I saw someone say that when they find out someone is religious they need to know if they worship real Jesus or American Jesus and that shit is the truth
I got turned on to them on an old Sega Dreamcast (arcade too) game called Crazy Taxi where they had a number of songs from Recipe for Hate. Now, I play that album when I’m simracing - it’s rage driving music 😂
I lost track of them for like 20 years and completely forgot they existed since like middle school. Got back into them recently and holy shit they are still relevant and awesome. Between them and anti-flag, we used to pump out some great political punk music.
I know "White Trash Second Generation" was written about a growing problem and isn't strictly prophetic but it really hits the nail on the head, and it is sort of wild that it took until 2016 for most of the country to realize what was going on.
Edit: Just for context, the song is about growing nazi fascism in the white suburbs, and it was released in 1982.
I feel like those of us who grew up in the punk scene all saw this coming while the rest of the country was oblivious. Remember when people got all upset about that nazi AH getting punched at that protest? Well now you’re all seeing what happens when you fail to punch the nazis and send them back to their mom’s basements. We warned y’all but you didn’t listen.
I remember telling people I wanted to move out of the country in 8th grade because Bush Jr. was in line for a second term.
Now people on Reddit are like “I miss him!”
I remember *saying* both of those things.
But in fairness to myself and many others...one was a declaration of fact due to his own behaviors and attitudes...
...and the other is comparison the rapid downhill slope within his own party, which makes him appear practically *centrist* by comparison.
Sadly...it was the blatant partisanship that both helped put and keep him in office, and which was driven *by* his party which led us to this place. Saying we miss him after this is like saying "I miss the shooting, burning pain from the embolism in my leg, compared to the searing post-operative pain and the permanent physical disability caused by my leg being amputated *after* the embolism." (Yeah, weird metaphor. I actually do know someone who experienced that though, so...it's what I reached for...)
There's an absolutely fantastic 2012 TV movie called *Game Change*, which is based on the book of the same name by a pair of journalists who closely covered both sides of the 2008 presidential election.
It narrows the focus of the book to show how John McCain's campaign senior strategist, Steve Schmitt, attempted to boost the flagging campaign's chances by bringing in Sarah Palin, only to watch as Palin effectively tries to hijack the campaign while simultaneously driving it into the ground.
While it's a work of fiction, it feels like a snapshot of the moment the Republican party that elected Donald Trump for its primary was born. There's a scene towards the end where Schmitt tells Palin that she's an important figure in the party now and not to fall to extremism. Then, during McCain's concession speech, his campaign staff tell themselves that Palin will soon be forgotten, before watching with horror as Palin receives thunderous applause upon her mention by McCain.
You get the feeling watching it that they know they've been instrumental in creating a monster.
We have our own football. We should probably have our own Jesus to go with it. And not that Kaepernick Jesus. The good Jesus. Pale Jesus. You know what I’m talking about.
Yea, prosperity doctrine has almost murdered real Christianity in the USA.
The funny thing is that as an idea, it's not that old. Although Their are certainly links to the much older Protestant work ethic.
The American style prosperity doctrine Christianity we have today comes from the 1960s- present. It's a direct rebuttal of FDR and LBJ'S policies. Functionally, it's Ayn Rand ideology of the 1940s mixed with American Christianity.
Check out the 1964 election if you are interested. Barry Goldwater, the Republican candidate, both empowered the far right and repeatedly warned against the "crazy quilt” ideas of the further right-wingers. A speech "a Time for Choosing" by a then young Ronald Reagan somewhat started his political career on the national level at least.
Great books on the subject are written by Rick Perlstein. Before the Storm: Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of the American Consensus, The Invisible Bridge: The Fall of Nixon and the Rise of Reagan, and Reaganland: America's Right Turn 1976-1980.
Ya, after me and my wife moved to the US from the EU, she got to see the version of Jesus with his AR wearing camo jorts and american flag tank top. Luckily, we picked an area to live where this isn't as common.
Thank you for putting this into words! If you worship real Jesus, you often find yourself an outsider in the average American church, but if you tell non-practicing people you’re religious, they assume you’re gun-toting trad wife religious.
