People allowed Christian nationalists and white supremacists to hijack our politics. And this is the result of a massive decades-long misinformation campaign, one that could easily have been nipped in the bud if people were paying attention. Because we used to have effective mechanisms against this.
I absolutely do not want to live in a White Christian Nationalist country!
That's why I have a shirt that says: "This is our home, not your church".
Before news channels that had to fill 24 hours and decided to fill 22 of them with opinions. Before newspapers were superseded by free blogs and social media. TBH, I blame CNN as much as Fox, because CNN made Fox possible.
Roger Ailes who was Nixon's media director wanted to use television more to showcase Nixon. When Nixon was exposed, and stepped down, Ailes never got over it. He thought up a right-wing (disinformation) source was needed, so that no republican president would ever be pushed out. He pitched the evil Rupert Murdoch to bankroll it, but Murdoch needed residency here to own a station, which Reagan happily fast-tracked for him.
The Fox Propaganda Network is a huge reason why America has fallen.
They poisoned the minds of an entire generation -- and since Reagan abolished the Fairness Doctrine in 1987, Fox was able to pump their lies into America's minds with almost no restrictions.
The Trump takeover would not have been possible without this.
What I wonder is: how exactly did so many Christian nationalists infiltrate our government? This doesn't feel random to me: it feels like the culmination of a long, patient strategy.
And when you realize Project 2025 is heavily in favor of this very thing -- and that the Federalist Society (which created Project 2025) has also succeeded in capturing the Supreme Court over long years of patient manipulation -- I would say that organization is a good place to begin the investigation.
Because from Billy Graham on, the christian hucksters have been planning to infiltrate the Gov't. It got going with the racist Reagan, who invited them into the republican party, after democrats passed the civil rights act, many so-called "christians started segregation academies so their racist little darlings, could not be exposed to any black kids. The schools were in violation of the law, and Bob Jones academy was about to lose it's tax exemption status. This article pertains to abortion but it tells the story of how they got where they are. It has taken them 50 years, but they got there.
I disagree. Teaching about some of the different religions on this globe, their historic impact, the religious reasons for the religious wars, their main teachings and the differences etc. belong in school.
Edit to ad: They belong in history classes mostly.
That's a good idea but isn't a elementary school subject. I took Comparative Religion at UCLA where the full impact of their belief systems could be understood. I do feel the teaching of American History and Civics including why we have the Constitution that we do and each of the Bill of Rights is more appropriate as it applies to all Americans unlike a Religion.
Teaching about religion is one thing; and this is not what is going on here. World religions are often taught in world geo and world history.The 10 commandments initiatives are about infusing religious doctrine in schools. The arguments made for posting the command agents is that they are a foundational document of the U.S. on par with Declaration of Independence and Constitution and Bill of Rights. Those arguments are not historically accurate.
Really, such a class should be offered at the college level with whatever religious training that families feel are needed, done both at home and at church, temple, mosque or outdoors. Keep this mess fraught with all sorts of legal entanglements out of public schools! Why is this so difficult for some people to understand?
This! I've always wondered why high schools don't do this. It would go a long way for all kids to learn about the different religions. Buddhism, Taoism, as well as Judaism/Christianity/Islam (which I just learned as a fully grown human all worship the same God). It wouldn't even have to be an entire unit - just a couple of lessons and I think kids would get the jist.
That would also nurture tolerance. I think of atheism as a religion, an effort to understand the incomprehensible. BUT I am looking forward to the day when the atheists exert the same misery on the Christians who have spit on Christ.
Atheism , like religion , is a belief system that cannot be empirically verified. I have a religion but , just like atheism, it cannot be proven, no matter how hard one tries.
The null hypothesis is truth because there is no empirical evidence! That wouldn’t even work in a science lab. In scientific experimentation every hypothesis leads to another hypothesis even if negated. Again can the word fact be applied to a belief that is not empirically provable. Religion gets waylaid when scientific methods are used to support or negate it.
If a deity were to make itself known in an obvious way, say by whispering that it does exist into the ear of each and every person alive at the exact same moment, then I think most atheists would admit that they were wrong and that deity does exist.
