some type of sexual libertine?
2
Well Mr P-Grabber Trump has done just that.
Although it is "God", not God, he brought in for switch and bait purposes with the Fundamentalist crowd.
Although it is "God", not God, he brought in for switch and bait purposes with the Fundamentalist crowd.
1
I object. God has no place in American government, whatever the flavor.
Thank you Michelle Goldberg- I would just like to point out again that we would not be here today if the Corporate, third way DNC had not used Republican voter surpression techniques in Brooklyn against Bernie Sanders in Brooklyn- and Republican smear techniques against him also- And after all of that- if the Hillary Clinton had done a reasonable job as candidate- i.e.- campaigning in Wisconsin. So, now we are still dependendent on Third way corporates like Chuck Schumer to lead the way out? Dream on friends.
4
Often quoted, but never truer than now - Denis Diedrot: "Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest."
11
Playing the "religion card" is a tried and true Republican scheme to win votes. Part of that is white supremacy, part religious discrimination and a big part is unethical doctoring of facts to confuse the "poorly educated" about science and history.
As my MIL would say, "People of quality wouldn't have Donald Trump in the house."
As my MIL would say, "People of quality wouldn't have Donald Trump in the house."
19
That brilliant photo says it all: This is so not about me and I'm really bored
8
Evangelical Christians, in supporting Trump, have proven what many have always known. They are craven hypocrites.
16
God, please help us. Just this once, pretty pretty please.
I promise I wont post again if you stop our country from becoming a theocracy. Thanking you in advance.
I promise I wont post again if you stop our country from becoming a theocracy. Thanking you in advance.
5
Ah if only we paid attention in school--It does not end well for Faust, but it does end.
2
If all those evangelical "Christians" think they might end up in Heaven for all their good deeds, they're in for a big surprise.
3
Whatever god there is, that god will vomit at these faux chrstians.
Attempting to legislate Christianity betrays a doubt that, without their Earthly machinations to enforce their narrow perception of right and wrong - using this seriously ill person as their "in" to governmental power - God himself would be unable to bring others to himself.
That's a severe lack of faith, and an even greater level of pomposity and self-aggandizement.
AND it's unconstitutional...I know, minor detail.
That's a severe lack of faith, and an even greater level of pomposity and self-aggandizement.
AND it's unconstitutional...I know, minor detail.
8
I have no faith (pun intended) in any so-called christian who admits to voting for trump based on their so-called faith. The hypocrisy is more than I can bear at the moment. I cannot stomach listening to the uber-pious pence spreading the "good" word about anything much less his bringing his "religion" into his politics; in this I fear his slick talking more than the bumbling trump.
The past seven days feels like a year...I am exhausted by this frightful nonsense.
The past seven days feels like a year...I am exhausted by this frightful nonsense.
16
"Mr. Brown, the radio host, remained worried about Mr. Trump’s temperament, but saw the hand of God in his victory."
More likely the hand of Mephistopheles. They never read about Faust? They have made a Faustian bargain with Trump and it will take them down along with the rest of us. They have even used the same logic.
More likely the hand of Mephistopheles. They never read about Faust? They have made a Faustian bargain with Trump and it will take them down along with the rest of us. They have even used the same logic.
10
That works in reverse: "Thanks to them, he (Trump) is IN the citadel". It's my personal belief a deal was struck during the campaign with leaders in the evangelical movement, "we'll endorse you, Donald, if you give us a SCOTUS nominee and one of ours as VP".
Trump was willing to do this because 1) it suited his strategy to 'win', and 2) it creates a natural bridge with the Russian Orthodox Church that endorses many of Putin's socially illiberal tendencies, which Trump has been listening to--and agreeing with, as one of the root causes for the world's ills--for years. Creating such an East/West religious 'partnership', on the basis of denying human rights in the name of religion, will likely have dire consequences for both their targets as well as the legitimacy of the Christian religion generally. Pope Francis will have his work cut out for him.
Trump was willing to do this because 1) it suited his strategy to 'win', and 2) it creates a natural bridge with the Russian Orthodox Church that endorses many of Putin's socially illiberal tendencies, which Trump has been listening to--and agreeing with, as one of the root causes for the world's ills--for years. Creating such an East/West religious 'partnership', on the basis of denying human rights in the name of religion, will likely have dire consequences for both their targets as well as the legitimacy of the Christian religion generally. Pope Francis will have his work cut out for him.
8
The last time religion controlled politics, we called it the Dark Ages.
13
Who says identity politics are dead? Apparently they still work for the right.
3
The "so called" Religious Right aka We who Goose Step for God, have had numerous of their members exclaim that while Trump is indeed a Trojan Horse, that is fine because they really want Pence at the top. When, as seems likely, Trump is hauled off to a rubber room and Pence and his Dominionist friends take over America we will finally have the Taliban here on our own soil. Men such as the "Duck Commander" and the Bundy Boys will the "Authorities" we are to bow down to. I wish I was being hyperbolic.
14
As a transgender woman I am not looking forward the the next 4 years. I always wonder how great we could be if we just gave up on Jesus and started believing in humanity.
8
Trusting in humanity would be far worse. See history of the world.
“When fascism comes to America, it will come wrapped in the flag and waving a cross." Attributed, if incorrectly, to Sinclair Lewis. Guess what? It's arrived. Add to the religious right the billionaires also dominating Trump's picks and you end up with this quote from Italian fascist Benito Mussolini, "Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power." Finally, since I'm using quotes from the past to inform the present and future, this one from George Santayana, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.."
15
I wish these people weren't called Christians and weren't calling themselves Christians. Their resemblance to the teachings of the New Testament is nonexistent.
12
There is nothing more enduring than GOP hypocrisy. Nothing.
9
As I've said repeatedly, rightwing "Christians" aren't Christians so much as authoritarians.
They'll forgive Trump anything because he too is an authoritarian and he promises to make them the in-group and their authorities law.
They'll forgive Trump anything because he too is an authoritarian and he promises to make them the in-group and their authorities law.
15
They also share a sense of racial superiority, the Evangelical Christian Right and Rrump.
10
What a cosmic irony: we struggle to find ways to counter the totalitarianism of Islamic fundamentalism, of governance by the religious tyranny of theocracy that is bleeding out of the Middle East, only to succumb to it here in the form of evangelical Christianity.
This election is now a national tragedy. We are about to lose our democracy to ignorance and hypocrisy. “What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly…” 1776 - 1783 Thomas Paine in "The American Crisis"
This election is now a national tragedy. We are about to lose our democracy to ignorance and hypocrisy. “What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly…” 1776 - 1783 Thomas Paine in "The American Crisis"
7
With the assertion of extream Muslims group becoming noticed western culture reflects back it's own form of religious extreaism. It only right that one wrong meeting another wrong appear insane and extremely, sad..
1
In the past couple decades, the rise of radical Islam in the politics of the Middle East has promoted the rise of the religious right in the politics of many other parts of the world. In 2014 we had a Hindu nationalist government elected to power in India, the world’s largest democracy. In 2016 we had a conservative Christian government elected to power in the United States, the world’s oldest democracy. These are both nations with ostensibly secular constitutions but its peoples apparently believe that when the identity of their respective nation’s majority religion is being threatened, all bets are off?
Unfortunately, President Trump subscribes to the notion of “fighting fire with fire,” as he told David Muir of ABC News, while talking about ISIS. To thus threaten a radical, unprincipled, non-state actor can only lead to a perpetual war – an apocalypse in the making. We have already been fighting wars in two Islamic nations –Afghanistan for 16 years and in Iraq for 14 years. If Trump wants to end these wars anytime soon, he needs to dial down the rhetoric and stop portraying himself as an anti-Islamic nut. The “Muslim ban” from seven nations seems superficial to say the least as it does not include countries, such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE that have actually sent terrorists to the United States!
Mr. Trump needs to fight fire with water and bring peace to the world otherwise his domestic agenda is going to go nowhere and he’ll become a one-termer!
Unfortunately, President Trump subscribes to the notion of “fighting fire with fire,” as he told David Muir of ABC News, while talking about ISIS. To thus threaten a radical, unprincipled, non-state actor can only lead to a perpetual war – an apocalypse in the making. We have already been fighting wars in two Islamic nations –Afghanistan for 16 years and in Iraq for 14 years. If Trump wants to end these wars anytime soon, he needs to dial down the rhetoric and stop portraying himself as an anti-Islamic nut. The “Muslim ban” from seven nations seems superficial to say the least as it does not include countries, such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE that have actually sent terrorists to the United States!
Mr. Trump needs to fight fire with water and bring peace to the world otherwise his domestic agenda is going to go nowhere and he’ll become a one-termer!
1
Love the stadium that holds 18,000, put up on the jumbotron, attendance at 1.5 million!
2
One of the most important things I've learned from this election is that "Christian values voters" don't have any. Values, that is..
8
Much as I hate conspiracy theories, it looks like Christian Conservatives have something on DJT that they are using to keep him in life with their addenda. If he doesn't bow to most of their whims then impeachment and we are left with Pence who is already completely aligned with them already. Either way the progressives are dead in the water and will be for many many years down the road.
2
Pence is truly the religious nut job pulling Trumps strings and these disgusting hypocrites who dare call themselves Christians and people of religion are pathetic. This exposes them again for being the phonies they are.
7
Evangelical Christian Conservatives have lost all credibility. They are among the biggest hypocrites in the country. They should be ashamed, they are despicable and deplorable, but they are not. They are so wrapped up in their fantasy of the big guy in the sky.
4
Sure.....the Democrat party has lost over 1000 seats in state and federal elections in the past 7 years because of the Far left takeover of its agenda but, as usual, the Liberal media prefers not to delve too deeply into that situation but drags out its tired old refrain of imminent 'doom' for the party which won the election and is now at its strongest position in the modern era. Way to go, NY Times.
3
Trump will never lose access to abortions; the wealthy always have their access. It's only the poor who will be forced to carry the weight of this allegedly "Christian" theology.
8
We didn't get into this mess overnight and it's not just DT. If he left tomorrow there would be plenty of really scary people left in charge. We have not been responsible in caring for ourselves and each other. For a long time we have continued to support institutions which do not have our best interests in mind. I think of the current Republican government like chemotherapy. Things will get much, much worse before they get better. If we survive the next 4 years the "cancer" will be greatly weakened and we can work on regaining our health and staying mindful of how we make use of our many gifts.
4
Fundamentalist Christians are able to ignore all the Christians, as well as people of other beliefs, who disagree with them. Those of us who disagree with them have our religious liberty under attack. I believe the Bible story of creation is beautiful and poetic, and I also believe that God is powerful enough to have done it via the Big Bang. The created earth has the evidence that the bible story is poetry, not a description of what happened. I believe it is my religious duty to protect the earth for my grandchildren. It is also my civic duty.
It is my positive religious belief that individuals have the moral imperative to limit reproduction in this real world of 7 billion people, whose consumption drives environmental degradation. It is my religious belief that an embryo is not human being who must be protected ahead of every other value. Do the anti-choice adherents understand that the majority of fertilized eggs are never born? The anti-abortion religious right practice a fetal idolatry that ignores God in the real world.
It is my positive religious belief that individuals have the moral imperative to limit reproduction in this real world of 7 billion people, whose consumption drives environmental degradation. It is my religious belief that an embryo is not human being who must be protected ahead of every other value. Do the anti-choice adherents understand that the majority of fertilized eggs are never born? The anti-abortion religious right practice a fetal idolatry that ignores God in the real world.
12
I'm old enough to remember John Kennedy promising Protestants that he would resign as POTUS if his actions in office were the result of his Catholic faith. Even in the Bay Colony, we turned away from a religious state after hanging Quakers in Boston Common and "witches" in Salem. The New England states would not sign the U.S. Constitution until individual's rights were guaranteed as they were in the MA constitution. The Bill of Rights was originally called the Massachusetts Compromise and separation of church and state was #1.
13
Punishment is the heart of Christianity.
They have to force their beliefs on the rest of us because they know how weak their position is.
Religion: Invented by the first Con Man the second he met the first Sucker. And Donald Trump is nothing if he isn't a Con Man he's just not a smart one so he makes a great Pawn.
They have to force their beliefs on the rest of us because they know how weak their position is.
Religion: Invented by the first Con Man the second he met the first Sucker. And Donald Trump is nothing if he isn't a Con Man he's just not a smart one so he makes a great Pawn.
6
You don't have to be a religious person to know that abortion is infanticide for convenience in virtually every case.
3
In my traditional understanding of the Bible and the teachings of Jesus I do not understand how religious people can justify the accumulation of wealth to the detriment of society, the prosperity "Bible", discriminating against people, paying wages that people cannot live on, denying health care to poor people, denying people their day in court. My list goes on. I guess my understanding of Christianity is not that of a selfish homogenous group but of everybody. And frankly I do not think Jesus was white.
If republicans were truly religious in the traditional sense of the word they would support inheritance taxes, be for usury laws, support voting rights, want some sort of universal health care and education for all. Either what I read in the Bible is wrong or republicans see a more selfish version that I see.
If republicans were truly religious in the traditional sense of the word they would support inheritance taxes, be for usury laws, support voting rights, want some sort of universal health care and education for all. Either what I read in the Bible is wrong or republicans see a more selfish version that I see.
18
Republicans are "religious" only out of convenience. Their true faith is in currying favor with the corporate elite by lowering taxes, reducing regulation, aiding monopoly, cutting the safety net, abandoning healthcare, etc etc
1
Right-wing Christian conservatives give every appearance of hating the teachings of Jesus. They are really nothing more than an ugly political movement in religious clothing.
9
right wing christians are old testament believers, not new testament - Jesus only gets 'in' through the magic of the Trinity.
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Interesting how in this case christian mumbo jumbo and their invisible friend is better than the mumbo jumbo and invisible friend of other religions - and vice versa
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Interesting how in this case christian mumbo jumbo and their invisible friend is better than the mumbo jumbo and invisible friend of other religions - and vice versa
2
No wonder I have seen memes with Pence front and centre with "American Taliban" plastered across them
1
This could be the death of reason and logic and a desent ino yet another dark age where "belief" trumps science and the rational are persecuted as heretics...
1
Republicans are drawing up a plan to take over power in this country for good. What are the democrats doing? Progressives need to rise up because the Corporate / Clinton Democrats are going to whine and cry over their caviar for a few more years.
4
From Shakespeare's Richard III: "And thus I clothe my naked villainy
With odd ends stolen out of Holy Writ,
And seem a saint when most
I play the devil."
With odd ends stolen out of Holy Writ,
And seem a saint when most
I play the devil."
15
Donald Trump is not even a religious man as he pretends to be one and likes to play head games with the evangelicals by carrying a Bible sometimes.He might attend church at one time or another but that is only for photo ops.
The guy is a phony but now a real Russian puppet for Vladimir Putin.
The guy is a phony but now a real Russian puppet for Vladimir Putin.
2
I'm watching AM Joy. She has a guest, a younger woman, representing an organization opposing abortion. She says she is fighting against the "corporate abortion lobby". This is not a label I've heard before. Is this new? An attempt to co-opt the left's language? I've heard other pro-life reps this week claiming that Planned Parenthood is a money-making machine pushing abortion as the only option. This young women also gave her "personal" opinion that contraception, such as IUDs and the Pill should be illegal. Troubling times: fundamentalist ideologues on the march, and the president and vice president marching with them. This trump and his crew are coming at civil society on all fronts.
8
Rw - ah...word games. we can give big thanks (and blame) to Frank Luntz - he is the Orwellian doublespeak expert of our times and is proud of all the confusion he causes. (i don't know if this is one of his, however) "corporate abortion lobby" is an example of manipulation of words to paint a negative picture - as you have identified. the 'tell' of course is that the Republican Party - totally anti-choice - is also the biggest champion of "corporations" (see Citizen's United - corp's = person). if this is puzzling to you - you can now better understand why Trump got elected. being 'confused' is their key strategy.
1
Trump seems to be the antithesis of a good Christian, pure of heart, righteous, merciful, humble, compassionate, Somebody should tweet Trump the Beatitudes. He might think they're only an old rock group.
Why did the religious right vote for him? Well, if people believe the earth was created in six days only a few thousand years ago, and maybe flat besides, that there's no such thing as evolution, that God begat an actual human child, that science is just theory and there's more than one set of facts, people will chug that old snake oil and believe the likes of Trump.
Worse, it seems some people prefer to 'believe' the more outrageous and unbelievable, rather than the logical, explicable, obvious, dare I say reasonable? The hunger for fairy tales in their lives is rampant in Trumpneyland and drama queens abound.
Even though being white, Christian, preferably male and middle-aged is the default value in Trumpneyland, the Christian right believes they're being persecuted, targets of scorn and blah. But they don't mind forcing their hokum on the rest of us who aren't them.
We're all going to live the way the religious right dictates or they'll make a list, check it twice and turn it over to the Big Guy, and I don't mean Santa and I don't mean Trump. We'll end up in hell.
Woody Allen's hell was eternity with an insurance salesman. It's only a week, but it feels like eternity with an ungodly blowhard with tic tac breath in my face. If that's not hell, it's close.
Why did the religious right vote for him? Well, if people believe the earth was created in six days only a few thousand years ago, and maybe flat besides, that there's no such thing as evolution, that God begat an actual human child, that science is just theory and there's more than one set of facts, people will chug that old snake oil and believe the likes of Trump.
Worse, it seems some people prefer to 'believe' the more outrageous and unbelievable, rather than the logical, explicable, obvious, dare I say reasonable? The hunger for fairy tales in their lives is rampant in Trumpneyland and drama queens abound.
Even though being white, Christian, preferably male and middle-aged is the default value in Trumpneyland, the Christian right believes they're being persecuted, targets of scorn and blah. But they don't mind forcing their hokum on the rest of us who aren't them.
We're all going to live the way the religious right dictates or they'll make a list, check it twice and turn it over to the Big Guy, and I don't mean Santa and I don't mean Trump. We'll end up in hell.
Woody Allen's hell was eternity with an insurance salesman. It's only a week, but it feels like eternity with an ungodly blowhard with tic tac breath in my face. If that's not hell, it's close.
8
The "Good Christian" is a smokescreen for the real core belief of Christianity which is Punishment, especially for Women and the Brown, it is a Sadist superstition.
3
The writer of this column seems to feel that there is an inevitability to the intrusion of extreme right wing Christianity into the laws of the nation. I would hope that Democrats and even conscientious Republicans would have something to say about resisting a conversion of our laws protecting all Americans into laws demanding adherence to fanatical Christian laws attacking the rights of women and children.
Eric Hoffer in his book "The True Believer" analyses mass movements that have overtaken sanity in Europe with Hitler, and Russia under Stalin, for example. He also analyses the leaders of these movements.
If we are to succeed in resisting the horrors that Trump's appointments would visit upon us, we need to really understand these men. I recommend Hoffer.
Eric Hoffer in his book "The True Believer" analyses mass movements that have overtaken sanity in Europe with Hitler, and Russia under Stalin, for example. He also analyses the leaders of these movements.
If we are to succeed in resisting the horrors that Trump's appointments would visit upon us, we need to really understand these men. I recommend Hoffer.
6
I hope you are right, but please, tell me where are "conscientious republicans" in our congress and senate? Most detest this lunatic, yet that are all acting like sheep.
6
Not surprising: Trump is a libertine because he is selfish and immoral, not out of any ideology, so it makes sense for him to vigorously apply punishment to others who do as he does in return for approval from right wing Christians. The hypocrisy is consistent with him caring only about himself.
What's surprising is how many right wing Christian politicians and lobbyists have decided to throw their lot in with a person whose personal sin, hypocrisy and just plain vile personality. Clearly they have decided to brazen it out for immediate gain and not worry about damage to their brand in the medium or long term.
What's surprising is how many right wing Christian politicians and lobbyists have decided to throw their lot in with a person whose personal sin, hypocrisy and just plain vile personality. Clearly they have decided to brazen it out for immediate gain and not worry about damage to their brand in the medium or long term.
4
Let's fight for Separation of State and Church.
Let's Rally for Reason
Support Freedom From Religion (ffrf.org), Secular Coalition for America, and Secular Student Alliance organizations to fight for policies that protect us from alternate realities.
Let's Rally for Reason
Support Freedom From Religion (ffrf.org), Secular Coalition for America, and Secular Student Alliance organizations to fight for policies that protect us from alternate realities.
6
Yes, organize, rally and petition. These are your precious First Amendment rights until Bannon et. al. decide to limit free speech because it is their adversary. But be honest enough to say you have an agenda as narrow as the fundamentalist far right. In your case it is to marginalize my First Amendment right to openly practice and proclaim my faith (which certainly is NOT fundamentalist of any flavor). I and my fellow mainstream believers who are appalled by Trump et. al. would be merely tolerated if we kept our heads down and worshipped in secret. Back to the Catacombs!
1
Guns of all types kill more Americans in this country than condoms and birth control products put together. Planned Parenthood helps poor women get the information and access needed to keep them safe from unwanted pregnancy. Not to conceive in the first place solves the Christian Right's so called concerned for the unborn. They speak with forked tongue: guns for all, birth control for none.
13
Phyllis - please run for office.
2
The picture that accompanies this article is iconic. While everyone else is focused on the Prayer Service, Trump has his eye on the camera. It has always been thus.
10
So what are the plans for this bunch for sperm?
Takes 2 to tango and there is Life in sperm. Mr Pence has surely thought to criminalize the activities of the male half of the population right?
Takes 2 to tango and there is Life in sperm. Mr Pence has surely thought to criminalize the activities of the male half of the population right?
10
If there were a god guiding us as to what's right and wrong and how to live our lives, s/he would not have plagued us with the Trump Carnage. I am so tired of the Christians dictating how I am to live my life, they should just pay attention to how they live theirs. and live it a little bit better...
1
Agreed. Busy bodies. I just wish they would shut up.
1
Religious fanatics love to make deal with the devil. If only it gets them to power.
1
Re: "A thrice-married libertine hardly seemed a natural choice for Christian conservatives"
But then a ruthless persecutor of early Christians (Saul) hardly seemed a natural choice as the apostle to the Gentiles (St. Paul).
Hating an Trump is fine with me. But just get your Christian theology right.
But then a ruthless persecutor of early Christians (Saul) hardly seemed a natural choice as the apostle to the Gentiles (St. Paul).
Hating an Trump is fine with me. But just get your Christian theology right.
2
Come on, press and pundits. These people are not the "religious" right, just the extreme right who use the guise of religion to justify/cover up their bigotry. No way do their statements and actions reflect any religion's beliefs.
2
I am always so glad to see Michelle Goldberg's name. Her book "Kingdom Coming" is one I wished I had the talent to write. Having watched the religious right for decades, nothing in her book was 'news' to me, but to have it spelled out so skillfully was most welcome and everyone should read it ASAP. My 'take' is that liberal "tolerance" has kept this strong, well organized army of the rapture, from being noticed. It's not polite (at minimum) to ask, much less criticize someone's religious beliefs. Ralph Reed would be my #1 pick for laughing at 'us' the loudest over this foolishness. There is a difference between freedom to think and speak, vs passing laws to compel us all to 'convert'. We are now there - time to rethink if 'tolerance' (of oppressive behaviors by 'religious' people) remains a liberal commandment.
5
"For all his flagrant sinfulness, he’s assembling a near-theocratic administration, his cabinet full of avowed enemies of church-state separation. His vice president, Mike Pence, agreed to address the March for Life in Washington, D.C., on Friday, becoming the highest administration official ever to appear at the annual anti-abortion event."
-
The author seems to be saying that being openly opposed to abortion is a sure sign that you're a religious fanatic. Odd. Is that an "establishment" position?
-
The author seems to be saying that being openly opposed to abortion is a sure sign that you're a religious fanatic. Odd. Is that an "establishment" position?
2
The utter hypocrisy of Trump and fundamental or radical Christians, laid bare for all to see, is predicated on a glaring and festering shared sense of victimhood that screams for unfettered vengeance. Now we're all caught up in the Faustian debacle.
7
I wish I could click "recommend" several dozen times. your comment sums it all up the best, and in the fewest words.
Nicely written propaganda is still propaganda.
I am not a Church goer, but I prefer to align myself with Americans of faith than to align myself with the zealots of the Leftist Democrat party, whose goals have already proven to be little more than showing their utter disgust with the form and fiber of the American Nation and it's People.
The Left wishes to TRANSFORM America into the latest version of their pathological ideology.
The traditionalist Americans of faith, and Americans of less faith, but honoring our nations heritage and traditions, even if new Americans, understand that the tried and true values of the American People, and the principles of our rule of law under the Constitution are good, true and reliable guides for the future.
Donald Trump was elected as President of the United States due to this deep faith and understanding of the American People, and this is the 2nd American Revolution.
And, there is little to nothing that the New York Times, and all the combined efforts of the Propagandist Left Wing Media can do about it.
I am not a Church goer, but I prefer to align myself with Americans of faith than to align myself with the zealots of the Leftist Democrat party, whose goals have already proven to be little more than showing their utter disgust with the form and fiber of the American Nation and it's People.
The Left wishes to TRANSFORM America into the latest version of their pathological ideology.
The traditionalist Americans of faith, and Americans of less faith, but honoring our nations heritage and traditions, even if new Americans, understand that the tried and true values of the American People, and the principles of our rule of law under the Constitution are good, true and reliable guides for the future.
Donald Trump was elected as President of the United States due to this deep faith and understanding of the American People, and this is the 2nd American Revolution.
And, there is little to nothing that the New York Times, and all the combined efforts of the Propagandist Left Wing Media can do about it.
10
"Donald Trump was elected as President of the United States due to" the Electoral College bias in favor of former slaves states. I fixed it for you, Dan.
3
Most of the Founders of this nation were men of the Enlightenment, believed in Science and Philosophy. They were religious Diests and Freemasons. They were thinkers and doers and many of them not born to wealth or privilege. Trump has no deep faith except in greed and his own reflection. A nation must evolve and strive for new ideas and be part of the world. Yes please abide by the Constitution so far Trump has not. The clock is ticking.
It is not an accident, Dan Warren, that leaders of religious right have the same kind of certitude about what they know, what they can do, and what others should do, as do dealers of illegal substances. When the religious right wants a white Christian nation with everyone else either gone or subservient - they seem no different than the thugs who are selling drugs in the projects. Yes this is rather broad brush, but I think given the tone in the Trump's cabinet - it does justice to the reality.
If the religious right was religious, and/or right, the southern states would be heavens, and rural America would be too. But they are not. The hope and decency of southern states are cosmopolitan cities (Atlanta, Dallas, Nashville). And rural America is near about done with dependency on government handouts, perennial debt, and now illegal drugs. Welfare queens do not live in the projects around Detroit. Now they live in rural America - the home of the religious right.
In other words, there is about zero evidence that the religious right is capable of producing anything of value other than a medieval theocracy. And given this evidence, all thinking people - including those in the media and academia - fight it with everything we have. Because we can read and think, we know the horrors perpetrated by the religious right - since time immemorial. And slavery is but one recent example.
If the religious right was religious, and/or right, the southern states would be heavens, and rural America would be too. But they are not. The hope and decency of southern states are cosmopolitan cities (Atlanta, Dallas, Nashville). And rural America is near about done with dependency on government handouts, perennial debt, and now illegal drugs. Welfare queens do not live in the projects around Detroit. Now they live in rural America - the home of the religious right.
In other words, there is about zero evidence that the religious right is capable of producing anything of value other than a medieval theocracy. And given this evidence, all thinking people - including those in the media and academia - fight it with everything we have. Because we can read and think, we know the horrors perpetrated by the religious right - since time immemorial. And slavery is but one recent example.
Trump and Christian should not be in the same sentence. Yes, I know, I just violated my own posit. But Good God, this idiot Trump is to Christianity what Osama Bin Laden was to Islam, a hypocritical heretic.
DD
Manhattan
DD
Manhattan
6
God save us from Christian Nationalists - one of the most frightening aspects of the Trump debacle.
In aggregate religion leads to a greater level of immoral behavior than observed in atheist.
Great photo of the prayer service accompanying the editorial! DJT is bored, and looking around for a camera, with stern, fake worship face. Stepford wife holds bulletin just like a model would hold her prop (ESL, anyone???). Sixpence and spouse follow along.
1
Just look at the photograph! Trump looks disgusted and could care less about being in the Lord's house. Melania looks like a zombie. The daughter in law (I presume) behind them looks completely absent. Pence and his wife look like a church going couple go but Jesus is crying over their extreme misunderstanding of His teachings. What we have here, folks, is a tragic example of how Christianity can be used, usurped, misshapen, raped, supplanted, misinterpreted, stomped on, etc.
But here's a message for those of us who are crying, losing sleep ... but know that Jesus set the standard for la résistance : "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
Stronger together!
But here's a message for those of us who are crying, losing sleep ... but know that Jesus set the standard for la résistance : "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
Stronger together!
1
The Christian Right is neither.
2
'...his Christlike character'? That's rich. Bring it on, some of us could use a good laugh and not perish of boredom when reading the News which is 'All About Trump'.
Keep this up and he is more likely to end up remembered as a martyr. Some of you may have a friend who early in life took religious vows and is the happiest person you know. She is a doctor who visits your mother at home and has started a fertility clinic for couples.
Did our parents all become devout Christians during the Great Depression with the hope of reaching the American Dream? What an unhappy photo here and not a single black American to be seen.
Trump appears to be in the grip of many powerful persons and all kinds of extremist groups to the right. He is not the first lad who wanted to be President when he grew up, but it would have been kind if somebody had told him that many tears are shed over answered prayers.
Have a heart. Start imagining what it must be like to be under the thumb of Pence. When are they planning to visit Louisiana again? Meanwhile, let us be careful with children who are frightened and believe that we are going to have a nuclear war. There are fewer births in America today? Surrounded by hard-working Americans, all Trump supporters, they do not have the time to go to Church and are bright enough to realize that standing in a garage does not make one a mechanic.
Trump, living in a bubble, may find it hard to join The Real World.
Keep this up and he is more likely to end up remembered as a martyr. Some of you may have a friend who early in life took religious vows and is the happiest person you know. She is a doctor who visits your mother at home and has started a fertility clinic for couples.
Did our parents all become devout Christians during the Great Depression with the hope of reaching the American Dream? What an unhappy photo here and not a single black American to be seen.
Trump appears to be in the grip of many powerful persons and all kinds of extremist groups to the right. He is not the first lad who wanted to be President when he grew up, but it would have been kind if somebody had told him that many tears are shed over answered prayers.
Have a heart. Start imagining what it must be like to be under the thumb of Pence. When are they planning to visit Louisiana again? Meanwhile, let us be careful with children who are frightened and believe that we are going to have a nuclear war. There are fewer births in America today? Surrounded by hard-working Americans, all Trump supporters, they do not have the time to go to Church and are bright enough to realize that standing in a garage does not make one a mechanic.
Trump, living in a bubble, may find it hard to join The Real World.
I wonder how many of them know that there have been Muslims in North America for hundreds of years before Evangelicals even existed.
And yet, here from the beginning, not a single Muslim has tried to tear down the wall of separation of church and state assembled by our nation's Founders.
But these new "Christians" have no problem trying to impose their religious laws on all of us. This is as un-American as it gets.
No surprise that their god-less, Russian puppet be the one to lead them to their promised land.
And yet, here from the beginning, not a single Muslim has tried to tear down the wall of separation of church and state assembled by our nation's Founders.
But these new "Christians" have no problem trying to impose their religious laws on all of us. This is as un-American as it gets.
No surprise that their god-less, Russian puppet be the one to lead them to their promised land.
The fondation for the religious war is starting Muslim vs Chretian. I doubt God will bless USA!
The "Religious Right" or whatever term you choose to describe these groups does not represent Christianity as a whole in any shape nor form. In fact, they give Christianity a bad name - a very bad name. There are a lot of us out here who are Christian - whether it be Presbyterian, Lutheran, Catholic, etc. - who do not prescribe to the "Religious Right's" extreme, narrow biblical interpretation and vision of the world and we find ourselves apologizing in some instances for the hatred that spews out of their communities in the name of so-called Christianity. In short, the "Religious Right" has one heck of a nerve calling itself "Christian" because it is anything but.
3
And Democrats think Mike Pence is the kind of Republican they can work with. Yo know, the adult in the room.
It's going to be a long, painful road of attrition to, ironically "Take back America" from the reactionaries and fundamentalists who get teary-eyed when saying the Pledge of Allegiance (especially when they shout "UNDER GOD!") who pay lip-service to the Constitution, and yet don't believe in any part of it beyond the 2nd half of the 2nd Amendment.
Think about it: Donald Trump attacked all 4 sections of the 1st: Speech, Press, Separation, and Assembly. He attacked the 4th advocating nation-wide Stop&Frisk. He attacks the 5th daily, advocating torture. He attacked the 6th and 8th when he demanded the Chelsea Bomber be denied his rights and that "flag burners" (that rare group) lose their citizenship. He's implicitly attacked the 9th because he doesn't think anyone by Trump has ANY rights. And he's now attacking the 10th and States' rights.
