is Trumpism helping or harming the position of Christianity in America?

[Cooked Crack]

 

[Captain Wiggles]

God's gonna have his way with Oklahoma?  😲

[LD0506]

23 hours ago, Renegade7 said:

No one is hurting Chrstianity as much as my fellow Christians are...no one...

 

 

 

And I'd like to thank each and every one of them 

[China]

"Like a little elementary school child": Trump dumped by spiritual adviser as evangelicals turn

 

Key evangelical figures who once backed former President Donald Trump withdrew their support after he announced his third White House bid on Tuesday.

 

One televangelist, who served as a spiritual adviser to the former president and once said he was "a supernatural answer to prayer," changed his tune, telling supporters that Trump acts like a "little elementary schoolchild" and that his juvenile focus on minor issues was stopping him from achieving larger goals. 

 

"If Mr. Trump can't stop his little petty issues, how does he expect people to stop major issues?" asked James Robison, president of the Christian group Life Outreach International, at a meeting of the National Association of Christian Lawmakers (NACL), a conservative political group that has advocated for antiabortion policies and outlawing gay marriage.

 

Former evangelical advisory board member Mike Evans sent an essay to the Washington Post earlier this month, saying that he would not be voting for Trump again. Evans, a Christian Zionist from Texas, shared that he once left a Trump rally in tears because he saw "Bible believers glorifying Donald Trump like he was an idol."

 

"Donald Trump can't save America. He can't even save himself," Evans wrote. "He used us to win the White House. We had to close our mouths and eyes when he said things that horrified us. I cannot do that anymore."

 

Robert Jeffress, the senior pastor of a 14,000-strong megachurch in Dallas and a former evangelical adviser for Trump, said that he does not plan to endorse him again in the primary.  

 

"The Republican Party is headed toward a civil war that I have no desire or need to be part of," Jeffress told Newsweek. However, he added that he would "happily support him" if he wins the nomination as he considers him "a great friend and our greatest president since Reagan." 

 

Click on the link for the full article

[Captain Wiggles]

"Greatest President since Reagan.'

 

[Larry]

Admiring the people who are suddenly discovering that Trump is, well, pretty much everything that he demonstrated originally, after he loses. 
 

And who will willingly switch to Ron DeSantis. And will flock back to Trump, if he wins. As long as it's somebody who will destroy education, discriminate against icky people who are different, and mandate people's sex lives. (Well. Little people. Not their masters.)

[Larry]

Post in another thread made me come back here and repeat this assertion. 
 

IMO, the biggest thing that's hurting the position of Christianity?  Is the brainwashing that's going on, telling people that muttering "it's my religion" renders them immunity from laws. 
 

Want to discriminate?  Even knowing that it's illegal?  Say "it's my religion", and poof!  You're entitled to ignore that law. 
 

Want to not serve that customer at your cash register?  Not fill that prescription?  Not let that child use the bathroom?  "They're attacking my religion!"

 

Want to not get vaccinated, and still work?  For a pharmaceutical company?  "Religion"

 

Want to prohibit anybody else from mentioning that they're gay?  You guessed it. 
 

----

 

Where's the leaders of Christianity, standing up and saying "Christianity doesn't say that."?

[The Sisko]

 

On 11/5/2022 at 4:56 PM, Larry said:

They'll vote for him anyway. They'll twist their minds around somehow and come up with an excuse. 

That wasn't necessary and won't be in the runoff. They're simply evil people who want their own way and use their alleged god to justify whatever they want to do.

 

24 minutes ago, Larry said:

Post in another thread made me come back here and repeat this assertion. 
 

IMO, the biggest thing that's hurting the position of Christianity?  Is the brainwashing that's going on, telling people that muttering "it's my religion" renders them immunity from laws. 
 

Want to discriminate?  Even knowing that it's illegal?  Say "it's my religion", and poof!  You're entitled to ignore that law. 
 

Want to not serve that customer at your cash register?  Not fill that prescription?  Not let that child use the bathroom?  "They're attacking my religion!"

 

Want to not get vaccinated, and still work?  For a pharmaceutical company?  "Religion"

 

Want to prohibit anybody else from mentioning that they're gay?  You guessed it. 
 

----

 

Where's the leaders of Christianity, standing up and saying "Christianity doesn't say that."?