But despite all the centuries of no deity doing anything to prove it exists, so many religious people still believe in some form of a god. Forgive me for thinking I belong to the group who aren't fooling themselves.
You know I think you are fooling yourself into thinking you already know all just as religious extremists do. Everyone derives their belief system from their experiences, reading, cultural influences. There is ABSOLUTELY no necessity to label each other in any way . My religious beliefs do not need to negate yours . Certainly persecution of any variety is not necessary. A Hindu Vidantic teacher once said that God is the center of all but each individual’s view is incomplete.
Empirical proof does not include whispering in one’s ear. God will always involve belief beyond the empirical because, by definition, God is the Beyond Knowable. As the OT says God’s name is Yahweh , I AM WHO AM. Proving such an existence empirically is not possible . However I BELIEVE I have experienced that mystically but why should anyone believe me? I am a retired science teacher who taught that science is one ever expanding way of knowing. But it is not the only way. The language and mathematics of science allows it to develop empirically derived conclusions.
That approach to religious or spiritual beliefs doesn’t work.
"Atheism is not an affirmative belief that there is no god, nor does it answer any other question about what a person believes. It is simply a rejection of the assertion that there are gods. Atheism is too often defined incorrectly as a belief system. To be clear: Atheism is not a disbelief in gods or a denial of gods; it is a lack of belief in gods.Atheism is not a belief system nor is it a religion.
While there are some religions that are atheistic (certain sects of Buddhism, for example), that does not mean that atheism is a religion. To put it in a more humorous way: If atheism is a religion, then not collecting stamps is a hobby.
Despite the fact that atheism is not a religion, atheism is protected by many of the same Constitutional rights that protect religion. That, however, does not mean that atheism is itself a religion, only that our sincerely held (lack of) beliefs are protected in the same way as the religious beliefs of others. Similarly, many “interfaith” groups will include atheists. This, again, does not mean that atheism is a religious belief.
Some groups will use words like Agnostic, Humanist, Secular, Bright, Freethinker, or any number of other terms to self identify. Those words are perfectly fine as a self-identifier, but we strongly advocate using the word that people understand: Atheist. Don’t use those other terms to disguise your atheism or to shy away from a word that some think has a negative connotation. We should be using the terminology that is most accurate and that answers the question that is actually being asked. We should use the term that binds all of us together."
A negative belief is still a belief. Since any proposition as to the existence of any type of god is unprovable atheism is a belief system. The only rational stance is agnosticism.
Both of these references create an impression of a "Kinder, Gentler" (TM) Jesus. That was okay for Bush the Elder (sometimes sneered at as "wimpy") and his "thousand points of light" back in the '80s/90s.
But today's WCN's demand the New and Improved Republican Jesus, whose plowshare has been beaten into an AK-47 and who is coming back to kick some liberal ass.
The Beatitudes are from the Sermon on the Mount. Platitudes like "blessed are the peacemakers" etc., that if you look closer are actually pretty shallow feel good sayings.
Every Baptist child has to memorize John 3:16. 'For God so loved the world, that he sent his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.'
(I can't believe I had to look up how that ended, but it has been 40+ years)
The Beatitudes are what Jesus was teaching which was radically different from the Old Testament 10 Commandments which Christian fanatics push. Theoretically they are supposed to be followers of Jesus Christ but never follow his teachings. By the way there are 3 different listings of the 10 Commandments in the Bible and they only promote one version. Who says that it's the right one. 🤔
That says it all ... and it is with that same dismissive attitude that said randos should be told to take a long walk off a short pier. If those idiots want their kids to learn the bible, refer them to the nearest church Sunday School.
The SECULAR school system has better things to do.
They want kids to know the 10 Commandments? Then let them learn about the 10 C at their houses of worship, their Sunday schools, their private schools and their own homes via their parents. That is far more than enough. Leave public schools to teach facts to children instead of fantasies.
Unfortunately, two of the women in the picture were wearing pants. And according to Deuteronomy 22:5. A woman shall not wear that which pertained unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God. They were put to death. They will be missed.