In EVERY case, other than possibly torture, he's followed the reactionary and religious right's positions down the line! The only rights he hasn't (yet) attacked are the 2nd, 3rd and 7th. Why shouldn't they love him? He's advanced their cause of Christian Taliban ruling America by a quantum leap.
Dictatorship is easy. It's been the natural state of human history for as long as we have history. Self-rule, by consensus, with protections for the minority, is a very new & very fragile concept, less than 400 years old and has been destroyed in nation after nation, except for a very few who managed to maintain an equilibrium. Until now.
Think about it: Donald Trump attacked all 4 sections of the 1st: Speech, Press, Separation, and Assembly. He attacked the 4th advocating nation-wide Stop&Frisk. He attacks the 5th daily, advocating torture. He attacked the 6th and 8th when he demanded the Chelsea Bomber be denied his rights and that "flag burners" (that rare group) lose their citizenship. He's implicitly attacked the 9th because he doesn't think anyone by Trump has ANY rights. And he's now attacking the 10th and States' rights.
In EVERY case, other than possibly torture, he's followed the reactionary and religious right's positions down the line! The only rights he hasn't (yet) attacked are the 2nd, 3rd and 7th. Why shouldn't they love him? He's advanced their cause of Christian Taliban ruling America by a quantum leap.
Dictatorship is easy. It's been the natural state of human history for as long as we have history. Self-rule, by consensus, with protections for the minority, is a very new & very fragile concept, less than 400 years old and has been destroyed in nation after nation, except for a very few who managed to maintain an equilibrium. Until now.
2
I read yesterday that 1984 is now #1 at Amazon. I hope Americans start reading The Crucible as well. The sooner the better.
3
As I have always believed the Religious right and the Moral majority were full of it. There is no way they can justify Trump.
2
So, if Trump is the conservative right's Trojan horse, does that make them the Achaeans and the liberal left the Trojans who unsuspectingly allowed the horse behind the Trojan walls? Then, they looted,sacked our sacred cities, killing our children, and raping our women? And they win the war after ten horrible years?
I think not. They and their new leader Trump are as hollow as the horse, lacking Jesus' acceptance of the outcasts, the beggars, the lepers, and the prostitutes. The meek will inherit the earth, the merciful will be granted mercy, the persecuted are blessed because of their righteousness.
But down with those who sow hatred, discord, and evil against those most oppressed in this world. The foundations of their towers of gold will be uprooted.
I think not. They and their new leader Trump are as hollow as the horse, lacking Jesus' acceptance of the outcasts, the beggars, the lepers, and the prostitutes. The meek will inherit the earth, the merciful will be granted mercy, the persecuted are blessed because of their righteousness.
But down with those who sow hatred, discord, and evil against those most oppressed in this world. The foundations of their towers of gold will be uprooted.
3
It's been said before but bears repeating: If men could get pregnant abortion would be a sacrament.
8
The religious right have an advantage over coastal Christians and liberal elites. They have the confidence that can only be obtained through faith.
They have been able to make God small enough that He matches their own human experiences and ideas and presumptions and prejudices...theirs is an approving God, and there's nothing better than approval, as our glorious leader (um, President) well knows!
These are people free of that terrible by-product of science, doubt...they know the truth, and that's because a 2000-year-old document that's been translated 15,000 times from many languages to many languages tells them so, in terms that are perfect in every version.
They're also free of the even more insidious by-product of science, wonder...don't worry, they won't be caught looking up into the beautiful night sky and thinking God is some amazing kind of creative genius...no, that beauty stuff, you know - the arts - are just satan's temptations. Literature, drama, music, art, sculpture, dance, and all the rest are just ways of ferreting out who's a homosexual so they can be safe from those deviants.
One other blessing is they can see that white Christians are the real ones, because you know, white means pure and black means a dark heart...good to see who's really loved by God.
And God so loved their world that he sent his only begotten Trump card to play at just the right time, making them victorious over sin...for Trump has committed so many, theirs are forgiven them.
They have been able to make God small enough that He matches their own human experiences and ideas and presumptions and prejudices...theirs is an approving God, and there's nothing better than approval, as our glorious leader (um, President) well knows!
These are people free of that terrible by-product of science, doubt...they know the truth, and that's because a 2000-year-old document that's been translated 15,000 times from many languages to many languages tells them so, in terms that are perfect in every version.
They're also free of the even more insidious by-product of science, wonder...don't worry, they won't be caught looking up into the beautiful night sky and thinking God is some amazing kind of creative genius...no, that beauty stuff, you know - the arts - are just satan's temptations. Literature, drama, music, art, sculpture, dance, and all the rest are just ways of ferreting out who's a homosexual so they can be safe from those deviants.
One other blessing is they can see that white Christians are the real ones, because you know, white means pure and black means a dark heart...good to see who's really loved by God.
And God so loved their world that he sent his only begotten Trump card to play at just the right time, making them victorious over sin...for Trump has committed so many, theirs are forgiven them.
12
It is a misuse of the word "faith" to suggest it implies no doubt. A true faith is open to challenge as a way to deepen its understanding and broaden its scope. It is a fake "faith" that cannot face scrutiny.
Unfortunately, the religious right does not have this kind of faith, but instead has a religion by rote cemented in narrow interpretation and to be forced upon everyone, willy nilly.
Unfortunately, the religious right does not have this kind of faith, but instead has a religion by rote cemented in narrow interpretation and to be forced upon everyone, willy nilly.
1
A lot of us Catholics were praying the rosary constantly weeks before the election that Hillary- a clear and present danger to Christians and to Catholics in particular- as Podesta's leaked emails showed- would be defeated. The Virgin Mary answered our prayers, as she has countless times in the past when her children are in danger- The Battle of Lepanto comes to mind. Perhaps Trump's win is the modern equivalent of the Battle of Lepanto.
2
If Mr. Brown believes that Trump became president by divine intervention, then it seems that God has a twisted sense of humor.
3
Even though I knew it, I did not truly appreciate the malign presence of the extreme Christian Right in the Trump regime.
Thanks for the eye-opener, Ms. Goldberg. The imposition of a Christian Patriotic Republic similar to Margaret Atwood's Gilead in "The Handmaid's Tale" edges closer to reality. Personnel truly is policy.
Thanks for the eye-opener, Ms. Goldberg. The imposition of a Christian Patriotic Republic similar to Margaret Atwood's Gilead in "The Handmaid's Tale" edges closer to reality. Personnel truly is policy.
4
Thank you, Michelle Goldberg, for this very fine summary. Trump's support for conservative Christianity is probably opportunistic; I tend to see the fine hand of Mike Pence in Trump's selection of a cabinet dominated by those who toe the Evangelical party line. At least two more names should be added to your list of Trumpery personnel choices: Nikki Haley, our new ambassador to the U.N., who as governor worked to restrict abortion rights, and Andrew Puzder, nominee for Sect'y of Labor, who has a 30-year record of working to overturn Roe vs. Wade.
6
Donald Trump is the Master of the Universe,and should be treated as one.
Thus, he does not have to answer any mundane questions. such as the
building and paying for the Mexican wall, how the U.S. will pursue
ISIS, why the press is composed of liars, fraudulent voting Obviously, the White House press
corps needs new strategies. After one week, Trump has emerged victoroius
in all exchanges .
Trump attacks his targets with consummate arrogance, a strategy
developed by Roy Cohn, and honed under the guidance
of Stephen Bannon. Going forward, Trump's strategies can lead to
an isolationist U.S., a world wide depression. or a world war. Donald Trump has added a state of apprehension to the public. The upcoming conversation
between Trump and Putin should be a classic throw back to Munich 1938.
Thus, he does not have to answer any mundane questions. such as the
building and paying for the Mexican wall, how the U.S. will pursue
ISIS, why the press is composed of liars, fraudulent voting Obviously, the White House press
corps needs new strategies. After one week, Trump has emerged victoroius
in all exchanges .
Trump attacks his targets with consummate arrogance, a strategy
developed by Roy Cohn, and honed under the guidance
of Stephen Bannon. Going forward, Trump's strategies can lead to
an isolationist U.S., a world wide depression. or a world war. Donald Trump has added a state of apprehension to the public. The upcoming conversation
between Trump and Putin should be a classic throw back to Munich 1938.
2
It's divine intervention for sure. It's proof God has a sense of humor.
5
Russia is on the cusp of legalizing some forms of domestic abuse, probably to keep women in their "righteous" place. I expect we will see some form of this legislation here as well.
So, put Margaret Atwood's "Handmaid's Tale" on your reading list along with "1984".
So, put Margaret Atwood's "Handmaid's Tale" on your reading list along with "1984".
9
The government already took down something about domestic violence yesterday. Yesterday I was strongly anti-gun. Today I am ready to buy both a gun and a taser.
Baylor U. considered a religous right school? Fox News story today about another lawsuit is very disappointing. Don't know if I can continue reading this stuff-sorry. I'll have a look at the book, but I'm predicting it will be a very tough read.
You are another sufferer of TDS= Trump Derangement Syndrome. I feel for you.
1
Inspired by Apollo, the Pythia delivered her awaited prophecy: the present regime will move through two distinct stages. First, it will be universally recognized as a plutocracy. Before it finally becomes a theocracy, having The Gray Unicorn as its Supreme Pastor/Priest, the regime will be shaken by a complicated, but effective, impeachment process.
Scientists, and agnostics in general, pay much attention to the Oracle of Delphi. Some are polishing their résumés.
Scientists, and agnostics in general, pay much attention to the Oracle of Delphi. Some are polishing their résumés.
3
"…women’s constitutional right to an abortion may not survive his presidency."
Killing babies is not a constitutional right.
Killing babies is not a constitutional right.
4
@MariaMagdalena: Just at what point in cell division a fertilized egg becomes a "baby" is a religious definition, a belief. Categorizing abortion as a sin also is a religious belief, and is a blanket accusation that ignores many pertinent factors just to make accusation easy.
Forcing one's choice of religious beliefs upon another person also happens to be unconstitutional.
Forcing one's choice of religious beliefs upon another person also happens to be unconstitutional.
2
They aren't babies until they are born.
1
I believe that all women should have access to abortion. It is not, however, a constitutional right.
1
One of the great lessons of traditional family value politics is that you don’t have to be religious to agree will all the public policy arguments advanced by Mr. Trump and Mr. Pence. Pro-life can be a natural conclusion even if you don’t attend religious services. Affirmative action is discrimination. Creationism is an important historical and poetic understanding of human evolution. All science is good and a lot of technology is bad. Pay for your own contraceptives or just say no.
Protecting Christian, Jewish, Muslim and other religious freedoms, means that the government may not encourage or discourage religion, procreation, artistic expression and freedom of thought – in private, in business or in congress.
Protecting Christian, Jewish, Muslim and other religious freedoms, means that the government may not encourage or discourage religion, procreation, artistic expression and freedom of thought – in private, in business or in congress.
6
Feeling entitled, as Mr. Trump did and said, to grab other human beings by their privates or to stick some young woman in jail for a miscarriage thanks to Mr. Pence's Indiana are not "family value politics" anywhere but in today's warped GOP.
The "natural conclusions" of the Trump-Bannon-Pence axis is not democracy or freedom of thought, as we are fast seeing.
You're darn tootin that the government has no place in forcing procreation - 4.5 people took to the streets to ensure the Trumps understand that.
The "natural conclusions" of the Trump-Bannon-Pence axis is not democracy or freedom of thought, as we are fast seeing.
You're darn tootin that the government has no place in forcing procreation - 4.5 people took to the streets to ensure the Trumps understand that.
1
The religious right is far preferable than the religious left. Believing in God or creationism is far less delusional than believing in human equality.
If these holy rollers can devastate the egalitarian left, then they should be supported.
If these holy rollers can devastate the egalitarian left, then they should be supported.
3
Christianity is very beautiful way of life, granted very few practice it, if any. Abortion will go to the states, gay rights are fine with the majority of Americans, so they will stay where they are and as the article states more than once, the Christian Right is in the backseat, not in the horse. I will never understand "women for Islam" but hey, some people want to eat their own fingers. Anyway, Trump will invite the Bible thumpers for lunch, serve them rubber chicken and send them off with a big wave. It will be fun
3
Just as the Times and the news media generally have debated recently whether to call the appalling lies uttered by Trump "lies" or "falsehoods" or "misstatements," or whatever, we truly need to start having a conversation about what to call these people who claim to be Christians but who actually have nothing whatsoever in common with actual Christianity (compassion, love for the poor and the alien among us, humility, etc.). Perhaps "Pseudo Christians" should be the term?
At the absolute least, the Times needs to put quotation marks around the word "Christian" when describing the "religious" American right from this point on.
I could describe myself as a armadillo, but that doesn't make me an armadillo, and I'm willing to bet no one would humor me in my desire to be referred to as an armadillo. Why do we show such a courtesy to the appalling hypocrites described in this article?
At the absolute least, the Times needs to put quotation marks around the word "Christian" when describing the "religious" American right from this point on.
I could describe myself as a armadillo, but that doesn't make me an armadillo, and I'm willing to bet no one would humor me in my desire to be referred to as an armadillo. Why do we show such a courtesy to the appalling hypocrites described in this article?
3
Our laws in America are based broadly on English Common Law, which in is based in turn on Scripture [read, "the Bible"]. And that's no surprise--
We are, after all, "a Christian Nation."
...Ask any attorney, who deals with everyday Case Law...
--
So what the new Administration seems to favor then, is simply, "a Reintroduction," to what Americans traditionally regard as, "good, proper personal and social behavior, under the Law."
...And when you think about it? That's not unusual at all. Not in America...
--
In fact, moving away from a legal tradition based on Scripture is a fairly recent phenomena. Most who are familiar with the Law would say that things probably started to change no earlier than the conclusion of WWI, which coincidentally, marked the "virtual end" of the Victorian Era in America.
--
So what am I getting at?
...Simply, that we Americans have always been pretty straight-laced, and quite properly religious, and that many of us would like to stay that way, even at the expense of those who aren't...
--
Maybe the real bone of contention is money--more precisely, tax revenues--paid by all to the Government, then distributed to a chosen few, depending on what Laws are on the books.
--
In any case, "We the People," have the right to revise the Laws of the Land over and over again, to suit whatever "Spirit" prevails, in the times we live in.
We are, after all, "a Christian Nation."
...Ask any attorney, who deals with everyday Case Law...
--
So what the new Administration seems to favor then, is simply, "a Reintroduction," to what Americans traditionally regard as, "good, proper personal and social behavior, under the Law."
...And when you think about it? That's not unusual at all. Not in America...
--
In fact, moving away from a legal tradition based on Scripture is a fairly recent phenomena. Most who are familiar with the Law would say that things probably started to change no earlier than the conclusion of WWI, which coincidentally, marked the "virtual end" of the Victorian Era in America.
--
So what am I getting at?
...Simply, that we Americans have always been pretty straight-laced, and quite properly religious, and that many of us would like to stay that way, even at the expense of those who aren't...
--
Maybe the real bone of contention is money--more precisely, tax revenues--paid by all to the Government, then distributed to a chosen few, depending on what Laws are on the books.
--
In any case, "We the People," have the right to revise the Laws of the Land over and over again, to suit whatever "Spirit" prevails, in the times we live in.
2
“a 10-year-old tape of a private conversation with a TV talk show host ranks pretty low on their hierarchy of their concerns.”
Unlike a certain 2000 year old book?
Unlike a certain 2000 year old book?
2
Our laws in America are based broadly on English Common Law, which is based in turn on Scripture [read, "the Bible"]. And that's no surprise--
We are, after all, "a Christian Nation."
...Ask any attorney, who deals with everyday Case Law...
--
So what I think the new Administration seems to favor then, is simply, "a Reintroduction," to what Americans traditionally regard as, "good, proper personal and social behavior, under the Law."
...And when you think about it? That's not unusual at all. Not in America...
--
In fact, moving away from a legal tradition based on Scripture is a fairly recent phenomena. Most who are familiar with the Law would say that things probably started to change no earlier than the conclusion of WWI, which coincidentally marked, "the virtual end" of the Victorian Era in America.
--
So what am I getting at?
...Simply, that we Americans have always been pretty straight-laced, and quite properly religious, and that many of us would like to stay that way, even at the expense of those who don't...
--
Maybe the real bone of contention is money--more precisely, tax revenues--paid by all to the Government, then distributed to a chosen few, depending on what Laws are on the books.
--
In any case, "We the People," have the right to collectively revise the Laws of our Land over and over, to suit whatever "Spirit" prevails, in the times we live in.
We are, after all, "a Christian Nation."
...Ask any attorney, who deals with everyday Case Law...
--
So what I think the new Administration seems to favor then, is simply, "a Reintroduction," to what Americans traditionally regard as, "good, proper personal and social behavior, under the Law."
...And when you think about it? That's not unusual at all. Not in America...
--
In fact, moving away from a legal tradition based on Scripture is a fairly recent phenomena. Most who are familiar with the Law would say that things probably started to change no earlier than the conclusion of WWI, which coincidentally marked, "the virtual end" of the Victorian Era in America.
--
So what am I getting at?
...Simply, that we Americans have always been pretty straight-laced, and quite properly religious, and that many of us would like to stay that way, even at the expense of those who don't...
--
Maybe the real bone of contention is money--more precisely, tax revenues--paid by all to the Government, then distributed to a chosen few, depending on what Laws are on the books.
--
In any case, "We the People," have the right to collectively revise the Laws of our Land over and over, to suit whatever "Spirit" prevails, in the times we live in.
2
Trump does not represent proper social behavior at all. He mocked a disabled reporter and assaulted women. He refused to pay his contractors. This is not behavior that is representative of Christianity.
A woman propositioned, should be prosecuted for saying no, because in so doing, she precludes a potential life.
2
It's ironic really that the religious right always seems to find themselves lined up with whomever political candidate demonstrates the fewest "Christian values" regardless of that candidate's own checkered past, questionable morals, or even past or current political leanings. Just a working theory here but that might be be because religious" isn't of course an actual political party and thus the political ideology of the "religious right" is just a clever euphemism that disguises policies and laws that in and of themselves do exactly the opposite of the tolerance and love of the Bible they hide behind. Separation of church and state-come on America. It's like the first line.
3
I've just about had it with organized religion in general. I don't see how all these religions can really get along, since each one wants to be the only path to heaven. To hell with all of them.
4
I really doubt Trump really has any personal convictions about abortion and religious practices. He just doesn't care, but he found a very loyal following of these Christian conservatives and as a result he is rewarding them for supporting him.
4
I never much conflated Jesus and Machiavelli, but apparently I missed something. The religious right definitely voted on the basis that the ends justify the means.
Of course my understanding of Christianity has more to do with Pope Francis and Dorothy Day than Jerry Falwell Junior. And my politics run more toward libertarian than theocratic when it comes to legislating against sin. The failure of religious leaders to be able to spread their moral teachings through preaching and moral argument does not mean that the backup plan should be governmental action.
Trump represents almost everything they abhor, except he has agreed to promote their agenda. What's a little hypocrisy if it gets the job done?
Of course my understanding of Christianity has more to do with Pope Francis and Dorothy Day than Jerry Falwell Junior. And my politics run more toward libertarian than theocratic when it comes to legislating against sin. The failure of religious leaders to be able to spread their moral teachings through preaching and moral argument does not mean that the backup plan should be governmental action.
Trump represents almost everything they abhor, except he has agreed to promote their agenda. What's a little hypocrisy if it gets the job done?
4
They have no moral teachings.
While I oppose all of the "religious right's" agenda, to claim that it "has been elevated to power without having to contest its ideas in an election" is absurd.
Since 1980, the "religious right" has won the electoral vote in five Presidential elections: Reagan twice, George W. Bush twice, and now Donald Trump.
What if the United States of America has become, at some deep structural level, a "religious right" country?
Is the electoral college to blame or are about 50% of American voters wrong to believe what they do?
If they are wrong, and should be condemned by all those who think correctly on these issues, what shall we do with democracy?
Since 1980, the "religious right" has won the electoral vote in five Presidential elections: Reagan twice, George W. Bush twice, and now Donald Trump.
What if the United States of America has become, at some deep structural level, a "religious right" country?
Is the electoral college to blame or are about 50% of American voters wrong to believe what they do?
If they are wrong, and should be condemned by all those who think correctly on these issues, what shall we do with democracy?
3
The voters have not really endorsed the fundamentalist positions. These religious anachronisms have been attached to the wider Republican agenda as an accretion of expedience to enlist the religious right. The average voter, who has little interest in such issues, has voted Republican because they swallow the corporate nonsense about the free market and lower taxes and less regulation; a propaganda promoting the prosperity of the 1/4% to the detriment of the Republic.
1
This is all so very shocking. The abject immorality of this administration will destroy what is beautifully American about this country in the eyes of the world. Christianity first is antithetical to the very essence of Christianity. I'm truly embarrassed for my nation as we are being lead by an ideologue with delusions of Christ-like grandeur.
6
Ah yes, the brilliant Mike Pence-not a single Founder believed in evolution...
Very few, if any, believed in the germ theory of infection either so we'd better include "ill humours" in our medical school classes, too.
I wonder which of the two different stories of creation that appear in Genesis VP Pence would support?
It's going to be a long four years.
Very few, if any, believed in the germ theory of infection either so we'd better include "ill humours" in our medical school classes, too.
I wonder which of the two different stories of creation that appear in Genesis VP Pence would support?
It's going to be a long four years.
5
The Christian Right always claims to be persecuted by anyone who does not hew their line. They are just defending themselves, they say, from secular aggressors. They evoke hazy ancient images when Christians actually were persecuted, though the record is hazy about whether any Christians were actually fed to the lions, or whether only Christians were served up. The reality is that, with the conversion of the emperor Constantine, Christianity used the power of Rome to spread across Europe and beyond, often on the tip of a sword.
Beware the aggrieved aggressor.
Beware the aggrieved aggressor.
3
I suspect Trump and his administration will greatly accelerate the abandonment of religion by young adults. While the fundamentalists may win in the short term, their own hypocrisy and intolerance will defeat them in the longer term.
6
Hypocrisy and intolerance have been known to last a very long time, and it looks likely that the Pence-Ryan-McConnell machine will continue to implement troglodyte theocracy throughout a long reign.
1
"full legal personhood for zygotes"? What a world that would be. Talk about government intrusion! Required death certificates for miscarriages? Charges of murder with a miscarriage? I shudder. The positions of the extreme right are getting so absurd!
4
The reporter and the headline writer need a brush up course in ancient Greece. The Trojan Horse was an attractive gift with a treacherous surprise lurking inside. By contrast, Trump had an ugly appearance for the religious right and a welcome surprise hidden inside. Trump isn't a Trojan Horse. he's the opposite. The proper reference is the Hunchback of Notre Dame.
34
Two things have always terrified me. Guns and religion. Both still do, however even as I clinged to the hope the 1st Amendment would ultimately save us, I have accepted I am most afraid of our "Christian" self destruction.
1
Trump and the Evangelical leadership both have something in common. A mutual respect for each other's con artist's abilities. It takes one to know one.
4
This is a troubling article of the Dark side. "The Rapture"? "Zygotes" rights? Forcing children to learn creationism - regardless of their religious background using secular tax dollars. I can't imagine a more un-Christian group of people - comparable to the inquisition era with a modern pro-torturer leader.
The religious right with their fake Christian values are no different than the current POTUS with his faux Christian values. Would Jesus care more for a Zygote than the mother or a human after birth? Would He turn the other screw on the torture rack than turn the other cheek? Take away their health care? Dismiss the poor?
I cringe every time I hear a reference to God, prayers or any other religious utterance these fakes have made throughout the inauguration and at solemn ceremonies - they all sounded fake.
They are for UNplanned parenthood that results in more unsafe abortions, misery and poverty for many who have no health care (mostly mothers), no financial means or live under repressive mostly religious societies. Pro-life? They want more poor people to crowd this planet to labor for the rich, people to control, incarcerate, wage war with and kill - indeed they care more for a pair of cells, a zygote, over a fully grown and aware human-being they eagerly want to put on death row and kill.
All pro-choice people are not pro-abortion - they are pro-life. Some pro-life for zygotes are pro-death of humans after birth. Shameful!
May the Force protect us from them all.
The religious right with their fake Christian values are no different than the current POTUS with his faux Christian values. Would Jesus care more for a Zygote than the mother or a human after birth? Would He turn the other screw on the torture rack than turn the other cheek? Take away their health care? Dismiss the poor?
I cringe every time I hear a reference to God, prayers or any other religious utterance these fakes have made throughout the inauguration and at solemn ceremonies - they all sounded fake.
They are for UNplanned parenthood that results in more unsafe abortions, misery and poverty for many who have no health care (mostly mothers), no financial means or live under repressive mostly religious societies. Pro-life? They want more poor people to crowd this planet to labor for the rich, people to control, incarcerate, wage war with and kill - indeed they care more for a pair of cells, a zygote, over a fully grown and aware human-being they eagerly want to put on death row and kill.
All pro-choice people are not pro-abortion - they are pro-life. Some pro-life for zygotes are pro-death of humans after birth. Shameful!
May the Force protect us from them all.
2
The One thing admired worldwide from the US Constitution is precisely that separation of religion from State. In that sense they were wise. The admiration of some of the world towards the US would be tried as the US would become more like that half of the world that they think are fighting against. It would
be terrible for the world.
be terrible for the world.
3
I love the quote about creationism and that it “was believed in by every signer of the Declaration of Independence.”
Yes, they also believed that disease was caused by bad smells. Does that mean we should get rid of the CDC?
Yes, they also believed that disease was caused by bad smells. Does that mean we should get rid of the CDC?
4
Trump will not stay in the position. He will become bored or distracted and will resign for medical reasons or some other excuse within two years . Pence is the one we need to watch carefully.
4
"I believe Trump has been elected president by divine intervention,”
Well, if that's divine intervention, thanks to all that be that it is a rare event.
Well, if that's divine intervention, thanks to all that be that it is a rare event.
2
Now that the agenda of the religious right is "winning", that the separation of church and state is under attack, how does the USA differ from other fundamentalist religious countries of other religions that American Christian fundamentalists oppose? Fundamentalist religious people share many similar characteristics across religions and countries, and one of them is the compelling need to control women and repress them (I am talking about fundamentalist religious people, not about all the wonderful religious people who truly base their belief on an all-encompassing love for humanity). The other thing that truly offends me is the hypocrisy of many fundamentalist, so-called religious people (and I know many such examples in person): many of them are pluri-divorced people; many of them have a history of heavy drinking, heavy partying, sleeping around, and generally loose, uncontrolled behaviour, but they hide it and go to church every Sunday, telling other people how to live their lives. In fact, I do wonder how many people who vehemently oppose abortion in fact had one, or caused one. And yet, they act holier than thou and want to impose their worldview on women, controlling them and their choices, as if they were not independent agents. That hypocrisy and their total, un-Christian lack of empathy for other people (except for themselves and their worldview) is what truly outrages me.
3
Pence, Sessions, et al. they are bigots plain and simple. and bigotry is now the official position of the United States government as indicated by the ban on Muslims and the favoring of Christian refugees. what could be a better recruiting truly for the extremists. to quote Pogo, we have met the enemy and he is us.
the irony of course is that a similar policy is true in many Islamic Nations.
the irony of course is that a similar policy is true in many Islamic Nations.
3
If nothing else Trump has shown there are no real values in the "values voters". It is all a fig leaf that gives people permission to vote for a party that celebrates selfish interests and/or white male dominance.
3
If one is a member of the religious right and a practicing U.S. citizen, and the choice is Trump or Clinton, the decision is easy - vote for Trump. It's really that simple, and the highly educated sactimonious lefty commentators here should know that.
1
Mr. Pence tells us that the Founding Fathers were creationists (almost a century before evolution was proposed). What does he think their thoughts on, say, atomic weapons or air traffic control or internet neutrality might have been, hmmm?
2
The media is after money, to 'show growth', which is what the American society is now built on. Like water finding somewhere to leak, the media seeks the avenue of increased revenue. Truth and morality have no play in this.
Repeat: truth and morality have no play in the modern American mainstream corporate media. It will milk Trump for years.
Repeat: truth and morality have no play in the modern American mainstream corporate media. It will milk Trump for years.
1
The irony is that President Trump, a social liberal all his life, will do more to move the conservative agenda forward than any politician since Reagan.
And as an up to now completely non-religious man will end up advancing the agenda of religious folks in the same way.
Feminists swallowed hard and supported Bill Clinton despite his sexual history. So, there's plenty of opportunism on both sides of the fence.
And as an up to now completely non-religious man will end up advancing the agenda of religious folks in the same way.
Feminists swallowed hard and supported Bill Clinton despite his sexual history. So, there's plenty of opportunism on both sides of the fence.
3
The right wing, Christian Taliban, have decided how we all should live. Their fixation on banning abortions, while ignoring a livable minimum wage, family planning, affordable health care, excellent public education, affordable housing, good infrastructure, show they have no concern for their nation.
Their idea of Christianity is to attack anyone they disagree with. Their views are unchristian. They ignore the love thy enemies preaching of their Jesus.
It seems marriage vows according to Trump now mean until death we do part, or until a prettier, younger Eastern european model turns up. That the Christian right, are happy to identify with Trump, tells us all we need to know about their ethics, morals and faith.
Their idea of Christianity is to attack anyone they disagree with. Their views are unchristian. They ignore the love thy enemies preaching of their Jesus.
It seems marriage vows according to Trump now mean until death we do part, or until a prettier, younger Eastern european model turns up. That the Christian right, are happy to identify with Trump, tells us all we need to know about their ethics, morals and faith.
6
We are in for serious trouble with these people who endlessly proclaim their own victimhood while persecuting anyone who is not like them. I remember the war on Christmas. It was inconceivable to them that a Christian could wish a Jewish person a happy Hanukkah or an atheist a happy holiday. If they couldn't force their own religious viewpoint, then they were discriminated against. You can't have a rational discussion with people who feel that they exclusively have god's ear and that they exclusively serve as god's spokespeople. One more fear I have as a gay man: If a gene is found that predisposes a child to being gay or transgender, I can imagine that these right to lifers will find a way to make abortion (only under very special circumstances) not only legal, but desirable.
2
8 years of calling Obama the anti-Christ and they can't recognize Satan by his own words. Evangelicals are not Christian. They are a political cult and should be treated as one. Preaching politics from the pulpit should cost them their tax exemption. I agree with the other writers. They are delusional and power mad. And will do anything they can to harm and subjugate women and children.
7
I see 'secession' is bruited about, in these pages and nationally, there is even some online petition somewhere, holding aside that we settled that issue 150 years ago;
Secession was and is about the right to have slaves; then they were Africans, today they are Mexicans; neo slavery, ethnic based peonage.
I prefer that we establish Expulsion as a federal right, perhaps emanation from some penumbra;
=
As for The Death and Resurrection of Christ, American style...
Had the Dems not waged war on Christianity, and still do so, in favor of Islam - they might have not lost the election, the Big One, they have lost 1000s of offices during the Obama years, seemingly unknowing or unperturbed.
I recall the arrest of an American film-maker, for blasphemy against The Prophet (That's Big Mo) PBUH.
=
As T explodes lefto heads, I am wondering what offensive defiance he can do to the secular god-haters, among the lefto, to affirm our Judeo Christian heritage, and to defend.
President Trump? over to you.
We have your back as you have ours.
In various web pages/ chat rooms, participants have avatars, or images; one defeated me for a while, it is the Arab calligraphy letter pronounced -nun? - standing for Nestorian, or Christian, in islamia.
I wonder about an armband or flag or lapel pin or bumper sticker at some briefing, a flag is good;
=
I also would like a public affirmation of Religious Freedom Restoration Act;
Maybe in Week Two.
Secession was and is about the right to have slaves; then they were Africans, today they are Mexicans; neo slavery, ethnic based peonage.
I prefer that we establish Expulsion as a federal right, perhaps emanation from some penumbra;
=
As for The Death and Resurrection of Christ, American style...
Had the Dems not waged war on Christianity, and still do so, in favor of Islam - they might have not lost the election, the Big One, they have lost 1000s of offices during the Obama years, seemingly unknowing or unperturbed.
I recall the arrest of an American film-maker, for blasphemy against The Prophet (That's Big Mo) PBUH.
=
As T explodes lefto heads, I am wondering what offensive defiance he can do to the secular god-haters, among the lefto, to affirm our Judeo Christian heritage, and to defend.
President Trump? over to you.
We have your back as you have ours.
In various web pages/ chat rooms, participants have avatars, or images; one defeated me for a while, it is the Arab calligraphy letter pronounced -nun? - standing for Nestorian, or Christian, in islamia.
