I've come to realize that without religion, we'd have something else that people focus on rapturously. some part of me feels that trump is an expression of that. People who typically would have devoted their time and money to crazy churches instead direct all of that to their golden pig.
The MAGA cult isn't like religion; it's really a weaponized expression of 'kayfabe'; the mythologic linchpin of pro wrestling. Everyone in the arena, from the top on down to the poorest spectator up there in the nosebleed seats knows that it's all fake; match outcomes are predetermined, and all the 'action' is little more that well rehearsed theatre.
But they all believe it at the same time, like some giant roleplaying game, because it's entertaining.
Fat Nixon's 'rallies' have always been all about the shared disregard of reality in favor of the fantasy. He learned this from his years in reality TV and association with the WWE, and weaponized it for political power.
In that way is is a bit like organized religion, but religion, particularly Christianity in all it's pernicious forms, has never been really voluntary in the way believing that Hulk Hogan is a great wrestler ever was. It always been enforced on people always by the threat of shunning and expulsion from society, often by the threat of being murdered for it.
The (literally) unholy mix of Fundagelical fascism and the entertainment of kayfabe that is the TFG's campaign and plans for the next time he's in power will be to bring back those days of shunning and murder for 'not believing the right way'
They believe you should have the freedom to agree with them. Disagreeing is a sign you are a slave to demonic forces and thus the truest expression of freedom is to suppress your opinion.
That is how they define free speech, which is not the way the Constitution does:
"First Amendment Fundamental Freedoms
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
The Free Speech amendment only applies to Congress, not to individual people or groups or businesses, etc. Funny how these people who claim to adore free speech have never read the Constitution.
It is correct to say that the First Amendment does not apply to private individuals, but a school is not a private individual. It is a part of the local structure of government, and the Fourteenth Amendment extended First Amendment restrictions and protections to all parts of government, even the smallest. Funny how those people who claim to adore the Constitution have never bothered to read most of it.
"By virtue of the Fourteenth Amendment, the First Amendment's constitutional right of free speech and intellectual freedom also applies to state and local governments. Government agencies and government officials are forbidden from regulating or restricting speech or other expression based on its content or viewpoint" (https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/censorship).
I am offended by christianity itself. Everything they pretend to believe in order to diminish non-christians is offensive. Attempting to control someone's art because it points out the evil of christianity is offensive. Their obsession with sex is perverted and weird. The only truthful thing they teach is the one thing they don't actually seem to believe. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
if we did to them as they did to us, they would be in a world of emotional hurt and their self worth would bottom out terribly, and people would stop talking to them and... see? they can't have 'treat me as i treat you' as part of their doctrine, because they know exactly how bad things would get for them
All of the disciples of Jesus except one went to the Roman Empire. The one exception, Thomas, ended up in India, where he was politely ignored. In Jesus' time, Rome ruled about 50 million people. However, at that time, the Han Dynasty in China was ruling another 50 million people, and by an odd coincidence they were in the midst of a spiritual crisis that one would think would be an ideal opportunity to introduce some Good News (tm). Too bad. God was asleep, or got distracted, or he's a racist, and it would be another seven centuries or so before Christian doctrines would reach China (and be politely ignored). There's no clearer evidence that Christianity was invented by people who knew little about the world and had no idea of how huge and diverse humanity was. I find it ludicrous to assert that the Son of God was such an ignorant or bigoted creature.
Recently God the Father suggested to Jesus that it might be soon time for the "Second Coming". Jesus looked at him and said. "Yeah, sure thing Dad" Pointing to the holes in his hands and feet, the whip marks on his back, the gouges in his forehead and the hole in his side, Jesus said, " After what happened the last time? Are you kidding? If you think I'm going to try to deal with those monkeys ever again you.re out of your friggin' mind. Oh and don't bother asking the Ghost if he'll do it, he already said no fucking way! Last time he was there some idiots with shotguns kept trying to blow him out of the sky. I talked to Lucifer yesterday and he says he's even fed up with their shit. Fuck those creeps!"
Nice timing here for me as I just noticed this article minutes after the local Roman Catholic church a block away began ringing their bells again. They seem to be doing it a lot more this year. Is Il Papa worried about more pedophile preists than usual this year? But I digress...
What I was thinking before I saw this article after hearing the bells is that it is nice of them to remind me every day of the EVIL that is the real result of religion and blind adherence to pre-medieval morés. The article verified this for me.
Ironically I know a lesbian who lives right across the street from the dungeon masters.
They are offended by their own hypocrisy. They thought considering themselves Christian was all they had to do to be accepted. They didn’t consider all the unconditional love and acceptance that comes with truly being Christian.