Really! Moses! How about the member at the dais with the cowboy hat and the butchered American flag. They need to check the Flag Code. https://us-flag.net/code/
I remember wondering about that several times as a child. The pictures/paintings (usually Bosch prints, I believe?) we were shown on the flannelgraph board portrayed people dressed in garments that were virtually the same for men and women.
The thing that made America exceptional was NOT having Religion intertwined with the Government. Most of the Founders came from families that fled England, Ireland, Scotland and Germany because they were religiously persecuted by their Governments. The Germans left the 30 Years War, the English the fighting between the Cromwell Puritans and Church of England and Catholics fled to Maryland. Becoming the first Country to enshrine Religious Tolerance and a neutral Government is what made America Great and Exceptional. And no one wanted Puritans in control because they were misogynistic, racist, violent, blowhards who proclaimed their purity and chosen status while slaughtering Indians, Quakers and Women. Totally untrustworthy. Now that's the precise heritage that the Constitution protected us from until now.
OK. So does that mean WE get to take to the pulpit to illustrate the scientific reality of evolution or the origins of the universe and how neither of them required a special creation by a deity for which there is zero evidence? Sauce for the goose.
I kind of like that idea...is it worth pursuing? Like if local churches sign on to this nonsense and show up at SB meetings to insist on speaking, people who oppose this bombard the church office with phone calls demanding equal time to come and speak to their congregations?
They've already made the initial breaches. We would just be using them.
I think it would be hilarious if a bunch of libs showed up for church every Sunday, wearing rainbow colors and other First Amendment regalia, and just sat together, quietly, arms folded across chests, staring at the minister for the entire service, then quietly left without saying a word. Not a single law would be broken, but it might rattle a few numbskulls.
Yes, and how would that square with the church's stated goals of "reaching the masses in the name of Christ?" Does the Great Commission of "preach my gospel to every creature" have exceptions, then? Hmmm? You mean Jesus discriminates?
Very well then. We go to their church, they ask us to leave, we leave, and take to social media about their lack of welcome to everyone, and ask "If the Gospel is so important they have to invade our schools with it, why are we asked to leave when we come to their church?"
It's a form of pushback, may or may not have an effect. I was recalling the "sit-in" protests of African Americans in the 60's, and similar actions of the LGBTQ activists in the 90's, but yes, those were commercial establishments that were involved. Churches *should* be treated as commercial establishments as well, and taxed accordingly, as long as they refuse to recognize boundaries, but I doubt that will happen. The only thing I can think of that will get their attention is some sort of silent, non-disruptive sit-in presence in their congregations, and reports of their response.
But we're not agents of the government. We're private citizens demanding our chance to speak to these assholes. They will say no of course, but we keep coming back, keep calling the church office, keep harassing them "in the name of (gasp) their "free speech" canard that they are so fond of.
"No amount of shoving Christianity in kids’ faces is going to help them get a better education."
They DON'T WANT the kids to get a better education; they want the kids to get MORE JESUS.
The Christian activists and the Board members know that the more educated kids get, the more likely they will eventually reject the bullshit superstitions of religion. They're all perfectly fine with their county being among the worst in the state educationally, because "all thet book larnin'" will interfere with Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus...
Why do they always cosplay as Moses, or Noah or one of the other boring characters. Why not Salome? Or obscure interesting characters like Oholah and Oholibah?
Because they are holy *men*, not evil drag queens on a murderous rampage and sprinkling fairy dust on all the hot young men to turn them gay along the way.
Kern County has been afflicted by 7 wildfires to date. They are (in alphabetical order):
Borel Fire
Bull Fire
Comanche Complex Fire
Erskine Fire
French Fire
Shirley Fire
West Fire
Where was god? Certainly not out there battling the blazes he could make disappear with a snap of his fingers ala Thanos (or even prevent from happening in the first place). Seems YHVH doesn't give a shit about Kern County.
Kern County includes Bakersfield, home to Kevin McCarthy. My wife and daughter are natives of Visalia, located one county north. (Home of Devin Nunez) We knew we lived in the shithole part of California, but at least it was not Bakersfield.
Most of the christians in that area are either Evangelical Protestants or Roman Catholic.
So will it be the version lifted from the King James Version or the Douay Rheims?
