South Carolina's Socastee High School let Christian performer Bryan Drake speak to students. He told them to meet him off-campus in order to convert them.
Steve Pinker wrote a NYT op-ed last week about how wrong the doom and gloom message is. Though he wasn't targeting proselytizers so much as he was targeting Trump election ads.
I think it's important to say, and keep saying, so long as folks like Drake and Trump keep repeating their lie of the opposite. If we don't, the result is: "Tell a lie often enough, it becomes the truth."
I like that every time he does one it’s the first time for most of the folks coming from the schools, it likely is also the last time as well. I doubt he’s going to different schools every year.
That’s my positive spin on this day of existential threat. I am in line right now to cast my ballot.
I just got back from contributing to the pile of ballots Cheetolini's whole damn MAGAt movement will (hopefully) be smothered under. Happily, the line was still growing when I left to procure Election Night survival supplies (chocolate, popcorn, booze, and... herbal supplements).
I can look out my office window and see if there's a line for early voting. It was always steady with a couple people out the door for most of the last two weeks. Friday and monday, there were people wrapped around half the building waiting to get in. That being said, Trump won here both times with the largest margin of victory.
That's what makes me so nervous. The man who could end the USA as we know it ... Could. Just. Win.
The weather here in SW Minnesota is cold and damp, with off and on drizzling rain. Traditionally, bad weather on Election Day has benefited the GOP. Never really heard a good explanation of why.
Gawd, I could use some margaritas....but I have to pace myself, cuz I know it's gonna be a long day....and a longer night...maybe even a long several days. JFC. I can remember when presidential elections were routine and results were generally known in time for the ten o'clock news, by which time everybody already knew who won anyway....
I am pretty sure I won't be watching the results. Too stressful. I didn't watch the results in 2008, because although I knew it would be close, I didn't think Obama could squeak out a win; too many racists. Around midnight, as I lay in bed, resigned to what I thought I would hear on tomorrow's newscasts, I heard car horns from a nearby street, air horns, shouts and loud music. I got up and looked out the window just in time to see some fireworks going off, and ran to the living room trying not to get too hopeful as I turned on my TV, and actually shrieked with delight at the news that Obama had won. I had stayed at local democratic gathering places watching the results for hours with previous elections, but by 2008, I had decided that I was too old to put myself through that anymore. I rarely even watch news programs anymore. I get information at one remove through blogs like this. It just seems less stressful that way.
But anyway, after hearing the cacophony in the street that night in 2008, and seeing the wonderful news on TV, I got dressed, went to a nearby club where local Democrats were having a victory party, and had a couple of drinks. It felt good and it was a good night.
So that's been how I roll ever since. I remind myself that whether I watch the results or not, it won't change the outcome. I skip the nail-biting stress of watching and waiting, and just wait for the official announcement the next day. (Although I will admit to watching the Democratic National Convention this year...the curiosity of what was happening trumped the fear of a stress-induced nervous breakdown!)
But with the election returns...I'll still pass, the race is just so damned close. If it's good, like the news with the Obama and Biden campaigns, I can sigh with relief and focus on what we need to do with the four-year window of opportunity. If it's bad...I'll figure something out. But I will at least have gotten one last night of sleep.
Anyone else getting creepy 'youth minister' vibes from this guy? I wonder if he drives a van.......
But on the school promoting a religious event issue, the best way to find out who knew what at the school is to file a lawsuit and seek extensive discovery. I strongly suspect the school administration knew exactly what they were getting in this guy. If they try to pretend they allowed some guy to put on an assembly and DIDN'T check him out in advance, they're guilty of failing to carry out due diligence. Let the lawsuit sort it out.
Yep. Youth Minister Wannabe is my guess. One who for some reason could not pass muster as a real minister, but didn't let that stop him and went on to cosplay a youth minister/magician, using magic tricks as a means to get to where kids are.
This guy bears watching. I hope somebody in the school admin realizes that.