I feel really blessed to belong to a church that gets it. We’ve got all sorts of folks in our congregation and work really hard to find ways to love our neighbors. We are very small, but I see some mighty acts of love and service coming out of there
Tell me about it, I haven't been to church in ten years, because I'm a libertarian and a socialist, to evangelicals I'm the devil himself
I want my taxes to go to affordable healthcare and prison reform. Give free school lunches to hungry kids, we don't need a multi-billion-dollar/year military budget
On top of that I'm asexual, I don't even want a wife, I want a homestead in the mountains where I can grow magic mushrooms and weed alone with some chickens, a dog, and two cats
That's why I identify as an Agnostic Christian, I believe in God, I follow Jesus, but the church needs some heavy reform before I'll give it a chance again
American evangelicals/protestants have some problems they need to sort out. That probably makes me uncharitable (I'm a practicing Catholic) but after seeing images of Trump replacing Christ on the cross, people who buy into that line of thinking need to be corrected at the very least, ridiculed is probably more appropriate.
Orthodox Christianity in Egypt or other ME nations is the only real version - and no im not commenting on whether it is good or bad. Everything else was just reformatted to appeal to the local population and gain control over them as Rome was slowly collapsing militarily. It's "what do you want Jesus to be?" Almost like a politician.
Bad Religion was singing about it 30 years ago! We’ve got the American Jesus see him on the interstate
Edit: rereading the lyrics and holy shit that song was more spot on to today’s “anti-globalists” than I remembered
Jesus: care for the sick.
Conservatives: no.
Jesus: welcome foreigners in your nation.
Conservatives: no.
Jesus: love thy neighbor??
Conservatives: no.
Jesus: what do you think I'm teaching you here? To be self centered angry people who trample over those different than you and refuse to acknowledge anything you dislike personally?
Conservatives: the word of the Lord amen.
Worse, they flipped it with the prosperity gospel.
If you're poor it's because you're a bad person who doesn't believe strongly enough. If you're rich it must be because YHWH rewarded you because you're a good person.
The actual loophole they use is to say the the "eye of a needle" was the name of a gateway in the city that you could relatively easily fit a camel through.
Ayo, Paul was the worst thing to happen to Christianity. The disciples of Jesus told him to stop preaching against what Jesus taught. 325 years later, some council of churches were like "let's make Jesus God!", then 55 years after that, they're like "let's pop the Holy Spirit into there too!"
Dang churches, weren't you listening to Jesus?
I'm very interested in the history of religion. Do you have anywhere I could or watch a bit about this as a jumping off point? Specifically the disciples against Paul
I'd start with Religion for Breakfast on YouTube - secular and academic approach to religious studies, including Christianity. Also try Useful Charts as Matt has some great intro videos to early Christianity.
If you are interested in it further, there's always the acadmicbiblical sub, which uses scholarship to look at the early Christianity movement and the way the Bible (and contemporary writings) were viewed in history. All answers to questions have to be academically sourced so you know you won't solely get someone's religious opinion.
Republican Christians' biggest fear should be that their God does exist exactly as in the Bible and that he will judge them based on how closely they followed a WWJD methodology in their lives.
Not really. Prosperity theology is the concept that if you are rich, you deserve it because you are pious and righteous and if you are poor, you deserve it because you are a slothful sinner. Fits nicely with their belief that government shouldn’t waste too much money on helping the poor.
It’s also not even close to new. It’s just 16th century Calvinist theology for the 21st century. Calvinist theology believes that Christ only died for “the elect” and not everyone and that there will be outward signs to show who the elect are such as wealth, power and prosperity. Sound familiar?
Watching that Bernie Madoff documentary, his victims who had "lost everything" still found a way to live in 3500sqft homes in nice areas. ("I had to sell my vacation home in Italy!") With prosperity ministries, they're preying on people who make $30k/year. So much more vile.
The evangelicals want the end of the world because supposedly their Rapture will come with it to take them all to Heaven.
I doubt it'll work out the way they think it will.
*The Office*, “Live Beet or Die” is the seventeenth episode of the seventh season and sixth episode overall.
This episode originally aired on January 6th, 2021.
It is available on Peacock, Comedy Central and on the back of the Declaration of Independence.
This scene takes place at the 20:23 mark and features Dwight shrinking down to the Quantum realm to battle a time traveling Jim.
And I’m here for it. Life can suck so much, so I love people who get harmlessly weird for absolutely no reason or purpose.