The American economy would collapse if we outlawed coveting!
The version of the bible that refers to dragons and unicorns.
And the guy with his name on the bible? Hoo hoo HOO! Do they have any idea what James got up to in his personal and public life? Wonder how THAT would go over in Kern County?
I was about to come here to say that. None of those KJV loving people know anything about KJ I; I actually didn't know anything about him until pretty recently. I mean the ignorance is actually not so blissful as they'd imagine.
Also our education is so woefully inadequate compared to the rest of the Western world already & they just want to dismantle what little there is remaining while posting stuff that doesn't have one iota to do w/actual classroom learning. It's mind-boggling!
I was a teacher of 6-7yos with the specialism of helping those who, after a year in school, couldn't hack the skill of reading. I think it's hilarious that deluded fundies think kids who can barely read 'The cat sat on the mat,' are going to get born again to their jesus by having the KJV 10 commandments on the classroom wall. My canny 8yo g/son who questions everything, wouldn't be the only one to snigger at 'Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's ass.' Actually, g/son - whose parents are x-tian but use a modern version - found a KJV and asked me, 'What does 'thou' mean?
Defeating these initiatives means lots of loud people showing up and saying NO. The people saying NO have to be louder and more numerous than those who are for it. The right has used this tactic for a long time, and as a result, we've ceded a lot of ground at the local level.
Religion has no place in schools!
It belongs in the fiction department of the local library
People allowed Christian nationalists and white supremacists to hijack our politics. And this is the result of a massive decades-long misinformation campaign, one that could easily have been nipped in the bud if people were paying attention. Because we used to have effective mechanisms against this.
I absolutely do not want to live in a White Christian Nationalist country!
That's why I have a shirt that says: "This is our home, not your church".
This one 👇
https://libtees-2.creator-spring.com/listing/noch
Our country was founded on the freedom of religion!
"Because we used to have effective mechanisms against this."
You mean the news shows that existed before the rise of FOX?
Before news channels that had to fill 24 hours and decided to fill 22 of them with opinions. Before newspapers were superseded by free blogs and social media. TBH, I blame CNN as much as Fox, because CNN made Fox possible.
Roger Ailes who was Nixon's media director wanted to use television more to showcase Nixon. When Nixon was exposed, and stepped down, Ailes never got over it. He thought up a right-wing (disinformation) source was needed, so that no republican president would ever be pushed out. He pitched the evil Rupert Murdoch to bankroll it, but Murdoch needed residency here to own a station, which Reagan happily fast-tracked for him.
https://theweek.com/articles/880107/why-fox-news-created
The Fox Propaganda Network is a huge reason why America has fallen.
They poisoned the minds of an entire generation -- and since Reagan abolished the Fairness Doctrine in 1987, Fox was able to pump their lies into America's minds with almost no restrictions.
The Trump takeover would not have been possible without this.
That was Roger Ailes reason for starting it.
https://theweek.com/articles/880107/why-fox-news-created
What I wonder is: how exactly did so many Christian nationalists infiltrate our government? This doesn't feel random to me: it feels like the culmination of a long, patient strategy.
And when you realize Project 2025 is heavily in favor of this very thing -- and that the Federalist Society (which created Project 2025) has also succeeded in capturing the Supreme Court over long years of patient manipulation -- I would say that organization is a good place to begin the investigation.
Because from Billy Graham on, the christian hucksters have been planning to infiltrate the Gov't. It got going with the racist Reagan, who invited them into the republican party, after democrats passed the civil rights act, many so-called "christians started segregation academies so their racist little darlings, could not be exposed to any black kids. The schools were in violation of the law, and Bob Jones academy was about to lose it's tax exemption status. This article pertains to abortion but it tells the story of how they got where they are. It has taken them 50 years, but they got there.
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/05/religious-right-real-origins-107133/
I disagree. Teaching about some of the different religions on this globe, their historic impact, the religious reasons for the religious wars, their main teachings and the differences etc. belong in school.
Edit to ad: They belong in history classes mostly.
That's a good idea but isn't a elementary school subject. I took Comparative Religion at UCLA where the full impact of their belief systems could be understood. I do feel the teaching of American History and Civics including why we have the Constitution that we do and each of the Bill of Rights is more appropriate as it applies to all Americans unlike a Religion.
