189 Comments
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ORAXX's avatar

Article VI of the Constitution, which pre-dates the Bill of Rights, bars religious tests for holding public office in the United States. This is a very strange thing to include in the foundational document of a country whose founders did not intent for there to be a barrier between church and state. Gorsuch's statement is horrifying. Those who would break down the barriers between government and religion always seem to imagine their particular tribe calling the shots for everyone else. What they should be imagining is the tribe they dislike most having control over their lives. Mixing government and religion is the same terrible idea it has always been. The Founders wanted no part of the religious strife that plagued Europe for centuries.

San_Ban's avatar

"Those who would break down the barriers between government and religion always seem to imagine their particular tribe calling the shots for everyone else. What they should be imagining is the tribe they dislike most having control over their lives." Say it again, and louder, please, for those in their ivory towers, passively letting religious privilege have free rein, and gaslighting us all by repeating "What's the harm?"

Joan the Dork's avatar

Cue the surprised chorus of "But the leopards weren't supposed to eat *my* face!"

User's avatar
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Jan 19, 2022Edited
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CorporalKlinger's avatar

Pick-up truck sizes inversely proportional to dick sizes.

Tawreos's avatar

The problem is that they are always imagining what it would be like if the group they dislike the most would be in charge. This is why they try so hard to put themselves first so that they can have the power to do unto others what they imagine others would do unto them.

moke the panicked's avatar

"Do unto others before they do unto you" Code of the west in "Waterhole #3"

User's avatar
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Jan 19, 2022
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regmeyer's avatar

But that may allow the wrong people to do things they don't like so they must fight against that.

moke the panicked's avatar

Defining "wrong" as "Anyone other than me"

JezebelsOlderSister's avatar

Actually, the Founders did not want to deal with the religious strife that pervaded the colonies. Each colony (now state) had different laws that granted preference to one religious group or another -- such as only those of a certain Christian tradition were allowed to own land, and only landowners could vote. Pennsylvania, which was run by the Quakers, was one of the few colonies/states that prohibited religious tests for land ownership and elected office.

Grumpy Grimnir's avatar

And the American colonies - there was plenty of religious strife that took place there

ORAXX's avatar

Indeed. They want nothing to do with the Puritan theocracy of New England.

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Jan 19, 2022Edited
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NOGODZ20's avatar

"Oh, the Protestants hate the Catholics

And the Catholics hate the Protestants

And the Hindus hate the Muslims

And everybody hates the Jews...

CorporalKlinger's avatar

"Oh, the Protestants hate the Catholics

And the Catholics hate the Protestants

And the Hindus hate the Muslims

And everybody hates the Jews...

...*convinced that they have the one and only truth*

moke the panicked's avatar

"...*convinced that they *alone* have the one and only truth*" FIFY

regmeyer's avatar

So much like religious "research" they know the desired conclusion now they must twist the data until it says what they want.

moke the panicked's avatar

As I asked my very mormon visiting nurse, "Just what church will you be forced to attend in the coming theocracy?"

regmeyer's avatar

I am sure they will have nice camps to send us who won't unwilling accept that which they decree that which they want us to worship. Somewhere out in the country far from anything that would concern or disturb their followers.

David Graf's avatar

I suspect that it wouldn't be long before Christians decreed to have the "wrong" opinions would also be joining you in the camps if Christian Nationalists ever do take over the country.

San_Ban's avatar

Theocracies always get around to persecuting heretics, usually sooner rather than later.

User's avatar
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Jan 19, 2022
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Brian's avatar

Of course, the Strength through Joy camps are where they sent the blond haired, blue eyed aryans. Where they want to send us wll have the motto Work makes you Free.

regmeyer's avatar

You will never want to leave alive.

Hayseed's avatar

OnlySky is amazing, the vast amount and variety of content ensures that there is something for just about anyone. I have spent the whole day just browsing from one category to another, there is so much there that it will take me forever to go through it all. It is the best website I have seen in a long time, I foresee myself spending several hours every day on the website. Wait, did I say OnlySky, I meant Pornhub.

Joan the Dork's avatar

Yes, I too am amazed by how many different notifications I can sign up for before the content is even available!

...'cmon, guys. An update would be nice. Just a "we're having issues with the new site and we're working on it" would be enough. Please?

