Is it really only atheists who make life hard for believers?

[Twilight Hue]

Woah. Impressive mental gymnastics.

Not really. When was the last time Democrats engaged in elective policymaking?

 

[Twilight Hue]

I don't buy it.

I do. I lived long enough to see freedoms stripped away right in front of me.

 

[We Never Know]

Well, if you keep your fingers in your ears and chant "la-la-la" so you don't hear, then you won't have any idea where others are trying to take your world -- and maybe you.

Yes, you'll be at peace -- until the moment you find you're not, likely to your immense surprise.

Put it this way.... If you don't like poop, don't be a plumber.

No one can take your world unless you give it too them. Avoiding them isnt giving it to them.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

I personally think the root cause of the problems in this country and the world is sin; which is not confined to Democrats. Republicans, as well as everyone is prone to sin. It seems to me too much animosity is stirred up from both Democrats and Republicans. Politics isn’t the solution; only Jesus the Savior is and he said to pray for your enemies. That is what any pastor should be encouraged, not inciting rage or violence.

Sorry, but I think that's overly simplistic and not of much use.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Put it this way.... If you don't like poop, don't be a plumber.

Yet, I still think it's better to pay a bit of attention to the world around you, and what's happening in it. I don't personally own a car, and don't want one -- but I always look to see if there's one coming before I cross the street.

 

[We Never Know]

Yet, I still think it's better to pay a bit of attention to the world around you, and what's happening in it. I don't personally own a car, and don't want one -- but I always look to see if there's one coming before I cross the street.

You can pay attention without participating.

Example... I used to bounce bars when my kids were younger. Sometimes I got into some good brawls. The next day my kids would see a cut over my eye, cuts on my knuckles, etc and would say "Daddy daddy are you alright" I would say I'm fine. They would say "Daddy why do you fight so much".
That bothered me and I thought to myself its only because I put/include myself in other people's BS.
So after some thought I quit bouncing,,not to avoid that BS but to not be in the middle of that BS anymore. I was happier as were my wife and kids.

My point is we can avoid a lot of BS and stress by our own choices of not to choosing to participate in it.

 

[icehorse]

The only concern of mine is the loss of freedoms and the rise of authoritarianism.

If I recall our previous conversation correctly, you're concerned about the rights you'd like to have - or have back - that directly or indirectly impinge on the rights of others. Wasn't riding a motorcycle without a helmet one of the freedoms you'd like back?

 

[icehorse]

How do people like this pastor reconcile the republican platform with the teachings and examples of Christ when they're completely antithetical?

There are a lot of people these days, on both sides of the aisle, who have largely abandoned logic and coherence. This is a terrifying situation.

 

[Kenny]

It's very hard to know where to put this. While I was reading @Seeker of White Light's thread on staying away from religious debate, I was also listening to a Christian Pastor from Tennessee making a rant that sickened me. And it made me wonder -- are we not supposed to speak up against this? Are we required, because he has freedom of speech, to just say "Amen?"

Here's part of what he said:

“If you vote Democrat, I don’t even want you around this church. You can get out. You can get out, you demon. You cannot be a Christian and vote Democrat in this nation. I don’t care how mad that makes you. You can get as pissed off as you want to. You cannot be a Christian and vote Democrat in this nation.... You cannot be a Democrat and a Christian. You cannot. Somebody say, ‘Amen.’ The rest of you get out! Get out!”

As part of the same rant, the pastor added, “I ain’t playin’ your stupid games.... I’m sick of it. Everyone wanna talk about the insurrection? Mmmm. Let me tell you something: You ain’t seen the insurrection yet. You keep on pushing our buttons, you low-down, sorry compromisers, you God-hating communists, maybe you’ll find out what an insurrection is.”

Now, imagine if this was in a mosque, and instead of a Christian pastor, an Imam said: 'You ain’t seen the insurrection yet. You keep on pushing our buttons, you low-down, sorry compromisers, you God-hating communists, maybe you’ll find out what an insurrection is.”

Would that Imam not be thought to be inciting Muslims to rise up against the nation? Would there not be a nation-wide out-cry?

Republicans on the Forum, who constantly claim that Democrats are the root cause of all your problems, I'd especially like to hear from you on this. Because this (I'll call him) "gentleman" is also a Republican, died-in-the-wool.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1526048899810615301

Christian pastor's anti-Democrat tirade raises eyebrows — and legal questions

No... I don't think it is typically only atheists or that atheists are even the problem

Rants are usually sickening no matter where they come from and what the rant is about when they are without reason.

I have Democratic Christian friends and Republican Christian friends so I can't say it is "political" either.

I didn't hear "the gospel" in what the pastor said so I wouldn't subscribe to his line of thinking.