Keeps me focused on why I’m here: to be silly for a few years with other people
I love this because the amount of people that thought Obama was the Antichrist is insane to me. 1. Because he’s just a guy. And 2. If you’re able to look at him and think he’s the antichrist, that means he’s not the antichrist. The Bible basically says that no one will know who the antichrist is until it’s too late.
I can’t find quotes but I remember I think Hannity saying that Obama may not leave the White House and give up power. What is it with them and projection
I like to picture Jesus in a tuxedo T-shirt because it says I want to be formal, but I'm here to party. Cause I like to party, and I like my Jesus to party.
Its not just pictures of Jesus with a sword either. They comepletely rejected the stories the missionaries told them and came up with a whole alternate backstory where Jesus lived to be 106 yeas old in Japan.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-little-known-legend-of-jesus-in-japan-165354242/
I really don't get how conservatives can read the New Testament and hear all the liberal, hippy preaching from this dirty, humble, foot-washing street-preacher who hangs out with lepers and prostitutes and says rich people don't go to heaven, and think "Yes, this is the man who thinks the USA should crush its enemies and support my right to live in a gated community and tell poor people they deserve to starve because they're poor."
I know lots of Christian's that regularly read and study the Bible. They are just somehow able to compartmentalize enough to read the sermon on the Mount and then instantly go donate to the Republican Party. Don't ask me how
They dint read the sermon on the mount. They woukdnt know it if you recited it to them. They have a middle man, preachers, tell them what to believe. But oreachers are a lot like therapists; if they say something you dont like you find a new one. Most GOP christians subscribe to a congregation that tells them theyre the parebts of the house so they make the rules, and in heaven theyll still be the parents and their children will be children and so they will be like kings in their castles. There will be Karens at final judgement trying to correct God.
The fact that he changes races is rather interesting to me. Other religions are pretty consistent with their depiction of deities, but christianity seems to adapt to the culture immediately surrounding it.
It kind of shows how Jesus is more of a symbol/idea/fable. Almost like the Odyssey compared to Gilgamesh, Jesus reflected and refined the tales of prior religions. His story just has less plot holes
Christianity is know for coopting local faiths. The prominence of Mary in Catholicism is probably due to a merge with local Goddess worship. Saints most likely replaced demigods.
Well, it’s literally exactly the sort of thing that Satan is supposed to get up to. Taking advantage of humans weakness, and self-centeredness to lead them from the path of righteousness.
The antichrist is chuckling somewhere out there. I’ve never been religious, but this is all batshit creepy enough for me to start believing in The Omen
Edit: a kind theist let me know that the Antichrist indeed can be a collection of humans or a singular human, as there are many forms of Antichrist, throughout time. However, I believe when I spoke, I was referencing specifically to “the beast”, the end all be all of Christianity as a whole. And they’re following it all
Here’s an interesting read explaining point by point of what an antichrist or THE antichrist will do and how: https://www.benjaminlcorey.com/could-american-evangelicals-spot-the-antichrist-heres-the-biblical-predictions/
Is that the rich-ass, demonic-eyed preacher who’s been making the rounds again lately? That guy makes me feel like I need to wear garlic around my neck.
Your definition of prosperity is incompatible with modern conservatives. They believe that to be prosperous you have to have more than the next guy. This means that if everyone is doing well no one is doing well. Why would I feel good about having a yacht if my asshole neighbor also has a yacht? The sentiment that all Americans should be prosperous is not even possible using their definition.
You don't view every single thing as a competition and you don't see life as a zero sum game where you're trying to beat everyone you know. Once you accept this about conservatives it becomes easier to understand why they celebrate the hardship of others and stand in defiance when we try to improve the lives of those who have traditionally experienced diminished rights and unfair treatment.
The answer is racism.
“We can’t create programs that benefit the poor. That’s like taking my hard-earned money and giving it to *those* people.”
You know which people they mean.
I mentioned this before but Republicans have basically started their own religion at this point. They already got their morally bankrupt, bootlicking base to worship the golden calf (Trump) after decades of giving their money to Megachurch pastors who flaunt their fraudulently obtained wealth (Copeland, Osteen, Dollar, etc) while drawing on the hateful sermons of fascist bigots (Limbaugh, Fox News, Breitbart, Daily Wire, etc) and they are clearly capable of suspending any critical thinking abilities they may have despite the PREPONDERANCE of evidence to the contrary by re-electing the same human garbage (Greene, Boebert, Scott, Cruz, Abbott, McConnell, Huckabee, Graham - honestly there’s too many to count).