The story happened in Staunton Virginia an awesome little liberal town that I know pretty well. Every few years they host a magic and sorcery festival where over 10,000 harry potter adjacent people desend into this tiny hilly little town. But per this story, I'm glad but not surprised to hear that the good guys won. The county itself is pretty deep red, but the city of Staunton is an oasis and where this incident likely occurred. Its also a stones throw away from Charlottesville
I’m so happy God sent his only begotten son to be sacrificed on our behalf otherwise God would be forced to throw your ass in hell because you didn’t go to mass that one time in 1987.
When the Church reduced some Mortal Sins to Venial Sins, did people condemned for those offenses prior to the change get let out of Hell? Just wonderin'
Recounting a conversation with an unnamed automotive executive who had built factories in Mexico, Trump said he had pledged a 200% tariff on some imported cars. It was not clear what countries would be affected by the tariff or if his recounting of the conversation amounted to a formal policy proposal.
"I said, 'I will put a 200% tax on every car that comes in,'" Trump told the crowd.
Trump also said he would halt offshore wind projects in New Jersey and pledged to implement a new tax cut, without offering details.
Trump has come out in favor of extending a major tax cut that he signed to law in 2017, and Reuters reported in April that Trump was mulling an additional tax cut geared toward the middle class.
"Instead of a Biden tax hike, I'll give you a Trump middle-class, upper-class, lower-class, business-class big tax cut," he said.
It is regressive. It hits you in your post-tax income the most.
Worst of all it is DISCRETIONARY spending. When people stop spending and either saving or shifting to illegal ways to obtain stuff, you are shrinking the economy.
Stunning. Truly, blown away by her talent. I've ordered a larger print for my home. And good on her for standing up for herself.
"Someone had seen it in the lobby, was offended and started spreading the work on social media." Such a brave move.
I've come to realize that without religion, we'd have something else that people focus on rapturously. some part of me feels that trump is an expression of that. People who typically would have devoted their time and money to crazy churches instead direct all of that to their golden pig.
The MAGA cult isn't like religion; it's really a weaponized expression of 'kayfabe'; the mythologic linchpin of pro wrestling. Everyone in the arena, from the top on down to the poorest spectator up there in the nosebleed seats knows that it's all fake; match outcomes are predetermined, and all the 'action' is little more that well rehearsed theatre.
But they all believe it at the same time, like some giant roleplaying game, because it's entertaining.
Fat Nixon's 'rallies' have always been all about the shared disregard of reality in favor of the fantasy. He learned this from his years in reality TV and association with the WWE, and weaponized it for political power.
In that way is is a bit like organized religion, but religion, particularly Christianity in all it's pernicious forms, has never been really voluntary in the way believing that Hulk Hogan is a great wrestler ever was. It always been enforced on people always by the threat of shunning and expulsion from society, often by the threat of being murdered for it.
The (literally) unholy mix of Fundagelical fascism and the entertainment of kayfabe that is the TFG's campaign and plans for the next time he's in power will be to bring back those days of shunning and murder for 'not believing the right way'
"Mankind will never be truly free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest." Denis Diderot https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Diderot
The truth is that these haters would prefer to see the lesbian high school girl burned in a pyre.
As usual, these chaps believe fervently in free speech right up to the point where you even dream of disagreeing with anything they say.
They believe you should have the freedom to agree with them. Disagreeing is a sign you are a slave to demonic forces and thus the truest expression of freedom is to suppress your opinion.
That is how they define free speech, which is not the way the Constitution does:
"First Amendment Fundamental Freedoms
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
The Free Speech amendment only applies to Congress, not to individual people or groups or businesses, etc. Funny how these people who claim to adore free speech have never read the Constitution.
It is correct to say that the First Amendment does not apply to private individuals, but a school is not a private individual. It is a part of the local structure of government, and the Fourteenth Amendment extended First Amendment restrictions and protections to all parts of government, even the smallest. Funny how those people who claim to adore the Constitution have never bothered to read most of it.
"By virtue of the Fourteenth Amendment, the First Amendment's constitutional right of free speech and intellectual freedom also applies to state and local governments. Government agencies and government officials are forbidden from regulating or restricting speech or other expression based on its content or viewpoint" (https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/censorship).
I am offended by christianity itself. Everything they pretend to believe in order to diminish non-christians is offensive. Attempting to control someone's art because it points out the evil of christianity is offensive. Their obsession with sex is perverted and weird. The only truthful thing they teach is the one thing they don't actually seem to believe. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
And, that last thing, every religion has it in some form or another as one of their fundamental teachings.
if we did to them as they did to us, they would be in a world of emotional hurt and their self worth would bottom out terribly, and people would stop talking to them and... see? they can't have 'treat me as i treat you' as part of their doctrine, because they know exactly how bad things would get for them
All of the disciples of Jesus except one went to the Roman Empire. The one exception, Thomas, ended up in India, where he was politely ignored. In Jesus' time, Rome ruled about 50 million people. However, at that time, the Han Dynasty in China was ruling another 50 million people, and by an odd coincidence they were in the midst of a spiritual crisis that one would think would be an ideal opportunity to introduce some Good News (tm). Too bad. God was asleep, or got distracted, or he's a racist, and it would be another seven centuries or so before Christian doctrines would reach China (and be politely ignored). There's no clearer evidence that Christianity was invented by people who knew little about the world and had no idea of how huge and diverse humanity was. I find it ludicrous to assert that the Son of God was such an ignorant or bigoted creature.
