Same, honestly. Stuey, I hope what I sent you earlier provides context on why I get so ANGRY at people who (wrongly) call themselves Christian. When we have to deal with THEM writing legislation like THAT, it's hard to see anything of Christ left in the Church.

When Pastor Greg Locke is holding a LITERAL book burning and saying that people with Autism have Demons possessing them... Christ is not there anymore. 😔😢

@janallmac @stueytheround @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine @Autumn

@Heucuva8 @janallmac @stueytheround @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine #facts

I sent Stuey most of these issues earlier, but this is just a quick rundown.

You're either in favor of punching nazis, or you are one.
#thebookofbones , 19??

@janallmac @stueytheround @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine @Autumn

@UnTied and his term Christo-Fascists come to mind.
My reasoning is, hear me out on this, pagans, satanists, muslims, jews, buddhists, hindi, pastafarians, jedi, atheists...
Not one of these groups, or any other faith or lack of- based group would ever CONSIDER pushing for or abusing a bill like these...

It's always only "Christians". Weird how that works. 🤔

@janallmac @stueytheround @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine @Autumn

@Heucuva8
Well... but it's not only Christians though. Is it? That's not quite accurate. In the US, perhaps it is accurate, perhaps that is because it is the dominant culture here.

Worldwide, I understand many religions push for unjust and abusive laws. I mean, right? Sadly, evil seems universal.

If those other groups were the dominant culture here, they'd be pulling the same sort of BS, I'm sure.

It's something else IMO.

@UnTied @stueytheround @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine @Autumn

@Heucuva8
It's hard to see other countries' faults sometimes, but that doesn't mean they don't have them.

Still. I hope we keep fighting for what's right. I mean that.

@UnTied @stueytheround @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine @Autumn

See, you're right....but also, those other countries don't have laws intended to establish people's freedom of religion. They have governments established by a certain religion, that then pushes those beliefs.

That's different than having established secularism and actively working to seize complete Authoritarian control via legislation.

@janallmac @UnTied @stueytheround @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine @Autumn

@Heucuva8

Yes, and that is a thing that is happening here. Fair enough. I have to agree with that. In the US, we're supposed to have freedom of religion, and there are groups actively trying to establish Christianity as a state religion.

Which is terrible for the US, and terrible for Christianity.

I'd prefer to keep freedom of religion, and separation of church and state.

@UnTied @stueytheround @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine @Autumn

I absolutely agree. I think our educational system, legislation, and nearly 100% of all day today government functions should all be secular in nature. Individual officials can have whatever religion they choose, but there should be checks in place to make sure that those religious ideals aren't being forced on to people who do not agree with them or practice them.

@janallmac @UnTied @stueytheround @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine @Autumn

@Heucuva8

True! Because... you can't force it.

You just can't.

You can't make it up, you can't lie about it, you can't fake it, you can't do it just to impress others, or to make your parents happy. You can try, but it is not the same as when it is not forced or imposed in fear. Somehow.

I don't know why you can't. force it. Lord knows people try to force it. Doesn't work. In fact, it backfires on you.

@UnTied @stueytheround @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine @Autumn

@janallmac
I am actually quite glad that in the UK we have an established Church of England for two reasons.

1. It gives Christians a very small but vital voice in lawmaking, particularly to prevent unjust laws because when Archbishops speak people listen!

2. It prevents the church from becoming ridiculously powerful because there are acts of parliament preventing it (we learned from our mistakes).

@Heucuva8 @UnTied @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine @Autumn

The 1st Amendment means that the government CAN NOT tell a church how to behave, so you get the Westboros of this world. The Church in the USA actually has significantly *more* power than in the UK because of how your laws work in practice.
There's a middle ground somewhere and perhaps those countries where there are fewer religious tensions have found it.

@janallmac @Heucuva8 @UnTied @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine @Autumn

@stueytheround
I'll tell you what, Stuey, here, there is money involved, too. Lots of it. I don't fully understand, the details, not being involved in it myself, but people do religion as a money-making venture here, and that is just not serving people well at all. It's sad.

@Heucuva8 @UnTied @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine @Autumn

@janallmac
When the old 'Snake Oil' salesmen caught on that ordinary people were more afraid of hellfire than they were of getting sick, the Con-man-gelist* was born. They've been around for a Century or more.
Now add in the Prosperity Gospel which, based on about three passages from the Bible but essentially says "the more you give, the more you'll get" and BINGO! License to print money.

*I just made that word up. I like it 🤣

@Heucuva8 @UnTied @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine @Autumn

@stueytheround @janallmac @Heucuva8 @UnTied @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine @Autumn

"The Conmangelical Church of Christ" It does have a ring to it.

@AlphaCentauri @stueytheround @janallmac @Heucuva8 @UnTied @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine @Autumn

Conmangelical is brilliant, @stueytheround

@AlphaCentauri @stueytheround @janallmac @Heucuva8 @UnTied @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine @Autumn

Agreed

@janallmac @stueytheround @Heucuva8 @UnTied @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine @Autumn

GWB’s “Faith Based Initiative”

It’s gone hog wild.

@stueytheround @janallmac @Heucuva8 @UnTied @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine @Autumn

So here is the framework for the selection of the Lords Spiritual https://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/british-politics/the-lords-spiritual/

@janallmac
Yes.
In the ME Muslim groups like ISIS,
in Myanmar it's Buddhists and in yet others, it's secular groups.
Take your pick.

The truth is, human beings are often innately fearful of the "other" and people who want power will find ways to ensure there are plenty of 'others' to fear.
In the US people who want power have co-opted and corrupted Christianity but it's far from unique.

@Heucuva8 @UnTied @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine @Autumn

@stueytheround @janallmac @Heucuva8 @UnTied @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine @Autumn

Power corrupts, and monotheism is the closest clerics can get to absolute power.

But it's interesting how many Christian faiths do not title themselves "Christian." Like it's presumptuous to do so.

The churches that ARE titled "Christian" tend to be the most intolerant of other Christians with slight differences in terms of dogma. They think no one is Christian but themselves.

@AlphaCentauri

Phhbt. No kidding. One of the 1,000,000 times I got told I was going to hell around here was when I married a Catholic.

All the squabbling. Ugh. It is enough to make me lose patience with literally everyone sometimes.

But again, I'm sure it's not unique.

I feel like I'm missing a bigger point.

@stueytheround @Heucuva8 @UnTied @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine @Autumn

@buzzkill58 @stueytheround @Heucuva8 @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine FWIW, Stuey knows some of my struggles and why I have problems with organized religion in general and Christianity in particular but this is truly a case of not all Christians. I know there are good people but it’s wading through the rhetoric and bad people that gets tiring. I’m watching too many “Christians” doing evil under the blanket of their religion and it makes me so angry. Maybe there is hope.

@Autumn @buzzkill58 @stueytheround @Heucuva8 @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine

There is always hope for everyone.