I wonder about an armband or flag or lapel pin or bumper sticker at some briefing, a flag is good;
=
I also would like a public affirmation of Religious Freedom Restoration Act;
Maybe in Week Two.
1
Agreed, coercive piety would be unconstitutional. But it's constitutional for government to stand apart from religious concerns, allowing religious (and anti-religious) freedom to flourish. This distinction has been missed for too long. We've deprived ourselves of the full panoply of both religious and anti-religious sentiment in schools and the public square because we've over-read the prohibition of governmental establishment of religion. In effect, we've established anti-religion. The Constitution doesn't require that.
1
The sin against our Preamble committed by these neo-crusader christianist power grabbers is the insistence that doing unto others until submission to their peculiar visions of deeply perverse reality are realized is in anyway justified by either law or custom in this country. The four cornerstones of our nation are: Justice; Tranquility; Welfare; and Liberty. The iltwitterate commissar and his cabal are profoundly offensive to each of these virtues. Rather than cherish their beliefs like a precious stone held closely in pocket, they must not only parade it but impose it on others. Nothing about Democracy should support such intolerance. As was said so often in my youth,"if you don't like this country, leave." Those seeking the Rapture could try perhaps Guyana.
1
In the last 8 years, the American government, media, business and academia have made clear their intention to eradicate Christianity, and ignore the First Amendment in the process. From forcing Catholic nuns to pay for birth control to firing, suing, threatening and harassing Christians for being unable to actively support and encourage homosexuality, the message has been sent very clearly. Anthony Kennedy divorced the federal government from Christianity, in complete disregard for the constitution and the will of voters in over 30 states less than 10 years before, and in the process, delegitimized the federal government and destabilized the country.
Christianity is the only thing that ever held the United States together. Without it, the nation will fall.
Christianity is the only thing that ever held the United States together. Without it, the nation will fall.
2
From my limited understanding, isn't the anti-Christ part of the Christian mythology that leads to "The Rapture?"
Wouldn't someone being elected (? Lost popular vote?) through "divine intervention" (?Russian influence, fake news, lack of critical thinking, creationism, discounting science") be part of that divine plan?
Just wondering.
If so, all those waiting for ""The Rapture" might get what they are hoping for, albeit great human suffering, chaos, non thinking tweets, gyrations in the markets, deeper divisions, more cause and affect approaches to problems, a brand new definition of flooding by denying climate change, and a set of "alternative facts" to explain all if it.
And the end of the world as we know it.
Wouldn't someone being elected (? Lost popular vote?) through "divine intervention" (?Russian influence, fake news, lack of critical thinking, creationism, discounting science") be part of that divine plan?
Just wondering.
If so, all those waiting for ""The Rapture" might get what they are hoping for, albeit great human suffering, chaos, non thinking tweets, gyrations in the markets, deeper divisions, more cause and affect approaches to problems, a brand new definition of flooding by denying climate change, and a set of "alternative facts" to explain all if it.
And the end of the world as we know it.
1
The major reason for surprise and alarm during the presidential campaign was the obvious effort by Russia to throw the election to Donald Trump, coupled with a decision of the F.B.I. to help the Russians.
The three surprises after the election have been the eagerness of Donald Trump to nominate a cabinet from a military he called incompetent; from the intelligence services he called incompetent and corrupt; and from the white evangelical Christians, whose beliefs starkly contrast with his personal lifestyle.
Of those three surprises, the first two – names from the military and clandestine services – show that Mr. Trump tends to be an ignorant man outside his world of real estate development and marketing. He came to see during the transition that he was just plain wrong. Smart people privately convinced him.
The third surprise stands alone. Once Trump hired campaign professionals instead of members of his family and company, he came to see white evangelical Christians in a different light.
Evangelicals offered Trump chance to ally openly with a group getting away with the same ethnic, religious and racial prejudices Trump had always harbored. Helping him with this cynical epiphany was Kellyanne Conway. We see the nomination of aberrations like Jeff Sessions, Tom Price and, perhaps the worst, Betsy deVos.
The returns are final: Ted Cruz won the election, and he wasn’t even on the ballot.
Donald Trump has organized a coup d’etat against himself. Scary and weird.
The three surprises after the election have been the eagerness of Donald Trump to nominate a cabinet from a military he called incompetent; from the intelligence services he called incompetent and corrupt; and from the white evangelical Christians, whose beliefs starkly contrast with his personal lifestyle.
Of those three surprises, the first two – names from the military and clandestine services – show that Mr. Trump tends to be an ignorant man outside his world of real estate development and marketing. He came to see during the transition that he was just plain wrong. Smart people privately convinced him.
The third surprise stands alone. Once Trump hired campaign professionals instead of members of his family and company, he came to see white evangelical Christians in a different light.
Evangelicals offered Trump chance to ally openly with a group getting away with the same ethnic, religious and racial prejudices Trump had always harbored. Helping him with this cynical epiphany was Kellyanne Conway. We see the nomination of aberrations like Jeff Sessions, Tom Price and, perhaps the worst, Betsy deVos.
The returns are final: Ted Cruz won the election, and he wasn’t even on the ballot.
Donald Trump has organized a coup d’etat against himself. Scary and weird.
1
Trump's acceptance by evangelicals illustrates the desperation and dishonesty of Evangelism. Such a generalization would be unfair if the support of Evangelicals and the religious right for Trump reflected their integrity. Evangelical and religious right opposition to women's rights expressed by them as opposition to abortion is patently dishonest, corrupt, and self serving. The zeal that these religious dupes advocate for the unborn has blinded them to the harm being done to born children who are threatened with the repeal of Obamacare, dismantling Medicaid, reducing WIC, food stamps, and the destruction of public education. These "religious" zealots also oppose sex education and birth control on "religious" grounds. Finally, this is a ruse by cynical power hungry white men to deprive all women of the right to healthcare and privacy based on paternalistic disenfranchisement subsequent to pregnancy. Women and men are equal until women become pregnant and they become pregnant when deprived of birth control and sex education.
The religious right have subverted the political process by violating the establishment clause of the First Amendment, and by violating tax exempt rules baring them from political action. Where is the ACLU and the Bar Association, and legal Academics? Absent?Silent? Their inaction and silence gives permission to the establishment of an American Religion, the American Taliban. All non-"Christians" should shudder in fear.
The religious right have subverted the political process by violating the establishment clause of the First Amendment, and by violating tax exempt rules baring them from political action. Where is the ACLU and the Bar Association, and legal Academics? Absent?Silent? Their inaction and silence gives permission to the establishment of an American Religion, the American Taliban. All non-"Christians" should shudder in fear.
1
Do we or do we not have a separation of church and state? It is pretty clear that we do, except we don't, because a conservative Supreme Court has obfuscated facts and historical principles. Indeed, alternative facts have plagued government for more than a century.
It should be clear by now that religious conservatives have systematically degraded Constitutional principles to suit their agenda. Personally, I have no animosity toward Christians, their teachings or their right to worship, but I take offense when they direct animosity towards me and other secularists.
This issue has been left to simmer for much too long. And as this article concludes - "The religious right has been elevated to power without having to contest its ideas in an election."
It should be clear by now that religious conservatives have systematically degraded Constitutional principles to suit their agenda. Personally, I have no animosity toward Christians, their teachings or their right to worship, but I take offense when they direct animosity towards me and other secularists.
This issue has been left to simmer for much too long. And as this article concludes - "The religious right has been elevated to power without having to contest its ideas in an election."
1
It's not only evangelicals. I have lived and practiced Roman Catholicism all my 72 years. And now I am horrified that 52% of Catholics voted for Trump. This is the consequence of the cynical Republican politicization of religion. When I attended a right to life dinner during the 1980 presidential campaign, I was greeted with a giant portrait of Ronald Reagan behind the speaker's table. That for me was the beginning of this scam. Under the cover of religion and patriotism, the GOP has worked an ugly economic and racist agenda that has dispossessed millions of Americans. Faith spouting hypocrites today have the temerity to vilify the genuine gospel values of Pope Francis in the name of the Church's Magisterium, which they cynically use as a legal code to club people over the head. Any truly religious person can see through the sanctimonious pretensions of the religious right which has labored long and hard to bring us (you ready for this?) Donald Trump.
1
It is hard to believe that a man of Donald Trump's purported sexual proclivities and business practices is a true believer in any of the things dear to his evangelical allies hearts but their enthusiastic participation in elections is key to any Republican becoming president. Trump is willing to give them what they want.
Mike Pence is his personal insurance policy. Republicans might be delighted to get rid of Trump and install Pence but they need the Democrats to do help. Democrats may hate Trump but they fear and loathe the likes of Pence, who is a true believer, even more.
Trump is a master manipulator, a man without conscience who even if he has never read Machaevelli is a true believer in one thing--the ends justify the means.
Mike Pence is his personal insurance policy. Republicans might be delighted to get rid of Trump and install Pence but they need the Democrats to do help. Democrats may hate Trump but they fear and loathe the likes of Pence, who is a true believer, even more.
Trump is a master manipulator, a man without conscience who even if he has never read Machaevelli is a true believer in one thing--the ends justify the means.
1
This just one of many Trojan Horses funded by Libertarians like the Koch brothers. It was all made easier by the Citizens United decision by the Supreme Court. Ultimately the super-rich will get what they want and the rest of us will suffer the consequences.
1
In this election, evangelicals overwhelmingly supported a lying, cheating, stealing serial adulterant, whose public statements suggest is unrepentant. These self-appointed moralists have thus forfeited any authority to pass judgment on the values and lapses of future candidate, and in fact, in the country's affairs in general. If only they had the self awareness to be more circumspect.
About 10 years ago, I came across a book called American Fascist by Chris Hedges. The book outlines the Christian right's desire to take over the government and make the United States into a Christian Nation. Many of the actors we now see in place behind this movement, were pushing their agenda at that time. I thought the book was well written and well-researched, but I basically read it and then put it aside. After the election of Donald Trump and his unflinching support from Christian radicals, I pulled out the book and read it again. One of the chapters in the book is called the "War on Truth." Mr. Hedges in an interview contained in the book stated in reference to the Democrats securing the votes of these individuals he said "I don't think they are up for grabs because they have been ushered into a non reality-based belief system." What I considered to be the impossible, has now become reality. I believe we are in precarious times.
1
Chris Hedges saw the reality of America that many chose to ignore in that, despite the so-called idea that there is suppose to be an "enshrined" idea of the separation of church and state in America, politicians, especially Republicans, have gone out of their way to regularly cater to specifically large Christian groups and of course, for the purpose of courting their votes. This is something, by the way, that compared to the western industrialized democracies, is quite unique to America. The idea that a politician is doing this without some "quid pro quo", is being very naive and after all these years of trying, Americans now have a government that will be in essence, a Christian Theocracy.
The so-called Christian Right has been planning this for decades. Here's a blog that talks about it: https://www.autostraddle.com/i-was-trained-for-the-culture-wars-in-home-...
These people have completely sold out their own values as Christians, preferring power to love. They've sold their souls to their own devil. And they are doing it in small congregations around the country. A woman I know was troubled by Trump's lack of morals, yet her pastor convinced her that forgiveness was the way to go, so that she could vote for him in good conscience. The twisting of values needed to arrive at this decision is breathtaking. Yet these lambs go willingly to the slaughter for a cause they don't really understand.
The country is not going to become a conservative, fundamentalist Christian country. Various religious groups successfully live inside the secular society we have, such as the Amish. It works because they understand the notion of rendering unto Caesar vs. rendering unto God. They live in peace as they wish. These evangelical Christians refuse to respect this instruction from their own savior, and it will be their undoing. They aren't listening to their hearts. They've let their hearts atrophy.
These people have completely sold out their own values as Christians, preferring power to love. They've sold their souls to their own devil. And they are doing it in small congregations around the country. A woman I know was troubled by Trump's lack of morals, yet her pastor convinced her that forgiveness was the way to go, so that she could vote for him in good conscience. The twisting of values needed to arrive at this decision is breathtaking. Yet these lambs go willingly to the slaughter for a cause they don't really understand.
The country is not going to become a conservative, fundamentalist Christian country. Various religious groups successfully live inside the secular society we have, such as the Amish. It works because they understand the notion of rendering unto Caesar vs. rendering unto God. They live in peace as they wish. These evangelical Christians refuse to respect this instruction from their own savior, and it will be their undoing. They aren't listening to their hearts. They've let their hearts atrophy.
Trump has found religion. The question is, what is his religion? He has been in the evangelical world for longer than we may realize. The evidence for that is his clear association with the evangelical pastor at his inauguration. It is important that we understand his cosmology. How does God work in the world and what does trump consider his role in God's plan. Certain people fly airplanes into buildings to fulfill God's Plan. The authoritarian, white, racist, nationalism has strong Christian philosophical underpinnings. It also explains the anti-science and, in particular, the anti-evolution foundations. Trump as God-king, with a very pliant and devoted worshippers, who want nothing more than to fulfill God's Plan.
The population of this country is divided at every level and engaged in a cold civil war. Right wing extremism has taken control of America and the process of transforming it to a fundamentalist theocracy is underway. Not only does this undermine the American core concepts of freedom of religion and the separation of church and state; the emerging position of a Christian nation with Islam as an enemy places us at odds with 20% of the world’s population and puts us on a path to global war. While this may be appealing to fundamentalist evangelicals and the war industrialists who buy our legislators, it puts the world in great peril. Demonstrations are a wonderful unifying activity, but definitive steps to counter this dangerous movement must be undertaken by the majority of the population who opposed a Trump presidency. These steps may necessitate societal disruption that not been seen in any of our lifetimes.
Democrats have ignored the religious right for too long. They are still a very powerful force in America. They remain out of sight until an election cycle, then come pouring out of their homes and churches like ants - heading straight to the voting booth. Trump received 81% of the white, evangelical vote. Obama was a good president, but he did not reach out to these people like he should have as president. I have relatives who attend Southern Baptist churches and more than one said you could feel the anti-Obama anger. The very people he was trying to help, the working poor to lower middle class, turned on him. Some of this was because he was black which he can't help but he did miss an opportunity to better communicate with and engage this demographic who by virtue of being spread out have an outsized influence on electoral votes. This should be a top priority for Democrats. It's a very difficult issue because you lose a lot them as soon as you say "pro choice" but it needs to be addressed.
3
Reaching out for what purpose? These so-called Christians only wish to support someone who completely serves their agenda, everything and everyone else not like them in thought and actions is inconsequential to their goals. They have no reason or the remotest desire for discussion or compromise on anything, they are incapable of doing so. Brainwashing tends to do that to some people.
I think it is important to keep the focus on the hostile takeover by corporate oil billionaires. The core issue is removing the sanctions from Russia and taking over our own public lands. The religious issues have always been just a ploy to get the vote of white rural and smalltown social conservatives. These people have one religion--money money money.
2
The media outrage against Trump is generating backlash.
No matter the defendant in court, the prosecutor cannot let outrage get ahead of what the jury feels. They'll turn from it. It will get harder to convince them.
The press is doing that. They preach to the converted, but they are building support for Trump too.
This media outrage is going to turn out badly for the media.
No matter the defendant in court, the prosecutor cannot let outrage get ahead of what the jury feels. They'll turn from it. It will get harder to convince them.
The press is doing that. They preach to the converted, but they are building support for Trump too.
This media outrage is going to turn out badly for the media.
9
Trump and Pence (especially Pence) prove irrefutably that religion is the buffoon's excuse for bigotry, violence and irrationality.
More than any other reason, religion has been the excuse for unimaginable death and destruction throughout history.
It seems to be a distinctly human trait...but it certainly is not humane.
More than any other reason, religion has been the excuse for unimaginable death and destruction throughout history.
It seems to be a distinctly human trait...but it certainly is not humane.
42
Before the election, I talked to a Mormon co-worker who was conflicted by the election. He did not want to vote for such a mean, racist, misogynist man, but on the other hand, he wanted a Republican in the White House to "save the Supreme Court." He then explained to me how the country was on a path to destruction because of its moral sickness. (I didn't have a chance to tell him at work that as a liberal Christian who has been fighting for women's and LBGT rights, I also thought the nation was suffering from a moral sickness because of people like him. He would not understand.)
I don't know how he voted, but he's been very cheery since the election. He will get his Supreme Court justice.
I don't know how he voted, but he's been very cheery since the election. He will get his Supreme Court justice.
16
Eric--This kind of faith in "God" is the moral sickness, where the "faithful" use it to destroy others. To identify as a Christian, in the 21st century, is to admit to moral sickness. It's a cult of death, and early death for us all. Don't know about you, but I want to live. Religion poisons everything, and recent events are the most current proof.
2
So they sold their souls to the devil for a mess of pottage.
If they truly believed the teachings of Christ, how could they vote for him and continue to support him.
What about what Jesus said was the second greatest commandment, "Love thy neighbor as thyself?"
The only nationally known evangelical that stood up for Christian principles and opposed Donald Trump that I know of is Russell Moore of the SBC.
From Jerry Falwell Jr to Franklin Graham, they traded morality for political access.
The biblical way to change this nation is prayer and fasting. It doesn't say anything about becoming part of the power structure to change society.
They said that the early church turned the world upside down. No where is it mentioned in the book of Act that the apostles joined forces with the Roman government to bring about order and morality.
But these latter days Esaus are so determined to bring about Christ's kingdom in the USA that they decided it is up to them to get the job done and not the Lord. Jesus does not need anyone help to establish his kingdom on the earth.
Moreover, they say they love their neighbor. Yet they voted for a man who promised to take healthcare from their neighbors and the poor. They voted for a man who is a misogynistic materialistic prideful individual.
But they should take heed to what the prophet said,"he that soweth to the wind shall reap the whirlwind." There's a storm coming to America as a result of President Trump's actions.
If they truly believed the teachings of Christ, how could they vote for him and continue to support him.
What about what Jesus said was the second greatest commandment, "Love thy neighbor as thyself?"
The only nationally known evangelical that stood up for Christian principles and opposed Donald Trump that I know of is Russell Moore of the SBC.
From Jerry Falwell Jr to Franklin Graham, they traded morality for political access.
The biblical way to change this nation is prayer and fasting. It doesn't say anything about becoming part of the power structure to change society.
They said that the early church turned the world upside down. No where is it mentioned in the book of Act that the apostles joined forces with the Roman government to bring about order and morality.
But these latter days Esaus are so determined to bring about Christ's kingdom in the USA that they decided it is up to them to get the job done and not the Lord. Jesus does not need anyone help to establish his kingdom on the earth.
Moreover, they say they love their neighbor. Yet they voted for a man who promised to take healthcare from their neighbors and the poor. They voted for a man who is a misogynistic materialistic prideful individual.
But they should take heed to what the prophet said,"he that soweth to the wind shall reap the whirlwind." There's a storm coming to America as a result of President Trump's actions.
23
because trmp himself has no core values or beliefs beyond the magnificence of himself, anyone who can appeal to his vanity or promise him a roomful of cheering cretins and get him to put forward his agenda. He is on record saying that he doesn't care one way or the other about abortion because it doesn't affect him, and was previously on record as pro-choice.
The bonus of course is that his deranged tweeting and bizarre obsessive non-sequiters related to his size insecurities provide a smokescreen of chaos and stupidity, which is what he, after all, is made of.
The bonus of course is that his deranged tweeting and bizarre obsessive non-sequiters related to his size insecurities provide a smokescreen of chaos and stupidity, which is what he, after all, is made of.
25
Very little about this election is more infuriating than the sheer hypocrisy of the religious right, supporting the loose morals of a thrice-married, serial adulterer (a man I could say much worse about, in many realms), merely for opportunistic, political reasons.
And the blindness of their thinking- that abandoning hundreds of thousands of women and children to the healthcare system- without insurance- is somehow not evil, but that family planning to prevent those tragedies is.
God forgive them.
And the blindness of their thinking- that abandoning hundreds of thousands of women and children to the healthcare system- without insurance- is somehow not evil, but that family planning to prevent those tragedies is.
God forgive them.
49
Quick question here: When have the Christian Conservatives, formally Religious Right not been defined by "sheer hypocrisy?" Does the name Newt Gingrich ring a bell. Also thrice married, also an adulterer. Yet these same folks rallied around him as a political savior.
Me, as a person of deep faith hold myself to high standards, way higher than I might expect of others. These people hold everyone else to standards these couldn't even recognize if they were in the same room with.
Me, as a person of deep faith hold myself to high standards, way higher than I might expect of others. These people hold everyone else to standards these couldn't even recognize if they were in the same room with.
1
If said god exists I hope it does not forgive them. No mercy.
This group seems to view the 10 Commandments very selectively. They are more about controlling others than upholding values.
If the GOP were truly the party of family values--they would be demanding prenatal care, birth control information, childhood health benefits, and better old age/disability care. Funny, they instead are rushing to repeal the ACA which is predicted to cause 40,000 deaths the first year of repeal.
If the GOP were truly the party of family values--they would be demanding prenatal care, birth control information, childhood health benefits, and better old age/disability care. Funny, they instead are rushing to repeal the ACA which is predicted to cause 40,000 deaths the first year of repeal.
43
I think we have an epidemic of people lacking the ability to check themselves, to visit their own motives, to muster the self-reflection to understand what or who is doing the driving in their mind and lives. This would be a 'muscle' seriously underused for many claiming the religious cloak since it's all too easy to hide behind their claim to religion to rationalize everything they do. And most of the time when I press, their argument is not based in THE WORD, but some brand of "alternative facts" which easily fall apart. Wrong doing and hidden agendas sneaking around behind religion are 'especially' vile and cowardice to me.
1
The religious right just fell into the perfect storm of a candidate who had no other strings, yet had tapped into voter fears sufficiently, and was running against a flawed candidate. He was wide open and ripe to influence and pandering - truly the exquisite puppet. They were smart, or lucky enough - not sure which-- to figure that out early enough to glom onto the ego stroking required to manipulate him. The irony is he thinks he is in charge!
18
Can we please stop referring to Mrs. Clinton as a flawed candidate? The only flawed candidate that I saw in this past election is the one who has been showing us for the past week what a flawed president looks like and how dangerous he may prove to be for our Republic.
2
Trump = puppet is correct. White supremacist and puppet master, fascist Steve Bannon is Trump's White House senior strategist. Does nobody pay attention to who really is really running Trump's show? Bannon is running helter skelter as fast as possible to impose Fascism on the USA. Has nobody noticed?
The self-proclaimed "religious conservatives", whether they are Saudi Arabian Wahhabi or Americans are neither religious nor conservative. They are and should be called for what they really are misogynist and homophobic bigots.
The US Constitution declares religious freedom that guarantees the human right to women to chose whether to have an abortion or not based on her own faith and not on the professed faith of some politician. Doctors performing abortions are doing God's work providing healthcare to women. Healthcare that misogynist politicians want to take away.
Similarly the US Constitution protects the men or women to love each other and they are free to celebrate their love as they please in the privacy of their bedroom regardless of gender. Yet homophobes want to bud in and stop it.
Hatred against abortion and hatred against homosexuality have the same historical roots in the need for high fertility rates to create large armies by blood thirsty emperors needing soldiers for their imperialist wars.
The US Constitution declares religious freedom that guarantees the human right to women to chose whether to have an abortion or not based on her own faith and not on the professed faith of some politician. Doctors performing abortions are doing God's work providing healthcare to women. Healthcare that misogynist politicians want to take away.
Similarly the US Constitution protects the men or women to love each other and they are free to celebrate their love as they please in the privacy of their bedroom regardless of gender. Yet homophobes want to bud in and stop it.
Hatred against abortion and hatred against homosexuality have the same historical roots in the need for high fertility rates to create large armies by blood thirsty emperors needing soldiers for their imperialist wars.
43
Trump will surely prove himself to be the Tartuffe of our politics. The sanctimonious hypocrisy displayed by him and the religious right, obnoxious as it is, is not what bothers me most, however. More disturbing is the sort of claim by Michael L. Brown, cited by Ms. Goldberg, that Trump's election was a matter of divine intervention. Similar claims have been made in other campaigns, with voters saying a candidate has a better connection to God or that that candidate channels God's will. Such assertions are merely reformulations of the old notion of the divine right of kings, to which our Declaration of Independence and the Preamble to our Constitution stand as rebuke.
The divine right of kings and the attempt to secure the imprimatur of the state for one's own religion are two sides of the same coin of authoritarianism, crutches for those whose confidence in their legitimacy or their faith is weak. Hence the crucial importance of our First Amendment and the Article VI prohibition on religious tests for office.
In this regard, but on a lighter note, when Rev. Franklin Graham suggested the rain that started to fall as Trump began his inaugural address was a sign of divine favor, I was reminded of the title of a book by Judge Judy: "Don't Pee on My Leg and Tell Me It's Raining."
The divine right of kings and the attempt to secure the imprimatur of the state for one's own religion are two sides of the same coin of authoritarianism, crutches for those whose confidence in their legitimacy or their faith is weak. Hence the crucial importance of our First Amendment and the Article VI prohibition on religious tests for office.
In this regard, but on a lighter note, when Rev. Franklin Graham suggested the rain that started to fall as Trump began his inaugural address was a sign of divine favor, I was reminded of the title of a book by Judge Judy: "Don't Pee on My Leg and Tell Me It's Raining."
52
Frank Graham may have been sincere in his "divine favor" view of the rainfall on Trump, but Trump himself in his usual 'opposite day' mode has repeatedly insisted that the rain stopped the moment he began to speak. Fog lifted. Sun shone.
In deference to Graham the younger, then, it appears that God was enjoying the party until Trump began to speak and reminded him of how big of a mess he'll be needing to clean up soon. It's never an easy day in heaven, I guess.
In deference to Graham the younger, then, it appears that God was enjoying the party until Trump began to speak and reminded him of how big of a mess he'll be needing to clean up soon. It's never an easy day in heaven, I guess.
The Christian Right and the Trump Cabinet are a direct assault on the separation of church and state. They intend nothing short of religious persecution of all non-christian and non-believing Americans. The Founders were very cognizant of religious persecution that occurred in Europe and were very clear that it should not happen here. Another inconvenient fact to interfere with Trumps "alternative facts" pseudo-reality.
63
At this stage, the only peaceful resolution for America will be secession of the more progressive states (West and East Coasts, Chicago enclave) from the rest of the backward heartland committed to living in a regressive theocracy. If Trump is so accepting of Russian annexation of Crimea, he should demonstrate similar resignation towards the people's will.
50
The peaceful resolution will be the next elections.
Democrats and the media would do better to focus on that, on building up what the voters want instead of what Trump is doing.
The negative outrage attack is furthering what failed for Hillary.
Democrats and the media would do better to focus on that, on building up what the voters want instead of what Trump is doing.
The negative outrage attack is furthering what failed for Hillary.
6
There are many smaller progressive enclaves that will oppose the iron hand of oppression when it strikes. Here in my part of the Midwest the few blue counties stand out in a sea of red. No doubt the coasts have the numbers and financial clout to secede, but elsewhere the battle will be granular, discontinuous. Of course, the coasts stand to suffer when it comes to feeding their people. And many a secular humanist in Jesusland, who has thought it no big thing to don the mantle of piety to blend in, will be flushed out and compelled to stand up for the values they purport to uphold, or face the consequences.
1
This would be a disaster for all the rest of the progressive members of this nation, who would be subjected to perpetual right-wing rule without their electoral votes.
And how could such a thing ever take place? It's nonsensical.
Instead, we must ALL energize, mobilize under one party, the Democratic party. Otherwise, we'll continue to fall prey to this dreadful state of affairs currently afflicting our nation.
And how could such a thing ever take place? It's nonsensical.
Instead, we must ALL energize, mobilize under one party, the Democratic party. Otherwise, we'll continue to fall prey to this dreadful state of affairs currently afflicting our nation.
Multiple media sources reported President Trump's new approval rating is 59%. People want to see judicious spending, know who is in this country and coming here, and they want to deter illegals from entering. Many religious people (not only evangelicals) have a strong opinion about pro-life and their dollars going to federal funding. Whether you agree with the decision or not (I do not care) people need to be tolerant of someone's else's opinion before they are verbally or physically assaulted. The left is inclusive only when convenient and when it benefits them; this is hypocrisy.
15
I will refrain from commenting on any of the other points you raised, whatever my opinion on them. What I will say is that there are no federal funds for abortion. That is a fact cemented by Congress' approval of the Hyde Amendment in 1976. It was a reaction prompted by the Roe v. Wade ruling.
In addition, there is no federal budget line item for Planned Parenthood to provide abortions either. Any funding for the organization involves delivery of health services (screening, mammograms, health checks) for low-income women AND men.
In addition, there is no federal budget line item for Planned Parenthood to provide abortions either. Any funding for the organization involves delivery of health services (screening, mammograms, health checks) for low-income women AND men.
3
You've clearly misunderstood what being inclusive means, it doesn't mean lying down and being a door mat for religious extremists most of whom are not content to practice their beliefs personally and through example. No one is forcing you to have an abortion, use birth control or open your private life to minorities, people of religions other that conservative Christianity & people whose sexual orientation doesn't fit some out of context example from the bible. Hypocrisy is not exclusive to political / social views & the evangelical Christian communities support for Trump in exchange for a exaggerated level of influence is the ultimate betrayal of "values", in the end a deal with the devil is still defined by the devil's behavior.
2
Why are "pro-lifers'" against sex education and birth control. That would prevent many abortions that they seem so concerned about. Where is their concern for education, health care and justice for these unwanted children? They're on their own!
4
Trojan Horse Scenario Pt. II: The conservative Republican Congress obviously likes Pence, and not Trump. They want Pence, not Trump, as their President. So they wait for Trump to cross the line, which is inevitable. Then they allow Democrats to do the heavy lifting to impeach Trump, thereby avoiding most of the blame amongst the right-wing (the money will be on board beforehand). Result: a Pence presidency!! Probably for 6 or 7 years.
57
Mr. Pence has been a Governor, proven to be a stable choice. His religious beliefs, as a basis for shaping his values in life, is a good thing. The zone of conflict between religious values and Constitutional values is a narrow one, impasse on a specific issue shall not be unduly damaging.
Mr. Trump is the one who received the mandate to rule. He has won against severe odds, and the rules of our democracy are strong, making his efforts a fair game and a fair win. Deception, playing up on emotions and beliefs of people, in order to fetch their votes, can be considered as being smart yet legal. However, the first week of Presidency has revealed a distrubing trend, of alternate facts.
'You shall know the truth, and truth shal set you free' is a famous quote in Bible. In Hinduism we have a similar precept. Mr. Pence, per his track record, accepts this core Christian value, consequently makes him a safe choice.
The amoral disregard of facts, this non-acceptance of reality, wanting to control perceptions of reality, are trends which portends grave risks ahead. Whether such early indicators are errors in smart, amoral mode of thinking, or a psychological issue, is not clear yet. Either way, these are correctible, and course correction is really necessary.
Crossing a line here and there is not an issue, the shield of legitimacy which protects Trump Presidency is the combined strength of our democracy.
Mr. Trump is the one who received the mandate to rule. He has won against severe odds, and the rules of our democracy are strong, making his efforts a fair game and a fair win. Deception, playing up on emotions and beliefs of people, in order to fetch their votes, can be considered as being smart yet legal. However, the first week of Presidency has revealed a distrubing trend, of alternate facts.
'You shall know the truth, and truth shal set you free' is a famous quote in Bible. In Hinduism we have a similar precept. Mr. Pence, per his track record, accepts this core Christian value, consequently makes him a safe choice.
The amoral disregard of facts, this non-acceptance of reality, wanting to control perceptions of reality, are trends which portends grave risks ahead. Whether such early indicators are errors in smart, amoral mode of thinking, or a psychological issue, is not clear yet. Either way, these are correctible, and course correction is really necessary.
Crossing a line here and there is not an issue, the shield of legitimacy which protects Trump Presidency is the combined strength of our democracy.
This is exactly the GOP thinking. But before they turn it over to Pence, the GOP will get everything out of Trump it can while building an impeccable (to them) image for the little Indiana puppet.
3
How are Democrats going to impeach President Trump? Seriously?
2
Mike Pence has made his priorities crystal clear, in repeatedly intoning that his first allegiance is to "being Christian." Everything else, including being an American citizen, is distinctly secondary in his, shall we say politely, limited world. Trump elevated a failed and very unpopular hard right wing lunatic governor and the nation will pay a huge price. These extremist Christians are the antithesis of their "lord and savior," in their hatred of and venom towards women, particularly our sexuality. In their world, women are to be controlled, dictated to, and reduced to subservient chattel. Trump, as awful a human as he is, was simply their perfect cipher for gutting women's healthcare privacy and primacy. These people are practicing extremist Christian Sharia Law, and we must all do everything possible to prevent them from thoroughly destroying the Constitutional separation of church and state. We are not now, nor have we ever been, a "Christian nation," and they need to be stopped now. Women will die, both here and around the globe, because of these patriarchal extremists, and their blood will be on Trump's hands, on Pence's hands, on Paul Ryan's hands, and on the hands of every single sanctimoniously hypocritical right wing fraud in Congress. It is truly terrifying to imagine the carnage they will cause through their loathing of women. 1/27, 8:11 PM
10
Who would have ever imagined that President Trump would become an ally to those who had a religious belief system. Our country is fortunately heading in a new direction after eight years of being under the control of a secular Democratic Party.