"I like your Christ, but not your Christians, because they are so unlike your Christ"- Gandhi
Recently God the Father suggested to Jesus that it might be soon time for the "Second Coming". Jesus looked at him and said. "Yeah, sure thing Dad" Pointing to the holes in his hands and feet, the whip marks on his back, the gouges in his forehead and the hole in his side, Jesus said, " After what happened the last time? Are you kidding? If you think I'm going to try to deal with those monkeys ever again you.re out of your friggin' mind. Oh and don't bother asking the Ghost if he'll do it, he already said no fucking way! Last time he was there some idiots with shotguns kept trying to blow him out of the sky. I talked to Lucifer yesterday and he says he's even fed up with their shit. Fuck those creeps!"
Nice timing here for me as I just noticed this article minutes after the local Roman Catholic church a block away began ringing their bells again. They seem to be doing it a lot more this year. Is Il Papa worried about more pedophile preists than usual this year? But I digress...
What I was thinking before I saw this article after hearing the bells is that it is nice of them to remind me every day of the EVIL that is the real result of religion and blind adherence to pre-medieval morés. The article verified this for me.
Ironically I know a lesbian who lives right across the street from the dungeon masters.
They are offended by their own hypocrisy. They thought considering themselves Christian was all they had to do to be accepted. They didn’t consider all the unconditional love and acceptance that comes with truly being Christian.
A guy at work became born again. The first thing he did was make a list of all the people he knew that he was now better than.
Many blessings on the Staunton School Board! Beautifully written, Robyn! Many Thanks!
The story happened in Staunton Virginia an awesome little liberal town that I know pretty well. Every few years they host a magic and sorcery festival where over 10,000 harry potter adjacent people desend into this tiny hilly little town. But per this story, I'm glad but not surprised to hear that the good guys won. The county itself is pretty deep red, but the city of Staunton is an oasis and where this incident likely occurred. Its also a stones throw away from Charlottesville
Would that be the Charlottesville where Eric Trump owns a winery?
everybody owns a winery in C'ville these days!
The city itself is WAY liberal (being a college town) , but unfortunately too expensive to live in these days...
yay
The Oppression Olympics of the world's largest religion rolls on.
I’m so happy God sent his only begotten son to be sacrificed on our behalf otherwise God would be forced to throw your ass in hell because you didn’t go to mass that one time in 1987.
When the Church reduced some Mortal Sins to Venial Sins, did people condemned for those offenses prior to the change get let out of Hell? Just wonderin'
Sign on the side of a Mardi Gras Float; If you don't sin Jeebus died for nothing!
It was 1986.
Why can't people understand that Jehovah wants to torture you for eternity because he loves you SO MUCH?
****but it's still a better love story than 'Twilight"***
"I love my God
and he loves me too
He's... just under a lot of stress at work."
#domestic abuse
Recounting a conversation with an unnamed automotive executive who had built factories in Mexico, Trump said he had pledged a 200% tariff on some imported cars. It was not clear what countries would be affected by the tariff or if his recounting of the conversation amounted to a formal policy proposal.
"I said, 'I will put a 200% tax on every car that comes in,'" Trump told the crowd.
Trump also said he would halt offshore wind projects in New Jersey and pledged to implement a new tax cut, without offering details.
Trump has come out in favor of extending a major tax cut that he signed to law in 2017, and Reuters reported in April that Trump was mulling an additional tax cut geared toward the middle class.
"Instead of a Biden tax hike, I'll give you a Trump middle-class, upper-class, lower-class, business-class big tax cut," he said.
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-again-attacks-new-york-prosecutor-floats-economic-plans-new-jersey-rally-2024-05-12/
'So you will spend your tax cuts on the 100% tariff I will put on everything'
The reality:
𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽 𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 $𝟴𝟬 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗮𝘅𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗳𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘅𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 $𝟯𝟴𝟬 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟵, 𝗮𝗺𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝘅 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀.
https://taxfoundation.org/
And that would be sales tax basically, so fucks over middle and lower class more than taxes based on income do.
It is regressive. It hits you in your post-tax income the most.
Worst of all it is DISCRETIONARY spending. When people stop spending and either saving or shifting to illegal ways to obtain stuff, you are shrinking the economy.
And a free, delicious Trump chocolate cake delivered to your door every week! (Paid for with tax dollars at $250 per cake)
Does it come in a flaming paper bag?
It IS a flaming paper bag...
"And you can take that to the bank! As long you have an offshore account in the Cayman Islands."
He's such an idiot, just like his followers. They have no clue