Zorginipsoundsor's avatar

Me: On Wed, Jan 19, 2022 at 10:02 PM

Subject - Early January? Seriously?

C'mon Mehta, keep us in the loop! If there are problems let us know.

Hemant: Ha -- You mean OnlySky? It's actually up right now: https://onlysky.media/

Official announcements should be up tomorrow :)

Joan the Dork's avatar

It's... a little different. Not as easy to find different writers as we're used to, but the topic categories are comprehensive and pretty well laid out.

They also have an archive going at least 15 years back, so I'm starting to see why it took so long to get things fit for showtime. I'm giving it a shot; it's not like I've got somewhere better to be right now.

Matri's avatar

Except Hemant's is still blank.

larry parker's avatar

He's got articles up, but it's all old articles from Patheos.

https://onlysky.media/hemant-mehta/

wreck's avatar

New article from Hemant 1/20/22.

larry parker's avatar

Got a comment awaiting moderation already. I hope it's a first comment kind of thing. It's not on Hemant's site. I'm going to wait until there is new content before posting there.

Joan the Dork's avatar

I seem to have triggered some kind of account flag- either by using some extremely mild profanity, or by daring to mention "moderation"- and now every single thing I try to post gets instantly sent to moderation hell. I literally can't comment.

I'm gonna give it a little time to see if a real human being somewhere sorts things out, but I can say with some degree of certainty that if I have to start doing the sock-puppet thing on a regular basis I'm just not going to bother.

larry parker's avatar

I don't know if that's the site for me. Most of the viewers are religious.

Hayseed's avatar

Just because they are screaming "Oh god! Oh god!" doesn't mean that they are religious.

Zorginipsoundsor's avatar

Well yeah! Bacchus is one hell of a god. 🤤

BTII's avatar

Welcome to Gilead, Handmaidens! Our benevolent Christian overseers have been working on more ways to Jesusify your life, because you clearly aren't getting enough of it...

NOGODZ20's avatar

Gorsuch seems unbothered by all the child molesting clergy in his faith yet a simple flag gets his knickers in a twist.

Xtian priorities.

Tawreos's avatar

The flag is the magician's other hand, the hand that is keeping you focused on itself so you'll ignore what the other hand is doing. They have always been very good at keeping christians looking outwards for the threat so they will ignore what those in the group with them are doing. They have done it so successfully that they will froth at the mere thought that a piece of cloth might not be respected while dismissing numerous well documented examples of clergy raping people as persecution.

Joan the Dork's avatar

The sad thing is that it keeps working, even though we know damn well what the other hand is doing- and it's always either up your skirt, down your pants, or picking your pockets.

Tawreos's avatar

Just like god in the bible, preachers have gotten their followers to define them as good so no matter what they actually do they will always be seen as good by those that believe.

regmeyer's avatar

As the spokesperson of gawd, they can put any words they want in his mouth and the followers will always accept them as gospel without bothering to look behind the curtain.

RegularJoe's avatar

That'll be their "out", that the flag isn't Catholics like themselves.

User's avatar
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Jan 19, 2022Edited
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Tawreos's avatar

When the permission is coming from inside of their own heads then god condones whatever they need him to.

NOGODZ20's avatar

Bad enough that Gorsuch wants the right to infect people with COVID-19 (which is a right that doesn't actually exist). Now he wants to infect all of America with his god which doesn't actually exist, either.

XJC's avatar

Gorsuch's mom, Ann Gorsuch, preferred infecting the world with toxic waste. Of course, she's long forgotten or unknown to most people today, who don't read or only care about facts that fit their beliefs.

Joan the Dork's avatar

Fun fact: the worst toxic waste she ever produced was called "Neil."

Tawreos's avatar

Giving people rights makes one an activist judge, but allowing the uber-privileged to have even more rights, at the expense of the rights of other people is just fine. I hate this country sometimes.

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Jan 19, 2022Edited
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RegularJoe's avatar

How about "My country rates a Needs Improvement on a number of issues."

Joan the Dork's avatar

I'll add that to the list of catchy sayings I want on a t-shirt...

User's avatar
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Jan 19, 2022
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Tawreos's avatar

Lube works best at forming a more perfect union.

