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AlbertCamus's avatar

Although I'm mildly impressed that he acknowledges that Paine was an athiest and Jefferson was a deist, the mention of 'wokeism'(whatever the hell that is) and transgenderism (are we not all a biological soup?). The obsession with binary anything is just weird.

But it's a really low bar to be impressed with any of these clowns if they can admit Jefferson (or Washing or Adams, for that matter) were not Christians.

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Black Hole and DM mourner's avatar

It goes hand in hand with monotheism. There is "us" and "them", them must be eliminated whatever the price, whether by conversion or killing. Note that the first alleged genocides* start in the bible.

* I mean genocides, not wars who predates the oral traditions and writings who constitute the bible.

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AlbertCamus's avatar

What I find fascinating is the 'sub-grouping' concept. That when one group finally eliminates the others. And they break up into smaller sub groups, so they start fighting all over again. It never stops.

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AlbertCamus's avatar

This occurred to me some 50 years ago. I was entertaining two professors from the University of Umea, Sweden. They shared plenty of jokes about Norwegians and Danes. Never could figure out what was so funny. Something like a Swede, Dane and Norwegian were in a boat...and somethin, somethin..

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AlbertCamus's avatar

and of course, historically, that pesky 30 years war. Printing press made bibles available in the 15th century, and 200 years of 'reformation' (pleasant enough word) had everyone killing each other. Because nothing kills like the Prince of Peace.

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AlbertCamus's avatar

"Religious persecution" Billy Joel said "we didn't start the fire". And I believe him!

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Anri's avatar

'Wokeism' is when someone believes them uppity almost-people should get a seat at the table.

At the expense of whatever in-group is 'real 'Murikans' this decade. Obviously.

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Val Uptuous NotAgain's avatar

Well, conservatives that believe life begins at conception don’t understand that means all men are transgender if what they believe is true. So their patriarchal nonsense is the transgenderism they fear.

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AlbertCamus's avatar

Hey, I had a pretty bumpy puberty...just sayin..

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Bagen Onuts's avatar

Because compassion and equality are words with too many letters for them to understand.

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Marilyn Lemons's avatar

Indeed.

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oraxx's avatar

Authoritarian government and conservative religion have always been natural allies. It is a symbiotic relationship that has resulted in untold misery for millions. No theocracy was ever a bastion of human rights and intellectual freedom. I do not need Ramaswamy to man-splain my country to me as it is quite obvious he wasn't a history major. It is never the job of our secular government to backstop anyone's religion, and this country does not face a single problem that has a religious solution. That said, getting religion involved in government is usually a pretty easy sell with the hard right, as they always seem to assume it will be their tribe calling the shots.

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AlbertCamus's avatar

Remember when that guy with the goofy mustache consolidated the German Evangelical Church and had taxpayers support it? Good times.

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oraxx's avatar

Most of the top Nazis, including Hitler, were Roman Catholics. The only one the church excommunicated was Joseph Goebbels. Not for his role in WWII, or the Holocaust, but for the unforgivable sin of marrying a divorced Protestant.

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Black Hole and DM mourner's avatar

He is worse than that, he showed he can actually read just enough history to use to validate his arguments. It's willful ignorance.

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Kay-El's avatar

Welp, Ramasmarmy (not a typo), by articulating for not pushing for bibles in schools (correctly), loses the evangelical vote, oh well. :D

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oraxx's avatar

He is out of his mind if he thinks he could ever get the Republicans nomination, much less get elected.

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Len Koz's avatar

He's not trying to get the nomination, he's trying to get a job in Agent Orange's cabinet.

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Troublesh00ter's avatar

You could have said, "Conservative government and authoritarian religion" and been just as correct. In the current day, the supposed "conservative" Republicans have adopted the authoritarianism which has been the hallmark of religion, practically from its inception.

Religion has never been about rights. Now, what used to be the right wing of our political system is abandoning rights in favor of fascism.

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Suzanne Perry's avatar

I greatly dislike VR and his statements about wokeism and transgenderism were ridiculous. However, I was pleasantly surprised at the rest of his answer. I know the bar is low for Republicans, but I can't see any of his competitors admitting to admiring an atheist founding father, knowing (or admitting) that Washington was a Deist, saying they would be president not pastor, pretty accurately describing the First Amendment's protection of religious pluralism, and saying they would not push for Bibles in schools. Kudos to Justin Scott for getting candidates to address these issues!

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bcb's avatar

Please stop slandering Virtual Reality by comparing it to this asshole.

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Slowly Boiled Frog's avatar

"Wokism:" A doctrine which emphasizes courtesy, empathy, kindness, compassion and tolerance. What kind of schmuck is opposed to kindness?

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Joan the Dork's avatar

The kind who runs for President in a party which would happily slip a knife between his ribs the moment they no longer needed him as a token.

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Bagen Onuts's avatar

A party that hates words with so many letters.