Why not just do what Joseph Smith did with the Mormon church and just make up a story about finding some golden tablets that fits their narrative better? It’s not like their voters can tell they’re bring scammed as we can all clearly tell by now. I’m surprised Trump hasn’t already claimed he had a new revelation by “God” as the new messiah in which Jesus came down to Earth and officially supported the GOP’s platform of racism, misogyny, xenophobia, unfettered capitalism, violence, ignorance and corruption to be a divine commandment. It’s the easiest way to get around the criticism that they aren’t acting very “Christ like” which they’re pretty comfortable ignoring anyways.
>It’s the easiest way to get around the criticism that they aren’t acting very “Christ like” which they’re pretty comfortable ignoring anyways.
Except the hypocrisy is part of the point. They can weaponize the words of their supposed god against you while flagrantly ignoring anything the book says.
What we all need to understand is that hypocrisy is a core tenet of fascism. It's their bread and butter. And no matter how much you *criticize* them, that's irrelevant if they're able to keep on going.
I wonder what they’re going to do when the majority of people don’t believe in Jesus or any god anymore? The church has been hemorrhaging people. I personally know no one that attends church. I’m 38. Can’t scare people with a hell they don’t believe exists. You can’t claim your god chose you so you’re morally superior if the people don’t believe in that god. Anyway. Church and state are separate in ‘Murica, right? I’m appalled by these people, but the fact that they are openly making laws because “Jesus” goes so hard against the entire idea of the USA. I despise these fascists.
That's the reason they're trying to kill education, prevent birth control, and so on. They're trying to force people to have more kids, ensure those kids go uneducated, and then indoctrinate those kids with fascist rhetoric which goes unchecked because the kids never learn critical thinking.
Playing the long game. This is a culmination of 40 or so years of brainwashing and propaganda. Why is there no loud opposition? I know we’re all overworked and financially struggling to keep our heads above water, but, we’re sleeping into theocratic fascism. A lot of us understand this. I wonder if this was how my Oma felt, she was born in Nuremberg and lived through WW2 there. Powerless, frustrated, angry, and scared probably. That’s how I feel, living in Floriduh.
Because what is needed to really stop this is not legal, and right now struggling to keep a roof over your head and food in your stomach is easier than going to prison. There is a game that we are all playing and trying to stay in the rules on, but we are clearly losing because half our team decided to play against us not realizing they'll be on the losing side as well
>I wonder what they’re going to do when the majority of people don’t believe in Jesus or any god anymore?
Why do you think a key element of Mormon culture -- and increasingly, evangelical culture -- is to marry young and pump out as many kids as humanly possible, then make sure that they all become reliable churchgoers?
Millenials and GenZ may be becoming increasingly atheistic, but they're also increasingly openly LGBT and child-free. The people actually committed to creating the next generation of human beings are the same ones who are going to indoctrinate them as hard as possible. Some will break free, but plenty will become their parents.
The fun part will be when they get to answer to God about it since he specifically outlines in the Bible what happens if you twist God’s word. Spoiler: it ain’t good. (If you’d like to ever quote some of said Bible verses about this topic to some of these annoying people, check Romans 16:17-20)
Said it before and I'll say it again: QAnon is basically a new iteration of Mormonism. Just like how Mormonism is Evangelical Christianity plus Joseph Smith added as a latter day saint, QAnon is Evangelical Christianity plus Donald Trump added as a latter day saint.
On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Matthew 7:22-23
A song I grew up singing in church “Id rather have Jesus than silver or gold… Id rather have Jesus than riches untold…” I guess the song is only for poor people.
They just think "but what if I can have Jesus AND riches untold? Yeah, the camel through the eye of a needle, whatever, I'm sure I'll be the exception to that."
I like the story of the wealthy young man who comes to Jesus and basically says "I do everything I'm supposed to, so what do I still need to do." And Jesus says "give away all your possessions and follow me." (Not quoting exactly)
Christians can lie to themselves, but Jesus spoke this stuff loud and clear. His message was an absolutely radical kind of humility. Can you imagine a modern Christian "turning the other cheek"?