I agree with that.
Teaching about religion is one thing; and this is not what is going on here. World religions are often taught in world geo and world history.The 10 commandments initiatives are about infusing religious doctrine in schools. The arguments made for posting the command agents is that they are a foundational document of the U.S. on par with Declaration of Independence and Constitution and Bill of Rights. Those arguments are not historically accurate.
I got that, what you wrote is more or less what I meant.
And given the founders were deists, down right laughable.
Not all were deists, but by and large they supported separation of church and state.
Really, such a class should be offered at the college level with whatever religious training that families feel are needed, done both at home and at church, temple, mosque or outdoors. Keep this mess fraught with all sorts of legal entanglements out of public schools! Why is this so difficult for some people to understand?
The religious argument is: We are right because our imaginary best friend tells us we are right.
And that's why they feel entitled to flaunt the law. Because their "god's" law is "higher".
Which is a theocratic concept. These people want theocracy.
Hahahaha, and they really believe that.
Because they don't want to understand.
This! I've always wondered why high schools don't do this. It would go a long way for all kids to learn about the different religions. Buddhism, Taoism, as well as Judaism/Christianity/Islam (which I just learned as a fully grown human all worship the same God). It wouldn't even have to be an entire unit - just a couple of lessons and I think kids would get the jist.
That would also nurture tolerance. I think of atheism as a religion, an effort to understand the incomprehensible. BUT I am looking forward to the day when the atheists exert the same misery on the Christians who have spit on Christ.
"Atheism is a religion like bald is a hair color."
Atheism , like religion , is a belief system that cannot be empirically verified. I have a religion but , just like atheism, it cannot be proven, no matter how hard one tries.
Without evidence, the null hypothesis is the most likely truth.
The null hypothesis is truth because there is no empirical evidence! That wouldn’t even work in a science lab. In scientific experimentation every hypothesis leads to another hypothesis even if negated. Again can the word fact be applied to a belief that is not empirically provable. Religion gets waylaid when scientific methods are used to support or negate it.
If a deity were to make itself known in an obvious way, say by whispering that it does exist into the ear of each and every person alive at the exact same moment, then I think most atheists would admit that they were wrong and that deity does exist.
But despite all the centuries of no deity doing anything to prove it exists, so many religious people still believe in some form of a god. Forgive me for thinking I belong to the group who aren't fooling themselves.
You know I think you are fooling yourself into thinking you already know all just as religious extremists do. Everyone derives their belief system from their experiences, reading, cultural influences. There is ABSOLUTELY no necessity to label each other in any way . My religious beliefs do not need to negate yours . Certainly persecution of any variety is not necessary. A Hindu Vidantic teacher once said that God is the center of all but each individual’s view is incomplete.
Empirical proof does not include whispering in one’s ear. God will always involve belief beyond the empirical because, by definition, God is the Beyond Knowable. As the OT says God’s name is Yahweh , I AM WHO AM. Proving such an existence empirically is not possible . However I BELIEVE I have experienced that mystically but why should anyone believe me? I am a retired science teacher who taught that science is one ever expanding way of knowing. But it is not the only way. The language and mathematics of science allows it to develop empirically derived conclusions.
That approach to religious or spiritual beliefs doesn’t work.
Take it from the experts actual atheists.
"Atheism is not an affirmative belief that there is no god, nor does it answer any other question about what a person believes. It is simply a rejection of the assertion that there are gods. Atheism is too often defined incorrectly as a belief system. To be clear: Atheism is not a disbelief in gods or a denial of gods; it is a lack of belief in gods.Atheism is not a belief system nor is it a religion.
While there are some religions that are atheistic (certain sects of Buddhism, for example), that does not mean that atheism is a religion. To put it in a more humorous way: If atheism is a religion, then not collecting stamps is a hobby.
Despite the fact that atheism is not a religion, atheism is protected by many of the same Constitutional rights that protect religion. That, however, does not mean that atheism is itself a religion, only that our sincerely held (lack of) beliefs are protected in the same way as the religious beliefs of others. Similarly, many “interfaith” groups will include atheists. This, again, does not mean that atheism is a religious belief.