Mr. Drake should begin his program by providing conclusive evidence Jesus even existed. This should be followed up by his providing solid corroboration for all the sayings attributed to Jesus in the magic book. Last, but not least, he should prove beyond doubt that his interpretation of Christianity is the correct one. Doing these things would be quite a trick because no one else has ever managed it. All apologists like Drake can offer up is special pleading and magical thinking.
More misdirection (and not of the prestidigitation kind!) to try to sell Jesus to kids. So this guy uses illusion to sell HIS delusion. It's an interesting fillip, but that's ALL it is. Frankly, I'm glad to see FFRF on the scene so quickly to let the school administration know that they have a potential problem.
And that said problem could grow into a lawsuit if they don't correct matters.
I'd sure as hell want to know if my kid's school was bringing in cretins like this guy to address school assemblies, and how thorough their vetting process is, and if it isn't why the hell not?
So, is it "just let random religious nuts come to schools while pretending to be something else?" Sure. What could possibly go wrong?
Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear used to say that all the time: "What could POSSIBLY go wrong," and usually at the beginning of an episode ... and then the rest of the episode shows the audience JUST WHAT.
They’d love that! Take it right up to the SC, where Alito can draft the decision that further marginalizes the Establishment Clause and advances the cause of Christian nationalism.
But what is the alternative? No pushback at all? Just ignore it?
Most schools I'm aware of are highly allergic to giving parents information about such things, especially info about who knew what and when, UNLESS the parent files a lawsuit.
Is it that astonishing? The US has school lunch programs because Republicans since Reagan have gutted our regular welfare programs to the point where a parent struggling with employment and getting government welfare can't feed their kids. IOW, it is a "workaround" to the problem of a bad social welfare system. I would assume that Norway's normal (i.e. non-school related) welfare system gives enough support for kids in those situations that they get fed without help from the school.
Yes, my opinion is that we should have a lunch program for school children when they are at school. Sweden has it. It should provide all school kids with healthy food. The rest of their schoolday would be better.
Why not? Replace the food with wafers and communion wine. Or crumbled saltines and grape juice, depending whether the takeover is tradcath or hardcore evangelicals.
Why does anyone have to surrender their lives if they want to be a sheeple for Jesus? You get one chance in this world, don’t give it up for an illusion.
That’s the message I received loud and clear when I attended church with a friend as a kid because I had no religion (imagine, it’s easy if you try) and was interested in what it was all about. What a turn off.
Starting children out in such a construct is cruel and unusual punishment. They have that nonsense pumped straight into their veins at a very formative age. Ever wonder where evangelicals come from?
The gays aren't alone. I've been trying to convince myself most of the day that whatever the early results look like, nothing is set in stone right now. It's been a tough day, and I don't expect things to improve until at least Friday. This count is going to make me a raving madwoman yet, I swear.
“Yes we live in a beat up, broken world“
To the extent that's true, people like you had a lot to do with breaking it, dumbass.
Steve Pinker wrote a NYT op-ed last week about how wrong the doom and gloom message is. Though he wasn't targeting proselytizers so much as he was targeting Trump election ads.
A blind man could see that one with a cane! [And yeah, I remember Bones McCoy saying that!]
I think it's important to say, and keep saying, so long as folks like Drake and Trump keep repeating their lie of the opposite. If we don't, the result is: "Tell a lie often enough, it becomes the truth."
I like that every time he does one it’s the first time for most of the folks coming from the schools, it likely is also the last time as well. I doubt he’s going to different schools every year.
That’s my positive spin on this day of existential threat. I am in line right now to cast my ballot.
Good for you. I'm off to get my teeth cleaned in about 20 minutes, then VOTE!
I just got back from contributing to the pile of ballots Cheetolini's whole damn MAGAt movement will (hopefully) be smothered under. Happily, the line was still growing when I left to procure Election Night survival supplies (chocolate, popcorn, booze, and... herbal supplements).