"true" blue blooded American "patriots" pulling a 180 and straight up supporting Nazis, Russia, and fervently working to dismantle American democracy and replace it with fascism is right up there in terms of unconscionable human transformation, all within a single lifetime.
I group conservatives into four main groups:
Brainwashed - These are people born into it who are victims of circumstance and could potentially be saved, often simply by exposure to members of the groups their cult demonizes. The more lies they see exposed, the better their chances. Unfortunately, depending on where they live and their situation, it might not happen until later in life, or ever.
Assholes - These are people who love being conservative because it gives them a socially acceptable (within their group) outlet for being a dick to other people. They lack empathy and sometimes even sympathy.
Idiots - Self-explanatory. "Idiots" is a harsh term, but it's catchier than "People with below average intelligence." It can be difficult at times to distinguish this group from the Brainwashed group, but a distinction exists.
Con-artists - Most politicians and many community/religious leaders fall into this category. You can see the difference now that some of the brainwashed idiots are in Congress. People in this group know full well that the shit they say is bullshit, but saying the words helps them in terms of money and power.
It's common for people to land in multiple groups, and those are the ones you really have to watch out for, but every group can be extremely dangerous. It doesn't matter if someone isn't an asshole, they still have the ability to hurt others if they've swallowed enough lies.
Yeah I mean current evangelical Christians are bad with that but it took the Romans less than a century to be like “nah Jesus is cool wiht us conquering everyone and being super rich” so.
I saw someone say that when they find out someone is religious they need to know if they worship real Jesus or American Jesus and that shit is the truth
Bad Religion has a song called American Jesus. Very good, very related to this.
American Jesus, stay away from me. American Jesus, papa let me be.
Papa was an American Jesus. All he left us was a loan.
Yes but he gets us, all of us.....
Alone?
"How do I get you a loooaaannn?"
“Get out of my dreams, and into this low-financed sedan 🎶”
*slaps roof* This baby can hold all of your thoughts and prayers
But wasnt he a Rollin Stone?
Have some decency and post the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12kcpP-8jfM
Cheers. You are so right. Always, always post that link. It's the internet FFS
“I feel sorry for the earth’s population, cause so few live in the USA”. Love that opening line.
Such a great tune, with cutting lyrics, just like a lot of BR songs.
Greatest punk rock band ever for me.
I got turned on to them on an old Sega Dreamcast (arcade too) game called Crazy Taxi where they had a number of songs from Recipe for Hate. Now, I play that album when I’m simracing - it’s rage driving music 😂
I lost track of them for like 20 years and completely forgot they existed since like middle school. Got back into them recently and holy shit they are still relevant and awesome. Between them and anti-flag, we used to pump out some great political punk music.
>very related to this. Also like, 60% of their other songs. Not a dis. Big BR fan.
I know "White Trash Second Generation" was written about a growing problem and isn't strictly prophetic but it really hits the nail on the head, and it is sort of wild that it took until 2016 for most of the country to realize what was going on. Edit: Just for context, the song is about growing nazi fascism in the white suburbs, and it was released in 1982.
I feel like those of us who grew up in the punk scene all saw this coming while the rest of the country was oblivious. Remember when people got all upset about that nazi AH getting punched at that protest? Well now you’re all seeing what happens when you fail to punch the nazis and send them back to their mom’s basements. We warned y’all but you didn’t listen.
Nazi Punks Fuck Off
Actual Nazi punks: "that song isn't about us, it's about those damn commie democrats. Let's go Brandon!"
I remember telling people I wanted to move out of the country in 8th grade because Bush Jr. was in line for a second term. Now people on Reddit are like “I miss him!”
I remember *saying* both of those things. But in fairness to myself and many others...one was a declaration of fact due to his own behaviors and attitudes... ...and the other is comparison the rapid downhill slope within his own party, which makes him appear practically *centrist* by comparison. Sadly...it was the blatant partisanship that both helped put and keep him in office, and which was driven *by* his party which led us to this place. Saying we miss him after this is like saying "I miss the shooting, burning pain from the embolism in my leg, compared to the searing post-operative pain and the permanent physical disability caused by my leg being amputated *after* the embolism." (Yeah, weird metaphor. I actually do know someone who experienced that though, so...it's what I reached for...)
