He does not judge them for it. THAT is why this is not the scandal they think it is. I don't care if he's actively paying all of them. What matters is that he is not hypocritically trying to force his faith on everyone.
When the far right assholes try to enforce their idea of Christian morality on all of us while violating the same morality in their private lives, that is a scandal. Supporting the rights of someone to live according to their own morality instead of imposing yours is not.
Yeah, but these people that this man texted and followed have vaginas and do not appear to be ashamed of that. Nor does it appear that this man attempted to shame, exploit or harassed these individuals. Is that the kind of person we want in government? Some one who treats women as people? At least the interact between Donald and the pornstar were transactional with no indication that Trump saw her as anything other that an object to be bought and used. But this man acted as if these women, harlots to be specific were people! What has America come to?
If you see a fork in the road, take it. Some kid probably threw it out of the car window and his folks are not coming back to get it. And, you know, a free fork is a free fork. Can't complain.
Let’s see. For the Epsteinth time. Texas Republican politicians support Grabby McPussy, an adjudicated sexual assaulter, a self proclaimed sexual assaulter, a man who bragged about sexual assault, an associate of a pair of sex traffickers, a man who has publicly cheated on each of his three wives, and who was screwing a prostitute while his third wife was pregnant with his fifth child.
And let us not even get into super Christian and Texas politician ken Paxton, who has had more mistresses than either of us can count, and who wants the 10 Commandments posted in classrooms when those would make him a criminal if they were actually the cornerstone of American law that he claims.
And the worse they can come up with about Talerico is he said thank you?
Someone’s more barometer seems to have lost its mercury. Or maybe the sense of morality is actually mercurial.
I suspect it may also have something to do with Talarico's putting a POSITIVE and WHOLESOME face on Christianity instead of THEIR FACE on Christianity.
Paxton is as corrupt as they come and always has been. Any other state would have disbarred him over filing his idiotic lawsuit to overturn the election results in Pennsylvania because it just didn't look right to him. He has no authority in Pennsylvania, and had zero standing to file that case. The courts promptly tossed it.
This article perfectly demonstrates why your writing is always worth reading. I am an atheist, but I grew up evangelical. My parents would have loved Talarico. My church would have hated him. That tension between my parents' faith and my church's teaching still wrestles within me.
You always look at the person. You may disagree with Talarico's faith, but because his expression of his faith is one that neither manipulates nor judges others, you defend his right to express it. I am utterly confident that he would do the same for you or for me
Seems to me that Talarico is genuinely interested in SERVICE, in delivering help to his constituents, far more than he is about self-aggrandizement (if the latter at all!). The man gives a damn about his job and his responsibilities to the people he represents.
I agree that Joe Rogan should not be a metric in which we evaluate our politicians, but he is. His podcast does affect people’s perception of candidates and issues. Sad, because he’s such a tool and easily manipulated. But if a decent candidate can get his audience’s attention, then the candidate can, hopefully, steer the audience to seeing issues in a better light than the alpha bros position. We really need to reduce the right’s influence on young men, and Rogan’s podcast is the way to do it, for now.
Back in my younger days, I followed quite a few boys of somewhat dubious virtue. But that was decades before this here Internet thingy, and they had invited me over. And they weren’t in it for the money. We discussed philosophy and religious affairs.
I’m very jealous and upset over this. Why am I not worthy of a salacious and scandalous expose? I can see the headline now: “ old man yells at cloud and kids today!” or even worse!!! “ old man yells “‘get off my awn!’ And he doesn’t even have a lawn!”
OT: I was doing a little cleanup on my profile page and notice that substack recommended 3 people for me to follow. They are Zohran Mamdani, NOGODZ20, and Rep. Jasmine Crockett.
I keep getting messages about an unread message. I've no idea what I've done to deserve this, or how to "read" the message so that it knows I read it. I'm pretty hopeless when it comes to the mechanics of the site.
If you click on your profile, then click home, it will be on the bottom (you may have to scroll down a bit). I can find it on my computer, no idea what it looks like on a phone.
I did eventually find Nogodz after clicking "more" 3-4 times.
Given the mess that air travel currently is, he’d have to snuff it and be buried here. Preferably at Lake View Cemetary (just not anywere near Bruce and Brandon Lee).
