It is freeing to recognize that I have never sinned and it pissed Christians off when I say this. To clarify, in Christianity sin is not simply "the bad things we do" it is specifically an offense against god. God does not exists so i have never sinned against him....
What an amazing display of privilege. It must be nice to live in a society where religious belief isn't being injected into the public and our government.
It should surprise no one that Dominionist Mike Johnson's change of heart on Ukraine was bought by suggesting to him that it could serve his religious agenda.
They passed separate aid packages for Ukraine and Israel. They could have done all the aid packages in one lump, but House Republicans voted it down on Trump's orders.
The speculation is that with Trump's criminal trial in session in New York, he doesn't have the capacity to micromanage Republicans on the Hill. So this was Magic Mike's first opportunity to pass the bill unobstructed, even if it required Democrats to assist.
Surveillance cameras showed a man walk up to the building soon after 4 a.m. on April 8 wearing a face covering, tactical vest and gloves, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI. The man then ignited an improvised explosive device, threw it at the main entrance then ran away. The bomb partially detonated, resulting...
...In 2022, Stephen Wolfe (no relation to William) published a book called “The Case for Christian Nationalism.” The book was published by Canon Press, a publishing house that began as a ministry of Wilson’s church. Stephen K. Bannon, the Trump adviser, reportedly had a copy of the book stacked on his table....
It's mostly good news all around. Evangelicals are the only ones who are managing to hold their ground, so that's bad. But "Unaffiliated" which includes atheists, agnostics, and "Nones" are up from 21% in 2013 to 26% in 2023. We continue to be the fastest-growing demographic in the US. Furthermore, an increasing number of...
Dawkins stopped representing us a long, long time ago. He made some good points for a while, and then got so enamored of his own celebrity that he stopped being skeptical of his own thoughts. It's sad to watch his decline, but he's no longer relevant.
I don't agree with that statement, because both on paper and in practice, Christianity is no better or worse than Islam. The only reason Christians aren't slaughtering homosexuals and transgender people the same way is because they've been leashed by secularism. It's not that they haven't or don't want to again. It's that they know they can't get away with it -- yet.
Look at organizations like Seven Mountains and other Dominionist groups promoting Christian Nationalism. It's not a coincidence that Kevin Swanson regularly sees Republican office holders at his "Kill the Gays" rallies. They don't hate Islamic theocracies because of the theocracy part. It's that they're jealous of their religious power and want to surpass it.
It's easy to roll one's eyes as the self-serving dramatics of MAGA voters using false claims of victimhood as cover for their ugly views. But, as the threatening language in Greene's tweet shows, this "woe is us" act is deeply dangerous. The hyperbolic conspiracy theories and dehumanizing language serve to convince Republican...
They have money, they have influence, they have charisma, and they have technical expertise. And they're using to pursue a theocratic America, even if they have to kill anyone who gets in their way.
...it's time to consider the strong possibility that Trump's disdain towards the practice and theological beliefs of Christianity is not a surprise to his followers. It's likely a selling point that Trump's version of "Christianity" is void of faith and morality. His pitch to his followers has a certain appeal: They can have the...
That's the story they've been telling themselves so long that nobody really knows for sure. They certainly didn't allow any other narrative once they took control of every government they could.
Well, yes and no. Yes, during the Islamic Golden Age they successfully introduced a lot of valuable knowledge. There's a reason our numbers are called "Arabic" and most of the stars we can see have Arabic names. However, the idea that they've been strictly defensive is not accurate. After the fall of the Golden Age, when clerics took back their power and declared mathematics to be satanic they began their campaign to establish a global caliphate. They're brutal with anyone they consider sexually deviant or violate gender norms, and they're not above attempting to invade a neighbor if they think they can get away with it in the name of Allah.
Just like Christianity throughout history.
The difference is that they have a lot of catching up to do before they can equal the atrocities of Christianity. And from the look of it, this lag isn't from lack of trying. They just haven't had as much time as Christians to commit all of the atrocities.
I don't see how they aren't both rotten at the core. They both spring from the same Abrahamic religion. They both cite extremely fallible and frequently inaccurate texts as scriptures. They both cherry-pick what they want from scripture and knowledge. Neither is better than the other. The only reason that Christianity isn't just as violent as Islam today is because most of the Christian world is leashed by secularism, which the Islamic world rejected a thousand years ago.
Minor nitpick: it was time to start worrying about Christian nationalism over twenty years ago. They've been trying to legitimize Christian nationalism since at least the founding of the "Moral Majority" when I was a boy. I've been trying to sound the alarm about Dominionism and Christian nationalism since the second Bush...
It's possible, but we've been talking about that for at least fifteen years to counter the "the Founders intended us to be a Christian nation" nonsense.
"I would actually suggest that conservative folks are less concerned about sex and more concerned about the performance of gender," Gibson told me. "Sex just happens to be the vehicle" they are currently using, he explained, to push a rigid gender ideology where "men are expected to be the leaders" and "women are supposed to be...
"Rules for thee but not for me." Which brings us around to Wilhoit's observation:
Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition, to wit: There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect.