They know which side their bread is buttered on. Most of them don't want to end up like the pastor earlier in the thread that got fired. Those that have gone along to get along can now rest easy because they have a fine upstanding man to support in Ron DeathSantis. All the Tя☭mpyness without the disturbing baggage. Well, assuming you don't look too closely. It will be interesting to see if evangelicism slowly fades as baby boomers fade into the sunset or if they're somehow able to sell it to a new generation of rubes. Somehow, I doubt it.

[China]

Just wait until the evangelicals get wind of this...

 

'It's heresy!': Worshippers left 'in tears' as Cambridge dean claims Jesus was TRANSGENDER after row over Christ's wound having a 'vaginal appearance'

 

Church worshippers cried 'heresy' at the Dean of Trinity College as they left a sermon claiming Jesus may have been transgender 'in tears'.

 

But the view of a transgender Jesus is 'legitimate', according to Dr Michael Banner, the Dean who stepped in to defend the claim made at a Sermon last Sunday that Christ had a 'trans body'.

 

Dr Michael Banner, the Dean of Trinity College, was backing up junior research fellow Joshua Heath, who displayed Renaissance and Medieval paintings of the crucifixion depicting a side wound that he likened to a vagina in front of the congregation.

 

The side wound 'takes on a decidedly vaginal appearance', said Heath, whose PhD was supervised by the former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams.

 

 

'In Christ's simultaneously masculine and feminine body in these works, if the body of Christ as these works suggest the body of all bodies, then his body is also the trans body,' claimed the researcher.

 

Heath used the 1400th-century painting Pietà with the Holy Trinity by Jean Malouel, on display in the Louvre, to illustrate his point, according to The Daily Telegraph.

 

French artist Henri Maccheroni’s 1990 work 'Christs' also appeared during the sermon, as did the Prayer Book of Bonne of Luxembourg.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

Elementary school that allowed religious after-school programs must now allow ‘After-School Satan Club’

 

Parents of students at Chesapeake Public Schools in Virginia are voicing concern over a new after-school program titled “After-School Satan Club (ASSC)” which is gearing up to have its first session in a few weeks at a elementary school within the district, WTKR reports.

 

“But now, it’s okay to have devil worshipping in school around impressionable minds and age,” parent Melanie Ballard told WTKR. “Children absorb everything they see and hear and they model what they see adults do.”

 

The club’s campaign director says the club has nothing to do with the supernatural and it’s only concerned with encouraging evidence-based discussion and rational debate.

 

“We do not believe in a supernatural Satan as a symbol because legend has it that Satan was the first to start asking questions and was cast out of heaven for that reason,” ASSC’s June Everett said. As WTKR’s report points out, the club’s flyer insists it’s not looking to convert children into any sort of religion and only wants to encourage them to look at the world scientifically.

 

“A lot of the activities are based on community projects or different kinds of crafts that you can share with families or friends. They can color in a book or make a friendship bracelet,” Everette said.

 

“If we were to name it something like the ‘Fluffy Bunnies’ or ‘Rainbow Club’ and people were to find out it was run by the Satanic Temple, that would be worse,” Everette continued. “We do get a lot of people who say, ‘Why don’t you call it the afterschool science club or afterschool critical thinking club?’ We could do that, but then when people find out it’s run by the Satanic Temple and that Satanists are the ones running the club, we feel that will create more of a problem.”

 

University of Richmond law professor Jack Preis told WTKR that Chesapeake Public Schools don’t really have a choice when it come to allowing the Satan Club because if the school is going to allow one religious club to meet, all other clubs must be allowed — regardless of religion — thanks to the First Amendment.

 

In a statement released on Friday, Chesapeake Public Schools clarified that the club is not district-approved but stated that they are required by law to allow ASSC to host a class.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[PleaseBlitz]

I'll note that, right now, SCOTUS is considering a case where a Christian website designer wants to be able to discriminate against gay people.  But uproar over this.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2022/12/06/metzger-restaurant-family-foundation/

 

Restaurant refuses service to Christian group, citing staff ‘dignity’

 

Quote

A restaurant in Richmond last week canceled a reservation for a private event being held by a conservative Christian organization, citing the group’s opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion rights.