It was not too long ago that religious folks were forced to go against their values and convictions and participate in wedding activities or pay large fines. Many went out of business and had their lives ruined.
Transgender people were allowed to use any restroom of their choosing disregarding the safety and privacy of those of the opposite sex.
Today the Washington March for Life had an energy that has not been seen in years. There were more participants than ever before which was due to the support of the current administration. It is the beginning of a new dawn and a new day and who would ever thought that this was possible. The times they are a changing and it is grand.
It was not too long ago that religious folks were forced to go against their values and convictions and participate in wedding activities or pay large fines. Many went out of business and had their lives ruined.
Transgender people were allowed to use any restroom of their choosing disregarding the safety and privacy of those of the opposite sex.
Today the Washington March for Life had an energy that has not been seen in years. There were more participants than ever before which was due to the support of the current administration. It is the beginning of a new dawn and a new day and who would ever thought that this was possible. The times they are a changing and it is grand.
3
Personal freedom, common sense, and public health are at odds with the religious dogma of a particular strain of Christianity (and probably fundamentalists of all stripes). Most Americans believe abortion should be safe legal and rare. They also believe family planning should be between a woman and her doctor, and only constrained by reasonable laws protecting society while maximizing freedom. The best way to find this balance is to provide comprehensive, science based, sex education and family planning to our society. Those who object can opt out for themselves and their family members, but they should remember that abstinence based sex education doesn’t work. And teen pregnancy rates and abortion numbers have fallen dramatically, particularly where long term contraceptives have been readily available (like Colorado until Republicans gutted their program).
7
I argued with my Catholic priest several months ago as to why we offer a prayer during the offertory at Mass for our soldiers, "especially those in harm's way." Don't our soldiers place others in "harm's way"? Four million Vietnamese, 200,000 Iraqi's dead, and so forth. Does our theology always need to paint the world black & white, ultimate good vs. ultimate evil? I argued that we should pray for our enemies, pray for our soldiers to lay down their arms, and pray for us to live in peace. Furthermore, it is hypocritical for Catholics (who voted in large numbers for Trump), to not allow a woman to make her own decisions about a pregnancy, deny birth control to her as immoral, but vote for a revolting Republican president who will impoverish children through dismantling needed social programs and increase their suffering during life. How can one be pro-life, pro-poverty and pro-killing simultaneously? Religion has always been better building walls than bridges, and we Catholics have put a great self-righteous wall-builder in charge.
4
It was interesting to compare the Women's March last Saturday and the Washington March for Life today. Today's March was mainly young college educated people with a few gray-haired folks. Last Saturday's had young people but many more grey-haired aging hippies.
The signs' slogans that were carried today were respectable and family friendly. Last weeks were R rated and quite obscene.
The speakers today used no profanity and were very articulate and polite and last Saturday's was riddled with vulgarities and crassness.
I think we can attribute the difference between the two marches as one had a religious overtone supported by the Republicans (today's) and last week's which was secular and very much a Democratic-supported one.
I much preferred the one today which had a very positive message and happy ambiance. The theme was the importance of life and how empowering choosing life is for women.
The signs' slogans that were carried today were respectable and family friendly. Last weeks were R rated and quite obscene.
The speakers today used no profanity and were very articulate and polite and last Saturday's was riddled with vulgarities and crassness.
I think we can attribute the difference between the two marches as one had a religious overtone supported by the Republicans (today's) and last week's which was secular and very much a Democratic-supported one.
I much preferred the one today which had a very positive message and happy ambiance. The theme was the importance of life and how empowering choosing life is for women.
2
You did not attend the Womens March so why make stuff up? Bus loads of high schoolers were brought to the MFL and a one-issue crowd was addressed.
Families including men and youngsters were all over the place in Denver. Many signs addressed the vulgar remarks of Donald Trump, the odd darling of the Theocracy Now crowd towards American women.
The importance of our Democracy and empowering all citizens is paramount to keep our institutions free of authoritarian or fundamentalist grip on our America.
Families including men and youngsters were all over the place in Denver. Many signs addressed the vulgar remarks of Donald Trump, the odd darling of the Theocracy Now crowd towards American women.
The importance of our Democracy and empowering all citizens is paramount to keep our institutions free of authoritarian or fundamentalist grip on our America.
I am a veteran and a firm believer in our Constitution and the Separation of Church and State. I swore an oath to defend the Constitution, including the First Amendment. I am also a retired science teacher and very upset that taxpayer’s money, money that we send in as taxes, will be funneled to religions for proselytization. I was so appalled at the low level of science literacy in our nation in the 1980s that I started teaching (compared to the rest of the world, we were ranked in the 20s then and a dismal 14 now). Since then I have fought for better science education in this country by being active in local and national educational groups. I fought against the teaching of creationism in public science classes and defended the teaching of evolution in them. I love science and I believe every citizen should have a basic understanding of it.
Now churches and religious schools are going to get much more taxpayer money to teach their dogma to their students in place of science. I resent my taxes funding religions that teach their beliefs as “science” and demean real scholarship. I have read the creationist “textbooks” and debated their “scientists” and found their “science” to be a mixture of fake facts and alternate realities. In the 80s our science literacy was a joke among the industrialize nations; Japan and Germany far surpassed us. As technology advances in the world, we cannot afford to raise a generation ignorant of scientific facts, concepts, and understanding.
Now churches and religious schools are going to get much more taxpayer money to teach their dogma to their students in place of science. I resent my taxes funding religions that teach their beliefs as “science” and demean real scholarship. I have read the creationist “textbooks” and debated their “scientists” and found their “science” to be a mixture of fake facts and alternate realities. In the 80s our science literacy was a joke among the industrialize nations; Japan and Germany far surpassed us. As technology advances in the world, we cannot afford to raise a generation ignorant of scientific facts, concepts, and understanding.
11
One reason Creationism gets a lot of skeptics is due to the fact a lot of its believers are unable to explain the dinosaurs. Most people are unaware but we are currently living in the second earth age.
The first earth age was the time between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 when God created the earth and then destroyed it probably related to the Rebellion of satan. This was when the dinosaurs existed. When God created Adam and Eve, satan had already fallen. Remember he was the head angel at one time.
We are now about to enter the third earth age which is the millennial kingdom, the rule and reign of Christ. We are at the end of the ability for man to govern himself which is what was predicted to happen at the turning of the age. Luke 21:25 specifically mentions "upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity".
Those who are found worthy will rule and reign with Christ for 1000 years in glorified bodies. The earth will be restored and there will be no war. The non believers who survive the coming Tribulation will have earthly bodies.
Evolution is a lie! Open your Eyes people!! The signs are everywhere!
The first earth age was the time between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 when God created the earth and then destroyed it probably related to the Rebellion of satan. This was when the dinosaurs existed. When God created Adam and Eve, satan had already fallen. Remember he was the head angel at one time.
We are now about to enter the third earth age which is the millennial kingdom, the rule and reign of Christ. We are at the end of the ability for man to govern himself which is what was predicted to happen at the turning of the age. Luke 21:25 specifically mentions "upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity".
Those who are found worthy will rule and reign with Christ for 1000 years in glorified bodies. The earth will be restored and there will be no war. The non believers who survive the coming Tribulation will have earthly bodies.
Evolution is a lie! Open your Eyes people!! The signs are everywhere!
1
It only stands to reason if conditions were ripe for a head angel rebellion a mass dinosaur extinction was inevitable.
We are a consensus nation, and of course we are not static & unanimous.
I acknowledge that our Protestant founded & dominated nation to a large extent is implicit as the major influence or the standards upholder of USA culture by way of laws and customs.
Blue laws & anti-abortion laws are legal examples.
And the Volstead Amendment of circa 1919-1933 was indeed probably due to inspired religious derived moral influences.
The influence of traditional Catholicism, particularly re abortion is not deniable throughout the (seemingly) over-populated world.
We today as a nation are semi liberalized/semi conservatized.
Because there are few if any unanimous principles & absolutes.
Everybody is a subjective relativist, perhaps even the leading anti-relativism preacher Jerry Falwell senior, allegedly confessed he had once been a bootlegger.
Bootlegging of beer, wine, and whiskey is semi normative reality in some dry jurisdictions today.
DJT & MP as officially elected President & Vice-President are de facto leaders of anti-abortion.
I hereby regret predicting the federal exit of Roe vs Wade, and so the controversial phenomena will probably go to the decision of each State by referenda..
Blue States and Red States are seemingly also the future re guns, marriage,
and whatever.
The divisive future is State referenda a la marijuana today.
Supposedly one in three Californians wants to withdraw from the union.
Probably ditto re Texans.
I acknowledge that our Protestant founded & dominated nation to a large extent is implicit as the major influence or the standards upholder of USA culture by way of laws and customs.
Blue laws & anti-abortion laws are legal examples.
And the Volstead Amendment of circa 1919-1933 was indeed probably due to inspired religious derived moral influences.
The influence of traditional Catholicism, particularly re abortion is not deniable throughout the (seemingly) over-populated world.
We today as a nation are semi liberalized/semi conservatized.
Because there are few if any unanimous principles & absolutes.
Everybody is a subjective relativist, perhaps even the leading anti-relativism preacher Jerry Falwell senior, allegedly confessed he had once been a bootlegger.
Bootlegging of beer, wine, and whiskey is semi normative reality in some dry jurisdictions today.
DJT & MP as officially elected President & Vice-President are de facto leaders of anti-abortion.
I hereby regret predicting the federal exit of Roe vs Wade, and so the controversial phenomena will probably go to the decision of each State by referenda..
Blue States and Red States are seemingly also the future re guns, marriage,
and whatever.
The divisive future is State referenda a la marijuana today.
Supposedly one in three Californians wants to withdraw from the union.
Probably ditto re Texans.
4
That Christian fundamentalists were able to pry into the administration of a man who believes in nothing except his own importance is not surprising. That these people have perverted their religion is acknowledged by Christian intellectuals, who share their values but grant the science they deny.
From the perspective of the Christian Right, it is science-accepting Catholics or liberal-leaning Episcopalians who have perverted Christianity. Just as from the perspective of ISIS, moderates are apostates. (I hear that America has taken roughly 45,000 ISIS fighters off the field of battle. Yet they keep coming. And moral support for terrorism is vast in the Muslim world.)
I think a place for the sacred is important, that no one should be persecuted for their beliefs. But finding a way for religionists to come to terms with the modern world, and helping secularists to tolerate religionists, is one of the great challenges still before us. It is not impossible. The pope today is a hero to the Left, yet in 1864 the pope condemned modern civilization altogether.
There is something inane and revolting about scientism. I don't accept the tribunal of science on every issue. Few, if any, battles of a fundamental import are settled eternally. Every generation has to face the challenges of human life anew. Secularists and religionists can oppose each other, but it might be better to talk. The self-righteousness on both sides is a significant obstacle to needed communication.
From the perspective of the Christian Right, it is science-accepting Catholics or liberal-leaning Episcopalians who have perverted Christianity. Just as from the perspective of ISIS, moderates are apostates. (I hear that America has taken roughly 45,000 ISIS fighters off the field of battle. Yet they keep coming. And moral support for terrorism is vast in the Muslim world.)
I think a place for the sacred is important, that no one should be persecuted for their beliefs. But finding a way for religionists to come to terms with the modern world, and helping secularists to tolerate religionists, is one of the great challenges still before us. It is not impossible. The pope today is a hero to the Left, yet in 1864 the pope condemned modern civilization altogether.
There is something inane and revolting about scientism. I don't accept the tribunal of science on every issue. Few, if any, battles of a fundamental import are settled eternally. Every generation has to face the challenges of human life anew. Secularists and religionists can oppose each other, but it might be better to talk. The self-righteousness on both sides is a significant obstacle to needed communication.
3
Yes, we will probably be once again dragged back to the dark days of the Bush era and it will be awful but with one difference. They have chosen as their standard bearer a twice divorced man who likely cheated on all of his wives, alluded in a radio interview his desire for his then pregnant girlfriend to have an abortion, proclaimed his support for birth control in that same interview to protect himself from unwanted children, has stated that he uses his celebrity to grope and kiss women without their consent, has been accused of multiple cases of sexual harassment and assault, promoted gambling as a business, has been implicated in fraudulent behavior, lies on a daily basis, and curses at and denigrates anyone and everyone who he thinks is less then him or gets in his way. Every time they argue family values, we will throw the man they elected president in their faces. Every time they push "traditional marriage," we will point out that they thought a multiple divorcee and serial adulterer was fit for the presidency, they want to punish sex, you elected a man who bragged about grabbing women's genitals, has frequently had sex outside of marriage, and obviously is not averse to birth control. In supporting Trump, they have exposed the shallowness of their convictions and the emptiness of their beliefs. While they claim to be motivated by a sense of religious piety, they have show themselves really to be more concerned with power.
12
The real test of where America stands is the next election. No matter how competent, the Republican candidate must be voted out of office. Only a dramatic rejection of the Republican Party on the Federal. State, and Local levels of government can break the tyranny and the power of intimidation Trump supporters have over the Republican Party and the United States. Any educated person must recognize the fascist policies of the current Republican party. A measure of how far the latter has deviated from its soul is that it was the Republican President and General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who led the fight to defeat fascism in Europe.
5
I am in favor of taxing churches at this point. Sure, the argument will come up that it is unconstitutional. But it is painfully obvious that the line between church and state has been being crossed by these institutions for a long time. Churches have and do, in their own ways, encourage their congregations to vote for whichever candidate supports christian values (which is almost always the conservative candidate). Its jaw dropping to me that people still adhere to such religious beliefs at this point in time, but they do. And since churches have become so interested in politics lately, let them pay their own way like everybody else.
12
From ProCon.org:
A tax exemption is a privilege, not a right. Governments have traditionally granted this privilege to churches because of the positive contribution they are presumed to make to the community, but there is no such provision in the US Constitution. [25]
A tax exemption is a privilege, not a right. Governments have traditionally granted this privilege to churches because of the positive contribution they are presumed to make to the community, but there is no such provision in the US Constitution. [25]
1
The teachings of Jesus are clear in the Beatitudes and in his insistence in identifying with the hungry, thirsty, homeless, imprisoned, and infirm: the Anawim. The scriptures tell us that he was an exiled refugee child and a working class carpenter before beginning his ministry of healing and redemption. He warned against loading people down with impossible burdens, scorned those who paraded their piety, and excoriated lawyers and hypocrites as a brood of vipers. Surely sincere believers can find countless opportunities to do good and serve justice and charity without wasting energy on culture war issues like abortion. Raise taxes to provide quality health care; advocate for fair housing; educate a child; support care for what Pope Francis calls our common home, Earth, our one and only planet. Then believers might be recognized as the light of the world and the salt of the earth, and they could avoid Faustian contracts with Trumpery.
13
This is how we rebuild Democrats. Not outrage, but rather our own principles.
2
Abortion isn't just a "culture war issue." It is, to many, a moral issue, plain and simple.
2
and if abortion is so terrible to these people, how about if they also take on taking care of and responsibility for all these unwanted children. MK
1
It surely is okay to be inspired by religious values and even heed to the sensitivities of religiously motivated constituency. But it is disconcerting to see the foundational value of US Constitution, that of separation of State from the State being questioned by several high ranking members of the Executive.
Hope these honorable folks realize that US is the first nation in human history which made this clear cut distinction. The greatness of America as a civilization, its amazing vitality and sustenance of creative spark which has made this nation play a spectacular role in making of modern man, drawing upon energy and inspiration from all corners of Earth, has much to with this pathbreaking Constitutional ideal, which enabled human spirit free to soar beyond limitations and precepts of yesteryears.
The debate on abortion can be also framed per ethical and human rights criteria, and perhaps pass the legal test while being consistent with religious values. The set of exceptions any new law is quite likely to make, shall be pragmatic ones, thereby reconcile various aspects to it.
Likewise, the exceptions being made to Christian minorities, escaping religious discrimination from nations with a state religion, think may also passes the Constitutional sanctity test.
The real test for separation of state from religion is whether state sees any particular religion as a religion or the religion. The outcome of this limus test hopefully shall be for ever green.
Hope these honorable folks realize that US is the first nation in human history which made this clear cut distinction. The greatness of America as a civilization, its amazing vitality and sustenance of creative spark which has made this nation play a spectacular role in making of modern man, drawing upon energy and inspiration from all corners of Earth, has much to with this pathbreaking Constitutional ideal, which enabled human spirit free to soar beyond limitations and precepts of yesteryears.
The debate on abortion can be also framed per ethical and human rights criteria, and perhaps pass the legal test while being consistent with religious values. The set of exceptions any new law is quite likely to make, shall be pragmatic ones, thereby reconcile various aspects to it.
Likewise, the exceptions being made to Christian minorities, escaping religious discrimination from nations with a state religion, think may also passes the Constitutional sanctity test.
The real test for separation of state from religion is whether state sees any particular religion as a religion or the religion. The outcome of this limus test hopefully shall be for ever green.
1
Was that 81 percent of all evangelicals or 81 percent of all evangelicals that voted? I wonder what percentage of registered evangelicals showed up to vote. Regardless of the answer, the fact that 81 percent of any group of evangelicals voted for Donald Trump is a sure sign of extreme ignorance, apathy, or willingness to make a pact with the devil.
The problem is not with the church itself. The church doesn't change with the shifting of the winds. But its members most certainly do.
Of course I'm probably only saying this because I belong to that mythical group called the left- that would be the left defined as the opposite of the right. Can everyone just stop aligning with the left and the right and have the courage to align with the truth wherever it may lead?
Unfortunately I don't think truth seeking landed us with Hilary or Donald. However, the pragmatist will not sit at home but vote for the lesser of two evils. Not sure which one that was? Which one would you trust the most alone with your children? I think well over 81% of evangelicals would not pick Trump for that one because safety comes first. So why did you vote him in as president so he could always be within shouting distance of the nuclear football?
It's hard to see just what prayer Donald Trump was an answer to.
The problem is not with the church itself. The church doesn't change with the shifting of the winds. But its members most certainly do.
Of course I'm probably only saying this because I belong to that mythical group called the left- that would be the left defined as the opposite of the right. Can everyone just stop aligning with the left and the right and have the courage to align with the truth wherever it may lead?
Unfortunately I don't think truth seeking landed us with Hilary or Donald. However, the pragmatist will not sit at home but vote for the lesser of two evils. Not sure which one that was? Which one would you trust the most alone with your children? I think well over 81% of evangelicals would not pick Trump for that one because safety comes first. So why did you vote him in as president so he could always be within shouting distance of the nuclear football?
It's hard to see just what prayer Donald Trump was an answer to.
9
The sage advice of Jesus about what to render unto whom has been lost since Constantine conflated Christianity with the Roman state. Christianity has abrogated the power of the State unto itself ever since and it chafes at any argument to the contrary.
Reading that the director of the CIA actually believes in The Rapture is terrifying. Christians have been waiting for the return of Jesus since Paul, but generation after generation has been disappointed that he failed to arrive during their own oddly special lifetimes. As an atheist I can only pray that this cabinet of zealots doesn't attempt speed their dark fantasies that they perceive to be the true content of Revelations.
Reading that the director of the CIA actually believes in The Rapture is terrifying. Christians have been waiting for the return of Jesus since Paul, but generation after generation has been disappointed that he failed to arrive during their own oddly special lifetimes. As an atheist I can only pray that this cabinet of zealots doesn't attempt speed their dark fantasies that they perceive to be the true content of Revelations.
15
Democrats, secularists, the media and professional politicians have themselves largely to blame for Trump obtaining the Republican nomination and ultimately getting elected. Bernie Sanders was treated as a second class contender from the very beginning. Clinton was viewed as the, "serious," and "mature," candidate because of her experience and longevity in the public eye. Trump was viewed as self destructive and they believed or hoped at least that, cooler heads, (voters) would prevail and pick one of his experienced opponents. Sanders was dismissed as, "out there," and too far, "left," by media elites. No major democratic politicians were brave or bold enough to abandon Hillary and support his candidacy. There was no way the democratic machine was ever going to consider Sanders or let him get the nomination. They had Clinton as their candidate before the primaries began and were staunchly opposed to him. For evidence look what happened to party chairwoman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Well now because of all their, "smart choices," we have this fool for president.
12
Exactly.
They listened to themselves, instead of to the larger pool of voters who could swing the election.
Now they are still doing the same.
They listened to themselves, instead of to the larger pool of voters who could swing the election.
Now they are still doing the same.
3
We didn't vote for him. We have no blame for this. Be a true conservative and accept responsibility for your own choices.
2
To make America great again, we need to make it ethical again. In this effort, balance is everything. Brutal, take no prisoners hyper capitalism as a guiding economic policy is the principal reason we have gotten to our current broken state. And in the service of hyper capitalism, lawmakers have enabled purveyors of religious zealotry to deeply adversely influence and step away from ethical and moral values that should be the first priority in modern secular governance. Religious ideology has no place in US politics. Our planet is already dangerously overpopulated with humans. Only ethical humans can save us from the slavery that keeps humans in bondage through fear. The obvious solution is to remove tax exempt status from organized religion.
18
I agree completely. But that's only step one. As humanity has progressed we've imbraced science until very recently. We need to work very hard at bringing back logic and science, as now with 8 billion of us its the ONLY way to survive.
And it all boils down to abortion. The thing that unites the hyper-religious to thoughtlessly shoot this Country dead while simultaneously making many secular non-delusional Citizens uneasy about candidates that stand up to those hyper-religious.
All because most people cannot grasp that a free fully vested person by our Constitution has rights to their OWN body that supersede the rights of a clump of somewhat parasitic cells that factually is not a full person.
I have children and grandchildren - all of which I'd die for. And frankly I really would be in an epic painful struggle - hopefully just with myself and my loved ones - if I felt the need to undertake a termination choice. None of it I take cavalierly.
My second paragraph may sound harsh but it's because facts are sometimes callous.
I believe a person has to have as much freedom and autonomy as possible if society is to claim it is free.
I believe people cannot help but make mistakes. I believe even if they don't exactly make mistakes accidents do happen and/or bad things will happen to them not exactly of their doing.
I also believe people should be able to sort out their lives as they chose if things go awry.
Yes sometimes freedoms and privacy take a backseat but only when factually demonstrated it's overwhelmingly necessary to uphold our Nation.
And yes - if a fetus can be viable outside the womb and taken out viable without undue stress to mother then do it - as long as WE own whatever ensues.
All because most people cannot grasp that a free fully vested person by our Constitution has rights to their OWN body that supersede the rights of a clump of somewhat parasitic cells that factually is not a full person.
I have children and grandchildren - all of which I'd die for. And frankly I really would be in an epic painful struggle - hopefully just with myself and my loved ones - if I felt the need to undertake a termination choice. None of it I take cavalierly.
My second paragraph may sound harsh but it's because facts are sometimes callous.
I believe a person has to have as much freedom and autonomy as possible if society is to claim it is free.
I believe people cannot help but make mistakes. I believe even if they don't exactly make mistakes accidents do happen and/or bad things will happen to them not exactly of their doing.
I also believe people should be able to sort out their lives as they chose if things go awry.
Yes sometimes freedoms and privacy take a backseat but only when factually demonstrated it's overwhelmingly necessary to uphold our Nation.
And yes - if a fetus can be viable outside the womb and taken out viable without undue stress to mother then do it - as long as WE own whatever ensues.
10
You are a thoughtful analytical person. This forsaken country needs more of your ilk to survive and thrive.
"Jeff Sessions, Mr. Trump’s choice for attorney general, has said that the idea of a 'wall of separation' between church and state 'is not constitutional and is not historical.'”
That statement is about as far from Democracy (and fact) as one can go. The horrible strife between religions, even between different sects of Christianity (Catholic vs Protestant) and different Moslem sects (as in the Middle East today) is the reason Democracy separates church and state, and allows no religion to use violence against another, nor to enforce its codes of conduct upon another. This is an aspect of Democracy lost upon the religious right.
If only Sessions were an unusual member of the Pence-Ryan-McConnell machinery. But he's just one of the troglodytes clearly in a hall of shame.
That statement is about as far from Democracy (and fact) as one can go. The horrible strife between religions, even between different sects of Christianity (Catholic vs Protestant) and different Moslem sects (as in the Middle East today) is the reason Democracy separates church and state, and allows no religion to use violence against another, nor to enforce its codes of conduct upon another. This is an aspect of Democracy lost upon the religious right.
If only Sessions were an unusual member of the Pence-Ryan-McConnell machinery. But he's just one of the troglodytes clearly in a hall of shame.
6
As a child I was raised, and went to school, in a Christian family. We prayed together daily. I considered becoming a pastor at one point, although I think that
is nothing special and many of my peers did also. Toward the end of high school
I started to see the troubling discrepancies between what Jesus taught and what I saw leaders of the church doing. Then, I noticed the gulf between the community leaders I was raised to respect and how they treated many folks. Frankly, I love the message of Jesus but I do not see it practiced by many and definitely not by these Anti-Choice zealots. As for Trump, if he is a Christian, I hope to go to hell.
is nothing special and many of my peers did also. Toward the end of high school
I started to see the troubling discrepancies between what Jesus taught and what I saw leaders of the church doing. Then, I noticed the gulf between the community leaders I was raised to respect and how they treated many folks. Frankly, I love the message of Jesus but I do not see it practiced by many and definitely not by these Anti-Choice zealots. As for Trump, if he is a Christian, I hope to go to hell.
4
Republican strategists are already planning their paths to victory in the next election cycle, and pandering to the politicized religious right ranks among their top priorities. Satisfying the demands of that segment of the electorate will reward the GOP handsomely in a mere two years. Just think of it as smart politics.
21
@ William
That's only true if the GOP is allowed to disenfranchise voters for specious reasons. Don't forget, the GOP can only win when they cheat (see RedMap Strategy, VoterID laws, and efforts to confuse with fake news and demonstrably false allegations).
Endorsing state voter ID's but refusing to allocate money to put such ID's in the hands of citizens, or even create PSA's announcing such changes, is a dead giveaway for the REAL reason the GOP pushes the idea of voter fraud. They're not interested in opening up the franchise. They only want the right kinds of people to be able to vote. And the gerrymandering makes sure it stays that way.
That's only true if the GOP is allowed to disenfranchise voters for specious reasons. Don't forget, the GOP can only win when they cheat (see RedMap Strategy, VoterID laws, and efforts to confuse with fake news and demonstrably false allegations).
Endorsing state voter ID's but refusing to allocate money to put such ID's in the hands of citizens, or even create PSA's announcing such changes, is a dead giveaway for the REAL reason the GOP pushes the idea of voter fraud. They're not interested in opening up the franchise. They only want the right kinds of people to be able to vote. And the gerrymandering makes sure it stays that way.
2
True enough, but they're getting away with it. Theirs is the long game: they keep chipping away at their goals, as they have done on abortion and health care and managing the Supreme Court. Now that they have more political power than ever, the odds are in their favor. I hope the Dems get their act together and chip away at these Republicans schemes designed to keep themselves in power indefinitely.
I fear many of those who call themselves "christian" are in name only. I have yet to meet one who acts like one. A label only for the "club". Disgusting folks.
71
America - under Trump and Pence you are becoming the Christian equivalent of theocratic countries such as Iran or Afghanistan when the Taliban controlled it. Actually, more like Afghanistan....Iran appears to believe in science. What a sad commentary that a regressive Islamic country such as Iran is more intellectually open than the Trump/Pence America
50
Trump/Pence not worth thrupence.
"Liberal Utopia" was just within your grasp with Bernie Sanders- But the DNC [and this paper] cast the old man aside in favor of Hillary and her 20 year old mainstay- centrist message. A message that not only excluded the middle class and working poor but continued to feed the wealthy 1% of this nation- including herself. She deserved to lose- she was a horrible candidate. Bernie could have been President and Trump would have disappeared into obscurity. Now he is here and hard right nationalism and religious puritanism is making a huge resurgence. This is the fault of the liberal media [NYT, Huffington Post and MSNBC], the acted on outdated campaign methodology and completely misread voter sentiment. You had your chance and you blew it!!!
19
Here's a story I heard. There was a toddler who was very hungry. He/she was given the choice between eating an apple (healthy and nutritious, but, admittedly, a bit boring) and drinking castor oil. That was the only choice available. The child threw a tantrum and said he/she wanted an unhealthy, but pleasing Mars bar, full of sugar but not much real nutrition, but the Mars bar was no longer available. After several tantrums, the child was told that the only choice was between the apple and castor oil and that, if s/he continued with his/her tantrums, the apple would be taken away, and only castor oil would be left on the table. The story does not end well for the child.
2
I disagree with the facile assumption that Sanders would have beaten Trump. Sadly, I believe that Trump's style (vulgarity abetted by ignorance) resonated more deeply among a large swath of disaffected voters.
Perhaps hard-core Sanders supporters should have focused more on stopping Trump and less on venting their sour grapes against Clinton.
Perhaps hard-core Sanders supporters should have focused more on stopping Trump and less on venting their sour grapes against Clinton.
8
You didn't buy a lottery ticket, but you're angry you didn't win the lottery. Console yourself blaming H supporters if you wish, but the "progressives" who piously withheld their vote from Hillary in the general election are the ones who gave us Donald Trump. That includes Jill Stein voters and the sanctimonious purists who just sat on their hands. Enjoy feeling superior for 4 years.
4
It is always shocking to realize that the "Religious Right" - I would hesitate to call them Christian - is prepared to defend the unborn but perfectly willing to stand by and watch children go to school hungry, to deprive them of decent medical care and a good education. Why is life more important when it is in a woman's womb that when it is walking around, talking and thinking? I resent that the "religious right" has pirated the word Christian to put in front of their names. I was baptized a Catholic 65 years ago and after many years of Catholic education I think I know what the lessons in in New Testament were about - giving to the poor, love, forgiveness, all are created equal, treat others as you want to be treated - not exactly what the "Religious Right" espouses. Let them say what they want - spew their hatred - but leave Jesus Christ out of it!
87
Very well stated! I also feel personally offended that they hijacked the word "Christian", giving it a bad reputation! I was born and raised Catholic in a pretty conservative family, but the emphasis was always on respecting poorer people, giving to them, sharing with them, and always feeling that our good economic situation was a result of luck, rather than the hard work both my parents put into it. They had humility, something that seems to be gone from the conversation in current USA. While I am no longer religious, I respect so many religious (and non religious) people I know, who are moved by true compassion and a desire to help those who are less lucky than they are. These fundamentalist "Christian" people have nothing to do with the true message of the Gospel. In fact, I really wonder whether they have ever read it. If they had, they could not be possibly driven by such hatred and hypocrisy.
6
Apparently it has nothing to do with the sanctity of life: unwanted pregnancy is a punishment for sinful women who have sex outside of marriage and trying to get an abortion is trying to get out of God's punishment. That's why whenever they cite why we shouldn't have abortion they invariably put forward the idea of slutty women having repeated abortions.
What they completely ignore is that the Bible has a passage in it advising that if a husband feels his wife has gotten pregnant by another man he should force her to drink "bitter waters" aka an abortion inducing potion in order to avoid having to raise another man's child. So abortion is OK if a man wants it.
What they completely ignore is that the Bible has a passage in it advising that if a husband feels his wife has gotten pregnant by another man he should force her to drink "bitter waters" aka an abortion inducing potion in order to avoid having to raise another man's child. So abortion is OK if a man wants it.
6
The question could be answered easily by reminding people that through the life in a woman's womb woman can be controlled, put down and held accounted for all the mistakes men (and some women) made. It's the symbol of those who want to deprive us women of all the rights we have fought for in the past.
Basically it has nothing to do with religion, really; only with the fact that more lazy, arrogant men want to 'put women in their place' - the one that these men are 'kindly' giving to us.
Basically it has nothing to do with religion, really; only with the fact that more lazy, arrogant men want to 'put women in their place' - the one that these men are 'kindly' giving to us.
2
In a highly divided country, as America is today, we should expect coalitions of people who don't agree but are willing to share power with each other in order to each get some of what they want. This shouldn't be surprising, and it isn't nefarious; it's how democracy works in practice. If you aren't willing to work with people with whom you have serious disagreements, then it's going to be pretty hard to win elections and get any of what you want accomplished. (DNC, take note!)
5
Just imagine what the election results would have been had the left not been blaming all the countries problems on white Christians for the past 8 years.