Just got to the polls and LOTS of people here. Really terrific turnout!
Large turnouts benefit the Dems. Let’s hope that stands.
I can look out my office window and see if there's a line for early voting. It was always steady with a couple people out the door for most of the last two weeks. Friday and monday, there were people wrapped around half the building waiting to get in. That being said, Trump won here both times with the largest margin of victory.
That's what makes me so nervous. The man who could end the USA as we know it ... Could. Just. Win.
The weather here in SW Minnesota is cold and damp, with off and on drizzling rain. Traditionally, bad weather on Election Day has benefited the GOP. Never really heard a good explanation of why.
Yupyupyup. And Cuyahoga County is emphatically BLUE!
Gawd, I could use some margaritas....but I have to pace myself, cuz I know it's gonna be a long day....and a longer night...maybe even a long several days. JFC. I can remember when presidential elections were routine and results were generally known in time for the ten o'clock news, by which time everybody already knew who won anyway....
I am pretty sure I won't be watching the results. Too stressful. I didn't watch the results in 2008, because although I knew it would be close, I didn't think Obama could squeak out a win; too many racists. Around midnight, as I lay in bed, resigned to what I thought I would hear on tomorrow's newscasts, I heard car horns from a nearby street, air horns, shouts and loud music. I got up and looked out the window just in time to see some fireworks going off, and ran to the living room trying not to get too hopeful as I turned on my TV, and actually shrieked with delight at the news that Obama had won. I had stayed at local democratic gathering places watching the results for hours with previous elections, but by 2008, I had decided that I was too old to put myself through that anymore. I rarely even watch news programs anymore. I get information at one remove through blogs like this. It just seems less stressful that way.
But anyway, after hearing the cacophony in the street that night in 2008, and seeing the wonderful news on TV, I got dressed, went to a nearby club where local Democrats were having a victory party, and had a couple of drinks. It felt good and it was a good night.
So that's been how I roll ever since. I remind myself that whether I watch the results or not, it won't change the outcome. I skip the nail-biting stress of watching and waiting, and just wait for the official announcement the next day. (Although I will admit to watching the Democratic National Convention this year...the curiosity of what was happening trumped the fear of a stress-induced nervous breakdown!)
But with the election returns...I'll still pass, the race is just so damned close. If it's good, like the news with the Obama and Biden campaigns, I can sigh with relief and focus on what we need to do with the four-year window of opportunity. If it's bad...I'll figure something out. But I will at least have gotten one last night of sleep.
I wish I had that much self-restraint, but with the internet at my fingertips I know I won't be able to resist once the polls start closing.
I have a project. Or I could clean the house, but the project is better.
It’s not self restraint, believe me. It’s self-preservation. I just can’t do it anymore.
Positive message my ass!
"Hey kids, come let Jesus in!"
"Why?"
"So he can save you!"
"From what?"
"From what he'll do to you if you don't let him in."
EXACTAMUNDO!!!
Old, but very to the point.
(And I feel the sentence above could have been better.)
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d9e2aab88c0ad37dcfc82b090885588c46efb575a2733e9456a3ada77e1d57bd.jpg
Anyone else getting creepy 'youth minister' vibes from this guy? I wonder if he drives a van.......
But on the school promoting a religious event issue, the best way to find out who knew what at the school is to file a lawsuit and seek extensive discovery. I strongly suspect the school administration knew exactly what they were getting in this guy. If they try to pretend they allowed some guy to put on an assembly and DIDN'T check him out in advance, they're guilty of failing to carry out due diligence. Let the lawsuit sort it out.
Yep. Youth Minister Wannabe is my guess. One who for some reason could not pass muster as a real minister, but didn't let that stop him and went on to cosplay a youth minister/magician, using magic tricks as a means to get to where kids are.
This guy bears watching. I hope somebody in the school admin realizes that.
