169 Comments
User's avatar
oraxx's avatar

Christian nationalism frightens me about as much as anything. The idea their brand of religion could be imposed on a country as large and diverse as the Unite States with a happy ending, is about as stupid and dangerous as thinking gets. If the preachers ever acquired the power they evidently dream of, they would be killing one another within a a month of doctrinal errors. Thus demonstrating why mixing religion and government is the same terrible idea it has always been.

Expand full comment
Sko Hayes's avatar

Christian nationalism is a definite threat to our democracy. I saw a tweet from a pastor just this morning:

"Unashamedly, I want Christians to occupy all positions of power across the entire world.

I want non-Christians to not be in power anywhere, over anything.

If that is not your desire and your goal, your Christian worldview has major defects.

It may be that you have not thought through the real-world ramifications of making disciples.

However, I think much of this thinking is, in reality, an appeal to the world. "Don't worry about us; we don't want to take over everything. We'll just sit over here in peace." Hah, that's not Jesus talking."

https://x.com/NateSchlomann/status/1768392534567379426?s=20

Not one person in the comments below the tweet agrees with him.

Expand full comment
Val Uptuous NotAgain's avatar

“It may be that you have not thought through the real-world ramifications of making disciples.“

Taking over the world and forcing your religion on the population is not making disciples, it’s making slaves.

Disciples are willing participants, they have happily accepted the religion of their own volition. You can’t make people be disciples by forcing them.

But I’m not surprised by a preacher’s ignorance of their own religion or the world.

Expand full comment
Sean's avatar

I think confirmation bias and cognitive dissonance explain a lot more than ignorance. They willfully reject inconvenient truths.

Expand full comment
oraxx's avatar

No one with a good grasp of history would think this is anything but a dangerous idea. Extremists, religious and otherwise, tend to live in their bubble and spend their time talking to one another. It leaves them with an absurdly exaggerated sense of their own power and influence. I don't care what faction of Christianity a person belongs to, they will be in a tiny minority when taken against the country, and the world's population. For some reason, they just can't get their heads around that fact.

Expand full comment
XJC's avatar

There's a medical term for this mentality: megalomania.

Expand full comment
oraxx's avatar

Compounded by sheer stupidity.

Expand full comment
Black Hole and DM mourner's avatar

Both your comments can be shortened in one word : drumpster.

Expand full comment
Sean's avatar

White-washing history is the remedy for cognitive dissonance.

Expand full comment
xenubarb's avatar

I'm starting to think favorably of martyrdom... not for me, mind you!

Expand full comment
oraxx's avatar

Within a month OVER doctrinal errors. Typo.

Expand full comment
xenubarb's avatar

To include which end of a boiled egg we should crack...

Expand full comment
DrShell's avatar

It terrifies me too. I've had an exit strategy for the last 10-15 years over this, and I've gotten pretty close to implementing it the last few years.

Expand full comment
Len Koz's avatar

Might as well enjoy this ruling until it is turned over by the Catholics in the SC.

Expand full comment
Old Man Shadow's avatar

We could solve this once and for all by repealing any tax exemptions from churches. It's not like most of them even bother with the whole charity thing anyway.

Expand full comment
Troublesh00ter's avatar

Seems as though if you're going to be an employer in Wisconsin, even a religious employer, it is incumbent on you to BEHAVE and PERFORM like an employer, and that includes covering your responsibilities regarding unemployment taxes ... and I'm all for it.

The problem is that the religious zealots in SCOTUS will probably overrule this decision, because they can't stand the idea of LAWS superseding their beliefs.

Expand full comment
Rachel Baldes's avatar

Yes. It's outrageous that millions of women are unaware of their healthcare choices being determined before they enter an exam room if their doctor is part of one of the Catholic hospital groups.

Expand full comment
Val Uptuous NotAgain's avatar

And it’s not like we can choose the hospital either. That is determined by the insurance company your employer picks for you. Unless you want to pay full price for care.

Expand full comment
Rachel Baldes's avatar

I know! Then of course all these mergers are definitely improving care lmao 🤣

Expand full comment
Rachel Baldes's avatar

Hey is that Clara Bow?

Expand full comment
Val Uptuous NotAgain's avatar

It is, good eye.

Expand full comment
Rachel Baldes's avatar

I LOVE her! SO SO much!

Expand full comment
NOGODZ20's avatar

You're our own It Girl. 👍

Expand full comment
Val Uptuous NotAgain's avatar

1,2,3 not it!

Expand full comment
Sean's avatar

Maybe - hear me out now - :just maybe, if they didn't pay unemployment taxes, they can then be responsible for picking up the tab and taking care of their unemployed former employees, who are technically defined as poor. That would be real charity work.

That would be a sweet gig. Take a job with them, then quit and collect for life. And since the normal unemployment laws don't apply, they have to pay.

Never mind, I'd much rather that money go to their victims of molestation.

Expand full comment
Mr.E's avatar

UPDATE" The nutty North Carolina superintendent

https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/14/politics/kfile-gop-nominee-north-carolina-public-schools-michele-morrow-executing-democrats/index.html

Normally hate getting off topic this early in the thread but feels this is important.