2
If your drive for power makes you willing to "work with" people who are the antithesis of everything you say you believe, you're called a hypocrite in any country.
Perhaps we need a new name for the evangelical conservatives as almost nothing they represent is Christian. In fact, a religious soul might argue the patently Unchristian values of the religious right might "out" the movement for what it is: hypocrites trying to force everyone to live in the 1950s again. Should we look for the mark of devil on Trump? :) They reject all science because it is based on fact and does not support their outdated views. As the author points out without saying it explicitly, they have their own version of reality and invent their own facts and narrative whenever it is convenient.
I wonder what the large group of Americans who care, but have not looked closely at the issue will think when they see the carnage. They are not just opposed to abortion, they are opposed to birth control and sex education, the two things that could actually reduce unwanted pregnancies. If that is not the height of hypocrisy, I don't know what is.
I propose we begin calling these hypocrites the "Evangelical Delusionists."
I wonder what the large group of Americans who care, but have not looked closely at the issue will think when they see the carnage. They are not just opposed to abortion, they are opposed to birth control and sex education, the two things that could actually reduce unwanted pregnancies. If that is not the height of hypocrisy, I don't know what is.
I propose we begin calling these hypocrites the "Evangelical Delusionists."
52
The only word that needs correcting is "evangelical" - it is not accurate. These people are fundamentalists and they are devoted to the old testament - Jesus only gets 'in' through the Trinity. You can see all their vengeful and punitive behaviors in the old testament - all very 'biblical', but you're right, not very Christ-like.
"I believe Trump has been elected president by divine intervention"
Mr. Putin has ascended to new heights. Who knew?
Mr. Putin has ascended to new heights. Who knew?
48
It is unfortunate the Religious Right seems to sway with the wind and supports a person whose vulgarity is legendary. On one hand, they abhor the idea of having government involved in running our country. On the other, they think they have the absolute right to insert themselves into the lives of women's individual health choices.
66
Well he said he drinks his little wine and eats his cracker. That Christina enough for him. I know the Fundamentalist don't cotton to science but I do hope they remember for every action their is an equal and opposite reaction.
Fundamentalist Christians read the Constitution in exactly the same manner they read the Bible, which is to pick and choose the passages they want and ignore the rest. Hypocrites every one of them. The need to resist the assault on our secular democracy has never been greater. If we fail, the Christian Taliban, led by Mike Pence, will fundamentally change our country in a way that will make us look more like Afghanistan than 21st century America.
135
I very much appreciate you using "fundamentalist" christian. I have long thought that the use of "Evangelical" was a deliberate strategy to avoid the truth - fundamentalism. Not all Evangelicals are fundamentalists - it only means 'spread the word'. Evangelical is now the only word used - and it is misleading and provides a great screen to hide behind. Fundamentalism (in all religions) is absolute, the 'book' is true, their 'god' it the only one, their 'prophet' is the best... This is Mike Pence, et al. They will control most of government agencies, because so many polite people think these are grandma's nice Methodists from childhood.
135
Janis - Oly, Wa.
I was a "cradle" (for many generations), Episcopalian but have stopped calling myself "a Christian" due to it's rather unsavory associations.
"When I was a child, I spoke as a child, understood as a child, thought as a child, but when I became grown up ........ ".
In my maturity, I'm now more Buddhist combined with my own recipe for how the world works.
If the recently confirmed C.I.A. director is under the mistaken impression that we are still fighting "the Crusades", as in "Onward Christian Soldiers ......", we are not.
I was a "cradle" (for many generations), Episcopalian but have stopped calling myself "a Christian" due to it's rather unsavory associations.
"When I was a child, I spoke as a child, understood as a child, thought as a child, but when I became grown up ........ ".
In my maturity, I'm now more Buddhist combined with my own recipe for how the world works.
If the recently confirmed C.I.A. director is under the mistaken impression that we are still fighting "the Crusades", as in "Onward Christian Soldiers ......", we are not.
3
There are shades of Buddhism too, and in Indonesia intolerance is rife.
1
Haiku
"Alternative 'facts' "---
Trump won by a billion votes....
Can't anyone count???
"Alternative 'facts' "---
Trump won by a billion votes....
Can't anyone count???
26
Certainly not Trump unless it's green and then its his accountants that count.
Two things. First, "sybarite" is a great word. Second, "In November, exit polls showed that Mr. Trump won 81 percent of white evangelicals, more than the born-again George W. Bush garnered in either of his races." truly proves that God works in mysterious ways.
12
Or god does not exist and pandering to hate and bigotry works. First it's abortion, then gay rights, next come contraception, divorce, censorship. When and where do we draw the line. More important how far do they plan on going.
1
People used to know "that even the Devil can quote Scripture".
They made their deal. They own it.
They made their deal. They own it.
2
My favorite current Trump-related word, far and away, is "emoluments".
1
If the devil said nice things about Trump, Trump would consider that "an asset."
39
This move hardly is surprising considering they share Trumps main motivation; absolute power.
20
Are we looking at the Anti-Christ in the White House? Mr. Trump is going to bring the end of the world with his fantasies!
21
Since the country is not majority conservative christian this republican strategy to implement right wing religious polices is not a formula for long term success. The right apparently still needs to learn that democracy is about compromise which is where we were on some of the main issues like abortion... and that ramming one's religion down the throats of the majority that doesn't share those "values" is a tragic mistake, not mention against one of the bedrock principles of our Constitution regarding religion.
17
Brown states his belief basically is God selected Trump for presidency? Let's go back to the Bible. Daniel 2:44 states God is establishing a kingdom that will destroy all human government (not by human hands) and his kingdom will last forever. Under God's kingdom ALL humans would benefit. Human government had their chance at trying to prove they can solve all mankind's problems - now they're just squatters.
If God did maneuver Trump to be president, people need to seriously ask themselves why because the Bible clearly states that earthly kings are his enemy. While Jesus was on earth he could've been King of Jerusalem (and beyond) and could've did a lot more good with his actions on earth than he already accomplished, but he stated many times that his kingdom was no part of this earth.
Proclaiming Christianity and involving yourself in politics serves as being a double-agent. For a very real human government on either side - that would lead to a death sentence. "Do not put your trust in princes nor in a son of man, who cannot bring salvation." - Psalms 146:3.
If God did maneuver Trump to be president, people need to seriously ask themselves why because the Bible clearly states that earthly kings are his enemy. While Jesus was on earth he could've been King of Jerusalem (and beyond) and could've did a lot more good with his actions on earth than he already accomplished, but he stated many times that his kingdom was no part of this earth.
Proclaiming Christianity and involving yourself in politics serves as being a double-agent. For a very real human government on either side - that would lead to a death sentence. "Do not put your trust in princes nor in a son of man, who cannot bring salvation." - Psalms 146:3.
7
We have the late Jerry Falwell to "thank" for the deep involvement of Christians in national politics. He was envious of the power and influence of the murdered Dr. Martin Luther King during their lives and he wanted to create a force with similar impact, only working not for civil rights but to impose the hard side of the Christian worldview on the rest of the nation. This has become an obsession with those who followed, the desire to correct the world and make it over in the image of their self asserted righteousness.
The idea that Christians should go forth and make the world right is a misdirection of Christianity. The Christian Bible admonishes followers to go forth and teach the word of Jesus, not correct the actions of others.
At the same time, far right Christians welcome to the idea of a murderous, cataclysmic war in the middle east because they believe it will herald the return of Christ. They embrace mass death as a means of a final cleansing of the earth of the evils of human life.
Some Christians even go so far as to say it doesn't matter if humans destroy the habitability of the planet because god will come along and correct things, by and by. I know of no place in the Bible or theologically based Christian teachings where it is taught, "Go ahead, create disaster for all humans. It is of no importance."
The way to honor beliefs about abortions is to not have one and teach your children to live in a manner that, barring crime, they won't need one.
42
You're too kind, Doug.
"The idea that Christians should go forth and make the world right is a misdirection of Christianity" ignores the fact that current Christian behavior is exactly the same perversion of faith that allows Islamic Radicals (There, I said it, and it feels goooood) to chop the heads off their neighbors.
These are evil Christians. Sinful and hateful Christians. Very bad Christians.
In my deepest soul, I know God is gonna get them. And in my all-too-human, other-judging sin, I can't wait.
"The idea that Christians should go forth and make the world right is a misdirection of Christianity" ignores the fact that current Christian behavior is exactly the same perversion of faith that allows Islamic Radicals (There, I said it, and it feels goooood) to chop the heads off their neighbors.
These are evil Christians. Sinful and hateful Christians. Very bad Christians.
In my deepest soul, I know God is gonna get them. And in my all-too-human, other-judging sin, I can't wait.
1
And it feels so good!
2
If these people truly cared about Life they would be marching for Trump to let the children take refuge in this country from Syria and other places where their lives are in danger.
56
That is a powerful point. That is the truth, standing out like a lighthouse above a sea of lies.
2
Henry the VIII created his own state church.
12
November 2018 cannot come quickly enough. Take back the congress.
Then unleash the 4 "eyed" monster:
Investigate, Indict, Impeach, Incarcerate.
I'm sure jailhouse cells will still be available 2 years from today, but if not, we'll gladly build a new jail from the remnants of The Wall of Shame.
The "I's" of Justice are look sharply upon POTUS and SCOTUS, and those who collude with them.
Then unleash the 4 "eyed" monster:
Investigate, Indict, Impeach, Incarcerate.
I'm sure jailhouse cells will still be available 2 years from today, but if not, we'll gladly build a new jail from the remnants of The Wall of Shame.
The "I's" of Justice are look sharply upon POTUS and SCOTUS, and those who collude with them.
19
Those who profess belief in Jesus Christ and endeavor to follow his example but support or voted for Donald J. Trump and Mike Pence have done great harm to the church of Jesus Christ. They have chosen worldly power over divine power, hate over compassion, fear over faith, greed over charity, arrogance and pride over humility. If Trump's election was indeed an intercessory act of God, its purpose was to teach those Christians that God, not them, not Donald Trump and the Republican Party, is in control. How God chooses to teach that lesson is yet to be revealed.
32
Those whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad.
1
All I can say to the religious right is "Remember Judas"!
7
Liberals, oddly, have this utterly insufficient level of appreciation for a true "libertine". Imagine if Americans couldn't live out their fantasies through avatars: they might be forced to such extremes THEMSELVES, and most aren't emotionally OR physically equipped to do it well.
2
@ Richard Luettgen
Only a conservative could take the most vile of creatures, and see in him a salvation through his transgressions serving a therapeutic purpose for the pent-up temptations of "Christians" who won't, or are unable to, commit sin for themselves.
Gold star for hallucination....um, imagination.
Only a conservative could take the most vile of creatures, and see in him a salvation through his transgressions serving a therapeutic purpose for the pent-up temptations of "Christians" who won't, or are unable to, commit sin for themselves.
Gold star for hallucination....um, imagination.
1
Dick,
So now you and the other uglies are reduced to parsing the word "libertine", as many in this comment section have attempted to do. As if that's a criticism of Trump's critics.
Thanks for the school-marmish lesson in grammar and syntax, as inappropriately prescriptive as it is.
And thanks, too, for your sage commentary on how hard it is to be a libertine, how people of your standing believe they're being "forced" into such barely human behavior, and the very clear demonstration of how boundless ego + ample resources may lead some people to really nasty extremes even as it leads others to good works.
If only you had the mind that would allow you to see the difference.
So now you and the other uglies are reduced to parsing the word "libertine", as many in this comment section have attempted to do. As if that's a criticism of Trump's critics.
Thanks for the school-marmish lesson in grammar and syntax, as inappropriately prescriptive as it is.
And thanks, too, for your sage commentary on how hard it is to be a libertine, how people of your standing believe they're being "forced" into such barely human behavior, and the very clear demonstration of how boundless ego + ample resources may lead some people to really nasty extremes even as it leads others to good works.
If only you had the mind that would allow you to see the difference.
2
Not amused:
You desperately need to discover your amusement.
John S:
Unlike Bill Clinton, I rarely bother to parse the meaning of words; and I didn't in this comment. It was a very brief comment, as mine typically go, yet you managed to misunderstand every bit of it.
You desperately need to discover your amusement.
John S:
Unlike Bill Clinton, I rarely bother to parse the meaning of words; and I didn't in this comment. It was a very brief comment, as mine typically go, yet you managed to misunderstand every bit of it.
1
"Tom Price, Mr. Trump’s choice for secretary of Health and Human Services, has joined Mr. Pence in co-sponsoring bills granting full legal personhood to zygotes."
Hmm. I wonder if , in their minds, any zygote on American soil would be considered a US citizen? What an easy route to citizenship this would offer.
Hmm. I wonder if , in their minds, any zygote on American soil would be considered a US citizen? What an easy route to citizenship this would offer.
17
It depends on what Life Experiences are on its C.V.
That's an automatic path to citizenship for all, whatever religion they will be brought up in. And of course they can have all the AK-47's money can buy
I thought Pence and company despised interest group politics and political correctness with a red hot passion.
And first thing out of the gate they give us Zygote-Americans?
And first thing out of the gate they give us Zygote-Americans?
2
I am 100% pro-choice and fully support Planned Parenthood, even have a family member who works for them. But this result was unfortunately the "choice" the Democrats made. Their politics are responsible for delivering this and losing the election. As an Independent who has typically voted Democrat, the Democrats have chosen to alienate so many Americans with intense identity politics of dividing everyone into tribes, including prioritizing illegal immigrants over US citizens. What happened to Bobby Kennedy's appeal to all Americans that we may have different stripes but "we all share one precious possession: the name American."
I wish Bill Clinton, who I voted for, had taken seriously the recommendations of African-American Democrat Congresswoman Barbara Jordan on immigration instead of cutting deals with corporatist Republicans like Spencer Abraham and rewarding Chinese campaign donors who were dead-set against ending chain migration. I wish Barack Obama, who I voted for, had not authorized Hillary Clinton to double-down on failed neo-con, intervention first policies in Libya and gun-running to Syrian "rebels." When you repeatedly attack all white heterosexuals simply for existing, even when they voted for you for 20 years, you are going to lose a lot of Americans. And I really hate to say it but there was a kernel of truth in what Steve Bannon just recently said, i.e., the NY Times unfortunately seems not to have learned anything from the election.
I wish Bill Clinton, who I voted for, had taken seriously the recommendations of African-American Democrat Congresswoman Barbara Jordan on immigration instead of cutting deals with corporatist Republicans like Spencer Abraham and rewarding Chinese campaign donors who were dead-set against ending chain migration. I wish Barack Obama, who I voted for, had not authorized Hillary Clinton to double-down on failed neo-con, intervention first policies in Libya and gun-running to Syrian "rebels." When you repeatedly attack all white heterosexuals simply for existing, even when they voted for you for 20 years, you are going to lose a lot of Americans. And I really hate to say it but there was a kernel of truth in what Steve Bannon just recently said, i.e., the NY Times unfortunately seems not to have learned anything from the election.
8
These "Christians" who excuse every illegal and immoral act (including the lawsuit where is accused of raping a 14 year old girl) by this "wizard of oz"(no caps deserved). are striking a Faustian bargain. Unfortunately in this case, they are not just selling their shrunken souls, they are selling our country to a man who wants to persecute our poor, not educate our poor, (he likes the uneducated), pollute our water and air, etc., etc., etc., etc., for the list goes on ad nauseum. His cabinet members are ignorant of the departments they are supposed lead and want to destroy them.
Well the Christians eagerly await the end of the world, you gave us the anti-christ. Soon we will all be blindly walking around with "trump" tattooed on our foreheads.
Well the Christians eagerly await the end of the world, you gave us the anti-christ. Soon we will all be blindly walking around with "trump" tattooed on our foreheads.
10
Yep the people that ran things in my childhood in the mid west are back with a vengeance....lots changed but in their black hearts it stayed the same....as we moved into a more open, less bigoted, and less prejudiced states of mind and being, they doubled down on hate your neighbor unless they do as you say....Hypocrites and imbeciles...
17
Imagine. If Trump had nominated a Muslim as Secretary of State or Defense, this newspaper would do back flips to celebrate the "progressive thinking" of such a decision. But Christians? No, they don't belong in the public sphere, they belong in history.
The outright hypocritical and discriminatory thinking is astounding.
The outright hypocritical and discriminatory thinking is astounding.
5
Um, haven't there been Christians serving in government all along? I'm guessing the majority of Cabinet appointees over the last, oh I don't know, two hundred years or so have been Christians and the complaints about their religious leanings have been minimal. Gosh, come to think of it, nearly all of our Presidents have been Christians and as far as I can tell, they were welcomed into the public sphere. Imagine that...
The complaint is not that these men and women (I think I can use the plural) are Christian - it is that they purport to run this nation on Biblical canon and that is undeniably unconstitutional. Your straw man example of a Muslim is only a fair comparison if that hypothetical nominee were to support the imposition of Sharia law over the Constitution. And if that were the case, I would not support him any more than I support many of the nominees here.
The complaint is not that these men and women (I think I can use the plural) are Christian - it is that they purport to run this nation on Biblical canon and that is undeniably unconstitutional. Your straw man example of a Muslim is only a fair comparison if that hypothetical nominee were to support the imposition of Sharia law over the Constitution. And if that were the case, I would not support him any more than I support many of the nominees here.
5
There is a difference between being a Muslim and being a fundamentalist Muslim (or "Islamist") activist. There is also a difference between being a Christian and a fundamentalist "Christian" activist. It is not personal religious belief that one is objecting to, but rather the intrusion of religious activism into government.
The function of Secretary of State or Secretary of Defense should not involve his/her religion.
The function of Secretary of State or Secretary of Defense should not involve his/her religion.
1
Christian's are fine as long as they don't impose their beliefs in the rest of us. That goes for Muslims and the rest of the world religions. You don't seem to comprehend the objections herein which pertains to the imposition of fundamentaist Christianity on the rest of us.
2
I guess for the religious right, Religion is more about politics and less about principles. In fact, their embrace of Trump can be viewed as a huge liberal shift, towards acceptance of materialistic nihilism. Although they won't accept this arguments. After all, like all religious people, they too are hypocrites.
9
I suppose you have to believe in God in order to sell your soul to the devil.
13
These people make me hope that Hell does exist.
Deal with the devil? How about we prayed for years? Did you not know that thousands gathered at every capital in the country and prayed. Is it SO outrageous to say that God answered our prayers? God used pagan kings to help Nehemiah rebuild the wall - no pun intended.
4
We prayed hard in California at churches (safe spaces) for the drought to end, no kidding. It worked better than we had reason to expect, despite the God denialists' claims. Biggest storm in 7 years, just now.
Speaking of "the wall" - would love to see thousands of people parading loudly around Trump Tower in NY one day until the walls come a tumbling down: couldn't get more biblical than that.
Yes, it is outrageous to say that God answered your prayers because I prayed too but not for Trump to be elected. And I am a practicing but non-evangelical Christian. I am NOT part of the so-called Christian "right" and I do not want Christian-Sharia law here. And before you call my relationship to God into question, consider that there are many of us who have a personal relationship with Him who will never support Trump and who consider his election a blight on our country.
Donald Trump-- the poster boy for bearing false witness. According to Franklin Graham, the Hand of God is evident with the election of the Donald. Kind of makes you wonder which of the other commandments he has jettisioned.
16
I am tired of the media continually referring to these people as "Christians." That is their rhetoric- that they are the true "Christians" and the rest of us from mainstream organized Christian religions aren't . They're not Christians- they're a fundamentalist cult built around Christian mythology. The fact that the media continues to refer to them as Christians- as if the rest of us Catholics, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Methodists, Reform, and Eastern Orthodox don't even exist- feeds into their fundamentalist belief that they are legitimate and the rest of us aren't. They want to bring Christian Sharia law here, and on behalf of those of us who have a spiritual leader who went to college and divinity school, stop giving them what they want- which is to create a land based on their cult. Enough!
52
Exactly. I'm cutting this one out and keeping - I like your definition. Again, terminology, word choice matters. I wish media would listen and apply the correct terminology in myriad issues. It makes a difference,
Thank you! I am glad that someone has finally stated what I have been thinking for some time. There are many Christians who are not part of this narrow-minded, Evangelical view of Christianity and it is time for others to recognize that.
1
Absolutely. I was struck by the phrase 'coercive piety'. This agenda may well be 'coercive', but it is not 'piety', still less Christian piety.
1
That's quite a quote from Pence (“creationism was believed in by every signer of the Declaration of Independence.”) People who sign the Declaration also thought having slaves was a very reasonable thing. It's easy to see that we don't need to believe in everything our founding Americans believed in. American society should be ashamed if we haven't (over hundreds of years) come to learn more about slavery, evolution and a lot of other things.
20
He's most likely taking his belie from this line from the Declaration:
that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
However, the Declaration is not the law of the land; the Constitution is. Nowhere in the Constitution is God, Jesus or anything having to do with religious beliefs mentioned, other than the Establishment Clause.
Further, the Founders weren't Christians, they were Deists. Most specifically, Jefferson, who was the chief author of the Declaration.
that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
However, the Declaration is not the law of the land; the Constitution is. Nowhere in the Constitution is God, Jesus or anything having to do with religious beliefs mentioned, other than the Establishment Clause.
Further, the Founders weren't Christians, they were Deists. Most specifically, Jefferson, who was the chief author of the Declaration.
1
Trump is NOTHING but a Trojan Horse. A delusional con man and Putin puppet.
9
As if we needed more proof, but doesn't the support of Trump by the Christian right amount to moral relativism, something of which they often accuse others? We already knew that they rejected natural selection and consider facts as nothing more than opinions.
10
President Trump brings to mind what the late evangelical John Stott called “the cramping bondage of our own self-centeredness.” In his book “Why I Am a Christian,” Stott observes that sin “is the rebellious assertion of myself against the love and authority of God, and against the welfare of my neighbor. God’s order is that we put him first, our neighbor next and self last. Sin is precisely the reversal of the order…”
2
I have no respect for the so called Religious Right. Apparently they would crawl into Gollum's belly to have the power of the White House. So much for rich men and the eye of the needle.
15
Trump has grabbed their self-proclaimed moral standing, leaving them with nary a fig leaf.
13
The religious right should think long and hard about the Faustian bargain they're making in return for political power.
8
This is a far-right, not a faith, movement. Religiosity is a selling tactic for a political agenda. Donald Trump is the farthest from any set of morals, let alone those of Jesus.
17
I sure hope we don't supply any "global health aid" to Israel. Where -- I assume -- socialized medicine also funds state-sponsored abortion? Mr. Pence?
14
why are republicans, conservatives, and christians so concerned with controlling womens' vaginas? it's disgusting and repugnant that their wish is to legislate what should be private decisions. i'm fed up with their continual abuse of allowing people to be secure in their papers, possessions and BODIES!
18
I don't fear God, I fear the ones who think they speak in his name.
26
Full legal personhood to zygotes. Will that law shut down fertility clinics and deny women who have multiple zygotes the right to reduction or culling? If she does not want a set of "multiples" and would like a "reduction" would the law Pence and his supporters allow her to do that? Or - if the woman has multiples as a result of fertility, will she be mandated to keep all of them?
8
HypoChristy
12
Pence. along with such backers as Erik Prince of Blackwater, Prince's sister, Ms. DeVos, and other religious extremists seek a Christian, not a secular, nation, economy and society. The Times and other publications would do mainstream America a favor by presenting an in-depth picture of what these people truly stand for, their financial ties to the GOP, how militant Christian Dominionism unites them, and how they are now consolidating their power. Think Christian Taliban.
65
Yep, and I happened to see an interview the other day about Eric Prince and the fact that it is known that he is lurking in the shadows involved in the Trump Presidency as an adviser on national security and military strategy in the world. I am quite surprised that the NYT and other MSM have not investigated any of this any further since these are the REAL influences going on behind the scenes, it is not just Trump's billionaire picks, it is the people THEY are connected to whom are a part of this quickly unfolding, authoritarian government.
In an interview today, Trump hinted at his forthcoming nominee for the Supreme Court in which he unequivocally stated, the evangelical crowd will be very happy. For rights of all kinds, especially, in this case women's health,
the scenario cannot get much worse, yet, then again, with Trump it probably will.
In an interview today, Trump hinted at his forthcoming nominee for the Supreme Court in which he unequivocally stated, the evangelical crowd will be very happy. For rights of all kinds, especially, in this case women's health,
the scenario cannot get much worse, yet, then again, with Trump it probably will.
1
"Christian" means, to that segment of society two things: very personal salvation (believe in Jesus and go to heaven, a place filled with only conservative Christians) and a list of personal moral behavior (most focused on sex) which they want to impose on society at large. Mr. Trump's racist remarks, bigotry, and misogyny are ok with them because that gives them something on whom to practice "forgiveness" and someone whom they can proclaim has "repented" and been "saved."
Sadly, they are happy to turn refugees away at the gate, excuse talk about grabbing women's genitals against their will, and labeling poor folks struggling to come in for a decent life "economic refugees" and rejecting them out of hand. They are certainly not my idea of Christian.
Sadly, they are happy to turn refugees away at the gate, excuse talk about grabbing women's genitals against their will, and labeling poor folks struggling to come in for a decent life "economic refugees" and rejecting them out of hand. They are certainly not my idea of Christian.
123
That segment of society has no interest in morality, a point you make in your second paragraph. Their entire focus is on controlling women, whom they see as a race of natural slaves. Most important is to control women sexually. Nothing else.
The only good I see coming out of the election is that the self-styles "religious right" has shown that their professed values are a total lie. We always knew that, but it used to seem a little bit outside the norms of political conversation to categorically deny another person's profession of belief, to call some pious ignoramus a liar when they claimed they thought they were better than we seculars. lt's OK to do that now, since they have publicly renounced their so-called moral principles. I urge anyone and everyone just to outright call them LIARS.
The only good I see coming out of the election is that the self-styles "religious right" has shown that their professed values are a total lie. We always knew that, but it used to seem a little bit outside the norms of political conversation to categorically deny another person's profession of belief, to call some pious ignoramus a liar when they claimed they thought they were better than we seculars. lt's OK to do that now, since they have publicly renounced their so-called moral principles. I urge anyone and everyone just to outright call them LIARS.
2
I agree but the argument loses force by bringing up Trump. Forget him and his comments on tape, his supporters do not care. A separate attack not against Trump but against Pence and the other folks in the administration is the only way to convince Trump supporters that they did not sign on for this religious dogma. Most signed on for "jobs" and they do not agree with this religious fervor which is more divisive than anything else Trump campaigned on.
1
Actions support the argument that the goal is power over others, not moral persuasion.
2
Here's my question to prospective HHS secretary Tom Price:
Wikipedia tells me that your wife, Betty, is also a politician and anesthesiologist. That's wonderful. Congratulations. It also tells me that you have one adult son, Robert. Great.
Now, my question is: Why only one child? Did you struggle with infertility? Or did you and your wife, with your two demanding careers, choose to plan your family accordingly? Did your wife use oral contraceptives? Or a long term method of contraception like an IUD? Or any of the other contraceptive methods made accessible to a broad range of women by the ACA and which you oppose on the grounds of religious "liberty"?
Or did you simply only have sex one time and then abstain through the rest of her childbearing years?
Oh, I'm sorry, are these questions too invasive? Overly personal? SOMETHING THAT SHOULDN'T BE DISCUSSED IN THE HALLS OF GOVERNMENT, BUT DECIDED BETWEEN A WOMAN AND HER DOCTOR?
Well, in that case, Doctor, I suppose you know best.
Wikipedia tells me that your wife, Betty, is also a politician and anesthesiologist. That's wonderful. Congratulations. It also tells me that you have one adult son, Robert. Great.
Now, my question is: Why only one child? Did you struggle with infertility? Or did you and your wife, with your two demanding careers, choose to plan your family accordingly? Did your wife use oral contraceptives? Or a long term method of contraception like an IUD? Or any of the other contraceptive methods made accessible to a broad range of women by the ACA and which you oppose on the grounds of religious "liberty"?
Or did you simply only have sex one time and then abstain through the rest of her childbearing years?
Oh, I'm sorry, are these questions too invasive? Overly personal? SOMETHING THAT SHOULDN'T BE DISCUSSED IN THE HALLS OF GOVERNMENT, BUT DECIDED BETWEEN A WOMAN AND HER DOCTOR?
Well, in that case, Doctor, I suppose you know best.
716
Thank you. Well said
4
This is great! Full page ad in the Washington Post? I'd throw in $$$
3
Oh..you expressed it so well. If religious right know it alls AT LEAST followed their own prohibtions..although I might not agree with their view of science , at least I could respect their opinion...but I know too many in the religion business who do NOT follow what they spew on TV, radio, etc. As far as Prez Trump....I am a Wharton MBA, a Manhattanite involved in Real Estate and a former "party girl"....and the Donald as a champion of the Religious Right is ludicrous
7
...creationism “was believed in by every signer of the Declaration of Independence.” Yes, but they have an EXCUSE! The theory of evolution wasn't elaborated until more than a hundred years later! There is no excuse now for willful ignorance.
277
Actually no -- probably the majority of signers of the Declaration of Independence were Deists ("belief in the existence of a supreme being, specifically of a creator who does not intervene in the universe. The term is used chiefly of an intellectual movement of the 17th and 18th centuries that accepted the existence of a creator on the basis of reason but rejected belief in a supernatural deity who interacts with humankind.) Guess Pence isn't an historian either.
15
You couldn't be more mistaken. Most of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were atheists. Most of their God talk was nothing more than "swilling the planters with bumbo." And there remains a tremendous market for the bimbo.
8
Pence, the right man for the 18th century.
10
Bless you.....Time long passed to go after Pence.......we should start sending him copies of the Constitution.....
Then we ought to ask him the up-dated version of the "Dukakis question"
If his wife were raped and had to bear the child of the rapist......would he
make her?
Then we ought to ask him the up-dated version of the "Dukakis question"
If his wife were raped and had to bear the child of the rapist......would he
make her?
150
Pence would. Then he'd divorce her for infidelity. And should the mother and child need the safety net, Pence would likely kick them off welfare and has vowed to trash her healthcare. And should the child, in desperation turn to crime and take a life, the "prolife" Pence support the death penalty.
11
Why would he not, CJ? It's not like he's got to push the kid out.
5
Evangelicals and the super righteous religious backing Trump are among the biggest hypocrites. A 3 time married adulterer and proven sexual assault predator he is IMMORAL and has no sense of decency. What a joke !
92
So where, exactly, did Bill Clinton stand, in your estimation?
1
He stood as one of the best and smartest Presidents in the 20th Century. He left the country at peace and with a full treasury. No doubt, fundamentalists would think that was a good thing.
1
Donald Trump did not win the Popular Vote. He is a hypocrite and a liar. I believe that it will come out that he is actively colluding with Vladimir Putin. I urge people to actively research the history of Putin's treacherous reign of terror in Russia. Luke Harding's interview this week on Fresh Air and his articles that have been featured in The Guardian are a great place to start. The Tea Party may believe this Presidency is about restoring Christian ideology... it isn't. It's about POWER and GREED. Again, the majority of Americans did not vote for Donald Trump. NOW is the time for us to RESIST, RESIST, RESIST. We owe it to the coming generations and to humanity.
100
Christian sharia law will now be the law of the land.
84
Nope.There are more of us than there are of them. No administration is forever.
6
Let me add this, a Trump advisor by the name of Pastor Robert Jeffress of Dallas Texas told NPR's "Here and Now" that evangelicals believe the male is the head of the household and that grace and forgiveness cover male infidelities. Jeffress reminded the interviewer that Evangelical voters chose Ronald Reagan, with his history of womanizing, over devout and REAL Christian Jimmy Carter. Jeffress went on to say that Evangelicals might question how Hillary Clinton may have contributed to her husbands infidelities. I agree with Michelle Goldberg's op-ed piece and I have been saying the same thing myself to anyone who would listen to me...just like I am writing what I just wrote and hoping someone will listen to me. This election is/was a victory of male authoritarianism over equality. Trump's candidacy was the Trojan Horse within the religious right rode into power and within that religious right, we have a long tradition of oppressing women, many of whom don't know they're oppressed because they don't dare look into it.
165
I guess they must have forgot all forgiveness stuff when the topic of Bill Clinton came up, whether in '92, '98 or last year. Hmm, the church circulating deep in politics once again.
5
Go back to Dole's 1996 RNC acceptance speech and you'll find him attacking Hillary then for writing It Takes a Village.
The GOP saw it and her as a threat to the patriarchal power structure, and so thus she has endured over 30 years of propaganda against her.
The GOP saw it and her as a threat to the patriarchal power structure, and so thus she has endured over 30 years of propaganda against her.