(Ironically, Carl Sagan lived in (and was treated in) Seattle for awhile and was eventually buried in Lake View Cemetary. Only THIS LVC is in Ithaca, NY).
There’s a shocker. If we manage to keep this sinking ship afloat & regain control Congress, getting the damn money out of politics needs to be a democratic priority. I won’t say money is the root of all evil, but it’s definitely one of the biggest & best contributors
Can someone please tell me why there aren't more Christians like Mr. Talarico here? Yeah, yeah, I DO know why (and sometimes wish I didn't), but James is the kind of fresh air that we need more of, in a here and now that reeks of Christian nationalism and more hypocrisy than one could shake a stick at.
And it's no surprise that the Nat-Cs are taking cheap shots at Talarico. He's calling them on their bullshit AND their hypocrisy AND their desire to take down our democracy and put themselves in the Catbird Seat.
They are here. I guess they either not pissed enough to go into politics, even at a local level, or they simply can't because they won't get the support and money they need.
James Talarico is the Mamdani of Texas and I’m here for every minute of it. We the people are tired of delusional Christian nationalist authoritarians and a misogynistic sexual predator grifter in chief lecturing anyone about values or morals. It’s pure comedy at this point. Hopefully Texas does the right thing for once and elects this man to begin their long journey towards humanity and reason.
“𝑊ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝐽𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑢𝑛𝑎𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 ℎ𝑜𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑦,” 𝐸𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑠 𝑠𝑎𝑖𝑑, “ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑗𝑢𝑑𝑔𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑦 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑎𝑛 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑐𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑏𝑎𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑠. 𝑇ℎ𝑎𝑡’𝑠 𝑒𝑥𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑙𝑦 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝐶ℎ𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝑓𝑎𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑠 ℎ𝑖𝑚 𝑡𝑜 𝑑𝑜.”
He does not judge them for it. THAT is why this is not the scandal they think it is. I don't care if he's actively paying all of them. What matters is that he is not hypocritically trying to force his faith on everyone.
When the far right assholes try to enforce their idea of Christian morality on all of us while violating the same morality in their private lives, that is a scandal. Supporting the rights of someone to live according to their own morality instead of imposing yours is not.
Gee, can we get Axios to look at the people Kash Patel follows or perhaps Kegseth?
That has to be a rhetorical question because otherwise the answer is an obvious NO.
😉
You are proud to be a nazis! A supporter of fascism, not a good look!
I see, however Christian evangelicals are just a threat to democracy as any other extreme Christian group!
Yeah, but these people that this man texted and followed have vaginas and do not appear to be ashamed of that. Nor does it appear that this man attempted to shame, exploit or harassed these individuals. Is that the kind of person we want in government? Some one who treats women as people? At least the interact between Donald and the pornstar were transactional with no indication that Trump saw her as anything other that an object to be bought and used. But this man acted as if these women, harlots to be specific were people! What has America come to?
"Some one who treats women as people?"
Yesterday's chew-toy mentioned a "Mary Magdelene" who apparently some guy called "Jesus" treated well.
Oh goodness
I thought I was so ingenious to bring her up, saw you did it first so guess I’m just average🤦♀️🤣
GMTA.
Wait! they have vaginas? what fresh hell is this?
A fork in the road. I suggest the Slauson Cutoff.
If you see a fork in the road, take it. Some kid probably threw it out of the car window and his folks are not coming back to get it. And, you know, a free fork is a free fork. Can't complain.
I haven't found a fork in a road but I do enjoy a nice spoon in bed.
Kermit and Fozzie found one
youtu.be/p-mGXLgGqkY
Let’s see. For the Epsteinth time. Texas Republican politicians support Grabby McPussy, an adjudicated sexual assaulter, a self proclaimed sexual assaulter, a man who bragged about sexual assault, an associate of a pair of sex traffickers, a man who has publicly cheated on each of his three wives, and who was screwing a prostitute while his third wife was pregnant with his fifth child.
And let us not even get into super Christian and Texas politician ken Paxton, who has had more mistresses than either of us can count, and who wants the 10 Commandments posted in classrooms when those would make him a criminal if they were actually the cornerstone of American law that he claims.