San_Ban's avatar

'Tradition!' is just peer pressure from dead people. It's also a euphemism for "preservation of privilege".

Val Uptuous NotAgain's avatar

I’m getting fitted for my red robe and white cap as we speak. Fucking McConnell, lying shitbag, conniving worm.

Guerilla Surgeon's avatar

Don't hold back, it's bad for the psyche.

RegularJoe's avatar

Better off getting fitted for a couple of thundersticks. 😏

Tawreos's avatar

Is it really surprising that christians would ignore any and all evidence that completely contradicts what they think reality is? When they follow a god that always tells them exactly what they want to hear, why should the founding fathers not do the same?

Zorginipsoundsor's avatar

OT - For those who haven't already seen Black Hole mourners post, Aria died this morning.

maddog7's avatar

So sorry, so sad; devastating. When I lost my best.dog.ever, I lost near 30 lbs. Still smile every time I think of her.

moke the panicked's avatar

At least you are able to smile now.

maddog7's avatar

Thank you for saying that. It was a terrible time especially due to mistakes I made of not letting go of her earlier. Still beat myself up, but I am resolved to do better with my current pair of crazy dogs.

I should have said Huge Smile rather than just 'smile' :-)

NOGODZ20's avatar

Sad. It's like losing a member of the family.

regmeyer's avatar

Wishing her condolences as one who knows what it feels like to have lost a beloved pet.

larry parker's avatar

A so-called Supreme Court Justice.

larry parker's avatar

A Minister of Injustice.

Joan the Dork's avatar

Ha! Beat me to the punch; "So-Called Justice" is dead on.

larry parker's avatar

I waited almost two hours. : )

moke the panicked's avatar

A TRUE <s>asshole</s> bucket of diarrhea.

regmeyer's avatar

He did have a note from mommy saying what a good boy he was.

Joan the Dork's avatar

I'd suggest that So-Called Justice Ballscratch needs a remedial 8th-grade Civics course... but it's not for lack of education that he's a theocrat shitbag. He knows that he's wrong, he knows why he's wrong, and the only thing he's bothered about is that the rest of the country can't (yet) be forced by law to be as wrong as he is. He sometimes seems to play himself off as the reasonable one among Ex-President Spray-Tan's appointees, but he's every bit as vile as Injustices Beerpong and Oftrump.

Val Uptuous NotAgain's avatar

I prefer to call him Beery McRapeface.

RegularJoe's avatar

I have plenty. How about Fratbroenemanozzel¹?

(¹ Using the German Cramabunchofwordstogether technique.)

Guerilla Surgeon's avatar

How about bösewichsduckmäsrigkeit

Daniel Tuttle 🌵's avatar

I've heard that argument before from a fundie a long time ago. 2007-ish? It made little sense then either but it is definitely one of those things they have their head wrapped around with Biblical type logic. This court is just getting started.

NOGODZ20's avatar

Well, waddaya know? Looks like SCOTUS is still slapping Trump...

"Supreme Court allows Jan. 6 committee to get Trump documents"

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/supreme-court-allows-jan-6-committee-to-get-trump-documents/ar-AASWWfR

EDIT Joan the Dork beat me to this story. She posted it while I was away from the computer. Apologies for the repetition.

RegularJoe's avatar

And only Uncle Clarence dissenting.... interesting.....

JezebelsOlderSister's avatar

OT: A Christian "Romance" coming to theaters near you. (I'll want for the GAM review, thank you very much).

https://www.thedailybeast.com/redeeming-love-evangelicalisms-toxic-slut-shaming-tale-gets-the-hollywood-treatment

Val Uptuous NotAgain's avatar

Oh yeah, I remember that book. My hubs’ high school friend became a born again when he married a single mommy who needed a husband. She insisted I read the book. She was sooooooo excited over it. I was eh. The whole thing was really heavy handed and the shame heaped upon Angel for her lifestyle was just cruel. She was literally sex trafficked as a young child and the book acted as though she needed saved from her sins rather than her abuse. Hosea was just a glorified stalker.

I swear, if someone else’s life becomes my business when I “fall in love at first sight” then Tom Hiddleston would be in my bed every night.

maddog7's avatar

from the article: "She is his to claim"

yup. for a $20 ya get an hour