 

“We have always refused service to anyone for making our staff uncomfortable or unsafe and this was the driving force behind our decision,” read an Instagram post from Metzger Bar and Butchery, a German-influenced restaurant in the Union Hill neighborhood whose kitchen is helmed by co-owner Brittanny Anderson, a veteran of TV cooking shows including “Top Chef” and “Chopped.” “Many of our staff are women and/or members of the LGBTQ+ community. All of our staff are people with rights who deserve dignity and a safe work environment. We respect our staff’s established rights as humans and strive to create a work environment where they can do their jobs with dignity, comfort and safety.”

 

The group, the Family Foundation, was set to host a dessert reception for supporters on Nov. 30, the group’s president, Victoria Cobb, wrote in a blog post describing the incident. About an hour and a half before it was slated to start, one of the restaurant’s owners called to cancel it, she wrote. “As our VP of Operations explained that guests were arriving at their restaurant shortly, she asked for an explanation,” Cobb wrote. “Sure enough, an employee looked up our organization, and their wait staff refused to serve us.”

 

The Family Foundation is based in Richmond and advocates for “policies based on biblical principles.” It has lobbied against same-sex marriage and abortion rights.

 

In an interview, Cobb said that since she posted about it, she has heard from people alarmed by the story and from other dining establishments making it clear they would be welcome. “A lot of people are outraged that a restaurant wants to make a litmus test at the door,” she said. “Everyone should be concerned that people are being denied service based on their politics.”

 

[LD0506]

What an absolutely hilarious time to be alive

[Cooked Crack]

 

[Captain Wiggles]

[Califan007 The Constipated]

I posted this in another thread but it really belongs here...

 

 

 

[China]

On 10/6/2022 at 5:52 PM, China said:

Why Growing Parts of the Christian Right Are Convinced It’s the Apocalypse

 

If you peruse the list of recent releases in Christian publishing, you’ll get the sense that “the end times” are upon us. This summer saw the release of survival guides, books about current events, and prayer manuals all oriented around a rapture, a second coming of Christ, or an otherwise cataclysmic event at the hands of God. (Subtitles included 12 Megaclues That Jesus’ Return Is Nearer Than Ever; An End Times Guide to Survival; Do Current Events Point to the Antichrist and His Worldwide Empire?; and Prayer Strategies That Unlock the End-Time Armory of God.)

 

According to Publishers Weekly, this spate of end-times books is being printed to meet demand. It’s what the readers want. 

 

Click on the link for the full article

 

Why? Because fear sells (like the books they listed above).  More grifters.

 

Are end times upon us? Nearly half of all US Christians think so - Pew

 

Four in 10 US adults believe that humanity is currently living in "the end times," with the coronavirus pandemic and other catastrophes and anxieties causing many to ascribe a religious meaning to it all, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.

 

The study focused mostly on Christians in the US, with there being a very clear divide as almost half (47%) believe that the end times are here.

 

The end times are described in the pages of Christian religious texts. Eschatology, as it is also known, tends to be seen in Christianity as encompassing a wide range of events. These include what is mentioned in the Bible as well as in extra-biblical opinions and views. 

 

However, there are generally a few key features that are universally agreed upon: The Second Coming of Jesus Christ, the Rapture and the Last Judgement.

 

There is debate, however, between whether the end times begin and Jesus Christ returns during a low point for humanity as global crises mount (premillennialism) or at a high point when the world is improved (postmillennialism).

 

Overall, premillennialism is far more common in the US than postmillennialism, though a larger portion of Americans tend to not be sure about the circumstances that would lead to Jesus returning.

 

Are we living in the end times? Christians divided
Certain demographics within the US Christian community tended to believe humanity is currently experiencing the end times more than others, the Pew survey showed.

 

Specifically, historically Evangelical (63%) and Black Protestant (76%) Christians tended to think they were lviing in the end times.

 

By contrast, most Catholics (70%) and mainstream Protestants (65%) think that this is not, in fact, the end of the world as we know it.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[LD0506]

Uhh, do y'all mean "The end of your bull**** times"? 'Cuz that is kinda the point, yes

[China]

On 12/5/2022 at 8:26 PM, China said:

Elementary school that allowed religious after-school programs must now allow ‘After-School Satan Club’

 

Parents of students at Chesapeake Public Schools in Virginia are voicing concern over a new after-school program titled “After-School Satan Club (ASSC)” which is gearing up to have its first session in a few weeks at a elementary school within the district, WTKR reports.

 

“But now, it’s okay to have devil worshipping in school around impressionable minds and age,” parent Melanie Ballard told WTKR. “Children absorb everything they see and hear and they model what they see adults do.”

