homersapien

And that is not only un-American but unconstitutional. It's a good illustration of the danger of having any religious group constitute a large majority. We see this in several Islamic societies who are governed by priests in a theocracy. Christian Nationalism is the logical progression of such thinking.

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-05-30/ty-article/.premium/israeli-opposition-believes-chances-of-defections-from-netanyahus-party-have-increased/0000018f-c64e-d323-a98f-df4fee2f0000

Yeah, the part of the pledge that is un-American. It presumes religious faith as a requirement for patriotic allegiance which is totally false. This is the part that's relevant: "Hence, the call to “take back our country” refers to the idea that conservative Christians (Catholics and Protestants) need to take control of the pillars of American society—government, media, education, and the law—and use that control to end the separation of church and state and reshape civil society in a manner consistent with their interpretation of the Christian tradition." About 37% of the U.S. population is non-Christian. The good news is such efforts will only diminish the power of (self-described) "Christian" churches.

Love the irony of contradicting your own assertion in the same post!

I never heard any politics in the United Methodist church growing up either. I blame Jerry Fallwell and the "Moral Majority" for changing the norm.

Well, I will admit I have no data. But my instincts tell me that a majority of Christians would not equate Trump with Jesus. I can only hope they see how the evangelicals and Christian Nationalists are being seduced by Trump and conclude that - in the pantheon of Christianity - Trump is far more analogous to the devil.

Here, I did a little research for you on the subject: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/what-is-christian-nationalism-and-why-it-raises-concerns-about-threats-to-democracy https://www.freedomforum.org/what-is-christian-nationalism/ As for MAGAs equating Trump and Jesus, we've seen it in this thread. And Trump has done it first hand.

OK, I removed your post and made it a stand alone.

How so? The discussion is about MAGAs comparing Trump to Jesus. There is an undeniable affiliation of Christian Nationalists with Trump. It's highly relevant. I think you are in a state of denial.

They've already been committing terrorism against election workers. https://www.reuters.com/investigates/section/campaign-of-fear/ The people who administer U.S. elections – from poll workers and ballot counters to county clerks and secretaries of state – have endured a year of terroristic threats from supporters of former President Donald Trump, inspired by his false assertions of widespread fraud in the 2020 vote. The result, as Reuters chronicled in this agenda-setting series of reports, has been a campaign of intimidation that is stressing the foundation of American democracy.

I suspect religion is a strong part of the "culture" Freeze is cultivating also.

More like a weapon.