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SPW's avatar

The Zombies. They walk among us 🫣.

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Stephen Brady's avatar

I find it interesting that one of them has actually tried to learn something about the lead-up to the Revolutionary War. It is also interesting to listen to someone who is reportedly Hindu trying to appeal to a crowd which is made up of theofascists of another persuasion. Fortunately he is not going to be on the rethuglican presidential ticket. Unfortunately, his opponents in that party are just as bad to worse.

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Val Uptuous NotAgain's avatar

So transgenderism and wokeism are bigger issues than white… oops, Christian nationalism (same thing)? Yet, pipe bombs, mass shootings, threats of political kidnappings, insurrection, and just general acts of violence over the past eight years have been proven to be caused by conservative, white, Christian nationalists. School board meetings having masses of (sometimes folks who aren’t part of the district in any way) quoting Hitler and promoting Nazi tactics have all been Christian nationalists.

We have one school shooting where the perpetrator is accused of being a transgender person, while we have decades of school shooters with manifestos riddled with Nazi imagery and Tucker Carlson quotes. BLM is blamed for all the violence after George Floyd was murdered by police, wokeism is claimed to be the cause. But once the investigations got to the heart of the violence, who was actually committing the violence? Christian/white nationalists. Proud boys, bugaboo boys, and just random people who have a history promoting the conservative ideals, setting up situations where a known rally would be instigated into violence, backpacks of bricks left in strategic places, folks marching with them start smashing glass for no reason, hell, even the police were in on some of it. It isn’t the transgender people turning to violence when they don’t get their way. It’s not wokeism that’s tearing apart the country, drawing lines defining who is a real American and who is not. The FBI doesn’t have a list of all the transgender people in the country worried about what violence they might perpetrate, or are they monitoring CRT teachers or prominent “woke” leaders. But they do have a list of Christian nationalists.

For Ramaswamy, when your position rests on the terrorists side, they aren’t an issue. Until they notice your unusual name and dark skin. Your ill gotten wealth will not protect you, remember that.

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Joan the Dork's avatar

Uppity minorities all get defined by the worst actors in their demographic; only white Christian menfolk of the conservative persuasion get to be individuals.

Vivek would do well to remember that the people he wants to vote for him will only view him as human so long as he tells them exactly what they want to hear. One tiny little misstep is all it'll take, and they'll devour him for it.

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Val Uptuous NotAgain's avatar

He will never get the nom, no matter how hard he goes into evangelism. Same with Haley, she may be rising in the polls, she’ll never be man enough for them, or white enough.

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XJC's avatar

Vivek is gunning to be Trump's Culture Minister.

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Bill Lawrence's avatar

Well said.

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Joan the Dork's avatar

I am occasionally tempted to feel sorry for Ramaswamy, since he is both a racial and a religious minority in a party which loathes both of those things... then he opens his mouth, and I am quickly relieved of any such urge.

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cdbunch's avatar

The rich can only make the poor so poor before:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMHCw3RqulY

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Bagen Onuts's avatar

Drowning quickly in the swami river...

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Guerillasurgeon's avatar

Duly stolen.

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Guerillasurgeon's avatar

I was unaware that he is a Hindu given his constant harping about Judaeo-Christian values. But he is apparently monotheistic, which might help with some, though I doubt it somehow. But he's also had a life of privilege – even in India, where his family are Brahmin with all that entails. Obviously they're not all the same, but I've worked with one or two, and let's say – they didn't treat lower caste fellow Indians particularly politely.

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Joan the Dork's avatar

I read his "monotheistic Hindu" schtick as him trying to have his cake and eat it too- "I'm not a Christian, but I'm 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺 about it!"- and I keep expecting him to have a big, showy conversion so that he can (try to) court the Born Again vote.

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Maltnothops's avatar

Wouldn’t a monotheistic Hindu be a non-believer in Jesus for sure? If he was polytheistic he could pretend Jesus was a deity too.

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wreck's avatar

"He was specifically thinking about a list Ramaswamy had posted at various events describing 10 “truths.”

Number one on the list? “God is real.” "

Which one?

But what about the rest of his "truths"?

2 There are two genders.

Wrong.

3 Human flourishing requires fossil fuels.

Until we've destroyed the ecosystem.

4 Reverse racism is racism.

What?

5 An open border is no border.

Who is actually calling for an open border?

6 Parents determine the education of their children.

Or Moms For Threeways.

7 The nuclear family is the greatest form of governance known to mankind.

The "nuclear family" is not a form of governance for a country.

8 Capitalism lifts people up from poverty.

If is applied properly, it can. Not so much under Republicans.

9 There are three branches of the U.S. government, not four.

What the actual fuck is he talking about?

10 The U.S. constitution is the strongest guarantor of freedoms in history.

If it's followed. Again, not so much under Republicans.

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Anri's avatar

"Which one?" The Christian god, of course. Maybe Jews, too, depending one who's listening.