A deep dive into the policies proposed in Project 2025 reveal the theocratic intent of its framers. Using language that evangelicals will recognize to hide its authoritarian intent demonstrates they recognize how unpopular these policies will be once implemented. But then it'll be too late.
These are the people tasked with developing policy for a second Trump administration. If you're not deeply scared of what they're proposing, you are not paying attention.
The worst part isn't even that they're trying to do this. Of course they've been wanting to do this ever since they started losing power during the Enlightenment. The worst part is that the average American either doesn't know about this, or has somehow talked themselves into believing it's not a real threat. We're watching the...
This is an exploration of some of the things they teach in seminary, but not in the pulpits. Why don't they want their congregations to learn about them? The author suggests that it would severely cut into their income by turning people off Christianity, even though these facts are foundational to the religion.
As Western bombs rain on Gaza’s starving civilians, the New Atheism turns 20. The philosophical genre, which argues for secularism over organized religion, was kick-started by Sam Harris. His 2004 book, The End of Faith, promoted neuroscience-based spirituality in place of irrational groupthink. The philosopher, Daniel...
You can always tell someone is about to kick the stuffing out of a straw man when they target "new atheism." This appears to be no different.
The Horsemen helped raise awareness and give voice to atheist skepticism. They did not speak for atheism or all atheists. Yes, polemicists like Hitchens had some toxic agendas, but he certainly didn't speak for me when he called for the Middle East to be glassed.
Every movement to oppose Christianity had its place. In the 80s they called themselves Satanists, even though they didn't believe in a literal Satan. In the 2000s we saw the introduction of "militant" atheism, externally dubbed the "new atheists." Now we have a new generation of ex-Christians who can speak to conservative...
Speaking strictly for myself, I'll believe anything you tell me as long as you can support it with the appropriate evidence. If you tell me there's life after death, I'll believe you -- after you show me how you know it's actually true. I do not accept arguments from authority, arguments from faith, or any other example of motivated reasoning. You need concrete, repeatable evidence before I take you seriously.
Not all atheists are skeptics, and not all skeptics are atheists. But they are very complementary positions.
Lemmy's code doesn't allow me to link to a .txt file, even though it's available through the web. So here's the original link: http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/gish-rutgers/gish-draft.txt...
Trump backers say he shares their Christian faith and values ( apnews.com )
We're not going to be able to fix these people. The only hope we have is to outlast them.
'There's been so many' - Pedophile priest's eye-opening testimony in church sex abuse case ( www.wwltv.com )
Just when you thought it was safe to back into the pew.
I have never sinned
It is freeing to recognize that I have never sinned and it pissed Christians off when I say this. To clarify, in Christianity sin is not simply "the bad things we do" it is specifically an offense against god. God does not exists so i have never sinned against him....
“An army of Jesus”: Inside Mike Johnson’s come-to-Jesus moment ahead of Ukraine reversal ( www.salon.com )
It should surprise no one that Dominionist Mike Johnson's change of heart on Ukraine was bought by suggesting to him that it could serve his religious agenda.
We lost a great man today ( whyevolutionistrue.com )
Daniel Dennett, philosopher, atheist, and one of the tongue-in-cheek "Horsemen" of atheism, died today. He was 82.
Oklahoma man arrested after authorities say he threw a pipe bomb at Satanic Temple in Massachusetts ( apnews.com )
Surveillance cameras showed a man walk up to the building soon after 4 a.m. on April 8 wearing a face covering, tactical vest and gloves, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI. The man then ignited an improvised explosive device, threw it at the main entrance then ran away. The bomb partially detonated, resulting...
Brave toddler, 3, tried to escape and told mom 'I love you' while being 'exorcised' to death in church as prosecutors finally try to bring evil parents and grandfather to justice ( www.dailymail.co.uk )
The Christian Nationalist Hydra: In Era of Trump, Christian Nationalism Has Many Faces ( talkingpointsmemo.com )
FTA:...
What Exactly Do the Christian Nationalists Want? ( talkingpointsmemo.com )
...In 2022, Stephen Wolfe (no relation to William) published a book called “The Case for Christian Nationalism.” The book was published by Canon Press, a publishing house that began as a ministry of Wilson’s church. Stephen K. Bannon, the Trump adviser, reportedly had a copy of the book stacked on his table....
PRRI study reveals Christian decline, unaffiliated growth ( rolltodisbelieve.com )
It's mostly good news all around. Evangelicals are the only ones who are managing to hold their ground, so that's bad. But "Unaffiliated" which includes atheists, agnostics, and "Nones" are up from 21% in 2013 to 26% in 2023. We continue to be the fastest-growing demographic in the US. Furthermore, an increasing number of...
The opiate of dehumanizing the enemy ( rolltodisbelieve.com )
Captain Cassidy examines yet another Christian expressing pity for non-believers who must be somehow deficient to explain non-belief.
No, America Doesn’t Need a MAGA ‘Day of Christian Visibility’ ( nymag.com )
Pity the poor unseen majority who shove their religion in our faces every day. Won't someone think of them?
Richard Dawkins says Christianity is "fundamentally decent," but Islam "is not" ( www.friendlyatheist.com )
cross-posted from: https://midwest.social/post/10663972...