https://contendingmodernities.nd.edu/global-currents/religion-politics-and-trumps-christian-nationalism/ Religion, Politics, and Trump’s Christian Nationalism Trump’s Christian Nationalism This context helps to explain the Trump phenomenon. In many respects, Trump was the culmination of the Southern Strategy and the party’s emphasis on culture war politics. Trump was a lead voice in the “Birther” movement that was premised upon the lie that Obama was not actually born in the United States and that he was secretly a Muslim. Trump’s right-wing populism also fused American militarism with an amorphous appeal to “traditional values.” Where Trump differed from earlier Republicans was in his overt xenophobia and racism. While racist appeals had long been implicit in the strategies of positive polarization, they were explicit in the Trump era. It was also clear that Trump was far more in tune with the right-wing base than the Republican party leadership, indicating that the party had lost control of the forces which it had helped to unleash. One perplexing part of this story was Trump himself. How is it that he would become a standard bearer of the Christian right when his misogyny, materialism, and “hatred for the other,” stood in such sharp contrast to the essence of Jesus’ teachings? As former Bush speech writer Michael Gerson noted, Trump’s ethos “smack[s] more of Nietzsche than of Christ.” And, yet, Trump had the overwhelming support of White evangelical Protestants, winning a greater percentage of that demographic in 2016 than either Reagan or Bush. White, conservative Catholics were similarly supportive and gave Trump an edge in key swing states in 2020. There are a number of possible explanations for this anomaly, but a key issue can be found in the aforementioned conflict over competing visions of the nation. Although Trump—a thrice married casino owner who pays off his adulterous lovers—may not be an exemplary Christian, he is nonetheless seen as an aggressive leader in America’s culture war. According to individuals like William Barr or Franklin Graham (among others), Christians are an oppressed—and persecuted—population within an increasingly secular society. The country, in short, is in a state of civil war and Trump is seen as the strong man who is uniquely able to stand up to the “liberal elite.” Although Trump—a thrice married casino owner who pays off his adulterous lovers—may not be an exemplary Christian, he is nonetheless seen as an aggressive leader in America’s culture war. Hence, the call to “take back our country” refers to the idea that conservative Christians (Catholics and Protestants) need to take control of the pillars of American society—government, media, education, and the law—and use that control to end the separation of church and state and reshape civil society in a manner consistent with their interpretation of the Christian tradition. This vision of society, moreover, is one that reaffirms traditional patterns of social hierarchy and racial privilege. For all his faults, Trump was seen as able to deliver on this promise. In short, it was not a Christian ethic that drew conservative Christians to Donald Trump, but rather a sense of political tribalism and a base transactionalism. In exchange for their political support, Trump was willing to pass laws and appoint judges that would privilege their conservative, “Christian worldview,” and that would roll back legal protections ensuring racial, gender, and marriage equality. Another reason why Trump became the standard bearer in America’s culture wars is that he stood for nothing else. The entire point of politicizing issues like abortion, bathroom usage, and/or trans athletes is to distract the American electorate from the ill effect of economic policies that have contributed to the country’s deindustrialization and concentrated the nation’s wealth in the hands of a few. Trump’s culture war politics, in short, were primarily about firing up the base and distracting the press and the public from the lack of an agenda beyond tax cuts, conservative judges, and self-enrichment. Disinformation and slander—from QAnon to the Big Lie—were an essential part of this strategy because they helped to create an image of Democrats as craven and hostile to the interests of working people. Finally, the reason that Trump’s culture war politics plays so well is that Republican party operatives and conservative activists and media have been successful in pushing these narratives for over 50 years. In short, there was fertile ground for Trump’s scorched earth politics. The Republican Party’s politicization of religion successfully created a basis of popular support for itself, but the price has been high. The strategy of positive polarization has fueled the country’s divisive politics and talk of civil war and violence on the campaign trail is now shockingly common. The country also has a deeply politicized judiciary, where “renegotiating the boundaries between church and state is the [Supreme] Court’s current project.” America’s culture wars have also affected popular perceptions of Christianity. As one former Bush Administration official lamented, “the name ‘Jesus’ doesn’t bring to mind the things he said he wanted associated with his followers—love for one another; love for the poor, sick and imprisoned; self-denial; and devotion to God. It is associated with anti-abortion activities, opposition to gay rights, the Republican Party, and tax cuts.” For those who embrace Christ’s teachings on love, forgiveness, and social justice—and who are uneasy about the use of Christianity to glorify the pursuit of wealth and power—these trends will be deeply troubling.

Correct. But it is with rank and file MAGA Trump supporters - that's why it's a cult.

Yeah, screw our founding principles. We don't need them anymore.

Climate change and flooding "That's because as the world warms, the air holds more moisture, nearly 4% for every degree Fahrenheit (7% for every degree Celsius). When that moisture condenses, it releases heat or energy, "that's why when it rains, now it pours," Ramanathan said. In addition, water vapor is a potent heat-trapping gas in the atmosphere that increases climate change, he said." https://www.oxfam.org.uk/oxfam-in-action/oxfam-blog/climate-change-and-flooding/ Scientists confirm global floods and droughts worsened by climate change https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/scientists-confirm-global-floods-and-droughts-worsened-by-climate-change Brazil Floods Displace 600,000 in World’s Latest Mass Climate Migration Many Rio Grande do Sul evacuees will need to find new homes Mayors propose moving entire neighborhoods to new sites https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-31/brazil-s-climate-migration-spikes-after-deadly-flooding

Thanks for the insight. Obviously, I don't really know s*** about the situation (thus the "blasphemous" comment). I am aware of a lot of terrible history associated with CIA meddling - some of which is quite recent (Nicaragua). I am at a loss when you factor in cultural influences. The tragedy is that - taken as individuals- the people are just as intelligent and capable as anyone here and more likely than not harder working. I recently met and talked with a (legal) immigrant (green card) who came to our house to repair our refrigerator. He was educated and had skills and education (a math teacher) in Honduras. His monthly pay there s a teacher was the equivalent of $600 / mo. - which considering the price of gas (for example) - was simply not enough to live on. I mentioned how difficult it was to hire contractors for home improvements and it turned out he also does that on the side. He even volunteered to work on a home I recently purchased that is 300 miles away! He said he had a crew that traveled as far as Ohio to do such jobs! We could use a lot more immigrants like that, but the downside is taking them away from the countries they live it which arguably need them a lot more. It's sad and frustrating. But you're absolutely right, it's our problem also.

Hell, I'm counting on it.

Apparently IM's confused about jurisdictions. I am not surprised.

Scary. We have a Christian Nationalist second in line for the presidency.

That's funny.

That's a good example of why I quit wasting my time on him. Thanks for your effort.

Maybe it's time to reconsider "nation building"? I know, I know, that's blasphemous considering our history, but it does address the core of the problem.