Mr. Pence is incorrect about the founding fathers were religious; many were atheists:
Thomas Jefferson professed disbelief in the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus Christ, while respecting moral teachings by whomever might have been a historical Jesus. He cut up a Bible, assembling his own version: “The whole history of these books [the Gospels] is so defective and doubtful,” he wrote Adams (January 24, 1814), “evidence that parts have proceeded from an extraordinary man; and that other parts are of the fabric of very inferior minds.”
Scorning miracles, saints, salvation, damnation, and angelic presences, Jefferson embraced reason, materialism, and science. He challenged Patrick Henry, who wanted a Christian theocracy:
THOMAS PAINE
He opposed all organized religion, he reserved particular vituperation for Christianity. “My country is the world and my religion is to do good” (The Rights of Man, 1791).
“I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek church, by the Turkish church, by the Protestant church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church” (The Age of Reason, 1794).
A scientist, Benjamin Franklin rejected churches, rituals, and all “supernatural superstitions.”
"I arrived at fifteen years of age, when, after having doubted in turn of different tenets, according as I found them combated in the different books that I read, I began to doubt of Revelation itself ”
I have no room for all the others.
Thomas Jefferson professed disbelief in the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus Christ, while respecting moral teachings by whomever might have been a historical Jesus. He cut up a Bible, assembling his own version: “The whole history of these books [the Gospels] is so defective and doubtful,” he wrote Adams (January 24, 1814), “evidence that parts have proceeded from an extraordinary man; and that other parts are of the fabric of very inferior minds.”
Scorning miracles, saints, salvation, damnation, and angelic presences, Jefferson embraced reason, materialism, and science. He challenged Patrick Henry, who wanted a Christian theocracy:
THOMAS PAINE
He opposed all organized religion, he reserved particular vituperation for Christianity. “My country is the world and my religion is to do good” (The Rights of Man, 1791).
“I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek church, by the Turkish church, by the Protestant church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church” (The Age of Reason, 1794).
A scientist, Benjamin Franklin rejected churches, rituals, and all “supernatural superstitions.”
"I arrived at fifteen years of age, when, after having doubted in turn of different tenets, according as I found them combated in the different books that I read, I began to doubt of Revelation itself ”
I have no room for all the others.
270
Religion has no place in our government
The Abortion issue is a religious issue...
Please help!
The Abortion issue is a religious issue...
Please help!
62
It seems to me that pro-choice folks and pro-life folks should understand how it works. If you believe abortion is murder, it has to be illegal. If not, women have the right to choose. Roe v, Wade decided the issue in favor of choice. But whether a fetus has the rights of a person is just a matter of opinion. Keep in mind that caviar are sturgeon eggs and are protected by law. So are bald eagle eggs. The law of abortion is arbitrary. It's mot about religion. It's about who controls the court.
{ “We will respect and defend Christian Americans. Christian Americans.”}
How curious then is it that his daughter Ivanka married an Orthodox Jew (and in turn became herself an Orthodox Jew) who is also his key White House advisor ... ?
How curious then is it that his daughter Ivanka married an Orthodox Jew (and in turn became herself an Orthodox Jew) who is also his key White House advisor ... ?
95
I suspect Kushner's grandparents are rolling in their graves. Ivanka, her daddy and Kushner are ALL liars and hypocrites. God is not who they worship. Only money and power.
9
Ivanka and Jared are, obviously, indefensible
5
Any attempt to understand Trump from a logical position is doomed to failure.
He will say and do whatever gets him the support and adulation of a particular group with the potential to benefit him.
Luckily for him his attention span and memory are so short he has no problem with cognitive dissonance, so don't expect him to change.
He will say and do whatever gets him the support and adulation of a particular group with the potential to benefit him.
Luckily for him his attention span and memory are so short he has no problem with cognitive dissonance, so don't expect him to change.
1
It is difficult to repress the gag reflex when you hear Republican lawmakers talk about their Christian and family values...
166
It's called hypocrisy. YOU can't cheat on your spouse or have out-of-wedlock children or get divorced or use birth control or have sex with strangers or sex at all but...they can! And they're still sooo pious.
6
Often times when you dance with the Devil, he dances back.
33
With Trump in office less than a week I find myself constantly turning back to English playwright Robert Bolt's "A Man for All Seasons." As Thomas More warns against reckless expedience over law, he warns: "And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned round on you - where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country's planted thick with laws - man's laws, not God's - and if you cut them down - and you're just the man to do it - d'you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I'd give the Devil benefit of the law for my safety's sake."
25
It all boils down to "the ends justify the means". Trump represents an unparalleled opportunity for them, especially with the uber fanatical Mike Pence in the driver's seat.
And yet...
Here's a reminder from the scripture they all claim to follow:
3 How will you opportunists handle the day of reckoning?
What will you do when trouble comes from far away?
Will you run away from the disaster you caused?
Who will help you? Where will you leave all your wealth?
4 You, too, must cower among the captives
or fall among the dead.
Still, God’s anger smolders. His hand is raised; there’s more to come.
5 Hah! God has determined to let loose a punishing disaster like you’ve never seen.
Isaiah 10:3-5
And yet...
Here's a reminder from the scripture they all claim to follow:
3 How will you opportunists handle the day of reckoning?
What will you do when trouble comes from far away?
Will you run away from the disaster you caused?
Who will help you? Where will you leave all your wealth?
4 You, too, must cower among the captives
or fall among the dead.
Still, God’s anger smolders. His hand is raised; there’s more to come.
5 Hah! God has determined to let loose a punishing disaster like you’ve never seen.
Isaiah 10:3-5
38
Thomas Jefferson once quipped that the law of New England was composed of the law of God -- except where there were local statutes to the contrary.
What massive, ugly hypocrites. Keep your fake religion and your hateful, fake morality out of my government!
247
True, when the end is an unfit dishonest man like Trump--you really don't have any standards left.
Oy, so how does Donald explain all this to his daughter and son in law?
28
Are you kidding? They're complicit. They want daddy's power and money.
5
One more good reason we should not rely on people who believe in Divine Intervention to get things done.......
28
The Religious Right would support Charles Manson if he promised to help eliminate abortion. BIRTH CONTROL eliminates abortion 99 percent of the time. Yet, they're against that, too.
117
Right, which shows what they're really for: controlling women.
14
One day the Christian Right might behead what they consider infidels and unbelievers on the internet and on TV . In my opinion their philosophies espouse " radical Christian terrorism " ! In other words there is not much difference between fundamental christianity and fundamental islam .
61
Really, Perry? Have Christians (actual ones, not political opportunists) been beheading people? Are you really quaking in fear of Christians?
2
lol
4
Actually, they did at least twice already: the crusades, and the inquisition. It wouldn't be surprising for it to happen again. I was baptised into Christianity as a small child, but I now reject any religion that claims to be better than all others. And most religions do! Fortunately not all.
1
Would not say DJT is a Trojan Horse. More like 2 Corinthians:
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions.…
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions.…
85
i know this will be viewed as a false comparison but isn't the march toward the complete control of our collective mind and body based solely on religious belief a tad similar to ISIS? who needs terrorism when you have complicit leadership? please keep your religion to yourself.
128
The Christian Right made a deal with the devil......pure and simple. They relinquished any moral high ground they may have once occupied to a man-child who used them to gain power. "Sad", as Trump would have said, if it had not helped him achieve his ultimate end - to get elected president. Sadder still for the Christian community as a whole, to be lumped in with those who claim to be guided by Jesus Christ and his teachings, but who themselves have ceded their souls to the devil to gain worldly power. See Matthew 4:8-10. Sad, indeed.
75
They never occupied any moral high ground.
Our very own American Taliban.
153
It is unbelievable that the Christian Right falls for this shameless lying huckster. The most dishonest President, ever.
Is grabbing women, lying, stealing, cheating, and bullying in the Bible? No.
Talk about false gods.
Is grabbing women, lying, stealing, cheating, and bullying in the Bible? No.
Talk about false gods.
25
You're so right about it being a "deal with the devil"...though one could also say that would be self-dealing.
These so-called Christians are only that in name. Their lust for power is directly inspired by Satan, not Christ.
These so-called Christians are only that in name. Their lust for power is directly inspired by Satan, not Christ.
21
A writer has to be careful with words. Plain talk works best, as Bozo the Mean-Spirited Clown has shown. When an opinion writer uses terms like "thrice-married Manhattan sybarite" that ain't gonna win anybody over. Sure, its fun to write high-falutin' words like 'sybarite', but 3x married has nothing to do with anything anymore than Jack Kennedy being Catholic had something to do with being a dignified President.
But I'm happy that writer did talk about separation of church and state.
But I'm happy that writer did talk about separation of church and state.
6
All the thrice married Holier Than Thou politician-misogynists like Trump, Gingrich, and Bannon, and religionists like Falwell, Graham, and the evangelicals who support them are exactly what Goya was depicting after the Spanish Inquisition in his famous print series called Los Caprichos.
Look up "The Sleep of Reason". We are fast approaching old territory.
Look up "The Sleep of Reason". We are fast approaching old territory.
30
How many abortions in his Studio 54 days did Donald Trump pay for?
If you are one of the women who was in that situation would you please come forward.
If you are one of the women who was in that situation would you please come forward.
40
He paid them all off, just like Cosby did.
5
I don't get the impression that Trump is even the kind of guy who likes to get with women. Or Pence either. The most flaming homophobic men are usually actually the ones with secret concerns about their own intrusive homoerotic feelings.
5
To paraphrase the Savior, “let he that is without sin cast the first stone,” it is my sincerest hope that Ms. Goldberg, the author of this op-ed, and rest of Trump’s liberal critics, including those who have commented in her favor, have never been divorced. Thank you.
6
I have NEVER been divorced, NEVER cheated on my spouse, NEVER had a bunch of kids by several different people, and most of all, I have NEVER pretended to be oh-so-pious while actually being a heathen. It's called hypocrisy. Look it up.
10
I will celebrate my 40 anniversary next year. Same husband. Can I comment?
1
"Love of the Pre-born Trumps Hate"
3
Gee, if they could only impeach DT, then they'd have the whole enchilada. Get that sybarite out of the way, then they can impose their not-so-Christian worldview on the rest of us, except that they'll pay big time in the upcoming. Women and men will clean the R's clocks if they try to put this warped agenda front and center.
13
Have you read the background on Pence? He is a more serious threat to American values than Trump! And the Religious Right is waiting in the wings to cheer him on.
6
Have Mr. Brown also considered that Obama has been elected president by divine intervention?
16
The Religious Right is neither right nor religious. They and Trump will most likely end up in the same hell.
32
'Coerced piety'. A perfect phrase to use to describe the idealized world of Christofascists.
33
The great irony of it is... Hillary Clinton is apparently a committed Methodist who says that she lives her faith through her public life. In retrospect, it could have possibly turned things around had she given a speech at Liberty University, as did Bernie Sanders.
We can only hope that there are no more deaths or retirements from the Supreme Court for the next four... uh... three years.
We can only hope that there are no more deaths or retirements from the Supreme Court for the next four... uh... three years.
15
"President Trump may lack a coherent ideology, but he shares with the religious right a kind of Christian identity politics, a sense that the symbols of Christianity, if not its virtues, deserve cultural precedence."
This may shock you Ms. Goldberg--after the age Obama--this remains a "culturally Christian" nation.
As the NYT recently noted (with whiff of disgust) 99 percent of our elected representatives identify with one form of christian faith or another.
When 2042 arrives Christianity's "cultural precedence" can gleefully overthrown or more easily pathologized Ms Goldberg. But not quite yet.
This may shock you Ms. Goldberg--after the age Obama--this remains a "culturally Christian" nation.
As the NYT recently noted (with whiff of disgust) 99 percent of our elected representatives identify with one form of christian faith or another.
When 2042 arrives Christianity's "cultural precedence" can gleefully overthrown or more easily pathologized Ms Goldberg. But not quite yet.
2
"Identify" and "practice" are two distinctly different behaviors.
5
No one is more comfortable warmly embracing their own hypocrisy than a moralizing Christian conservative.
50
They sold their souls.
40
Women are to be treated like brood sows as these religious fanatics are of the opinion that the gentler sex has neither the brains nor the moral compass to determine what is best for their own families where reproductive health issues are at hand.
Have such gentlemen as Father Pence , Ralph Reed , Samuel Alito , and that paragon of virtue , Donald Trump all looked their mothers , wives, sisters , and daughters , and told them to their face that they are immoral and stupid ?
Not one word in the Constitution regarding abortion , but the Bill of Rights , in the very first amendment , enshrines both free speech and freedom of the press as the very cornerstone of this and every other free nation. Without the truth, no country is free. The second prong of the amendment separates church from the business of government
Now , Father Pence and the rest of the fanatics whom believe in a non-existent deity that is privy to all human thought and action wish to renege on their oath to uphold the Constitution in favor of the highly apocryphal content that constitutes the Old Testament. These creeps would demean and abase every female citizen in this country in the name of a Christianity that differs widely from the Old Testament in that Jesus Christ advocated the acceptance of ALL human beings and not just a chosen few
If we are about to embark on a theocratic path rather than the path of freedom , then we will be adopting the credo of a radical deity that advocates death to dissenters
Have such gentlemen as Father Pence , Ralph Reed , Samuel Alito , and that paragon of virtue , Donald Trump all looked their mothers , wives, sisters , and daughters , and told them to their face that they are immoral and stupid ?
Not one word in the Constitution regarding abortion , but the Bill of Rights , in the very first amendment , enshrines both free speech and freedom of the press as the very cornerstone of this and every other free nation. Without the truth, no country is free. The second prong of the amendment separates church from the business of government
Now , Father Pence and the rest of the fanatics whom believe in a non-existent deity that is privy to all human thought and action wish to renege on their oath to uphold the Constitution in favor of the highly apocryphal content that constitutes the Old Testament. These creeps would demean and abase every female citizen in this country in the name of a Christianity that differs widely from the Old Testament in that Jesus Christ advocated the acceptance of ALL human beings and not just a chosen few
If we are about to embark on a theocratic path rather than the path of freedom , then we will be adopting the credo of a radical deity that advocates death to dissenters
24
Just to clarify, at what point does the New York Times and yourself determine when a person qualifies as a libertine--which, but near-definition is about the same thing as a sociopath?
One divorce? Two? After one inappropriate comment in a lifetime? Two? Three?
It would be nice to see where I stand and what the Times considers the moral fiber of many of its readers to be.
One divorce? Two? After one inappropriate comment in a lifetime? Two? Three?
It would be nice to see where I stand and what the Times considers the moral fiber of many of its readers to be.
5
Are you going around suddenly acting as if you are super-pious? Did you use that platform to gain power? It's not that divorce is necessarily wrong, it's that extremist religious right-wingers pretend to be pious and then judge other people for the same exact transgressions that they commit. It's called hypocrisy. Look it up.
5
the definition of a libertine was provided by Christians, who also have aways determined who counts as one. prohibitions against divorce are Christian prohibitions. Trump exemplifies the Christian definition of libertine, and violates the divorce prohibition, a central tenet of his supposedly Christian faith. the writer is using this lopsided standard descriptively and satirically to point out the hypocrisy of the self-righteous—NOT being self-righteous herself. she has no problem (presumedly) with who's divorced or not—just the Christians who voted for Trump and support him now.
4
I'm down with voting Trump a libertine! All in!
When (not if) the Trump administration finally collapses in disgrace, the mainstream Republicans and evangelicals who were willing to overlook his character and support him in order to win political power will share in the disgrace.
11
the founders, although Christian, never intended for our government to favor one view of religion or any faith over another which is why Sessions is so reprehensible
13
Correction: "bloated" Trojan horse. Clearly, he doesn't seem to take care of his body, except his face via a tanning bed. Really Donald, those pale circles around your eyes fool no one. (Let's not even consider the hair.)
9
The most likely offspring from the copulation of church and state will be corruption.
19
The religious right has not ben religious for years. It became a political action group when Jerry Falwell came along with the Moral Majority. Religion is just window dressing to maintain tax exempt status.
27
The synopsis of this article on your home page says everything:
"Thanks to a thrice-married libertine, Christian conservatives hold the keys to the citadel".
This is exactly, and repeatedly, and emphatically where Jesus told these people they should not go.
Yet, in there arrogance, stupidity, and idolatry, here they are.
Jesus has no doubt made them too blind to see the magnitude of their error, the better to correct them a little later, when it really matters.
"Thanks to a thrice-married libertine, Christian conservatives hold the keys to the citadel".
This is exactly, and repeatedly, and emphatically where Jesus told these people they should not go.
Yet, in there arrogance, stupidity, and idolatry, here they are.
Jesus has no doubt made them too blind to see the magnitude of their error, the better to correct them a little later, when it really matters.
6
"We will respect and defend Christian Americans". Is this millennium the second coming of the Crusades? The president's hatred towards Islam knows no bounds.
One of the major concerns about John F. Kennedy during his White House campaign in 1960 was the question of his readiness or wont to separate the affairs of church and state. There were serious concerns by many Americans that a President Kennedy would be influenced by the Vatican in affairs of state, the fears of which proved to be groundless.
The white Christian right is the morally wrong. Free, white and Christian was the driving force of the KKK and seems to be the canon of this new administration. The president's past iniquities are of no importance to white evangelicals. To them, the president is saying "let the ethnic cleansing begin". Onward Christian soldiers.
One of the major concerns about John F. Kennedy during his White House campaign in 1960 was the question of his readiness or wont to separate the affairs of church and state. There were serious concerns by many Americans that a President Kennedy would be influenced by the Vatican in affairs of state, the fears of which proved to be groundless.
The white Christian right is the morally wrong. Free, white and Christian was the driving force of the KKK and seems to be the canon of this new administration. The president's past iniquities are of no importance to white evangelicals. To them, the president is saying "let the ethnic cleansing begin". Onward Christian soldiers.
21
A small but important correction: Mr. Pence "regularly tries to make policy obey the dictates of *his* faith." One of the "Christian" right's most pernicious tactics has been to equate faith with a reactionary social agenda, and the battle should not be fought on the right wing's turf.
9
Actually, as we learned directly from many women who voted for Trump, they know a lot of men behave despicably in so many different ways, but they are men so what you are you going to do? It's our lot - as God says - as women to bear the burden of suffering men's foolish loutish overbearing behaviors so when a man behaves in the ways that Trump behaved he was behaving in a manner that too many women have already accepted as "the way it is" and they looked past that to other attributes that they could agree with. Just like at home. Just like at church. It's sad that so many women haven't experience what it is like being with one of the nice guys else they would have been more outraged by Trump.
17
The article states: "Pence, a man who regularly tries to make policy obey the dictates of faith..." This is a mischaracterization as it is missing the possessive pronoun. It should say: "...makes policy obey the dictates of HIS faith." Mike Pence's faith is his own, not that of the majority of people in the United States. He is trying to remake the country to conform to his backward and repressive views. Last time I checked America was founded as a secular state with freedom of thought and religion.
This is very much like what happened in Turkey under Erdogan. He is a fundamentalist Muslim who got control of a largely secular state and started forcing his religious views down the throat of unwilling or naive Turks. That, along with his authoritarian tendencies, repression of the media, random arrests and unprecedented consolidation of power has set Turkey's progress back decades.
Mixing religion and politics is always, always a terrible idea.
This is very much like what happened in Turkey under Erdogan. He is a fundamentalist Muslim who got control of a largely secular state and started forcing his religious views down the throat of unwilling or naive Turks. That, along with his authoritarian tendencies, repression of the media, random arrests and unprecedented consolidation of power has set Turkey's progress back decades.
Mixing religion and politics is always, always a terrible idea.
37
The photo in the article is very telling. While Trump's wife and Mr. and Mrs. Pence are following the programs, Trump is not looking at hit program and instead is staring off into space. Obviously, he is not all that interested in what is taking place at that moment. Who knows? maybe he is still thinking about how many people attended his inauguration.
26
He's just really severely stupid. I don't think his mother ever taught him how to behave properly.
5
The religious right with its sanctimonious hypocrisy and lust for worldly power, does more to drive people from Christianity than any other force. I speak as a liberal Christian and Episcopalian who simply has to shut up around many of my friends who seeing the likes of Dobson, Reed and Pence, deride Christianity as cruel, bigoted, smug and destructive.
25
If there is one thing that I have less respect for than Trump, it is the so-called blasphemous Members of the Christian Right. These Pharisaic hypocrites would re-crucify Jesus were he to reappear again today.
53
Indeed. See the chapter on the Grand Inquisitor in Dostoyevsky's "Brothers Karamazov" for the full story.
These horrible characters remind me of the Pharisees that Jesus threw out of the Temple. These are not Christians. They are evil and manipulative. I have no idea what compels Pence. He looks like he should be starring in a remake of The Handmaid's Tale.
This is pure insanity.
This is pure insanity.
46
only a matter of time i guess. a sybarite leads the conservative christians. a match made in alternate reality. always knew and suspected that those folks had a secret christian sharia type mindset. thanks religious right. you have validated my refusal to ever belong to any religious organizations. my choice. now if they get the power for their causes to become some form of law will they finally give up their tax free status. seems if there is a state approved religion they should pony up just like our Fearless Leader has done all these year. huh what you dont say Fearless Leader does not pony up either hmmm
15
Thanks, as always, Michele Goldberg (who I'll assume is in no danger of keeping her "mouth shut") for saying exactly what needs to be said.
The religious right's reliable embrace of political figures antithetical their putative values is comforting. A reminder of the hollow, treasonous efforts at work by our betters on Team Religion. What a perfect vessel they've jacked in Trump.
Trump voters: you been played. Bigly.
Enjoy being governed by his puppet-masters.
The religious right's reliable embrace of political figures antithetical their putative values is comforting. A reminder of the hollow, treasonous efforts at work by our betters on Team Religion. What a perfect vessel they've jacked in Trump.
Trump voters: you been played. Bigly.
Enjoy being governed by his puppet-masters.
12
Jesus never mentioned abortion or sex. Indeed, he was attacked by the religious authorities of his time for eating and drinking with sinners, even prostitutes. He refused to condemn a woman caught in adultery and shamed the religious zealots by rebuking them instead! Inviting the one among them "without sin" to cast the first stone.
So who are these modern day, religious fanatics to prevent modern women from exercising their Constitutional rights?
Jesus fed the hungry. Urged care for the poor. He condemned the wealthy who only focus on feathering their own nests.
The Christianity the GOP is "selling" would likely be rebuked by the very man they pretend to follow. Theirs is a hollow Christianity, unworthy of the Man of Sorrows.
So who are these modern day, religious fanatics to prevent modern women from exercising their Constitutional rights?
Jesus fed the hungry. Urged care for the poor. He condemned the wealthy who only focus on feathering their own nests.
The Christianity the GOP is "selling" would likely be rebuked by the very man they pretend to follow. Theirs is a hollow Christianity, unworthy of the Man of Sorrows.
18
I'll always remember a very old lady I met who described her fascination with Reagan during the Carter/Ford election, but she feared his piety was fraudulent saying, "the worst cheats in the world are religious ones." We already know Trump cheated his small business suppliers of their final payments saying, "Sue me!", defrauded thousands of students, and abandoned wives for mistresses.
18
I only opened this article because I wanted to see how that printed program seemed to be suspended in air. Donald is clearly holding his program down, not participating, while Pence and his wife read from their program. Then I saw Melania squished between Pence and Donald, who doesn't seem to be aware that he isn't giving her enough room to stand. Thus it shall ever be.
8
There are many thoughtful Christians who dare to believe that perhaps Jesus would be OK with healthcare for the working poor. My little Episcopal church manages to hand out 300 food baskets every Saturday morning. We do it with a handful of elderly people. The religious right is insufferable when they are out of power. When they are in power they seem to damage the Christian brand. Young people have little use for any of us anymore. Our forefathers separated Church and State for the benefit of both. Billy Graham liked to hang out with Richard Nixon. Franklin Graham likes to hang out with Donald Trump. God help us all.
23
I can hardly sleep at night but feel the blame must be shared by the under and uneducated class of people in this country that think I'm going to start burning coal again to heat my house. Do they still make coal burning furnaces for house? (Oh, maybe they'll have to open factories to manufacture them and that will add 11 jobs Trumps made up statistics. But wait, they'll be more factories and jobs at the gas masks we'll have to wear inside and outside our home, with the exclusion of the Trump branded properties, they'll be able to use clean enery.) I didn't make them drop out of high school or eschew science in favor
of creationist fanaticism. Dumbing down of America, this is the price we now pay.
of creationist fanaticism. Dumbing down of America, this is the price we now pay.
15
I am sorry, I hate this guy but one thing I do not care about is that he was married 3 times and I wish people would quit it. I am wife #3 and we have been married 25 years. My husband married right out of high school, just as my parents did; in neither case a shotgun wedding it was just what you did in those days. So lessons learned at an age too early. Lets fight him and his ilk on the real issues. The self-rightous ad hominems are counterproductive. He is a menace but not because he was married 3 times. Really! Cut it out.
7
You oversimplify, Amy.
Trump isn't just three times married, as many people are, he cheated on his wife, he lusted after little girls, he lusted after his own daughter, he repeatedly assaulted women physically, he abuses and hurts women based upon his own lofty judgement of their sex appeal, he regularly denigrates women who disagree with him and swears oaths against them.
And that leaves aside his racism, his never ending lying, his failure to pay people who work to make him rich, his use of the courts to commit massive fraud and inflict untold harm, his penchant for spreading slander even as he engages in exactly the behavior he is decrying, his arrogance, and his inability to summon compassion or interest about his fellow man.
His divorces are the least of it.
Trump isn't just three times married, as many people are, he cheated on his wife, he lusted after little girls, he lusted after his own daughter, he repeatedly assaulted women physically, he abuses and hurts women based upon his own lofty judgement of their sex appeal, he regularly denigrates women who disagree with him and swears oaths against them.
And that leaves aside his racism, his never ending lying, his failure to pay people who work to make him rich, his use of the courts to commit massive fraud and inflict untold harm, his penchant for spreading slander even as he engages in exactly the behavior he is decrying, his arrogance, and his inability to summon compassion or interest about his fellow man.
His divorces are the least of it.
2
The problem with the "three wives" thing, is that these people take sacred vows which they so easily throw into the garbage.
Like gambling, "evangelicals" forget about certain sins when they realize they can't live without things like divorce.
It's the hypocrisy of it all.
Like gambling, "evangelicals" forget about certain sins when they realize they can't live without things like divorce.
It's the hypocrisy of it all.
The Evangelical Right in their embrace of Trump are no better than the Pharisees who sold out Jesus to the Romans. As long as it advances their political ambitions, then ethics, morality and religion are secondary.
8
This battle has been raging since the beginning of Christianity, when the power hungry literalist Christians demolished the Gnostic Christians by the end of the 4th century. Consider: before these literalist, power hungry Christians took over the Roman empire, seagoing adventurers knew the Earth is round, and the Alexandria Library held texts of world's greatest regarding medicine, philosophy, science, astronomy, and literature and poetry. Rome had brought roads and clean water all over Europe. By the middle of the fifth century, after these literal thinking Christians took over and burned this library to the ground, falsified Biblical texts and censored others, and murdered Gnostic Christians, Rome had been sacked, no one in Europe believed the Earth is round and the Dark Ages had begun. These are the same people who brought us the Inquisition--another war against women, learned people, and liberal thinking--in the name of their Christianity. Now, when the peril to our Earth itself has never been greater, these anti-science, power hungry, violent and destructive people take over again. This time, we must prevail.
17
Trump and religious zealots have a very common thread - they both believe in alternative facts. They believe what they want to believe, and are so convinced of their beliefs that they will never change.
12
It makes perfect sense. The religious right is really about greed, power and misogyny, who better to represent them than Trump?
23
I wonder if these folks have considered that, historically speaking, there's no better way to kill off religion than to marry it to government. If we make it to the long run, that is.
9
trump is the perfect leader for the religious evangelical right. Evangelicals are the guardians of white supremacy. All of this, trump's ascension, taking the country backward, is focused on one thing--the preservation of white America. It doesn't matter that trump is an incompetent, petulant, narcissistic, nonreligious cad who has probably paid for more than one abortion in his lifetime. He's white. The white Jesus has already forgiven him.
18
These characters are causing me a deep depression. If this is their goal they are successful. My only hope is that it's only me.
8
I want to know how evangelicals and fundamentalists know, as they say they do, that god is using Trump for god's purposes. Where is this in their holy book? Who sent the message and who received it? Also, if they get 50 things of their dreams through Trump, what are they going to do about the next 50, or 500, that go against everything in which they believe?
From where I sit, having been raised a Southern Baptist, fundamentalists have sold out whatever it was they said they stood for in order to put a reckless wild man in the White House. As long as they can get what they want, it doesn't seem to matter to them.
Here's one example of the abundant contradictions. Trump vowed in his inaugural speech to wipe "radical Islam" from the face of the earth. No one disagrees that terrorist attacks and the random killings they involve are horrible and should be stopped by every legal and moral means. Yet, wiping out radical Islam could cost hundreds of thousands of lives, even millions if it were to wind up causing a war. That's okay? Kill 100,000 to avoid the deaths of 200? Risk killing millions to avoid the deaths of 3,000? Where is the morality in that?
It is clear that American fundamentalist religion has been corrupted by its desire for political goals over all else. It is not about morality, decency toward others or love for humanity. It is about abandoning religious tenets to get what you want regardless of the consequences. however you can get it.
From where I sit, having been raised a Southern Baptist, fundamentalists have sold out whatever it was they said they stood for in order to put a reckless wild man in the White House. As long as they can get what they want, it doesn't seem to matter to them.
Here's one example of the abundant contradictions. Trump vowed in his inaugural speech to wipe "radical Islam" from the face of the earth. No one disagrees that terrorist attacks and the random killings they involve are horrible and should be stopped by every legal and moral means. Yet, wiping out radical Islam could cost hundreds of thousands of lives, even millions if it were to wind up causing a war. That's okay? Kill 100,000 to avoid the deaths of 200? Risk killing millions to avoid the deaths of 3,000? Where is the morality in that?
It is clear that American fundamentalist religion has been corrupted by its desire for political goals over all else. It is not about morality, decency toward others or love for humanity. It is about abandoning religious tenets to get what you want regardless of the consequences. however you can get it.
25
I suppose God could use a sinner for something. If that is the case, Gods will could be done. Not knowing what he had in mind, I choose not to vote for either of them. (My prayers were not answered-sorry)
2
At this rate, the Democrats will collapse of anger-fueled Exhaustion well before My President's first 100 days conclude. Learn to pace yourself, folks.
8
"President Trump may lack a coherent ideology, but he shares with the religious right a kind of Christian identity politics, a sense that the symbols of Christianity, if not its virtues, deserve cultural precedence."
This us-versus-them tribalism is at the root of modern day conservative evangelical Christianity which (not surprisingly) traces its roots back to the establishment of private whites-only Christian "academies" following court-ordered school desegregation. Couple that with Trump's quasi-biblical patriarchal authoritarianism, and his appeal to them does not seem so outlandish.
This us-versus-them tribalism is at the root of modern day conservative evangelical Christianity which (not surprisingly) traces its roots back to the establishment of private whites-only Christian "academies" following court-ordered school desegregation. Couple that with Trump's quasi-biblical patriarchal authoritarianism, and his appeal to them does not seem so outlandish.
11
Trump/Pence is a mirror image of Bush/Cheney.
One candidate, Bush/Pence, is a born-again congenial Christian with serious anti-science and anti-choice tendencies who seems perfectly okay with ignoring facts if not education in general.
The other candidate, Trump/Cheney, is an authoritarian bully who seems to admire Russian dictators, wants to completely control the press, and is fine with torture and letting oil companies dictate foreign policy.
We've seen this before. We've JUST been through this. It is not smart.
One candidate, Bush/Pence, is a born-again congenial Christian with serious anti-science and anti-choice tendencies who seems perfectly okay with ignoring facts if not education in general.
The other candidate, Trump/Cheney, is an authoritarian bully who seems to admire Russian dictators, wants to completely control the press, and is fine with torture and letting oil companies dictate foreign policy.
We've seen this before. We've JUST been through this. It is not smart.
22
A funhouse mirror... but not much fun
Trump's obeisance to the fundamentalists is partly him looking forward to 2020. By that time, it will only be the theocrats who will still have any interest in the fraud, and he knows he will need every last one of their votes.
In other words, expect this trend of currying favor to continue. The only way Trump would revolt is if the theocrats started saying we needed to feed to hungry, care for the sick, and comfort the poor. That is a non-starter for the Republican congress he wants to be on good terms with, and fortunately, thanks to decades of the politicization of right-wing Christianity in this country, it is of little concern to the churches, too.
They may be theocrats, but at least they ain't no commies!
In other words, expect this trend of currying favor to continue. The only way Trump would revolt is if the theocrats started saying we needed to feed to hungry, care for the sick, and comfort the poor. That is a non-starter for the Republican congress he wants to be on good terms with, and fortunately, thanks to decades of the politicization of right-wing Christianity in this country, it is of little concern to the churches, too.
