My fellow Christians and possibly even MORE importantly my dear friends who are NOT Christians:
There *is* a fight back against Christian Nationalism and the attempts to turn the USA into a theocracy. There are Christians in America who know that these things are not what Christianity is about and they're trying but not being well heard.
I think many of you might find this resource to be very helpful.
@stueytheround
I know Stuey. And I'm sorry if some of my criticisms of Christianity ever seemed like a blanket attack; they weren't! I live in the the Bible Belt am good friends with many Christians; my beloved Grandma used to pray over me all the time. I've seen and experienced --- well, a LOT. So I hear you! 💜 My dearest non-husband friend is a "recovering evangelical" who tries to live in a Christ-like manner. I get it.
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
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
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
@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
@AlphaCentauri @stueytheround @janallmac @Heucuva8 @UnTied @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine @Autumn
Conmangelical is brilliant, @stueytheround
@stueytheround @janallmac @Heucuva8 @UnTied @Mrs_Bones @Klaatu_Veratta_Nectarine @Autumn
"The Conmangelical Church of Christ" It does have a ring to it.