 

[Wildswanderer]

Now, imagine if this was in a mosque, and instead of a Christian pastor, an Imam said: 'You ain’t seen the insurrection yet. You keep on pushing our buttons, you low-down, sorry compromisers, you God-hating communists, maybe you’ll find out what an insurrection is.”

Well I think the guys off the deep end, but freedom of speech still applies. And I'm sure there are mosques in the world where violence is advocated.

 

[We Never Know]

Yet, I still think it's better to pay a bit of attention to the world around you, and what's happening in it. I don't personally own a car, and don't want one -- but I always look to see if there's one coming before I cross the street.

One of my favorites sayings is..."An entire sea of water can't sink a ship unless it gets inside"
My advice is don't let the water get inside.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Why are you hanging out with dead horses?

 

[Aštra’el]

The only concern of mine is the loss of freedoms and the rise of authoritarianism.

Well, he's rooting for exactly that, big time! And if you study how fascism and other losses of freedom have happened in societies around the world, you'll find that his is an integral part of how it's done.

Never forget this: those who know how to turn a bunch of individuals into a mob can do immense harm. Because it is appallingly easy to turn otherwise ordinary humans into slavering animals looking for blood -- if you know how.

I have some authoritarian perspectives but that is more a part of my own personal worldview rather than something I would encourage others to adopt. My Weltanschauung is not for everyone. Besides…. I love my country as it is. There is already so much to be proud of.

 

[Sheldon]

I personally think the root cause of the problems in this country and the world is sin;

Can you demonstrate anything approaching objective evidence that this supernatural curse is real?

 

[sun rise]

As I said, put that same speech in the mouth of an Imam in a mosque, and tell me what the reaction would have been -- especially among fundamentalist "Christians."

You're right to put the word Christian in quotes. If he's a Christian then my dog is an ordained Lutheran minister in Lake Woebegone.

The only concern of mine is the loss of freedoms and the rise of authoritarianism.

Of course I agree with loss of freedoms and pin it entirely on the increasingly dictatorial authoritarianism of the "Republican" party.

 

[sun rise]

Not really. When was the last time Democrats engaged in elective policymaking?

Define "elective policy making"

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

You're right to put the word Christian in quotes. If he's a Christian then my dog is an ordained Lutheran minister in Lake Woebegone.

Thank you. I think it is time we all started to call people out when, in their own words, their own voices, they claim one thing and demonstrate the opposite.

But how many mega-churches around the US are getting this same crap crammed down their throats every day?

I've told the story here before of how me and 5 friends, back in the 1970s, went to a large evangelical church in Toronto (People's Church) for a sermon promised by its pastor, the "Reverend" Paul D. Smith, who had promised to finally call for the execution of homosexuals. This was (is) a large church. There were only 5 of us, and we were -- without being rude -- obviously gay. We got there early, and sat in the front pews. We were respectful during the service, and behaved as anyone would be expected to behave in such a situation.

And the fiery "Reverend?" Well, seems he lost his courage, and gave another sermon altogether. And the 5 of us left quietly (although that was scare with over a thousand rabid believers behind us on a dark Toronto street).

 

[Psalm23]

So much for "love your neighbor as yourself" and "love your enemies." First, I think this pastor is a dangerous man, and he should be closely observed by the appropriate authorities to ensure that he doesn't hurt anyone or he doesn't incite violence that leads to a hate crime against Democrats. As an ex-Christian, I can chalk up his hatred as another reason to stay as far away from conservative Christianity as it's humanly possible. Sadly, I've heard similar BS before when I was a member of a conservative Christian forum. On this forum, I was called a child of the devil, a minion of Satan, and a "Demon Rat." I was told that I was evil, demon possessed, and I was told that I was going to be tortured in hell for all eternity because I voted for Joe Biden. There were Christian Trump supporters on this forum who genuinely believed that God himself was going to strike Biden down and remove him and reinstate Trump as the rightful president. Some Christians on this forum believe that Trump is running a shadow presidency and Biden is merely a puppet.

I'm sorry that they said those things to you @Sgt. Pepper. People can say some pretty hurtful and downright foolish things.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

Of course I agree with loss of freedoms and pin it entirely on the increasingly dictatorial authoritarianism of the "Republican" party.

Governor Ron DeSantis' "Don't Say Gay" bill in Florida, Governor Greg Abbott's crusade against transgender children and their parents in Texas, and conservative SCOTUS Justices trying to infringe on the right for women to decide what to do with their own bodies.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Define "elective policy making"

Bottle law. That's elective.

Where people have a choice to deposit at some benefit or recompense, rather than a detriment with no benefit or recompense.

So, when was the last time Democrats engaged in elective policymaking?