And the worse they can come up with about Talerico is he said thank you?
Someone’s more barometer seems to have lost its mercury. Or maybe the sense of morality is actually mercurial.
I suspect it may also have something to do with Talarico's putting a POSITIVE and WHOLESOME face on Christianity instead of THEIR FACE on Christianity.
Cue the: "Are we the baddies?" video! 🤣
Paxton is as corrupt as they come and always has been. Any other state would have disbarred him over filing his idiotic lawsuit to overturn the election results in Pennsylvania because it just didn't look right to him. He has no authority in Pennsylvania, and had zero standing to file that case. The courts promptly tossed it.
But he’s a Christian! How could he be corrupt?
Easily.
Oh you. Just because how many hundreds of thousands of kids have been molested it doesn’t mean that religious people aren’t trustworthy.
Does it?
Hey Axios...
Gonna do a story on Mike Johnson and his son's online activities? No?
Oh Noes!! He has a passing connection to loose women. The horror!
Now let’s see, how many republicans politicians have been arrested and prosecuted for child molestation this year? Where’s Axios article about that?
Buried in the Epstein files.
Val, I'm going to unfollow you just to be safe.
(That's a joke, I don't follow anyone.)
This article perfectly demonstrates why your writing is always worth reading. I am an atheist, but I grew up evangelical. My parents would have loved Talarico. My church would have hated him. That tension between my parents' faith and my church's teaching still wrestles within me.
You always look at the person. You may disagree with Talarico's faith, but because his expression of his faith is one that neither manipulates nor judges others, you defend his right to express it. I am utterly confident that he would do the same for you or for me
Seems to me that Talarico is genuinely interested in SERVICE, in delivering help to his constituents, far more than he is about self-aggrandizement (if the latter at all!). The man gives a damn about his job and his responsibilities to the people he represents.
And once again, that is refreshing as hell!
Not the point of the story, I know, but being praised by Joe Friggin' Rogan isn't much of a selling point.
I agree that Joe Rogan should not be a metric in which we evaluate our politicians, but he is. His podcast does affect people’s perception of candidates and issues. Sad, because he’s such a tool and easily manipulated. But if a decent candidate can get his audience’s attention, then the candidate can, hopefully, steer the audience to seeing issues in a better light than the alpha bros position. We really need to reduce the right’s influence on young men, and Rogan’s podcast is the way to do it, for now.
I beat you to it by 4 minutes 😁
Yeah, that particular dickbag originally wanted Deathsantis to be president.
So he followed prostitutes.
Back in my younger days, I followed quite a few boys of somewhat dubious virtue. But that was decades before this here Internet thingy, and they had invited me over. And they weren’t in it for the money. We discussed philosophy and religious affairs.
I’m very jealous and upset over this. Why am I not worthy of a salacious and scandalous expose? I can see the headline now: “ old man yells at cloud and kids today!” or even worse!!! “ old man yells “‘get off my awn!’ And he doesn’t even have a lawn!”
SCANDALOUS!
Run for office, Ben. We'll see what happens then.
That sounds suspiciously like work and I’m retired.
OT: I was doing a little cleanup on my profile page and notice that substack recommended 3 people for me to follow. They are Zohran Mamdani, NOGODZ20, and Rep. Jasmine Crockett.
One of these things is not like the others. : )
I'd like to thank the Academy...
"You LIKE me, you REALLY LIKE me!" 🤣🤣🤣
I'd love it if Graf would read what larry said, He'd tear out so much hair he'd look like Stephen Miller. :)
But I have a feeling that Gaffe will treat larry's words like a xtian troll and pretend not to see them. Too late. :D
He can only dream of it.
What do you have against feisty black women ? 😁
They're my favorite.
I found where it was. There are several commenters, but not NOGODZ and you. The first three I was recommended to follow are
Zohran Mamdani, Val and Jasmine Crockett.
I must be antisocial. I got Zohran Mamdani, Pete Buttigieg, and The Bulwark...
19 in total, 6 or 7 of them from our community.
Well, when I get another chance to visit France, I’ll follow you in person.
Be prepared to go to my favorite vegan restaurant. This one meal will be non negotiable 😉
Who’s arguing?