 

The club’s campaign director says the club has nothing to do with the supernatural and it’s only concerned with encouraging evidence-based discussion and rational debate.

 

“We do not believe in a supernatural Satan as a symbol because legend has it that Satan was the first to start asking questions and was cast out of heaven for that reason,” ASSC’s June Everett said. As WTKR’s report points out, the club’s flyer insists it’s not looking to convert children into any sort of religion and only wants to encourage them to look at the world scientifically.

 

“A lot of the activities are based on community projects or different kinds of crafts that you can share with families or friends. They can color in a book or make a friendship bracelet,” Everette said.

 

“If we were to name it something like the ‘Fluffy Bunnies’ or ‘Rainbow Club’ and people were to find out it was run by the Satanic Temple, that would be worse,” Everette continued. “We do get a lot of people who say, ‘Why don’t you call it the afterschool science club or afterschool critical thinking club?’ We could do that, but then when people find out it’s run by the Satanic Temple and that Satanists are the ones running the club, we feel that will create more of a problem.”

 

University of Richmond law professor Jack Preis told WTKR that Chesapeake Public Schools don’t really have a choice when it come to allowing the Satan Club because if the school is going to allow one religious club to meet, all other clubs must be allowed — regardless of religion — thanks to the First Amendment.

 

In a statement released on Friday, Chesapeake Public Schools clarified that the club is not district-approved but stated that they are required by law to allow ASSC to host a class.

 

Click on the link for the full article

 

Further review, safety assessment needed for 'After School Satan Club' in Chesapeake

 

Chesapeake school board members are raising safety and security concerns in light of the controversial After School Satan Club (ASSC).

 

Monday night, they spent several hours listening to split public comments about the program.

 

The ASSC's first meeting would have taken place on Thursday, but school leaders are now casting doubt on that date, citing worries over public safety. 

 

Moreover, some school board members questioned whether the club would act in the best interest of the community. 

 

Chesapeake Public Schools (CPS) Superintendent Dr. Jared Cotton indicated that further review and a safety assessment are needed before making a decision on whether to approve the ASSC's resubmitted application. 

 

Much of the public sentiment Monday night inside a packed school board chamber leaned against the arrival of the ASSC at B.M. Williams Primary School.

 

"An organization that has no authority and presents a risk to students, school staff and our community," one resident argued. 

 

"Quite frankly, I'm very disappointed," another resident shared. 

 

One man said, "We've had enough disruptions and we don't need anymore."

 

Although, members of the Satanic Temple expressed that their First Amendment rights should not be up for debate.

 

"My religion does not need your approval to exist. My beliefs are not subject to your approval," said Rose Bastet, a Satanic Temple volunteer. 

 

Click on the link for the full article

 

Sounds like there could be a lawsuit in the offing.

Edited December 14, 2022 by China

[China]

10 Most Richest Pastors in the World & Their Net Worth

 

The world’s richest Pastors have built wealthy luxurious empires since they are worth millions and millions of dollars. They usually live in multi-million lodges, fly their own private jets, and drive expensive cars. They lead to huge congregations and television their sermons. Mostly they acquire their fortune from the funds that are raised from various services. Some of them also run their own side businesses and generate great revenues.

 

A lot of people wonder about the net worth of these Pastors. So here is a list of the top 10 richest Pastors of the world along with their brief introductions.

 

Pastors	Net Worth
Kenneth Copeland	$760 Million
David Oyedepo	$150 Million
Bishop Thomas Dexter Jakes	$147 Million
Ayo Oritsejafor	$120 Million
Pat Robertson	$100 Million
Benny Hinn	$60 Million
Chris Oyakhilome	$50 Million
Joel Osteen	$40 Million
Pastor Enoch Adeboye	$39 Million
Creflo Dollar	$27 million

 

Click on the link for the full article

 

 

[Cooked Crack]

 

Quote

A well-known Catholic priest and incendiary leader of the anti-abortion movement was removed from the priesthood by the Vatican, according to a letter from Pope Francis’ representative to the United States that was obtained by The New York Times. 

 

Frank Pavone, who leads the advocacy organization Priests for Life, and was once a religious adviser to former President Donald J. Trump, was dismissed from the clergy on Nov. 9 with no possibility of appeal, the letter states. The letter included a statement about the removal, called laicization, that it said was approved by the Dicastery for the Clergy, a Vatican office. 