I hear those guys are good with money, y'know.

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Daniel Rotter's avatar

Um, only parents who home school "determine the education of their children." Parents who send their children off to school (either private or public), are, by very definition, not determining the education of their children.

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Black Hole and DM mourner's avatar

You mean those who don't try to control school boards ?

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Psittacus Ebrius's avatar

Re: No.10 - That's right! Just ask Dred Scott.

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SPW's avatar

You just dropped your Mike with this response 🎤👍.

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Zorginipsoundsor's avatar

OT - Some good news from a shithole state

𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐭

https://news.yahoo.com/florida-abortion-amendment-gets-enough-115100013.html

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Black Hole and DM mourner's avatar

Count on denazillon to prevent this amendment to pass by all methods available starting and including inconstitutional ones. He is a Dementor.

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Zorginipsoundsor's avatar

Our partisan supreme court will do that.

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Black Hole and DM mourner's avatar

He is paranoid enough to not trust it completely. Didn't he changed the law to be both a governor and a presidential candidate ?

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Daniel Rotter's avatar

It still needs to get in November at least 60% to pass, which (unfortunately) is probably a tall order.

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SPW's avatar

Well, this should be an interesting watch party.

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NOGODZ20's avatar

Are you particular which kind of underwear?

https://youtu.be/r9URPvejWHk

(ignore the "Merry Christmas." The lyrics are completely secular and don't mention a holiday)

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Bagen Onuts's avatar

Having nicer lingerie than my wife was part of the divorce. The bath house always had some guys wandering around in lingerie. Some were straight, some were Gay.

It was those "Nelly Queens" that started the riots at Stonewall. Had been from NYC I might have been.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsVLIiI8Vfo

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Guerillasurgeon's avatar

There was an episode of Friends where men wearing women's underwear was the point if I remember correctly.

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Zorginipsoundsor's avatar

You dirty bird!

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Bagen Onuts's avatar

As I said earlier, My mind is circling the drain today.

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Daniel Rotter's avatar

"I don't need to walk around in circles.

Walk around in circles

Walk around in..."

-Soul Coughing

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Bagen Onuts's avatar

Nicest thing I heard all day!

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OwossoHarpist's avatar

Five undercover police officers? Who are they or is the guy who kicked Justin out making it all up just to kick him out only because Justin was upsetting a lot of MAGA idiots in the crowd?

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Slowly Boiled Frog's avatar

"Transgenderism:" The act of mitigating the distress caused by gender incongruence in a manner that is consistent with the overwhelming consensus of science. The Christian nationalists don't approve of trans persons because their existence creates a scriptural conflict. Their superstitions trump medical science.

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Troublesh00ter's avatar

It also rightfully complicates a subject which they wish to maintain as simplistic and binary as possible.

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Bagen Onuts's avatar

"Compassion" The feeling of caring denied by kkkristers everywhere as they demand everyone MUST do as they say cuz some imaginary god sez so.

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RegularJoe's avatar

Vivek is a monotheistic Hindu (according to Wikipedia). He's got to spin it so he sounds like he believes in Yahweh, and those who would vote for him are happy to buy the spin.

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XJC's avatar

Yahweh and the Hindu God share one thing in common: they are both non-existent figures of imagination. So there's that.

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Bill Lawrence's avatar

They'll buy almost anything. Although it seems counter-intuitive, Hindus are in fact monotheistic. Brahma is the one god, Vishnu and Shiva are avatars. It's complicated, but not as much as the holy trinity!

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NOGODZ20's avatar

"Most of our Founding Fathers were Christian."

Wrong. Of the 7 key FF...the 7 who had the most influence over what shape our form of government would take...5 were Deist while a 6th used his Christianity whenever it was convenient and ignored it otherwise. Only 1 was an orthodox Christian.

The first 6 Presidents were Deists. The first time we get an orthodox Christian President is that racist madman Andrew Jackson.

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Daniel Rotter's avatar

Thomas Jefferson had his own "cut-and-paste-Bible." Imagine a modern-day Democratic POTUS/POTUS nominee getting away with that.

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Len Koz's avatar

I'm thinking the fact that Jefferson had a copy of the bible where he cut out all the obvious miracles wasn't common knowledge during his lifetime.

And please do not think that the so-called miracles of Jesus actually happened.

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Bill Lawrence's avatar

I agree that Ramaswamy's answer to Justin would not endear him to atheists, but it was still a better answer than I would have expected from him, given his place on the political spectrum. And at least he got his history right.

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Joe King's avatar

He is a far right Hindu trying to appeal to far right Christians. Heavy on the dog whistle, light on the plain speech.

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Maltnothops's avatar

That is my take too. Not as bad as I would have thought.

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Daniel Rotter's avatar

"Happy Entrapment Day"

-VR on Twitter today

Tinfoil-hat-wearing POS.

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Maltnothops's avatar

What is that supposed to mean?

Oh, Jan 6th?

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