Some groups will use words like Agnostic, Humanist, Secular, Bright, Freethinker, or any number of other terms to self identify. Those words are perfectly fine as a self-identifier, but we strongly advocate using the word that people understand: Atheist. Don’t use those other terms to disguise your atheism or to shy away from a word that some think has a negative connotation. We should be using the terminology that is most accurate and that answers the question that is actually being asked. We should use the term that binds all of us together."
https://www.atheists.org/activism/resources/about-atheism/
It belongs in a museum!
A negative belief is still a belief. Since any proposition as to the existence of any type of god is unprovable atheism is a belief system. The only rational stance is agnosticism.
That’s gaslighting by another overrated expert.
It's telling that they always want the ten commandments posted and never the Beatitudes or John 3:16.
They want to instill authoritarianism in kids.
I have no idea what "Beatitudes or John 3:16" is. Enlighten me please.
The beatitudes are a series of blessings Jesus supposedly gave his congregants during the Sermon on the Mount. (Matthew 5: 1-12)
1. Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to Him,
2. And He began to teach them, saying:
3. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled.
7. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy.
8. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God.
10. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11. Blessed art thou when people revile you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
12. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
_______________________________________________________
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
________________________________________________________
Both of these references create an impression of a "Kinder, Gentler" (TM) Jesus. That was okay for Bush the Elder (sometimes sneered at as "wimpy") and his "thousand points of light" back in the '80s/90s.
But today's WCN's demand the New and Improved Republican Jesus, whose plowshare has been beaten into an AK-47 and who is coming back to kick some liberal ass.
Notice we both quoted the KJV version. Got to love the Fundamentalists Baptists and their 'All other translations are corrupted by the devil'
:-D
10,11,12 have caused almost as much trouble as Lev. 18:22
I was just wondering if those last three are the basis for their irritating PER-SUH-KYEW-SHUN complex.
Yes. Because they change what righteousness meant to a Jewish apocalyptic teacher into simple affirmation to a set of beliefs.
"Blessed are the cheese makers "
Life of Brian
Makes at least as much sense.
The Beatitudes are from the Sermon on the Mount. Platitudes like "blessed are the peacemakers" etc., that if you look closer are actually pretty shallow feel good sayings.
The "blessed are they that mourn" part has been quoted at almost every Baptist funeral I have attended in my life.
Every Baptist child has to memorize John 3:16. 'For God so loved the world, that he sent his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.'
(I can't believe I had to look up how that ended, but it has been 40+ years)
I've heard that line over and over at every Catholic funeral I ever attended. And I keep thinking, "Well, I guess this one wasn't a believer then."
Everlasting life - OK. Unfortunately not everlasting memory.
The Beatitudes are what Jesus was teaching which was radically different from the Old Testament 10 Commandments which Christian fanatics push. Theoretically they are supposed to be followers of Jesus Christ but never follow his teachings. By the way there are 3 different listings of the 10 Commandments in the Bible and they only promote one version. Who says that it's the right one. 🤔
Here’s the Beatitudes, both what they say and what they realistically mean
rosarubicondior.blogspot.com/2012/08/matthews-bad-beatitudes.html
https://youtu.be/AJMd5UiTeys
𝑇𝑤𝑜 𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑜𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑎 𝐶ℎ𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑎 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑔𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑟𝑦 𝑡𝑜 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑚𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑢𝑒 𝑎𝑛 𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐽𝑒𝑠𝑢𝑠.
That says it all ... and it is with that same dismissive attitude that said randos should be told to take a long walk off a short pier. If those idiots want their kids to learn the bible, refer them to the nearest church Sunday School.
The SECULAR school system has better things to do.
They want kids to know the 10 Commandments? Then let them learn about the 10 C at their houses of worship, their Sunday schools, their private schools and their own homes via their parents. That is far more than enough. Leave public schools to teach facts to children instead of fantasies.
Even with all the learning outside of school, one has to wonder where the school districts would rank nationally on the 10 C test scores.