Far freaking out!
I keep getting messages about an unread message. I've no idea what I've done to deserve this, or how to "read" the message so that it knows I read it. I'm pretty hopeless when it comes to the mechanics of the site.
I have a handful of politicians and Lucien Greaves but nobody here.
I can't find it.🙁
If you click on your profile, then click home, it will be on the bottom (you may have to scroll down a bit). I can find it on my computer, no idea what it looks like on a phone.
I did eventually find Nogodz after clicking "more" 3-4 times.
TMI!
There are respectable politicians in the modern-day United States of America? Who knew?
He represents suburban Austin
Finally, another living Christian I can admire besides Dolly Parton and Weird Al. :)
I always thought you were a HUGE Kenneth Copeland admirer. *smiles*
Pancake Makeup Joker and his halitosis-infused Wind o’ God?
I think I saw them open for Ozzy once.
I am sure NOGODZ would be more than willing to show his appreciation with a special pilgrimage to his, yet to come, grave.
Given the mess that air travel currently is, he’d have to snuff it and be buried here. Preferably at Lake View Cemetary (just not anywere near Bruce and Brandon Lee).
(Ironically, Carl Sagan lived in (and was treated in) Seattle for awhile and was eventually buried in Lake View Cemetary. Only THIS LVC is in Ithaca, NY).
What you're referring to certainly brings a new meaning to to the words "watery grave."
Look up Axios' partnership with Koch Industries. My my my.
There’s a shocker. If we manage to keep this sinking ship afloat & regain control Congress, getting the damn money out of politics needs to be a democratic priority. I won’t say money is the root of all evil, but it’s definitely one of the biggest & best contributors
The Bible clearly states that it is the love of money that is the root of all evil. Scripture has no problem with mammon on its own!
I don’t really put any stock in what the Bible says but yes, it’s greed & not money itself that’s the problem
The desire to control others is the root of all evil.
I never heard of axios before today.
Yes, they have always been right-wing assholes, then that German right-winger bought them, Axel something. (maybe Springer?)
𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑐𝑎𝑛’𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝐼𝑠𝑙𝑎𝑚𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑜𝑏𝑖𝑎 𝑜𝑟 𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑠𝑚. 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑐𝑎𝑛’𝑡 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑑 ℎ𝑒’𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝐶ℎ𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑛 (𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦’𝑙𝑙 𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑜𝑢𝑏𝑡𝑒𝑑𝑙𝑦 𝑡𝑟𝑦). 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑐𝑎𝑛’𝑡 𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑 ℎ𝑜𝑤 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑞𝑢𝑜𝑡𝑒 𝑠𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑝𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑑𝑒𝑓𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑟𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑎𝑐𝑘 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚. 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑐𝑎𝑛’𝑡 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑑 ℎ𝑒’𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑎 𝑑𝑒𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑑𝑢𝑑𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑖𝑡’𝑠 𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 ℎ𝑒’𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑐𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑎.
Since it's Trump GOP, they will lie about all of that. Truth doesn't matter, just the quick vote hit. I predict they will say all of these:
He's a secret muslim muslim sympathizer, or has some muslim family connection.
He's got hispanic roots.
He's not a real Christian.
And they're already saying he's deep into porn, so the "can't say he's not a decent dude" ship has sailed.
New organization - Decent Dudes Into Porn
Can someone please tell me why there aren't more Christians like Mr. Talarico here? Yeah, yeah, I DO know why (and sometimes wish I didn't), but James is the kind of fresh air that we need more of, in a here and now that reeks of Christian nationalism and more hypocrisy than one could shake a stick at.
And it's no surprise that the Nat-Cs are taking cheap shots at Talarico. He's calling them on their bullshit AND their hypocrisy AND their desire to take down our democracy and put themselves in the Catbird Seat.
And I applaud him for that.
They are here. I guess they either not pissed enough to go into politics, even at a local level, or they simply can't because they won't get the support and money they need.
James Talarico is the Mamdani of Texas and I’m here for every minute of it. We the people are tired of delusional Christian nationalist authoritarians and a misogynistic sexual predator grifter in chief lecturing anyone about values or morals. It’s pure comedy at this point. Hopefully Texas does the right thing for once and elects this man to begin their long journey towards humanity and reason.