They may be theocrats, but at least they ain't no commies!
6
The religious right is obviously a vastly diverse conglomerate of adherents to some Christian faith or other, ranging in essence from firm believers and devout members of a service oriented church to money grabbing social misfits who, often aided by church-owned media outlets, use the cover of religious affiliation to steal and pilfer from their unassuming crowd of believers, spreading an easy to digest sort of theology and seeking political influence when and where it seems feasible. These are part and parcel of the American huckster mentality which is neither religious nor moral but which has in recent years been aided and abetted to their own advantage by the more cynical heads and factions of the Republican Party.
9
If nothing else, it shows how smart Christian conservatives and the Right are when they look to achieving their ultimate goals. Trump may not have been their preferred candidate, but once he was the only ride available, they all climbed aboard. Contrast this with the idiotLeft who knowing fully the dangers of a Trump victory continued to focus on the imperfections of Clinton driving down voter turnout and upping votes for fringe parties in what turned out to be crucial. You'd think the Left had learned something from the 2000 Florida election debacle, but No, we had a repeat in 2016 and I doubt that the left will learn anything from this election either.
75
Will the left learn form this experience remains to be seen. I wonder if those who sit out politics in general will learn the price of their apathy is too high. I am struck by the number who did not vote at all & what this means for the future of democracy in this country. Extremism's rises in democracies is as much about general citizen apathy as the influence of fringe parties. People need to educate themselves about who governs at least as much as they do about entertainment nonsense and trivia. Also the left has taken too much for granted including the idea that control of one office (the presidency) or Washington alone is enough while leaving the local & state governments in the not to gentle hands of conservative Republicans and their wealthy masters. There needs to be a serious attempt at taking back control of all levels of government if we are to undo some of the worst of this current election cycle. One other comment, the use of "idiot" and other words like it are counterproductive and diminish the effectiveness & value of any criticism.
I totally agree Sipa111
The idiotLeft - as you call them, is a formidable foe of all things decent. They are smug, self satisfied, attention-seeking, tantrum throwing lily livered people who can live dangerously and play perennial spoilers. And why wouldn't they? They have nothing to lose. They are mostly white Christians - who may tut tut, but will never be deported, nor lynched, nor outlawed, nor gassed, nor chained, nor banned.
Of course the religious right are the best kind of opportunists. How could they not be? They have sold a bill of goods to people and lived high on the hog selling snake oil since the beginning of the republic. If they found a savior in Trump, it is no accident. One too many of their leaders are caught with the wrong people in bed and drugs in their veins, or in the wrong places (airport toilets and strip joints), most are swindling the flock, and one too many have lifestyles a lot closer to Trump - than they do to the carpenter they claim to follow. They are more like kindred spirits.
And now they will feed fat for the next four years, and eight - if the idiotLeft has anything to do with it.
Kalidan
The idiotLeft - as you call them, is a formidable foe of all things decent. They are smug, self satisfied, attention-seeking, tantrum throwing lily livered people who can live dangerously and play perennial spoilers. And why wouldn't they? They have nothing to lose. They are mostly white Christians - who may tut tut, but will never be deported, nor lynched, nor outlawed, nor gassed, nor chained, nor banned.
Of course the religious right are the best kind of opportunists. How could they not be? They have sold a bill of goods to people and lived high on the hog selling snake oil since the beginning of the republic. If they found a savior in Trump, it is no accident. One too many of their leaders are caught with the wrong people in bed and drugs in their veins, or in the wrong places (airport toilets and strip joints), most are swindling the flock, and one too many have lifestyles a lot closer to Trump - than they do to the carpenter they claim to follow. They are more like kindred spirits.
And now they will feed fat for the next four years, and eight - if the idiotLeft has anything to do with it.
Kalidan
Secretary Clinton - 65,844,954 = 48.2% votes
Trump - 62,979,879 = 46.1% votes
Those are not the number of a Party that does not have it's act together.
If you do not believe these numbers then prove them wrong.
Let's have a total recount of all the ballots in all 50 States and Territories.
Just make sure the United Nations does the recount we do not trust the republican party since they needed the help of Russia to take the White House along with the voter suppression and gerrymandering.
Trump - 62,979,879 = 46.1% votes
Those are not the number of a Party that does not have it's act together.
If you do not believe these numbers then prove them wrong.
Let's have a total recount of all the ballots in all 50 States and Territories.
Just make sure the United Nations does the recount we do not trust the republican party since they needed the help of Russia to take the White House along with the voter suppression and gerrymandering.
Trump and his religious allies represent hypocrisy in the flesh. The founding fathers of this nation, having escaped themselves the persecution of religious fanatics in Europe, were wise to build a society free from the shackles of religious intolerance, and clearly stated in the constitution, the separation of state from religion, and allowing freedom to seek whichever beliefs fit each individual the best, or none as any rational being has the right to, and the good judgement to follow, as our ignorance is being replaced by rational thought, and knowledge plus understanding via science. In fact, it is entirely unthinkable nowadays to pretend not knowing about Earth's reality, its evolution, and now the man-made climate changes we are punishing Mother Nature with (and by inference, caving our own destruction). The current imposition of irrational thought, via religion, is an affront to humanity. Not that we expect any less by thoughtless thugs at the political helm, intent in subverting our freedom to think for ourselves, and choose wisely alternatives to a wasteland, a closed mind.
7
This is an expertly crafted, insight laden, outside-the-box piece of thinking. I say so because instead of the standard blunt Left Wing hammer of catcalls and insults that is so popular with left pundits, it delves deep and tells the ugly truth: The Right is more politically astute than The Left. It gets the job of winning elections done. The Right realizes; take power first, iron out the details later.
Conversely my fellow left progressives are treating this Trump presidency the way you treat one of those weird dreams where you know you are in a dream. All over soon, not to worry, this will end soon and the natural course of things will resume. This is a huge mistake and it parodies that what happened Nov 8 seemed impossible at the time. Still, the Left thinks the Trump presidency is dead on arrival.
In fact in America it is easier to get reelected than elected. So, the default position of the Left's mind right now should be that, Trump is in for TWO terms. If you need assurance of this potential disaster reread this insightful article. Any politician crafty enough to claim the most ideological group in this country without actually belonging to it is a force to be reckoned with.
The lesson for the Left should be, 1. ideology is important, but winning is more important, 2. losing happens, even when it's impossible.
Conversely my fellow left progressives are treating this Trump presidency the way you treat one of those weird dreams where you know you are in a dream. All over soon, not to worry, this will end soon and the natural course of things will resume. This is a huge mistake and it parodies that what happened Nov 8 seemed impossible at the time. Still, the Left thinks the Trump presidency is dead on arrival.
In fact in America it is easier to get reelected than elected. So, the default position of the Left's mind right now should be that, Trump is in for TWO terms. If you need assurance of this potential disaster reread this insightful article. Any politician crafty enough to claim the most ideological group in this country without actually belonging to it is a force to be reckoned with.
The lesson for the Left should be, 1. ideology is important, but winning is more important, 2. losing happens, even when it's impossible.
6
The presumption of Religion and sound moral bearing as synonymous is- well, false. Religion has been the gasoline poured upon the flames of racism, intolerance, bigotry since Creation. In America, the Conservative Protestant wing of religiosity has been the instrument since landing here; genocidal practices, slavery, lynching and general repression of everyone unlike them; them meaning WASP. That it happened in full global display on November 8, 2016 is just a testament to the reach of 24 hour technology.
9
I might be over stepping my bounds here, but I can no longer be silent in the face of this tsunami of governmental "Christianization".
I grew up as a "preacher's kid". What I witnessed then as I was cleaning the church, mowing the lawn, acolyting, and attending every service was many good people who prayed hard in church and grudgingly tithed. But some (more than a few) demonstrated a declining christian attitude once they left to go home. These "Sunday go to meeting" folks always dressed nicely but seemed to have what appeared to be a covert drive to remain and almost revel in their "freedom" from the shackles of Christianity throughout the week.
Yep, we are all sinners. But I believe there is a difference between someone who truly attempts to live a Christ-like life and someone who claims Christianity while saying all the "right" Christian things, but has no, and never has had, any intention of attempting to live a Christ-like life.
I don't see a lot of Christ-like love in Trump or any of these cabinet people.
I do see a lot greed, self-centered behavior, homophobia, anger, racism and willful violence.
I'm pretty sure Christ would never have water boarded one of his "enemies".
I'm pretty sure Christ would never have advocated for a "charter school" that would efficiently funnel public funds to private bank accounts.
I'm left wondering why Trump even goes to church. Obviously it's just part of his "art of the Deal".
Think Christ liked "Deals"?
I grew up as a "preacher's kid". What I witnessed then as I was cleaning the church, mowing the lawn, acolyting, and attending every service was many good people who prayed hard in church and grudgingly tithed. But some (more than a few) demonstrated a declining christian attitude once they left to go home. These "Sunday go to meeting" folks always dressed nicely but seemed to have what appeared to be a covert drive to remain and almost revel in their "freedom" from the shackles of Christianity throughout the week.
Yep, we are all sinners. But I believe there is a difference between someone who truly attempts to live a Christ-like life and someone who claims Christianity while saying all the "right" Christian things, but has no, and never has had, any intention of attempting to live a Christ-like life.
I don't see a lot of Christ-like love in Trump or any of these cabinet people.
I do see a lot greed, self-centered behavior, homophobia, anger, racism and willful violence.
I'm pretty sure Christ would never have water boarded one of his "enemies".
I'm pretty sure Christ would never have advocated for a "charter school" that would efficiently funnel public funds to private bank accounts.
I'm left wondering why Trump even goes to church. Obviously it's just part of his "art of the Deal".
Think Christ liked "Deals"?
24
The United States is not a Christian nation, and the Bible is not the cornerstone of our law. That is what the Founding Fathers believed, no matter what distorted history Mr. Sessions offers. There are countless examples from the late 1700s of what their thinking was. To cite a few:
John Adams:
“The government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion.” (Treaty of Tripoli, 1797)
Thomas Jefferson:
“Christianity neither is, nor ever was, a part of the common law.” (Letter to Dr. Thomas Cooper, February 10, 1814)
"State churches that use government power to support themselves and force their views on persons of other faiths undermine all our civil rights. Moreover, state support of the church tends to make the clergy unresponsive to the people and leads to corruption within religion. Erecting the 'wall of separation between church and state,' therefore, is absolutely essential in a free society." (speech to the Virginia Baptists, 1808)
James Madison:
“The civil government … functions with complete success … by the total separation of the Church from the State.” (Writings, 8:432, 1819)
Benjamin Franklin:
"When a religion is good, I conceive it will support itself; and when it does not support itself so that its professors are obliged to call for the help of the civil power, ’tis a sign, I apprehend, of its being a bad one." (letter to Richard Price, October 9, 1780)
John Adams:
“The government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion.” (Treaty of Tripoli, 1797)
Thomas Jefferson:
“Christianity neither is, nor ever was, a part of the common law.” (Letter to Dr. Thomas Cooper, February 10, 1814)
"State churches that use government power to support themselves and force their views on persons of other faiths undermine all our civil rights. Moreover, state support of the church tends to make the clergy unresponsive to the people and leads to corruption within religion. Erecting the 'wall of separation between church and state,' therefore, is absolutely essential in a free society." (speech to the Virginia Baptists, 1808)
James Madison:
“The civil government … functions with complete success … by the total separation of the Church from the State.” (Writings, 8:432, 1819)
Benjamin Franklin:
"When a religion is good, I conceive it will support itself; and when it does not support itself so that its professors are obliged to call for the help of the civil power, ’tis a sign, I apprehend, of its being a bad one." (letter to Richard Price, October 9, 1780)
22
The religious right is essentially anti-woman, which is the main reason Hillary didn't stand a chance with that crew. They will deny this, of course, stating that they accord women a "higher place of honor" than non-evangelical people of faith or secularists. The problem is that it is "honor" on their own (male) terms, diminishing individual women's autonomy and authority. They rant and worry about radical Islam, slamming it for its denigration of women while they themselves deny women authority in their own churches. If they want to interpret Scripture like that (and the women actually want to live like that) then great; the real problem is when they want to assert that kind of authority over a society that does not share their perspective, their patriarchal values or their insistence on turning the clock back to a time when women were controlled by men's power over their bodies. The supposed people of good news will bow and bend to anything (it's now clear) in order to keep that power in place.
14
Regardless of any accuracy associated with Trump's claims that the election was rigged, here's something to consider: As a wedge issue, it's hard to find one more polarizing than pro-birth vs. pro-choice. It seems obvious that the Republican's refusal to allow Scalia's vacant Supreme Court seat to be filled ultimately redounded in Trump's favor.
3
True believers are too myopic to understand that separation of church and state is the best guarantee of religious freedom. They seek political power to impose their beliefs on others but do not consider the possibility those in future political power may have a somewhat different "Christian" belief and will impose that on them. Once they manage to direct public school funds to religious schools do they think the courts would exclude Muslim schools from obtaining funds?
12
The Trojan Horse analogy is not quite right. The purpose of the Trojan Horse was to conceal the horse's contents. With Donald Trump there are no secrets. Everyone knows he is an unprincipled opportunist who adopts positions of convenience. He would only be a Trojan Horse if what he attempted to convey in the campaign is different from his real intent.
People talk of "transparency" so much that it has lost any meaning, but Donald Trump is no opaque Trojan Horse, the contents of which are concealed. He is as transparent as a window pane. Look inside and what you see if a self-centered, self-aggrandizing blowhard who believes in little more than his own personal advancement. He subscribes to no grand ideology or set of beliefs. He is a man of convenience and expediency. All of that has been patently obvious from the start.
People talk of "transparency" so much that it has lost any meaning, but Donald Trump is no opaque Trojan Horse, the contents of which are concealed. He is as transparent as a window pane. Look inside and what you see if a self-centered, self-aggrandizing blowhard who believes in little more than his own personal advancement. He subscribes to no grand ideology or set of beliefs. He is a man of convenience and expediency. All of that has been patently obvious from the start.
8
I am a practicing Catholic and think it is improper, unacceptable,
unconscionable, immoral and sinful for Pence to support
an arrogant, loud mouthed bully and fraud who has not
one atom of human kindness and cares only about himself.
I doubt if Trump really believes in God because
Trump only believes in Trump and nobody else.
God always comes second. Pence should be ashamed of himself,
get down on his knees and beg God's forgiveness.
What would Jesus do? He certainly wouldn't have voted for Trump.
Think of Trump as a modern day Pharisee.
Rich and fancy on the outside and dry dust on the inside.
unconscionable, immoral and sinful for Pence to support
an arrogant, loud mouthed bully and fraud who has not
one atom of human kindness and cares only about himself.
I doubt if Trump really believes in God because
Trump only believes in Trump and nobody else.
God always comes second. Pence should be ashamed of himself,
get down on his knees and beg God's forgiveness.
What would Jesus do? He certainly wouldn't have voted for Trump.
Think of Trump as a modern day Pharisee.
Rich and fancy on the outside and dry dust on the inside.
13
The defunding of Planned Parenthood may not be the worst thing that could happen to the organization. It would force it to seek more reliable and less controversial funding. But defunding organizations they don't like is only the first step toward outlawing them entirely.
For all their professed piety this new administration is cold-hearted and calculating to a degree that most Americans cannot understand. They believe that winning the Presidency with 46% of the popular vote (3 million less than the loser) grants them the right to impose their theocracy upon the majority who voted against them. We can only hope that the American people will resist their coup d'état for the next two years and then vote them out of the majority in at least the Senate if not the House as well. Anyone who cares about our democracy should be earnestly seeking ways to help that happen.
For all their professed piety this new administration is cold-hearted and calculating to a degree that most Americans cannot understand. They believe that winning the Presidency with 46% of the popular vote (3 million less than the loser) grants them the right to impose their theocracy upon the majority who voted against them. We can only hope that the American people will resist their coup d'état for the next two years and then vote them out of the majority in at least the Senate if not the House as well. Anyone who cares about our democracy should be earnestly seeking ways to help that happen.
8
Christians are called to discernment and ask the Lord for wisdom, and it is freely given.
Donald Trump is a fallen man, unprepared for the presidency. He is a wealthy man, and it will be difficult for him to enter the kingdom, as the scripture says.
That being said, followers of Christ should pray for our county and for our leaders, pray for their safety, and particularly pray for Donald Trump, his many burdens, and for ultimately his humility, if that comes, it will be given by God.
Only God can truly change a man's heart. Donald Trump is deserving of the mercy of Christ.
Donald Trump is a fallen man, unprepared for the presidency. He is a wealthy man, and it will be difficult for him to enter the kingdom, as the scripture says.
That being said, followers of Christ should pray for our county and for our leaders, pray for their safety, and particularly pray for Donald Trump, his many burdens, and for ultimately his humility, if that comes, it will be given by God.
Only God can truly change a man's heart. Donald Trump is deserving of the mercy of Christ.
1
Of course, back during the campaign, the very thought of Trump as mouthpiece and representative of a revivified religious rIght inspired a collective smirking grin in the opposition. No one needed the Billy Bush tape to recognize the louche, near-clownish hypocrisy of such a bald-faced conceit. But then again, as the Bush years years taught us, since when has hypocrisy ever been a problem for the religious right? For that matter, one can literally see future Trump era scenarios, both public and private, played like one of Visconti's lush, decadent film melodramas - think of "The Damned," for example, about Nazis having problems in the bedroom. And it's all very funny, in a gruesome way, until it isn't. And what causes genuine concern, given Trump and the God Squad now find themselves in bed, is Trump's willingness to lend his presidential imprimatur to the religious right's outlandish, constitutionally bankrupt and just plain goofy legislative agenda. For all the issues the religious right's agenda seems to encompass, it's true objective can be stated in a singular manner: putting targets on a lot people's backs. Trump doesn't even begin to comprehend the depth of anger and the severity of the backlash he's going to encounter.
8
Pro-life? Nothing else about Trump's platform celebrates life. Does life cease to matter when it's outside the womb? The pro-life stance ends to be expanded to include all races, all religions, immigrants, and refugees fleeing from violence and hunger in their homes. There are now millions of children who are refugees, don't they matter?
13
So Mike Pence criticizes "public schools for teaching evolution but not creationism, even though creationism 'was believed in by every signer of the Declaration of Independence.'" Every signer of the document also thought that miasma was the cause of infectious diseases like cholera. Thank goodness we've moved on from that. Before we move to impeach Donald Trump, we might want to contemplate the further consequences.
10
President Trump; three times married; an adulterer; a serial philanderer; accused on multiple occasions of laying hands on women without their permission; a man noted for hanging around beauty contests throughout his adult life; a man with easy access to money and hotel rooms. What odds are Las Vegas betting parlors placing on the likelihood of women emerging during his Presidency who will claim that he is the father of their children and/or procured abortions for them?
A hundred percent?
A hundred percent?
11
The country did something in November that I believed would always (in my life time) be impossible. They elected an atheist. He clearly just plays lip service to being a Christian and seems to blaspheme every second utterance (I can't say sentence since he seldom speaks in sentences). To teach my fellow Americans a word from my native English, the country just "trumped" (this refers to something that children do and would not be polite in public). Our only hope is 2018, we can't stand more than a 100 weeks like the last one.
4
Every time I look at a photograph of the American cabinet I am blinded by the "white maleness" of the government.To emphasis my point I suggest you put a picture of the US cabinet and the Canadian cabinet side by side and see the difference.
Also a little surprised how readily the American electorate accepts this predominance of white males to govern a multi-racial population.
Also a little surprised how readily the American electorate accepts this predominance of white males to govern a multi-racial population.
274
It's a boys clubhouse, no girls allowed. Trump's mentality works at roughly the level of a pre-pubescent boy.
7
I wonder how many American voters look at the lineup of Trump's cabinet and just see a "normal" collection of powerful people. Mostly white middle-aged men with the odd woman and non-white person, to be sure.
I'm betting that most Trump voters would look with horror at a lineup which was ethnically diverse, had several women and openly gay people and see only "political correctness". In other words too many people who should not be in government at all.
With Trump, then, normal service has been resumed.
I'm betting that most Trump voters would look with horror at a lineup which was ethnically diverse, had several women and openly gay people and see only "political correctness". In other words too many people who should not be in government at all.
With Trump, then, normal service has been resumed.
We don't accept the cabinet. The majority of Americans didn't vote for Trump, and that majority is now signing petitions, tying up phone lines, writing letters and marching in the streets to oppose the appointments of these incompetent bigots Trump has chosen as his cabinet. Of course he chooses white males. Reflection of his supposedly royal self. And just enough tokens to silence critics.
1
The Christian right is neither Christian nor democratic. It does expect to force itself upon you, force it's belief system to govern your daily life, no matter what else it claims. If you suffer because of their impositions, they are more than happy to tell you in, blind self righteousness, that you had it coming. It fits conveniently with the rights economics, which transfers wealth to the top, while telling the rest they are lazy losers. Both are comfortable with stepping over the bodies on the way to the bank. Where are the Christian groups willing to stand up to this ignorant nonsense?
27
See another President - Jimmy Carter - he does stand up to them.
Anyone who votes to put an self-avowed sexual predator in the White House is not a Christian and has never read the Gospels!
58
Donald Trump was born and bred in the white Protestant American nationalist corporate plutocrat oligarch faith tradition of Norman Vincent Peale and Billy Graham. Trump has led the life of a money loving materialist hedonist heathen pagan.
On last Inauguration Day morning the Trump family and close friends went to the traditional private religious service at St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. . Reverend Robert Jeffress, an extremist Southern Baptist from the First Baptist Church of Dallas Texas, was their invited preacher. Jeffress is anti-Catholic, anti-Mormon, anti-black, anti-LGBTQ, anti-Mexican and anti-Muslim.
While white America focuses on the likes of Reverend Jeremiah A. Wright and Minister Louis Farrakhan white Americans ignore the Protestant bigotry of the likes of Robert Jeffress, Rick Warren, David Koresh, Jim Jones, Jerry Falwell, Oral Roberts, Bill McCartney, Billy and Franklin Graham.
On last Inauguration Day morning the Trump family and close friends went to the traditional private religious service at St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. . Reverend Robert Jeffress, an extremist Southern Baptist from the First Baptist Church of Dallas Texas, was their invited preacher. Jeffress is anti-Catholic, anti-Mormon, anti-black, anti-LGBTQ, anti-Mexican and anti-Muslim.
While white America focuses on the likes of Reverend Jeremiah A. Wright and Minister Louis Farrakhan white Americans ignore the Protestant bigotry of the likes of Robert Jeffress, Rick Warren, David Koresh, Jim Jones, Jerry Falwell, Oral Roberts, Bill McCartney, Billy and Franklin Graham.
52
Hypocrisy for policy. In throwing their support behind Trump, these groups made their faith secondary.
Skim the Gospels. Jesus was the harshest critic (and worst enemy) of men who sought affection through religious office: "Be on guard against the scribes, who like to parade around in their robes and accept marks of respect in public, front seats in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. These men ... will receive the severest sentence." Mark 12:38-39.
Jesus preached humility and forgiveness. I challenge any Trump-voting, Christian to find two better antonyms for their President.
Skim the Gospels. Jesus was the harshest critic (and worst enemy) of men who sought affection through religious office: "Be on guard against the scribes, who like to parade around in their robes and accept marks of respect in public, front seats in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. These men ... will receive the severest sentence." Mark 12:38-39.
Jesus preached humility and forgiveness. I challenge any Trump-voting, Christian to find two better antonyms for their President.
39
This clearly demonstrates that how phony the Christian Right's belief in Christianity is. There is no doubt that Religion opiates the masses which then can be manipulated by the people in search of power and wealth. Religion is the single most effective contributor to the profound ignorance of the people and thus presents an existential threat to what this country has stood for. It is the "enemy within".
28
This is precisely on point. The Christian Jihad came to Trump's aid when he needed them most--and now they own him. Starting with Pence, the cabinet is replete with this cabal. As I've said elsewhere, Trump is no more in charge than Santa Claus.
So what does the Christian Jihad want? For one, Christian Sharia--abortion and contraception outlawed, and women returned to their rightful place. GLBT people punished for their nature. Religion in schools and ostracization of non-Christian faiths.
They also apparently want holy war with Islam, particularly Flynn and Trump advisor (and DeVos brother) Erik Prince. Putin, of course, would be very happy to see us embark on that path, and take some of the brunt of Islamic terrorism (I said it--I'm no fan of religious orthodoxy or of theocracies) off of Russia.
So what does the Christian Jihad want? For one, Christian Sharia--abortion and contraception outlawed, and women returned to their rightful place. GLBT people punished for their nature. Religion in schools and ostracization of non-Christian faiths.
They also apparently want holy war with Islam, particularly Flynn and Trump advisor (and DeVos brother) Erik Prince. Putin, of course, would be very happy to see us embark on that path, and take some of the brunt of Islamic terrorism (I said it--I'm no fan of religious orthodoxy or of theocracies) off of Russia.
54
For all of you people wondered about how the millions of evangelical Christians and other assorted bible thumpers, including Mike Pence, would be able to justify their continued strong and loving support for the lying, lecherous and supremely immoral Trump, I think we have the answer.
Haven't you heard that we are all guilty of sins (though usually not as many sins as Donald has committed). And don't you know that he has asked for forgiveness (well in a Donald Trump sort of way, saying what other people have done is far worse). And haven't you heard of grace (though Trump could even try the grace of God).
In short, these so-called Christians are supreme hypocrites. They'll accept Trump's sins because he plays to their inherent racism, misogyny and condescending attitude toward the poor. And, of course, he was the only thing standing between them and--gasp--a woman as president.
Haven't you heard that we are all guilty of sins (though usually not as many sins as Donald has committed). And don't you know that he has asked for forgiveness (well in a Donald Trump sort of way, saying what other people have done is far worse). And haven't you heard of grace (though Trump could even try the grace of God).
In short, these so-called Christians are supreme hypocrites. They'll accept Trump's sins because he plays to their inherent racism, misogyny and condescending attitude toward the poor. And, of course, he was the only thing standing between them and--gasp--a woman as president.
69
The essence of evangelical faith is the willingness to profess with one's mouth that Jesus was sinless yet crucified. that he died on the cross for our transgressions and that on the third day after his death he defeated death itself, as can we if we believe n him. Those who spread this message use the way god has moved in their own life as a witness to the power of Christ. But the majority of these people, the wide majority of these people, voted for man who claimed he was sinless and then bragged about the mockery of his marriage vows. Thus what you are witnessing to is your Party loyalty and your bigotry. Your witness is a lie.
58
I was raised in an evangelical church. I would say that the Religious Right is Trump's Trojan horse. He needed THEM to get in the door.
They are, increasingly, a marginalized and mocked group. The elitist left has gone after them no-holds barred. Thry will vote for anyone who utters the words "overturn Roe". But wait - The issue of whether to revisit Roe was settled in Casey. Casey applied stare decisis to Roe. Even the most conservative justices will never revisit Roe. They do not understand this at all.
All Trump has to really do is validate their feelings and give them space to amplify their views to the public. He will push policies and appoint conservative judges to create the appearance of a "pro-life" administration, even if there are more abortions and dead mothers as a result of these "pro-life" policies. Just like the state of the law, the effect of policy is irrelevant.
The frank truth is, we've tipped a bunch of emotional people over the emotional edge with our contempt. Any strongman who wipes their tears and listens to them can now control them.
They are, increasingly, a marginalized and mocked group. The elitist left has gone after them no-holds barred. Thry will vote for anyone who utters the words "overturn Roe". But wait - The issue of whether to revisit Roe was settled in Casey. Casey applied stare decisis to Roe. Even the most conservative justices will never revisit Roe. They do not understand this at all.
All Trump has to really do is validate their feelings and give them space to amplify their views to the public. He will push policies and appoint conservative judges to create the appearance of a "pro-life" administration, even if there are more abortions and dead mothers as a result of these "pro-life" policies. Just like the state of the law, the effect of policy is irrelevant.
The frank truth is, we've tipped a bunch of emotional people over the emotional edge with our contempt. Any strongman who wipes their tears and listens to them can now control them.
119
Religious Right encompasses a whole lot more than a Bible Thumper's church.
"They [religious right] are, increasingly, a marginalized and mocked group. The elitist left has gone after them no-holds barred."
I never saw the left go after them except when they tried to bring prayer back into the public schools or otherwise interject religion into government, given that the Constitution is very clear on this matter. In fact, this is one of the areas where we have ample writings from the Founders (Jefferson in particular)that they indeed wanted to be sure that there was a strict separation between church and state.
I never saw the left go after them except when they tried to bring prayer back into the public schools or otherwise interject religion into government, given that the Constitution is very clear on this matter. In fact, this is one of the areas where we have ample writings from the Founders (Jefferson in particular)that they indeed wanted to be sure that there was a strict separation between church and state.
4
Stare decision might not stand in the case of abortion. The supremes can do as they please which means a bunch of white catholic men can stick it to women.
No one takes the Christ out of Christianity and puts the 'h' in hypocrisy more often, more spitefully and more sadistically than the modern American, radical Christian right.
They represent the teachings of Jesus Christ just as farcically as Donald Trump does.
A match made in hypocritical heaven...and right-wing hell on Earth.
Let us pray.
Let us prey.
Oy vay.
They represent the teachings of Jesus Christ just as farcically as Donald Trump does.
A match made in hypocritical heaven...and right-wing hell on Earth.
Let us pray.
Let us prey.
Oy vay.
665
Good one Socrates!
1
This says it all, "The religious right has been elevated to power without having to contest its ideas in an election. Sometimes, a deal with the devil pays off, big league."
The "religious right" has NO business in OUR politics or governments because OUR U.S. Constitution demands Separation of church and State. That means WE are protected FROM religious interference of every kind in OUR lives and people are free to worship as they please - in their homes and places of worship.
WE have allowed the supposed "radical christians" to gain a foothold in OUR governments at all levels. WE have been asleep. The Sleeping Giant has awakened. The Silent Majority Roared on Saturday, January 21st and will continue to Roar until we get rid of the socially bankrupt Robber Barons who have taken over OUR governments and judicial systems.
This will not stand in MY America. Not now. Not ever.
The "religious right" has NO business in OUR politics or governments because OUR U.S. Constitution demands Separation of church and State. That means WE are protected FROM religious interference of every kind in OUR lives and people are free to worship as they please - in their homes and places of worship.
WE have allowed the supposed "radical christians" to gain a foothold in OUR governments at all levels. WE have been asleep. The Sleeping Giant has awakened. The Silent Majority Roared on Saturday, January 21st and will continue to Roar until we get rid of the socially bankrupt Robber Barons who have taken over OUR governments and judicial systems.
This will not stand in MY America. Not now. Not ever.
534
We weren't asleep. We didn't allow this at all.
I think it's fair to say WE had FAITH. We had faith that christian conservatives would ACT like christian conservatives in deeds as well as words. We had faith that these people we who we took for their word as godly religious people would actually DO THE RIGHT THING. We had faith that we weren't going to be fooled. That conservatives were telling the truth. Can't you see we were all wrong to place any faith in words. It's DEEDS that prove ones faith, or in this case dis-prove one's moral standing.
I think it's fair to say WE had FAITH. We had faith that christian conservatives would ACT like christian conservatives in deeds as well as words. We had faith that these people we who we took for their word as godly religious people would actually DO THE RIGHT THING. We had faith that we weren't going to be fooled. That conservatives were telling the truth. Can't you see we were all wrong to place any faith in words. It's DEEDS that prove ones faith, or in this case dis-prove one's moral standing.
2
I hope you're right! I marched on 1/21, too. I'm mailing postcards, tweeting messages to my representative (Tom Price!) and senators. I'm hoping to motivate the men in my life to speak up more about a woman's right to choose.
An interesting statistic about abortion from the Guttmacher Institute:
"• Many abortion patients reported a religious affiliation—24% were Catholic, 17% were mainline Protestant, 13% were evangelical Protestant and 8% identified with some other religion. Thirty-eight percent of patients had no religious affiliation. "
https://www.guttmacher.org/report/characteristics-us-abortion-patients-2014
An interesting statistic about abortion from the Guttmacher Institute:
"• Many abortion patients reported a religious affiliation—24% were Catholic, 17% were mainline Protestant, 13% were evangelical Protestant and 8% identified with some other religion. Thirty-eight percent of patients had no religious affiliation. "
https://www.guttmacher.org/report/characteristics-us-abortion-patients-2014
Dance with the devil indeed. That a man as profane as Trump could so easily reward his religious supporters is indicative of how truly damaging his win was for Americans who deeply believe in the separation of church and state.
America is a secular republic. As a Catholic, I take deep offense at any elected official who declares this country to be a "Christian nation." Our citizens include every type of religion, and those who don't believe at all. Our founders must be rolling in their graves, after taking such care to write the first amendment against the establishment of any one faith.
