The lesson here might be the consequential damages that occur on a small planet with increasing connectivity when extremism, fundamentalism, anti-intellectualism take over.
US Republicans, with their increasing extremists, fundamentalists and anti-intellectualists, may not believe that we are all in this together. They may believe there a…
The lesson here might be the consequential damages that occur on a small planet with increasing connectivity when extremism, fundamentalism, anti-intellectualism take over.
US Republicans, with their increasing extremists, fundamentalists and anti-intellectualists, may not believe that we are all in this together. They may believe there are winners and losers, and winners deserve to have it all. They may believe that "you are either with us or against us" meaning against them. They may believe there are "others" here and abroad who shouldn't be here in the US. They may be a softer more kinder "Taliban". Not so sure about this.
But my point is that nations, communities, families, societies, economies, cultures, lives collapse when there is no trust, when there is no freedom to work together, when all orders come from one group, when the doors are shut. Ultimately, the money does stop flowing, systems shutdown, the anger builds and the violence grows.
Russia has never come out of its doldrums. The Dark Ages were not just one period of history. While slaves were eventually freed in the US, slave states continued to sacrifice everything to destroy the achievements of blacks and to oppress them. Whites in the free states could not see their own segregation of blacks as a liability to our own economy and morality. The evidence is and has been everywhere that humanity either works together so that all may prosper in a sustainable way, or there will be no true peace and prosperity. If Christianity and all other religions were practiced with their best intentions, there would only be enlightenment. But like all other human endeavors, those who can command power too often abuse it and destroy everything in their path. We should watch what's happening in Afghanistan with humility and know that we are next if we don't work together, while denying all resources to extremists, our own included.
This goes back to my frequent thoughts over the last 4 years about the so-called Christians. If you’re in an evangelical church are you always considered a Republican? When they sit next to each other in pews each week would they hate you for supporting Democrats like they do in public? Do they self segregate? When did church and religion become so political?
I was raised in the Methodist church. I taught Sunday School for many years so I would know what my daughter was learning and eventually left when it was more about the collection plate than physically helping people. Also, my father was a bigot. Going to church doesn’t make you a good person. What you do outside of the church can.
The fundamentalist church down the street has a huge hubris problem and they also gave the area a huge COVID outbreak. They won't cooperate with their near neighbors in terms of too loud music. Now they have joined the churches who preach hate at Riverside Park in downtown Salem. I can't even imagine a Democrat attending such a place. On the other hand, I have friends whose religious beliefs and church memberships inform their social consciences and they actively take part in progressive causes.
"When did church and religion become so political?" I think that the separation of church and state began to fold when anti abortion became an evangelical theme during the civil rights years. Sometimes I don't get the connection, but churches seemed to rise up to create this theme. Someone help me with the connection.
$$$$. So called leaders of such groups realized that the anti abortion issue feeds the church budget! While their sincerity to preserve life might be heart felt, such emotion is rarely translated into other pro-life issues as being anti war; supporting healthcare for ALL; supporting a living wage which would enable parents to spend more quality time with their children rather than working 60+ hours a week in order to provide food and shelter for their family.
All of these "teachings" should be called out for what they truly are - pushing their political agenda, and as such, they should all have their tax-exempt status revoked. Then see how quickly they "repent."
It was planted in their religious brains by Conservative Movement cons, who saw potential Christian and Catholic armies for their bigoted sexist money and power grubbing cause. Maybe I am being too nice.
C.S. Lewis suggested that almost all crimes of Christian history have come about when religion is confused with politics…allures us to trade grace for power, a temptation the church has often been unable to resist. —- Phillip Yancey
The lesson here might be the consequential damages that occur on a small planet with increasing connectivity when extremism, fundamentalism, anti-intellectualism take over.
US Republicans, with their increasing extremists, fundamentalists and anti-intellectualists, may not believe that we are all in this together. They may believe there are winners and losers, and winners deserve to have it all. They may believe that "you are either with us or against us" meaning against them. They may believe there are "others" here and abroad who shouldn't be here in the US. They may be a softer more kinder "Taliban". Not so sure about this.
But my point is that nations, communities, families, societies, economies, cultures, lives collapse when there is no trust, when there is no freedom to work together, when all orders come from one group, when the doors are shut. Ultimately, the money does stop flowing, systems shutdown, the anger builds and the violence grows.
Russia has never come out of its doldrums. The Dark Ages were not just one period of history. While slaves were eventually freed in the US, slave states continued to sacrifice everything to destroy the achievements of blacks and to oppress them. Whites in the free states could not see their own segregation of blacks as a liability to our own economy and morality. The evidence is and has been everywhere that humanity either works together so that all may prosper in a sustainable way, or there will be no true peace and prosperity. If Christianity and all other religions were practiced with their best intentions, there would only be enlightenment. But like all other human endeavors, those who can command power too often abuse it and destroy everything in their path. We should watch what's happening in Afghanistan with humility and know that we are next if we don't work together, while denying all resources to extremists, our own included.
That's it in a nutshell. You're either for all or for none.
You provided the nutshell, Becky.
You cannot have "connectivity on a small planet" while embracing "extremists, fundamentalists and anti-intellectualists". Well said, well displayed.
This goes back to my frequent thoughts over the last 4 years about the so-called Christians. If you’re in an evangelical church are you always considered a Republican? When they sit next to each other in pews each week would they hate you for supporting Democrats like they do in public? Do they self segregate? When did church and religion become so political?
I was raised in the Methodist church. I taught Sunday School for many years so I would know what my daughter was learning and eventually left when it was more about the collection plate than physically helping people. Also, my father was a bigot. Going to church doesn’t make you a good person. What you do outside of the church can.
The fundamentalist church down the street has a huge hubris problem and they also gave the area a huge COVID outbreak. They won't cooperate with their near neighbors in terms of too loud music. Now they have joined the churches who preach hate at Riverside Park in downtown Salem. I can't even imagine a Democrat attending such a place. On the other hand, I have friends whose religious beliefs and church memberships inform their social consciences and they actively take part in progressive causes.
"When did church and religion become so political?" I think that the separation of church and state began to fold when anti abortion became an evangelical theme during the civil rights years. Sometimes I don't get the connection, but churches seemed to rise up to create this theme. Someone help me with the connection.
$$$$. So called leaders of such groups realized that the anti abortion issue feeds the church budget! While their sincerity to preserve life might be heart felt, such emotion is rarely translated into other pro-life issues as being anti war; supporting healthcare for ALL; supporting a living wage which would enable parents to spend more quality time with their children rather than working 60+ hours a week in order to provide food and shelter for their family.
All of these "teachings" should be called out for what they truly are - pushing their political agenda, and as such, they should all have their tax-exempt status revoked. Then see how quickly they "repent."
Damn (nation).
It was planted in their religious brains by Conservative Movement cons, who saw potential Christian and Catholic armies for their bigoted sexist money and power grubbing cause. Maybe I am being too nice.
C.S. Lewis suggested that almost all crimes of Christian history have come about when religion is confused with politics…allures us to trade grace for power, a temptation the church has often been unable to resist. —- Phillip Yancey
Truth.
Thank you for sharing this, it is spot on!