Unfortunately, two of the women in the picture were wearing pants. And according to Deuteronomy 22:5. A woman shall not wear that which pertained unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God. They were put to death. They will be missed.
And the Man was wearing a Dress 😱
Really! Moses! How about the member at the dais with the cowboy hat and the butchered American flag. They need to check the Flag Code. https://us-flag.net/code/
It's funny how everyone's clothes were so similar at one point, honestly how could they even tell? Robes & tunics for all.
I remember wondering about that several times as a child. The pictures/paintings (usually Bosch prints, I believe?) we were shown on the flannelgraph board portrayed people dressed in garments that were virtually the same for men and women.
I wonder if the clothing in question was made of two different fabrics grown side by side in a field somewhere.
𝑂𝑛𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑇𝑒𝑛 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑝 𝑠𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑙 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠... 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ 𝑤𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑏𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑒 𝑖𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑.
Only if they get Roy Moore's from Alabama. The paper posters won't stop shit.
Insert here every woman/man who has ever had to get a restraining order against an ex being told "that worthless piece of paper won't stop a bullet."
The thing that made America exceptional was NOT having Religion intertwined with the Government. Most of the Founders came from families that fled England, Ireland, Scotland and Germany because they were religiously persecuted by their Governments. The Germans left the 30 Years War, the English the fighting between the Cromwell Puritans and Church of England and Catholics fled to Maryland. Becoming the first Country to enshrine Religious Tolerance and a neutral Government is what made America Great and Exceptional. And no one wanted Puritans in control because they were misogynistic, racist, violent, blowhards who proclaimed their purity and chosen status while slaughtering Indians, Quakers and Women. Totally untrustworthy. Now that's the precise heritage that the Constitution protected us from until now.
Love your command of history.
OK. So does that mean WE get to take to the pulpit to illustrate the scientific reality of evolution or the origins of the universe and how neither of them required a special creation by a deity for which there is zero evidence? Sauce for the goose.
This is a excellent idea!
I kind of like that idea...is it worth pursuing? Like if local churches sign on to this nonsense and show up at SB meetings to insist on speaking, people who oppose this bombard the church office with phone calls demanding equal time to come and speak to their congregations?
Sauce for the goose, as you say!
I have the strange feeling that if this was pursued, you’d hear the screams of Christians from the rocky coast of Maine to the sands of Hawaii.
Breaching the wall of separaton between church and state is only okay when Christians do it, donchaknow? NEVER the other way around.
They just want that breach to be unidirectional.
They've already made the initial breaches. We would just be using them.
I think it would be hilarious if a bunch of libs showed up for church every Sunday, wearing rainbow colors and other First Amendment regalia, and just sat together, quietly, arms folded across chests, staring at the minister for the entire service, then quietly left without saying a word. Not a single law would be broken, but it might rattle a few numbskulls.
"You invade our schools, we invade your church."
Good idea. Being part of a stunt like that could actually make me visiting US again. Maybe.
The minister could ask them to leave, and if they don't they could be charged with trespassing.
Yes, and how would that square with the church's stated goals of "reaching the masses in the name of Christ?" Does the Great Commission of "preach my gospel to every creature" have exceptions, then? Hmmm? You mean Jesus discriminates?
Very well then. We go to their church, they ask us to leave, we leave, and take to social media about their lack of welcome to everyone, and ask "If the Gospel is so important they have to invade our schools with it, why are we asked to leave when we come to their church?"
It's a form of pushback, may or may not have an effect. I was recalling the "sit-in" protests of African Americans in the 60's, and similar actions of the LGBTQ activists in the 90's, but yes, those were commercial establishments that were involved. Churches *should* be treated as commercial establishments as well, and taxed accordingly, as long as they refuse to recognize boundaries, but I doubt that will happen. The only thing I can think of that will get their attention is some sort of silent, non-disruptive sit-in presence in their congregations, and reports of their response.
Probably to Oslo area too.
I know. I just want to hear the screams.
But we're not agents of the government. We're private citizens demanding our chance to speak to these assholes. They will say no of course, but we keep coming back, keep calling the church office, keep harassing them "in the name of (gasp) their "free speech" canard that they are so fond of.