What part of "freedom from" and "freedom of" religion don't they understand? The distinction is eminently clear: you have your faith and I have mine--but don't you dare, nor will I, impose your beliefs on me in codified laws.
America is a secular republic. As a Catholic, I take deep offense at any elected official who declares this country to be a "Christian nation." Our citizens include every type of religion, and those who don't believe at all. Our founders must be rolling in their graves, after taking such care to write the first amendment against the establishment of any one faith.
What part of "freedom from" and "freedom of" religion don't they understand? The distinction is eminently clear: you have your faith and I have mine--but don't you dare, nor will I, impose your beliefs on me in codified laws.
810
Essential to restoring separation of church and state is the prosecution of all not for profits that violate stipulations that they not participate in politics. Conspiracies to influence elections are too blatant not to arouse the attention of the Legal professions, the Bar Associations, the ACLU, and academia unless they ALL turn their attention away because of their own vested interests. It is time to confront the legal community.
1
The people who crusade for a 'Christian' nation generally do not include Catholics in that definition.
1
If Hillary "lost by a majority" the majority that voted for someone other than Trump was even greater.
38
I have followed politics and voted since I was in college.
In all those years, voting for Republicans has always meant voting for theocrats.
The 2016 election was no different.
In all those years, voting for Republicans has always meant voting for theocrats.
The 2016 election was no different.
237
The only preacher man was your guy, Jimmy One-term Carter. He's easy to forget, eh?
3
The religious right must be feeling "drunk", with the anticipation of furthering their peculiar agenda under Trump. But, they will have to face the impossible task of rolling back decades of changing social attitudes regarding women's rights, gay rights, and lastly, science. There will be large-scale resistance to any attempt to send us back to the middle ages. Count on it!
357
The Taliban got its start the same way.
4
So why not just tax churches? They sit behind their tax exempt status and gather more and more land and wealth, and because of that more and more political influence.
God is no more on their minds than is poverty or obedience to the Bible.
Won't happen, of course, since fake piety is the way to the White House, and to the rooms of power and to the bank. Telling the truth, that there is no God, that it is all a myth, is a sure way to never, ever be a political force.
Yes, tax churches and all the property they hold. Heck, tax them for their stupidity and affront to reason...creationism?
Hugh Massengill, Eugene Oregon
God is no more on their minds than is poverty or obedience to the Bible.
Won't happen, of course, since fake piety is the way to the White House, and to the rooms of power and to the bank. Telling the truth, that there is no God, that it is all a myth, is a sure way to never, ever be a political force.
Yes, tax churches and all the property they hold. Heck, tax them for their stupidity and affront to reason...creationism?
Hugh Massengill, Eugene Oregon
405
Agree. If anybody checked on the stadium churches, I doubt that much goes to what the rest of us would call charity or service. It goes to politics and self aggrandizement,.
5
Agree! People justify the tax free status of churches saying that they give to charity. So I say, then give them a tax deduction based only on the amount they give to charity, just like everyone else. Religions should not be given special status under the tax code.
1
I agree. Religions should not be subsidized by the US government.
The hypocrisy of it all is sickening. They made a deal with the devil. The rest of us be damned.
249
Damnation is very long term. There are many more elections between now and then.
In the meantime, run someone voters believe in. Win it back.
In the meantime, run someone voters believe in. Win it back.
3
The modern understanding of the reasons for the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah appears to be due to mistranslations over the years. It is more likely that the real reason they were destroyed has to do with their lack of hospitality towards strangers, travelers to/through their towns. If that is the case, there is a real irony in this misunderstanding among certain groups
Pence caused an AIDS epidemic in his own state by shutting down the testing sites because they were at a Planned Parenthood. The article I read said that that part of rural Indiana had an AIDS rate at the level of "subSahara Africa".
His own Lt. Gov had to finally tell him to get off the pot and do something because he kept praying about whether to let addicts have access to clean needles to stop the public emergency. He is a true fanatic.
His own Lt. Gov had to finally tell him to get off the pot and do something because he kept praying about whether to let addicts have access to clean needles to stop the public emergency. He is a true fanatic.
944
Indiana's economy is in the toilet too. Like a lot of Republican run states are similar. Wish the times would do some comparison of the republican state policies versus other states. It would tell a clear story about who is acting in the best interests of the people.
The "Christian" Right who support Trump are hypocrites of the highest order. Thrice-married Trump (with all 3 wives overt caricatures of Barbie Dolls, in quite the contrast to the plain Mrs. Pence) is Satan in the flesh. Not one single Christ-like thing about him. Lacks humility, kindness, love, compassion, forgiveness, respect for fellow humans, ability to tell the truth, worships $$, himself and all the superficial things of this world. He is evil. Any Christian supporting him would do well to ask themselves if they see the face of Christ ANYWHERE in this man? TAKE THE LOG OUT OF YOUR EYE, please. Repent and believe in the Gospel.
420
I'm a Christian and I agree. But ... although she has a more acceptable public demeanor, I saw the same things in Hillary Clinton. That was a real dilemma. I certainly wanted to do my civic duty and vote. My decision boiled down to voting for the candidate of the party whose platform was most agreeable to me. I did not want 4 more years of a Democrat executive. I voted Republican because of judicial appointments and cabinet appointments, and the possibility that a Republican president could actually work with a Republican Congress. There is no doubt that the cabinet is much different than a Clinton cabinet would be. I would rather have Washington outsiders with little to no experience than more insiders that would take us further down the path we were headed.
I wish we didn't have to wait 4 years for a do-over with different candidates.
I wish we didn't have to wait 4 years for a do-over with different candidates.
4
I don't see what these women's looks have to do with anything. Whether plain or Barbie like, Trump's wives and Pence's wife have basically sold themselves to odious men in exchange for money, security etc.
6
2 marriages, with kids, and then his final marriage, and he's 70 = Big Deal.
At my 40th HS reunion in 2008, one old girlfriend was on her 4th marriage, at 58 -- divorced 3x by age 36. In 2005 my cousin married his old HS girlfriend. He's her 4th husband, at age 54. No-fault divorce, anyone?
BTW: Donald married the woman whom he had children with. That's a rarity among the Democrats in Hollywood, if not all of California, curiously. Ask Madonna.
At my 40th HS reunion in 2008, one old girlfriend was on her 4th marriage, at 58 -- divorced 3x by age 36. In 2005 my cousin married his old HS girlfriend. He's her 4th husband, at age 54. No-fault divorce, anyone?
BTW: Donald married the woman whom he had children with. That's a rarity among the Democrats in Hollywood, if not all of California, curiously. Ask Madonna.
4
This is just another false narrative against Trump. One could argue the many points in depth. But this is not the place.
The last paragraph deserves rebuttal, however. The ideas of the religious right have been been fully contested in this election, and they won. These ideas were under constant and vicious attack in the liberal media, in print and on TV; they were laughed at, belittled, denigrated, and dismissed. The academics didn't hold their fury at them. The poilitical atmosphere was supersaturated with anti-religious rhetoric. If people believed what media and academia told them, Hillary would have won by a huge landslide.
But they didn't. Hillary lost by a majority. Yes, those who agreed with NYT and the liberals lost - total anti-Hillary votes exceeded 50%. Of course, they weren't all evangelicals. You don't have to be one to know that the arguments presented in this article are false.
The last paragraph deserves rebuttal, however. The ideas of the religious right have been been fully contested in this election, and they won. These ideas were under constant and vicious attack in the liberal media, in print and on TV; they were laughed at, belittled, denigrated, and dismissed. The academics didn't hold their fury at them. The poilitical atmosphere was supersaturated with anti-religious rhetoric. If people believed what media and academia told them, Hillary would have won by a huge landslide.
But they didn't. Hillary lost by a majority. Yes, those who agreed with NYT and the liberals lost - total anti-Hillary votes exceeded 50%. Of course, they weren't all evangelicals. You don't have to be one to know that the arguments presented in this article are false.
28
Who won? 73 million voted against Trump, 62 million for him. He lost, there were third party candidates. This is no mandate for sweeping changes. Presidency is not a game show contest, where if you "win" you take home all the money to do whatever you want. Learn about democracy sir. Trump has to govern for the 73M who voted against him as well. And if 73M are pro-choice, and 62M are not, then nothing should be changed. That is the minimum of presidential politics. Democracy is the only loser in this childish mindset.
35
I'm a Christian, but I don't recognize anything of what I was taught about Christ in these fanatics. I believe the "attack in the liberal media" you speak of is more about the very un-Christian ideas that this crew espouses. I've always found it baffling how there is so much veneration for 'life' until it's been born. Then you're on your own - pull yourselves up by your bootstraps. That's what is being denigrated.
47
To say that the "ideas of the religious right" were fully contested in this election is to overlook the fact that their presidential candidate was entirely disavowed by the leaders of the religious right, and assumes that this election was about ideas over bombast.
Since Trump did not seem to really have a platform past the demonization of brown people, and pandering to whichever group he perceived as his current audience. To which ideals are you even referring? If you mean the short sighted rage that the "religious right" blindly directs toward a women's health facility then sure, maybe those were briefly debated when he said that women should be punished.
I am sorry, but holding your head in the sand and hoping that god will fix everything while we yell about policies that are flawed and harmful for those of us that do not care what two men do behind closed doors does not seem very Christ like to me. If you would stop to think briefly, you would realize that they are bad for you as well.
This election was just a collective temper tantrum thrown by privileged groups that are losing some of their influence. Blaming liberals and academics for their "intolerance" as they cut off the proverbial nose to spite the proverbial face is just further evidence that these people will never look into the mirror to see the problems plaguing the country.
More people voted for Hillary, by the way.
More people voted for Hillary after all.
Since Trump did not seem to really have a platform past the demonization of brown people, and pandering to whichever group he perceived as his current audience. To which ideals are you even referring? If you mean the short sighted rage that the "religious right" blindly directs toward a women's health facility then sure, maybe those were briefly debated when he said that women should be punished.
I am sorry, but holding your head in the sand and hoping that god will fix everything while we yell about policies that are flawed and harmful for those of us that do not care what two men do behind closed doors does not seem very Christ like to me. If you would stop to think briefly, you would realize that they are bad for you as well.
This election was just a collective temper tantrum thrown by privileged groups that are losing some of their influence. Blaming liberals and academics for their "intolerance" as they cut off the proverbial nose to spite the proverbial face is just further evidence that these people will never look into the mirror to see the problems plaguing the country.
More people voted for Hillary, by the way.
More people voted for Hillary after all.
19
Final proof, were any needed, that the Christian right will toss every Christian value out the window instantaneously in favor of their primary objective, spreading their gun lunacy, war lunacy, their filthy hate for immigrants and Muslims and their contempt for the environment. They are a thoroughly repulsive lot.
523
Your forgot their biggest one ... subjugation of women.
16
please do forget greed, it seems to be their life force.
1
I so long for the the Rapture, to rid us of this lot.
1
You got it and now it is too late.
2
Shariah law is fine...as long as it is YOUR Shariah law.
Perhaps Christian evangelicals should all be forced to keep kosher, a tiny obligation compared to being forced to go back to Dark Ages science...a great way to bring back the Dark Ages.
Perhaps Christian evangelicals should all be forced to keep kosher, a tiny obligation compared to being forced to go back to Dark Ages science...a great way to bring back the Dark Ages.
52
81% of white evangelical "Christians" voted for Mr. Trump.
Do any of these voters seriously think that Jesus would have voted for a candidate with all of the morals and humility of a soap opera pimp?
We should stop calling them "Christians." They are a prologue and epilogue of craven hypocrisy, and their acceptance of Mr. Trump is proof positive that they do not care in the slightest about basic human decency, much less what "Jesus would do."
Unbelievable.
Do any of these voters seriously think that Jesus would have voted for a candidate with all of the morals and humility of a soap opera pimp?
We should stop calling them "Christians." They are a prologue and epilogue of craven hypocrisy, and their acceptance of Mr. Trump is proof positive that they do not care in the slightest about basic human decency, much less what "Jesus would do."
Unbelievable.
407
So-called Jesus would have forgiven him... and all of them.
1
Christianist is one of the kinder terms that can be used to describe those who use Jesus as a shield to shine an aura of respectability on thoroughly contemptible social behaviors. Be aware that the term christianist (only capitalized at the beginning of a sentence) is used as a term of utter contempt for those who have sold their souls.
2
The hard right religious need to be separated from those who actually practice Christianity. These power hungry folks trying to install a state religion have flat out betrayed their "values" for what they really wanted which is power. And it goes against our Constitution.
There is a story in the Bible about Jesus being offered "all this" meaning vast political power and riches- by the Devil. He refused. The Buddhists have a similar parable, and the blues traditions talk about At the Crossroads. Y'all sold out. Hopefully their power will crumble.
There is a story in the Bible about Jesus being offered "all this" meaning vast political power and riches- by the Devil. He refused. The Buddhists have a similar parable, and the blues traditions talk about At the Crossroads. Y'all sold out. Hopefully their power will crumble.
149
Too bad Buddhism is a philosophy, not a religion.
3
The founding fathers knew exactly what they were doing when they created the first amendment.
The republicans want to trample the constitution in order to have a christian version of Sharia law.
One thing's for sure. Modern christians in the U.S. are capable of creating hell-on-earth.
Perhaps their overreach will be their swan song, leaving the country free of the superstition and delusion that religion is.
Like it or not, we're in a New Age, and religion is part of the old.
The republicans want to trample the constitution in order to have a christian version of Sharia law.
One thing's for sure. Modern christians in the U.S. are capable of creating hell-on-earth.
Perhaps their overreach will be their swan song, leaving the country free of the superstition and delusion that religion is.
Like it or not, we're in a New Age, and religion is part of the old.
73
Did the Founding Fathers -- the Patriarchy -- know exactly what they were doing when they turned a blind eye to polecat Tom Jefferson making sexual playthings of his slaves? Between sex marathons, he wrote his own Bible, too.
2
If Roe v. Wade eventually does get overturned because of the religious right's hypocritical stances, then they won't have any polarizing issue to fight for anymore and will lose influence.
21
The sonogram has already reduced the number of elective abortions greatly. That ain't no blob of tissue you see.
3
Nor will they ever eliminate abortion. As we know, it has been happening for thousands of years. They just want women to die as punishment.
17
Trump's evangelical supporters seek to establish a Christian State - literally the Christie equivalent of Sharia law.
NYT reader might want to read Chris Hedges' book "Christian Fascists" to get an understanding and exploration of the implications of this.
NYT reader might want to read Chris Hedges' book "Christian Fascists" to get an understanding and exploration of the implications of this.
90
So what complete and total hypocrisy and the part of the religious right. Getting in line with President Trump utterly undermines the moral and ethical standing of these religious leaders and groups. This may be a large part of why the U.S is becoming more secular. It is one of the main reasons I am secular and agnostic.
80
Moral? = Gov. Tim Kaine getting 13 requests to commute death penalty sentences to life in prison, and refusing all but 1. The rest died in the Old Dominion's death chamber. Oh so moral.
3
Without trying to come across as too hyperbolic, this appears to be the first step in setting America down a pass toward a theocratic government. The "Christian Right" has a literal approach to their faith which allows no room for other religions as well as less dogmatic denominations of christianity. If this group in fact gains control of policy and enforcement and the Administration pursues it's discriminatory actions against Muslims what other conclusion can be drawn? To my way of thinking this is in direct conflict with what the founding fathers set forth...."a separation of church and state".
135
Please also note the parallel, in which secular humanism operates through a trojan horse of the supposedly religiously and politically neutral mainstream media, universities, and science. Most Christians concluded that Trump was more likely to protect Christian values than Clinton. Trump has already proved this to be the case in the first week of office. But Christians didn't make a deal with the devil, they saw that they only had two actual choices, and one was utterly antagonistic toward faith, especially Christian faith. And Trump is proving willing to listen to and appoint these voices within his cabinet. On the other hand, secular humanists have used neutral institutions in order to beat down religion out of civil life. It looks like a war of trojan horses, and for the time being, the Trumpian one is having its way.
9
The neutrality you deride is the very basis of what makes it possible for holders of different beliefs to live among one another with respect. Protecting the values is vastly different from privileging these values which is what you likely mean by this choice of terms.
12
Oh I see, in undertaking to take health insurance away from 20 million Americans and barring women and children fleeing wars from entering our country, Trump is "protecting Christian values." How silly of me not to see that.
16
It is not the government's job to protect your "Christian" values. There isn't even any agreement on what constitutes "Christian" values. I suspect your ideas and mine are quite different.
17
During the campaign, believing all the while that he would lose, Trump complained loudly--it´s his nature--and repeatedly--it´s his nature--that the election was fixed. Now it turns out that in addition to the head of the FBI and the president of the Russian Federation, he had God on his side. Finally, he got something right. The fix was in.
41
Now he succeeds at everything he touches. It's his nature, and why he was elected.
Charles: "Now he succeeds at everything he touches - you mean like all those women that he sexually assaulted, because he is a star and can do that?????? And that definitely is in his nature, but not why he was elected - that was caused by Comey/Putin.
5
And that's why the far right can gain power against all odds. They really don't care who they elect. Divine intervention needs no reason, simple acquisition of power requires no principles, and like for Trump himself, victory, in whatever form it comes, is the only goal. We're watching it at work.
63
Is it any wonder that so many progressive and secular Americans are apoplectic ? Or that millions of Americans marched Jan. 21 in protest. Trump has brought us a Christian evangelical theocracy in one fell swoop.
182
"Trump has brought us a Christian evangelical theocracy in one fell swoop."
Despite the fact that he exhibits few signs of having any Christian values of his own--at least not those advocated in the New Testament.
Despite the fact that he exhibits few signs of having any Christian values of his own--at least not those advocated in the New Testament.
4
Christianity is comprised of a mass of conflicting values -- charitable work and the vengeance of the Lord, the meek shall inherit the earth but Donald Trump can be president of America are just starters -- so they'd best watch their step as they apply their personal varities of faith to the rest of the country. When they say corporations cannot be forced to participate in full funding of reproductive rights, they must consider that their own enclaves will be overrun with the children they've ordered people to bring into this world. They may hope to survive the apocalypse they're waiting for, but they're human beings, and the odds aren't good against Blessed Tsunamis and Earthquakes and saintly Wildfires.
29
St. Louis of France was quite wealthy, I read somewhere. The lines at Versailles, near his Cathedral, in summer are 2 hours long, not for nothing. I went to San Lorenzo Escorial instead, via Ryan Air.
3
Read your Orwell, yes, but keep Sinclair Lewis handy. Lewis showed how fascism could, indeed, happen here, but also showed organized religion to be fertile ground for hypocrites and those who value ignorance and obedience.
389
Osama Bin Laden must be laughing hysterically in whatever circle of hell he now occupies. He managed to get the US to abandon values it had long moralized to the rest of the world, elevated Christian theocrats and normalized their political philosophies, and reinvigorated the war on women as many on the right pointed blamed 9/11 on what they saw as a feminized culture.
46
A "feminized culture" may be nature's way of keeping us from blowing up the world.
Especially now, with Trump's ideas about nuclear weapons.
Especially now, with Trump's ideas about nuclear weapons.
7
What are your ideas about women in combat. I suppose it should be equal oppurtunity, unfortunately. We basically have half the population, because of gender that usually don't fight, maybe a feminized culture could keep the other half more peaceful.
2
I am a liberal Christian, Congregationalist, United Church of Christ who goes to church every week. I look upon Conservative Christians in horror. Do they ever read the gospels, the teachings of Jesus? They need to go beyond the Old Testament and stop making pacts with the Devil. I lived most of my life in Rhode Island founded by Roger Williams who was kicked out of Massachusetts for advocating respect for all religious beliefs including those of Native Americans. He founded the First Baptist Church in America. The first Synagog, Truro, is in Newport. He laid the foundation for the separation of church and state. His views were inshrined in our Constitution whether Evangelicals like it or not. As to the the founders belief in creationism, Darwin hadn't yet come along. Humanity evolves through enlightenment not clinging to a book written thousands of years ago. The Bible is sacred by also ancient and we cannot use it as a sole guide. Yes, these Christians have indeed embraced the devil and I really can't understand why. Young women marched with signs "hands off my body"; I say to Conservative Christians "hands off my soul". Be content to practice religion in you own way and show Christian tolerance for other beliefs that do not diminish you at all.
1333
Ten years ago I would have self-identified as an evangelical Christian, raised in a strict Pentecostal tradition. I have not, in the last decade, changed my religious (theological) beliefs very much but I have ceased to identify as evangelical. The piety that these Trump Christians display makes me sick at my heart. It is a piety of intolerance sold out to nationalism and sustained by hatred for any who do not agree with them.
I could not agree more with AMP, "Be content to practice religion in you own way and show Christian tolerance for other beliefs that do not diminish you at all."
I could not agree more with AMP, "Be content to practice religion in you own way and show Christian tolerance for other beliefs that do not diminish you at all."
17
91.8% of Congress are Christians. Yet, all they want to do is take from the poor every single bit of help the government gives them. They want to kill the ACA....food for the needy.....medicare and medicaid and social security. It's time the churches spoke out about their total lack of Christianity.
12
Well said amp. Finally someone has commented on the hypocrisy of the Christian Right. It is difficult for me to imagine how anyone espousing Christianity as their moral compass could embrace the politics of someone like Trump who has repeatedly demonstrated that his belief system is completely antithetical to the principle teachings of Jesus Christ.
Undoubtedly, the Christian Right's moral compass has gone haywire, and is in desperate need of repair. They will rue the day they made a pact with the devil in a power grab attempt for the sole purpose of trying to shove their uncharitable, intolerant, bigoted, and hate-mongering beliefs and rhetoric down the American majority's throats.
Undoubtedly, the Christian Right's moral compass has gone haywire, and is in desperate need of repair. They will rue the day they made a pact with the devil in a power grab attempt for the sole purpose of trying to shove their uncharitable, intolerant, bigoted, and hate-mongering beliefs and rhetoric down the American majority's throats.
6
Bad people murder innocent people everyday in this country. We always explain bad behavior as a consequence of a broken home, the lack of opportunity and education. We've tried it the liberal way for 40 years and it doesn't work. I now advocate prayer in our public schools. What's wrong with teaching our youth to love God and one another? If we can save one kids' soul through prayer- isn't that victory enough?
8
Geez, perhaps if all those bible thumpers weren't in bed with the NRA we wouldn't have so many people being murdered.
25
Dear New York Times reader:
It is estimated that 31% of the world's population is Christian, 69% practice other religions such as Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Shintoism, Taoism, some are agnostic and some are atheists. Are you proposing dividing our student population by religious beliefs and having them pray separately? Or are you proposing to have them all pray to your religion, which I am guessing is Christian? Our Founding Fathers did not set up a Christian nation, this is not a Christian nation, we are not all Christians, please stop trying to ram your religion down our throats. No asks you to pray in Hebrew, I ask you to not force us to recite Christian prayers.
It is estimated that 31% of the world's population is Christian, 69% practice other religions such as Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Shintoism, Taoism, some are agnostic and some are atheists. Are you proposing dividing our student population by religious beliefs and having them pray separately? Or are you proposing to have them all pray to your religion, which I am guessing is Christian? Our Founding Fathers did not set up a Christian nation, this is not a Christian nation, we are not all Christians, please stop trying to ram your religion down our throats. No asks you to pray in Hebrew, I ask you to not force us to recite Christian prayers.
25
Public prayer coexisted for generations with segregation and even lynching in a portion of our country. Teaching our kids to love God and one another would lead them to criticize our materialism and our economic system. Making them pray (or pretend to pray, or daydream while prayers go on) teaches them to not ask questions and develop an ability to not listen while looking attentive.
10
It seems that Donald Trump is God's revenge on the Religious Right and the Republican Party.
Of all the adjectives used to describe Trump and the Republican Party, I believe the term "antichrists" (yes, plural, is biblically correct).
Of all the adjectives used to describe Trump and the Republican Party, I believe the term "antichrists" (yes, plural, is biblically correct).
44
You mean gods' gift (yes plural)?
3
I had almost exactly that thought during the 1980 presidential campaign. In fact I thought it of reagan and the people pushing him as far back as 1976.
3
Correction - second paragraph:
Of all the adjectives used to describe Trump and the
Republican Party, I believe the term "antichrists" (yes, plural, is biblically correct) is truly the most accurate.
Of all the adjectives used to describe Trump and the
Republican Party, I believe the term "antichrists" (yes, plural, is biblically correct) is truly the most accurate.
4
"divine intervention"!? I doubt very much if Zeus, Minerva or Loki had any interest in our recent election.
However, what is true is that religious sheepling is very useful to gain political power.
However, what is true is that religious sheepling is very useful to gain political power.
26
1000s of accounts of near-death experiences, some of which were on the NYT bestseller list for many months, refute your puerile jape. Rather anodyne, in fact.
2
Loki, being the god of mischief, probably did take an interest.
8
Of course they signed on with Trump as soon as he won the primary - it makes sense given that religious uber-zealots (of any religion, really) are the biggest bunch of hypocrites inhabiting this planet.
If Barack Obama had merely turned his gaze toward a woman wearing hot pants, I'm sure they'd immediately brand him some kind of demon. But Donald Trump, who has engaged in decidedly anti-Christian activities his entire life, gets a free pass because he's their ticket to influence. These are the same people who will vehemently protect an embryo but would be perfectly happy walking by a starving, infectious disease ridden child on the street with no insurance on their way to Church. It's positively disgusting.
If Barack Obama had merely turned his gaze toward a woman wearing hot pants, I'm sure they'd immediately brand him some kind of demon. But Donald Trump, who has engaged in decidedly anti-Christian activities his entire life, gets a free pass because he's their ticket to influence. These are the same people who will vehemently protect an embryo but would be perfectly happy walking by a starving, infectious disease ridden child on the street with no insurance on their way to Church. It's positively disgusting.
736
As a Canadian, I always wondered what it would be like to live next door to a theocracy, like Iran. Now I know.
490
@ PhilDawg Vancouver BC - Phil, thanks to having close friends from Iran, all now Swedish citizens I have learned a lot about the several Irans then and now and the more I have learned the more I have come to see striking similarities between Iran and the USA.
I do not think I need to point them out to you but if anyone reacts to this by asking for examples I will be glad to provide them.
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
Dual citizen US SE
I do not think I need to point them out to you but if anyone reacts to this by asking for examples I will be glad to provide them.
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
Dual citizen US SE
4
It is ironic that Canada is more American now than America itself.
Fascism will do that.
Fascism will do that.
18
Stephen: Sorry, we are not more American than America - we still have our pride, have a rational government, and allow abortion, so, no, we are not a fascist state, which the U.S. under Bannon/Trump is becoming.
10
The age old 'politics makes for strange bedfellows' has been taken to whole other level with this guy. Resist!
36
It says a lot about these folks that they're so willing to forgive misbehavior in someone who can give them what they want. I suspect Trump could perform an abortion on 5th Avenue and they would find a way to forgive him.
340
AWESOME! perfect reference.
9
Of course they would. Has anyone else noticed that they don't have a problem with his current wife and her soft core lesbian porn photos?
20
What price heaven?
9
The Christian Right is neither.
222
It's dismaying (but not astounding) to see how quickly female reproductive rights are being negated under this new Pence regime.
The image of young women holding signs (this Friday, in DC) saying "We Don't Need Planned Parenthood" are utterly perplexing; are they racist, evangelicals, misogynists -or all of the above?
The services PP provides to women -albeit not of the protesters' class- are of inestimable value to their sex and the nation as a whole. Have the protesters no sense of sisterhood? Have they, after all, have no shame?
The image of young women holding signs (this Friday, in DC) saying "We Don't Need Planned Parenthood" are utterly perplexing; are they racist, evangelicals, misogynists -or all of the above?
The services PP provides to women -albeit not of the protesters' class- are of inestimable value to their sex and the nation as a whole. Have the protesters no sense of sisterhood? Have they, after all, have no shame?
150
53% of white women voted for Trump, so in fact these young white women are actually representing that majority. Not sure what that says about 'sisterhood' but that is the reality in this country today.
46
It say's an uncomfortable truth about feminism as it has evolved into today. It reflects how feminism has become "professionalized" like the Democratic party of the Clinton era and as such has failed to speak to working class (note: by this I mean all of the class regardless of race) concerns and challenges. People are generally not their stereotypes and distracted fearful people are easily mislead. The professional class needs to speak to more than just itself if they want to counter the message of extremism peddled by Trump, Bannon, Pence & the old white men group now dominating Washington.
3
A lot of them were high school students bused in by their religious schools. They are on their parents healthcare and most likely in middle class homes and are being taught church doctrine.
"Not my problem" is not a healthcare plan. Many people wish to live in a theocracy which is directly against our Constitution.
"Not my problem" is not a healthcare plan. Many people wish to live in a theocracy which is directly against our Constitution.
7
The party of "Christian Morals & Family Values" would back Lucifer, if he had an "R" after his name. Hypocrites.
296
What makes you think it isn't Lucifer who is running the party and embodying himself in Mr Trump?
If we're gonna take magic seriously lets focus on the facts of how this crazy belief system works. That first sentence makes the most sense in describing the reality this article explains to us, if one is to believe that magic is real.
If we're gonna take magic seriously lets focus on the facts of how this crazy belief system works. That first sentence makes the most sense in describing the reality this article explains to us, if one is to believe that magic is real.
5
Jon, I think they have now done that.
3
that's exactly what they did.
I live in Indiana. I actually thought we had a trojan horse scenario going on as soon as Pence was chosen for VP. Pence is popular in rural areas here, not in the cities, which is probably no surprise to anyone who watches politics. I can't decide who would be the worse president for women, but Pence has little respect for anyone who is not, as he likes to says "christian first, conservative second, and then republican."
233
The fact that Pence doesn't put "American" in his list of what he is really scares me.
11
The religionists will do everything they can to continue patriarchal control. Trump's magical thinking - that calling a calf's tail a leg means that the calf has five legs - fits squarely within a belief system that has dinosaurs and humans walked Earth at the same time, virgins giving birth, and that some invisible sky god controls the climate and everything else. This might be a whole lot more tolerable if they were not willing to bomb the entire world back into the dark ages rather than accept the realities thatinclude the destruction of the troposphere and the autonomy of women. Trump is just another in their long line of false messiahs.
107
Is mocking religion and spirituality in general, with extreme examples and dismissive phrases like "invisible sky god" really the way to go here? If so, do we not villify one religion, Christianity, while insisting that another, Islam, is off limits to criticism? How does that make us tolerant people?
5
Actually, V. Hall specifically referred to "religionists," not christians. Hall is rightly pointing out the dangers of religious governing. All religions require abdication of reason. Nothing needs to make sense or be supported by evidence. Faith is touted as superior to science, and rules are dictated by folks who claim to know what their god wants. We should tolerate people believing all kinds of things, but we should not tolerate supernatural beliefs being the basis of our laws, as they apply to all of us.
4
Vanessa,
While there is a court decision that states you are not Human or a U.S. citizen until your umbilical cord is cut. That decision doesn't follow the "Science" anymore that does the belief that the world is a few thousand years old.
The only difference is one of those beliefs is yours and for that reason alone must be so.
While there is a court decision that states you are not Human or a U.S. citizen until your umbilical cord is cut. That decision doesn't follow the "Science" anymore that does the belief that the world is a few thousand years old.
The only difference is one of those beliefs is yours and for that reason alone must be so.
1
thank you for spelling this out. I already knew these facts but having it all clearly laid out will help me educate others.
Impeaching Trump will be easier than getting the religious right out of power....
Impeaching Trump will be easier than getting the religious right out of power....
200
Impeaching Trump will cement The Religious Blight into place.
24
So you're hoping for a President Pence? Ingenious!
12
There will come a time when the evangelical base will find it fit to join the Democratic Party. That is when social issues such as abortion, gay rights, and the likes are no longer at issue. It is when the Christian party can stand for something, such as hope for the poor, because that will be all that they can do under the government.
Instead, Jesus went among the people, teaching and healing, having compassion for them. Jesus took the opportunity to help people individually and with care. His methods often surprised religious leaders and broke their rules and traditions. His gospel is included in the beatitudes, in his commandments to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves, the “golden rule.” This is the law of Christ. His discipleship is not “shock and awe” or “draining the swamp.” He wants his followers to go also and help people with compassion and love. That could mean going inside the abortion clinic to offer counsel and care where needed and not standing outside shouting epithets at the women coming and going. We are to be the aroma of Christ, not the hammer of Christ.
Didn’t we learn from Prohibition that government cannot legislate morality? Didn’t that prove the result was the law of unintended consequences on innocent people?
These are just some thoughts. Please understand that many, many Christians, devout believers trying to share Jesus, are not members of the Religious Right.