Hell yes, he does deserve watching. I'm willing to bet cold, hard cash that his browser search history is ........ telling.
Mr. Drake should begin his program by providing conclusive evidence Jesus even existed. This should be followed up by his providing solid corroboration for all the sayings attributed to Jesus in the magic book. Last, but not least, he should prove beyond doubt that his interpretation of Christianity is the correct one. Doing these things would be quite a trick because no one else has ever managed it. All apologists like Drake can offer up is special pleading and magical thinking.
"Hey Rocky, watch me pull a Messiah out of my hat!"
"But that trick NEVER works!"
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
+++ LOL I'm old enough to get the reference.
And not content with that, with our hands behind our backs
We pull Jesus from a hat
Get into that! Get into that!
♫♪ 𝑅𝑜𝑙𝑙 𝑢𝑝 ... 𝑹𝒐𝒍𝒍 𝒖𝒑 ... 𝑹𝑶𝑳𝑳 𝑼𝑷 ... 𝑺𝑬𝑬 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑺𝑯𝑶𝑾!!! ♪♫
🎵Roll uuuuuuuuuuuup! Roll up for the Mystery Tour...🎵
https://www.kroger.com/product/images/large/bottom/0001600018910
Oops! Nothing there (but I can see Fruit Roll-Ups in the description).
If you need to trick people into attending your bullshit then you have already lost.
Christianity, one of the biggest magic shows on planet earth. Been fooling the sheeple for thousands of years with no end in sight.
Pure entertainment
If you like snake oil shows.
More misdirection (and not of the prestidigitation kind!) to try to sell Jesus to kids. So this guy uses illusion to sell HIS delusion. It's an interesting fillip, but that's ALL it is. Frankly, I'm glad to see FFRF on the scene so quickly to let the school administration know that they have a potential problem.
And that said problem could grow into a lawsuit if they don't correct matters.
I am a member of FFRF…They are amazing!
So am I, have worked with Dan and Annie Laurie on more than one occasion. They are THE BEST!
I'd sure as hell want to know if my kid's school was bringing in cretins like this guy to address school assemblies, and how thorough their vetting process is, and if it isn't why the hell not?
So, is it "just let random religious nuts come to schools while pretending to be something else?" Sure. What could possibly go wrong?
Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear used to say that all the time: "What could POSSIBLY go wrong," and usually at the beginning of an episode ... and then the rest of the episode shows the audience JUST WHAT.
They’d love that! Take it right up to the SC, where Alito can draft the decision that further marginalizes the Establishment Clause and advances the cause of Christian nationalism.
But what is the alternative? No pushback at all? Just ignore it?
Most schools I'm aware of are highly allergic to giving parents information about such things, especially info about who knew what and when, UNLESS the parent files a lawsuit.
𝐼𝑡’𝑠 𝑠𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑎 𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑝𝑦 𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑘𝑖𝑑𝑠 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑤 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑙𝑖𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 ℎ𝑜𝑤 “𝑠𝑖𝑛,” 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝑚𝑎𝑑𝑒 𝑏𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑝𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝐶ℎ𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑠 𝑡𝑦𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑣𝑜𝑡𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟, 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑙𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑏𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑡𝑦.
I guess he couldn't afford a panel van and candy for luring kids....
Free puppies are more effective than candy. (At least they would have been for me.)
Trick or treat
The "candy" here is his magic tricks. They might work even better than candy.
Teenage Boy: "Those magic tricks of yours are really cool!"
Drake: "Thanks. Wanna see how they work?"
Teenage Boy: "Really? Sure!"
Drake: "Great! Say, why don't you come to my event tonight? I can teach you some of them afterward."
Teenage Boy: "AWESOME!"
Aaaaaaand.....once again, not a drag queen in sight.
"#duelreality" for their Facebook group. Yep, that about sums it up. These people live in duel realities, or maybe dueling realities.
They're dueling 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 reality.
My money's on reality, in the long run.
*Headwall*
What's next ? Taking over shool lunches programs ?