"No amount of shoving Christianity in kids’ faces is going to help them get a better education."
They DON'T WANT the kids to get a better education; they want the kids to get MORE JESUS.
The Christian activists and the Board members know that the more educated kids get, the more likely they will eventually reject the bullshit superstitions of religion. They're all perfectly fine with their county being among the worst in the state educationally, because "all thet book larnin'" will interfere with Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus...
OT
No Zorgin for a few days. Hope he's okay. Maybe his Interweb is super floopy.
EDIT Speak of the devil... 😃
Floopy started Tuesday, then no internet, and now back to floopy.😠😤🤬
Blame DeSantis. :)
Why do they always cosplay as Moses, or Noah or one of the other boring characters. Why not Salome? Or obscure interesting characters like Oholah and Oholibah?
Because they are holy *men*, not evil drag queens on a murderous rampage and sprinkling fairy dust on all the hot young men to turn them gay along the way.
Are you sure?
They are part and parcel of the sordid story.
Life goes on...
Kern County has been afflicted by 7 wildfires to date. They are (in alphabetical order):
Borel Fire
Bull Fire
Comanche Complex Fire
Erskine Fire
French Fire
Shirley Fire
West Fire
Where was god? Certainly not out there battling the blazes he could make disappear with a snap of his fingers ala Thanos (or even prevent from happening in the first place). Seems YHVH doesn't give a shit about Kern County.
Don't forget the flood they had after the crazy Snows . Isn't Bakersfield in Kern? That means Kevin McCarthy was their Representative.
Next to the Flying Spaghetti Monster’s “I would really rather you didn’t”
May His pasta be upon you, Tom.
RAMEN!
And his noodly appendages reach out to help you.
Ramen... tambien!
😊 Funny!
friendly reminder.
https://img.ifunny.co/images/b148cf90977cf29957ac0ffa709bc1413ed96b2e8e29f66331e232414153b822_1.jpg
A straw will work for the milk, but I don't know about the cookies.
🤣😂🤣
Kern County includes Bakersfield, home to Kevin McCarthy. My wife and daughter are natives of Visalia, located one county north. (Home of Devin Nunez) We knew we lived in the shithole part of California, but at least it was not Bakersfield.
Most of the christians in that area are either Evangelical Protestants or Roman Catholic.
So will it be the version lifted from the King James Version or the Douay Rheims?
The American economy would collapse if we outlawed coveting!
There is a difference? A friend called kkkatliks the marine corps of religion.
They will most likely use the KJV. The RCC is more into real estate than publishing companies.
The version of the bible that refers to dragons and unicorns.
And the guy with his name on the bible? Hoo hoo HOO! Do they have any idea what James got up to in his personal and public life? Wonder how THAT would go over in Kern County?
I was about to come here to say that. None of those KJV loving people know anything about KJ I; I actually didn't know anything about him until pretty recently. I mean the ignorance is actually not so blissful as they'd imagine.
Also our education is so woefully inadequate compared to the rest of the Western world already & they just want to dismantle what little there is remaining while posting stuff that doesn't have one iota to do w/actual classroom learning. It's mind-boggling!
Of course they don't he was "furrin"! (foreign)
I was a teacher of 6-7yos with the specialism of helping those who, after a year in school, couldn't hack the skill of reading. I think it's hilarious that deluded fundies think kids who can barely read 'The cat sat on the mat,' are going to get born again to their jesus by having the KJV 10 commandments on the classroom wall. My canny 8yo g/son who questions everything, wouldn't be the only one to snigger at 'Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's ass.' Actually, g/son - whose parents are x-tian but use a modern version - found a KJV and asked me, 'What does 'thou' mean?
I have sinned by coveting a neighbor's ass? Are other body parts okay to covet?
I have sinned by coveting America's ass. (Chris Evans is hot, thought that since the whipped cream bikini.)
When a problem comes along
You must whip it
If he'd consent, no problem.
I have been much distracted of late by the many yoga pant wearing women in the park.
Defeating these initiatives means lots of loud people showing up and saying NO. The people saying NO have to be louder and more numerous than those who are for it. The right has used this tactic for a long time, and as a result, we've ceded a lot of ground at the local level.