Trump and GOP use a fake panic about a "trans" Easter to justify their Christian nationalism ( www.salon.com )
It's easy to roll one's eyes as the self-serving dramatics of MAGA voters using false claims of victimhood as cover for their ugly views. But, as the threatening language in Greene's tweet shows, this "woe is us" act is deeply dangerous. The hyperbolic conspiracy theories and dehumanizing language serve to convince Republican...
Meet the viral gun influencers pushing a hardline Christian beliefs ( www.motherjones.com )
They have money, they have influence, they have charisma, and they have technical expertise. And they're using to pursue a theocratic America, even if they have to kill anyone who gets in their way.
Trump Bibles make a mockery of Christianity — which is why MAGA will eat them up ( www.salon.com )
...it's time to consider the strong possibility that Trump's disdain towards the practice and theological beliefs of Christianity is not a surprise to his followers. It's likely a selling point that Trump's version of "Christianity" is void of faith and morality. His pitch to his followers has a certain appeal: They can have the...
View Hosts Taken Aback By Trump Selling Bibles: ‘It’s Blasphemous!’ ( www.mediaite.com )
Could Trump's attempt to pander to evangelicals backfire? We can only hope.
Trump Compares Himself To Jesus Christ In Post Citing Scriptural Prayer Calling On God To Kill One's Enemies - Joe.My.God. ( www.joemygod.com )
Charlie Kirk echoes thoughtless claim that you can't "be a Christian and vote Democrat" ( www.friendlyatheist.com )
cross-posted from: https://midwest.social/post/10212589...
True. Both religions are equally shit. ( midwest.social )
cross-posted from: https://midwest.social/post/10212463
It's time to start worrying about Christian nationalism. ( www.motherjones.com )
Minor nitpick: it was time to start worrying about Christian nationalism over twenty years ago. They've been trying to legitimize Christian nationalism since at least the founding of the "Moral Majority" when I was a boy. I've been trying to sound the alarm about Dominionism and Christian nationalism since the second Bush...
White evangelicals embrace raunchy photos — yet they hate sex as much as ever ( www.salon.com )
"I would actually suggest that conservative folks are less concerned about sex and more concerned about the performance of gender," Gibson told me. "Sex just happens to be the vehicle" they are currently using, he explained, to push a rigid gender ideology where "men are expected to be the leaders" and "women are supposed to be...
Decoding Project 2025’s Christian Nationalist language ( www.salon.com )
A deep dive into the policies proposed in Project 2025 reveal the theocratic intent of its framers. Using language that evangelicals will recognize to hide its authoritarian intent demonstrates they recognize how unpopular these policies will be once implemented. But then it'll be too late.
Trump II Architect Russ Vought Embraces A Christian Nationalist Vision For America ( talkingpointsmemo.com )
These are the people tasked with developing policy for a second Trump administration. If you're not deeply scared of what they're proposing, you are not paying attention.
The Terrifying Christian Nationalist Crusade to Conquer America ( www.thenation.com )
The worst part isn't even that they're trying to do this. Of course they've been wanting to do this ever since they started losing power during the Enlightenment. The worst part is that the average American either doesn't know about this, or has somehow talked themselves into believing it's not a real threat. We're watching the...
Experts Place New Secret Society Squarely In The Christian Nationalist Revival ( talkingpointsmemo.com )
Because clearly, what we need is yet another Christian Nationalist secret society that only offers membership to men. Right....
It Sure Seems Like the Courts Have Placed Christianity Above Other Faiths ( slate.com )
FTA:...
SATAN'S GUIDE TO THE BIBLE ( yewtu.be )
This is an exploration of some of the things they teach in seminary, but not in the pulpits. Why don't they want their congregations to learn about them? The author suggests that it would severely cut into their income by turning people off Christianity, even though these facts are foundational to the religion.
The New Atheism at 20: How an Intellectual Movement Exploited Rationalism to Promote War ( www.counterpunch.org )
As Western bombs rain on Gaza’s starving civilians, the New Atheism turns 20. The philosophical genre, which argues for secularism over organized religion, was kick-started by Sam Harris. His 2004 book, The End of Faith, promoted neuroscience-based spirituality in place of irrational groupthink. The philosopher, Daniel...
"Tradwives" offer an alluring vision of-right wing Christianity — meet the people fighting back ( www.salon.com )
Every movement to oppose Christianity had its place. In the 80s they called themselves Satanists, even though they didn't believe in a literal Satan. In the 2000s we saw the introduction of "militant" atheism, externally dubbed the "new atheists." Now we have a new generation of ex-Christians who can speak to conservative...
How do atheists who direct all their ire against religious belief think about religions that don't emphasis le believing things, e.g. Zen?
Minister Mortimer Adramelech of the Satanic Temple Gives Ultimatum to Iowa Republicans ( www.youtube.com )
"I dare you to pass this bill and allow me to send chaplains to your schools." -not a verbatim quote.
Lying for Jesus ( ghostarchive.org )
Lemmy's code doesn't allow me to link to a .txt file, even though it's available through the web. So here's the original link: http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/gish-rutgers/gish-draft.txt...