Of course! School lunch programs are ... [gasp!] ... SOCIALISM!
And astonishingly not a part of the Norwegian school program. It should.
Is it that astonishing? The US has school lunch programs because Republicans since Reagan have gutted our regular welfare programs to the point where a parent struggling with employment and getting government welfare can't feed their kids. IOW, it is a "workaround" to the problem of a bad social welfare system. I would assume that Norway's normal (i.e. non-school related) welfare system gives enough support for kids in those situations that they get fed without help from the school.
A 9-month workaround. Summer the kids just starve.
NYC schools have summer programs partially to see that kids get breakfast and lunch during the summer.
Several red states turned down money from the federal government to provide school lunch programs during the summer (last year?)
Yes, my opinion is that we should have a lunch program for school children when they are at school. Sweden has it. It should provide all school kids with healthy food. The rest of their schoolday would be better.
Why not? Replace the food with wafers and communion wine. Or crumbled saltines and grape juice, depending whether the takeover is tradcath or hardcore evangelicals.
Why does anyone have to surrender their lives if they want to be a sheeple for Jesus? You get one chance in this world, don’t give it up for an illusion.
Thousands of years of this bullshit…and as a recovering Catholic, I know the fear instilled by the Catholic Church in our youth.
Follow the scripture or BURN IN HELL!
What about good, honorable people that live respectful lives, helping others, and seek peace? What if they miss church on Sunday?
HELL! BURN IN HELL!
That’s the message I received loud and clear when I attended church with a friend as a kid because I had no religion (imagine, it’s easy if you try) and was interested in what it was all about. What a turn off.
Starting children out in such a construct is cruel and unusual punishment. They have that nonsense pumped straight into their veins at a very formative age. Ever wonder where evangelicals come from?
I don’t wonder. Shrewd kids raised in such a culture who can smell the grift and act on it.
Jesus runs the world's biggest scam--belief that he himself controls the world, yet never appears. That's a Delusion of the highest order.
💯
OT: Remember, remember the fifth of November. The maga treason and plot. I know of no reason, the maga treason should ever be forgot.
Would love to see Penn & Teller (both atheists) come in and blow this guy off the stage while simultaneously debunking his religious bullshit.
jezus is a magician. It disappeared 2000 years ago and hasn't been seen sincw.
"Your husband disappeared."
"That was his job. He was an illusionist."
"But he never reappeared!"
"He wasn't a very good illusionist."
Can't blame him. We've seen his followers up close and personal.
"his assemblies are completely 100% public school friendly"
meaning: No drag queens involved and no mention of books "promoting" LGBTQ+ lifestyle.
Are you sure? One magic trick evangelical LGBT haters seem to be really good at is "pay no attention to what I have in my closet."
Scared.
https://scontent-ord5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/465816524_486427114424992_4423690560614483159_n.jpg?_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=127cfc&_nc_ohc=UGGSzc9G0VwQ7kNvgH8qxVK&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-1.xx&_nc_gid=AOp4QAwyTMgsn_TTSY6k-MA&oh=00_AYCWJ6i9E-i0v1SgnLBd2ZLO6Kgjb23LFbfw37T__crN0w&oe=6730AD71
Very scared
Ditto ... and I'm bisexual, FFS.
The gays aren't alone. I've been trying to convince myself most of the day that whatever the early results look like, nothing is set in stone right now. It's been a tough day, and I don't expect things to improve until at least Friday. This count is going to make me a raving madwoman yet, I swear.
Big gender reveal...
https://scontent-ord5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/465599754_517443067792500_4164251383810390481_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=aa7b47&_nc_ohc=mAFhgfGLRRIQ7kNvgGetJge&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-2.xx&_nc_gid=A-uJooPKUEnTvQrITiSfZFF&oh=00_AYAwcbURAWu22BCzphEhUIvJpJY6013RK0tvf6746yjiKg&oe=67305D9F
🤣