Expand full comment
wreck's avatar

She seems nice...

Expand full comment
Rachel Baldes's avatar

She's a treasure for certain. Wow. I usually resent my sister in Raleigh but she can keep this charmer.

Expand full comment
Black Hole and DM mourner's avatar

When one look at her with eyes wide shut and in the dark*.

* Literal translation of "Quand on la regarde les yeux fermés et dans le noir".

Expand full comment
Sko Hayes's avatar

North Carolina, my second home state, y'all need to get out and vote. That guy running for governor is worse than this woman!

You know what's ironic about Ms. Morrow's statement is that she complained about civilian drone deaths while Obama was president. Those deaths went up 330% under Trump.

https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-afghanistan-airstrikes-increased-civilian-deaths-by-330-since-2016-2020-12#:~:text=Trump%20pledged%20to%20stop%20'endless,deaths%20by%20330%25%20since%202016&text=Civilian%20deaths%20from%20airstrikes%20in,University's%20Costs%20of%20War%20project.

Expand full comment
Rachel Baldes's avatar

What is really going on in NC?! It's like Democrats don't want to win, I really feel that. They like the superior moral and intellectual position they receive by default but ask them to actually do anything much and they get all butt hurt and say you are trying to throw the election.

Expand full comment
Sko Hayes's avatar

Absolutely, they want to win, and if you think about it, having two extreme candidates like this running for office could be a blessing to us. I mean, a homeschooling mom running for School Superintendent?

And a lot depends on the funds the state party has to get the word out and get organized BEFORE the GE. Like getting teachers involved in the campaign against Morrow.

I hope we can save NC, I lived there 12 years and loved it. Except the hurricanes, could have done without those.

Expand full comment
Rhiannon's avatar

Hey! They won the Stanley Cup once upon a time!

Expand full comment
Sean's avatar

The racist gerrymandering keeps right-minded thinkers in office.

Expand full comment
Sko Hayes's avatar

Yeah, that's a problem that won't get fixed until we get more Democrats in the legislature.

although I don't know the makeup of the Supreme Court in NC, which of course is where any new maps would end up.

Expand full comment
Sean's avatar

I think it was on a John Oliver gerrymandering video where the NC Supreme Court rejected the new gerrymandered lines based on race. They changed the racist word and suddenly the new lines were good.

Expand full comment
Zorginipsoundsor's avatar

Me too. The hurricanes that is.

Expand full comment
Sko Hayes's avatar

I lived through the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd in 1999. That was the straw that broke the camel's back (3 weeks of 3 feet of water around your house, the company you work for flooded out and bankrupt, the water well contaminated, BUT no water in the house!).

Expand full comment
Sko Hayes's avatar

No flood waters in the house is what I meant. Any houses with floodwater inside were condemned.

Expand full comment
Zorginipsoundsor's avatar

More proof that every accusation is a confession.

Expand full comment
Rachel Baldes's avatar

Always.

Expand full comment
Sean's avatar

Who can blame her? Millions of christians are being executed everyday across the 'Merica. No wait. Millions of non-christians are allowed to not be execufed everyday, which is pretty much the same thing as executing christians.

No love like christan hate.

Expand full comment
Dan Roek's avatar

Ironic their choice of bible quote given the case was about CCB not rendering unto Caesar…

Expand full comment
Sko Hayes's avatar

Irony is dead when you're a Christian.

Expand full comment
CozmoTheMagician's avatar

"are basically saying that screwing over the unemployed is also a part of their faith"

I disagree, what they are basically saying is that holding on as tight as possible to every nickel is the PURPOSE of their faith.

Expand full comment
Black Hole and DM mourner's avatar

L'un n'empêche pas l'autre.

Expand full comment
Sean's avatar

Their rationalization of "god helps those who help themselves" should be reason enough for the exemption.

Right? 🤔

Expand full comment
AlbertCamus's avatar

“Advancing Catholicism “ sounds weirdly oxymoronic.

Expand full comment
NOGODZ20's avatar

Is "Advancing Catholicism" anything like "Catholicism Wow!"

https://youtu.be/6FigprdcBGA

Expand full comment
Zizzer-Zazzer-Zuzz's avatar

Sham Wow?

Expand full comment
Ethereal fairy Natalie's avatar

Rather sounds like an organic brain disease.

Expand full comment
Zorginipsoundsor's avatar

It is: See my reply on 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐦, 𝟖𝟎% 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 "𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞"

Expand full comment
Sean's avatar

Actually, it's inorganic. Religion is man-made.

Made by men. For men.

Expand full comment
Val Uptuous NotAgain's avatar

“By appealing this decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, the Catholic Church and the Becket Fund folks are basically saying that screwing over the unemployed is also a part of their faith, negating whatever goodwill they may have preserved by focusing on helping the less fortunate.“

But if they don’t screw over the less fortunate, how will they ever have less fortunate to help with their charities? (And then convert because they’re now vulnerable and more susceptible to the grift.)

Expand full comment
Black Hole and DM mourner's avatar

"neither attempt to imbue program participants with the Catholic faith nor supply any religious materials to program participants or employees."