 

“This action was taken after Father Pavone was found guilty in canonical proceedings of blasphemous communications on social media, and of persistent disobedience of the lawful instructions of his diocesan bishop,” it states.

 

[86 Snyder]

On 12/14/2022 at 7:23 PM, China said:

10 Most Richest Pastors in the World & Their Net Worth

 

The world’s richest Pastors have built wealthy luxurious empires since they are worth millions and millions of dollars. They usually live in multi-million lodges, fly their own private jets, and drive expensive cars. They lead to huge congregations and television their sermons. Mostly they acquire their fortune from the funds that are raised from various services. Some of them also run their own side businesses and generate great revenues.

 

A lot of people wonder about the net worth of these Pastors. So here is a list of the top 10 richest Pastors of the world along with their brief introductions.

 

Pastors	Net Worth
Kenneth Copeland	$760 Million
David Oyedepo	$150 Million
Bishop Thomas Dexter Jakes	$147 Million
Ayo Oritsejafor	$120 Million
Pat Robertson	$100 Million
Benny Hinn	$60 Million
Chris Oyakhilome	$50 Million
Joel Osteen	$40 Million
Pastor Enoch Adeboye	$39 Million
Creflo Dollar	$27 million

 

Click on the link for the full article

 

 

You coulda just called it the top 10 hypocritical assholes of the world.  You and your many words lol.

[Cooked Crack]

 

[LD0506]

I applaud Pope Frankie for bootin his ass out

 

Do another one

[China]

4 steps to inoculate your children against progressive mind virus

 

By William Wolfe, Op-ed contributor - :William Wolfe served as a senior official in the Trump administration

 

One political philosopher put the goal of liberal progressivism in rather stark terms. He said, “Progressivism is, at its core, the hatred of your father and the rejection of God.”

 

While many self-proclaimed progressives might not put it like that, he’s right — at the core of their ideology is the rejection of anything and everything from the past that might hinder “inevitable progress.” This often means family. It always means biblical Christianity.

 

The triumph of progressivism in American culture has been on full display last week, as the Senate passed the (Dis) Respect for Marriage Act, which codifies the unconstitutional Obergefell decision “redefining” marriage in our nation.

 

Another way to describe progressives is as “moral revolutionaries,” and indeed they are. In Albert Mohler’s piece addressing the passage of this bill, “A massive victory for the moral revolutionaries,” he rightly noted:

 

Quote

“No civilization stands still. This kind of legislation is not neutral. The so-called ‘Respect for Marriage Act’ is either the sign of a civilization advancing or a civilization crumbling.”

 

That’s a good litmus test. Progressives see this bill as a bright beacon of advancement. For Christians, we know that this is a tell-tale sign of civilization collapse. But this is the path of progressivism: God, family, and marriage must get out of the way as the arc of history hurtles toward their flawed conception of justice — diversity, equity, and inclusion.

 

As a father of three who wants my children to love (not hate) me and obey (not reject) God, it’s important that I serve them well by helping prepare them to fight against progressivism — to inoculate them, as best I can, against the ways of a world that wants to infect their minds with delusions of expressive individualism and unconstrained desire.

 

How do I do this? How can you do this? Here are four ways parents can inoculate their children against the progressive mind virus:

 

Click on the link for more nonsense

[China]

Trump Lashes Out at 'Disloyalty' of Unsupportive Evangelical Leaders

 

Evangelical leaders once played a critical role in building the coalition that won Donald Trump the presidency. Today, however, finds Trump now lashing out at the same group he once relied on as many faith leaders have chosen to remain on the sidelines in the early stages of his third bid for the White House.

 

Appearing on Real America's Voice on Monday, Trump told The Water Cooler host David Brody he believed evangelical leaders were being disloyal to his cause after reports of faith leaders who once supported him who are now reluctant to back him ahead of the 2024 election.

 

This, even after he delivered on promises to seat Supreme Court justices willing to support evangelicals' mission to overturn federal protections for abortion as well as initiatives like expanding "school choice," which would allow public dollars to flow into private and religious academic institutions.

 

"That's a sign of disloyalty," Trump said. "There's great disloyalty in the world of politics and that's a sign of disloyalty because nobody, as you know...has ever done more for [the] right to life than Donald Trump. Three Supreme Court justices and they all voted [to overturn Roe v. Wade]...they won, they finally won!"

 

Click on the link for the full article