Mandatory mass every day, bible reading during meals and prayers before job search appointments in 5... 4...

Expand full comment
Pope Buck I's avatar

Funny, I always thought "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's" was an argument for churches TO pay taxes.

Expand full comment
Julie Duggan's avatar

ALL religious organizations should be paying taxes anyway, same as I do, same as any business does. It's absurd that they do not...... they are free to perpetuate their freeloading, gifting, extremism, coercion, control with their cult-like, god-like complexes.

Expand full comment
Joan the Dork's avatar

The better question is... why are there exemptions for religious organizations to begin with? What have they ever done to earn that privilege? We have a start date for this, in Wisconsin at least- 1972 (*𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘵- and Wisconsin, evidently, has had unemployment insurance on the books since 1932- three years before the Social Security Act). Run the numbers. Let's see if carving out that exemption made things better, or worse.

I know which outcome I'm betting 𝘮𝘺 $0.80, spare hair tie, and pocket lint on...

Expand full comment
Black Hole and DM mourner's avatar

Better lobbyists ?

Expand full comment
XJC's avatar

OT Speaking of religious objections, the Slavery State--home of Nikki Haley, Tim Scott, and Lindsey Graham--resists science yet again in pursuit of Jesus dominion.

South Carolina’s top public health doctor warns senators wrong lessons being learned from COVID

https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccine-requirements-quarantine-south-carolina-85d1ace1125332f25d31a2895ad72a7a

Expand full comment
Troublesh00ter's avatar

Once again, stupidity runs amok in the Deep South. 😝

Expand full comment
Len Koz's avatar

You know, I heard people saying during in the depths of the pandemic that if stupid people wanted to do stuff that would kill them, we should let them. The problem is, that stupid behavior isn't ridding the world of the stupid people fast enough.

Expand full comment
painedumonde's avatar

Remember, stupid puts out a lot, A LOT, of splash damage.

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SplashDamage

Expand full comment
Guerillasurgeon's avatar

I'd be happy with that if they didn't kill innocent people as well. It would be evolution in action.

Expand full comment
Ethereal fairy Natalie's avatar

That, and they take others out (such as the immunocompromised) as collateral damage while being Typhoid Marys".

Expand full comment
XJC's avatar

Is secession still an option? SC can be part of my two-state solution, paired with WV, to be sent over to Fuckedupstan in exchange for nothing.

Expand full comment
NOGODZ20's avatar

Romans 13:1-5 tells followers to obey all earthly laws and authorities and why. Seems they have a bit of trouble with that scripture. And they really balk at Verses 6 & 7 which say the following:

"Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them. Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and respect and honor to those who are in authority."

Expand full comment
xenubarb's avatar

"Render the salad unto Caesar..."

Expand full comment
NOGODZ20's avatar

"Render pizza pizza unto Little Caesar..."

Expand full comment
Troublesh00ter's avatar

But no one out-pizza's Jabba the Hutt!

Expand full comment
Mark In Colorado's avatar

Always love it when someone can point to the bible for the blatant hypocrisy

Expand full comment
NOGODZ20's avatar

Christians make it so very easy for us to do. They should be embarrassed and ashamed that we know their book far better than they do.

Expand full comment
Ethereal fairy Natalie's avatar

Mostly because we have actually read the horrible thing. The old Testament should be divorced from the New, as there is so much contradiction between the many authors of the two.

Expand full comment
NOGODZ20's avatar

Not just read it from Genesis to Revelation, but actually comprehended what we read. Reading comprehension is also a huge problem for Christians who DO crack open their book.

Expand full comment
Ethereal fairy Natalie's avatar

You raise an excellent point. Someone made a comment about the "Peach Pinochet" back in 2016, and stated "by their fruits you shall know them." I realize it means 'by their actions', because I read for context. Some bible-beating old lady says "Oh yes, his kids are pretty nice, so he's okay then." Not only was she stupid, she proved herself delusional as well!

Expand full comment
Zorginipsoundsor's avatar

After decades of having a pastor tell them what a passage means before actually reading it for themselves screws up their ability to comprehend.

Expand full comment
NOGODZ20's avatar

There's that.

Expand full comment
Zorginipsoundsor's avatar

More proof that that justice has never read the bibel.

Expand full comment
NOGODZ20's avatar

Gives new meaning to "Justice is blind."

Expand full comment
Val Uptuous NotAgain's avatar

If your organization doesn’t want to pay unemployment tax, then it needs to be entirely run, from the bottom all the way to the tippy tip top, by volunteers. No CEO salary, no minimum wage earners, no one on payroll. All the money coming in goes directly towards the services and goods for the supplicants, it goes to pay for the food you give a way, the clothes or medical devices, or paying the bills of the less fortunate, or access to the professionals who provide the services as their job where they pay full taxes. Everyone who is part of the organization that organizes or enables these services and goods, do it for free out of the religious goodness of their beliefs. No monetary compensation whatsoever.

Anytime you have an employee as a business or charity, you ought to provide for their chance they could become unemployed. If you cannot afford it, then you cannot afford employees.

Expand full comment