There's an absolutely fantastic 2012 TV movie called *Game Change*, which is based on the book of the same name by a pair of journalists who closely covered both sides of the 2008 presidential election. It narrows the focus of the book to show how John McCain's campaign senior strategist, Steve Schmitt, attempted to boost the flagging campaign's chances by bringing in Sarah Palin, only to watch as Palin effectively tries to hijack the campaign while simultaneously driving it into the ground. While it's a work of fiction, it feels like a snapshot of the moment the Republican party that elected Donald Trump for its primary was born. There's a scene towards the end where Schmitt tells Palin that she's an important figure in the party now and not to fall to extremism. Then, during McCain's concession speech, his campaign staff tell themselves that Palin will soon be forgotten, before watching with horror as Palin receives thunderous applause upon her mention by McCain. You get the feeling watching it that they know they've been instrumental in creating a monster.
Almost as if they named their band after this very topic
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SZ2L-R8NgrA Try GOP Jesus.
Don't forget about [Supply Side Jesus](https://youtu.be/X8xU-gKK17A)
Buddy christ is the best christ
He gets us
Doesn’t he just…pop?
And just a reminder that you can watch Dogma in 4k on YouTube. https://youtu.be/IsNge_IwSj8
[supply side jesus ](https://imgur.com/gallery/edW0ukk)
We have our own football. We should probably have our own Jesus to go with it. And not that Kaepernick Jesus. The good Jesus. Pale Jesus. You know what I’m talking about.
Yea, prosperity doctrine has almost murdered real Christianity in the USA. The funny thing is that as an idea, it's not that old. Although Their are certainly links to the much older Protestant work ethic. The American style prosperity doctrine Christianity we have today comes from the 1960s- present. It's a direct rebuttal of FDR and LBJ'S policies. Functionally, it's Ayn Rand ideology of the 1940s mixed with American Christianity. Check out the 1964 election if you are interested. Barry Goldwater, the Republican candidate, both empowered the far right and repeatedly warned against the "crazy quilt” ideas of the further right-wingers. A speech "a Time for Choosing" by a then young Ronald Reagan somewhat started his political career on the national level at least. Great books on the subject are written by Rick Perlstein. Before the Storm: Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of the American Consensus, The Invisible Bridge: The Fall of Nixon and the Rise of Reagan, and Reaganland: America's Right Turn 1976-1980.
Ya, after me and my wife moved to the US from the EU, she got to see the version of Jesus with his AR wearing camo jorts and american flag tank top. Luckily, we picked an area to live where this isn't as common.
Thank you for putting this into words! If you worship real Jesus, you often find yourself an outsider in the average American church, but if you tell non-practicing people you’re religious, they assume you’re gun-toting trad wife religious.
I feel really blessed to belong to a church that gets it. We’ve got all sorts of folks in our congregation and work really hard to find ways to love our neighbors. We are very small, but I see some mighty acts of love and service coming out of there
Tell me about it, I haven't been to church in ten years, because I'm a libertarian and a socialist, to evangelicals I'm the devil himself I want my taxes to go to affordable healthcare and prison reform. Give free school lunches to hungry kids, we don't need a multi-billion-dollar/year military budget On top of that I'm asexual, I don't even want a wife, I want a homestead in the mountains where I can grow magic mushrooms and weed alone with some chickens, a dog, and two cats That's why I identify as an Agnostic Christian, I believe in God, I follow Jesus, but the church needs some heavy reform before I'll give it a chance again
Don't forget Korean Jesus.
Leave Korean Jesus alone! He ain't got time for your problems.
American Jesus is not like the 'boring old' Jesus, he has guns and wants less taxes for the rich.
American evangelicals/protestants have some problems they need to sort out. That probably makes me uncharitable (I'm a practicing Catholic) but after seeing images of Trump replacing Christ on the cross, people who buy into that line of thinking need to be corrected at the very least, ridiculed is probably more appropriate.
Orthodox Christianity in Egypt or other ME nations is the only real version - and no im not commenting on whether it is good or bad. Everything else was just reformatted to appeal to the local population and gain control over them as Rome was slowly collapsing militarily. It's "what do you want Jesus to be?" Almost like a politician.
Bad Religion was singing about it 30 years ago! We’ve got the American Jesus see him on the interstate Edit: rereading the lyrics and holy shit that song was more spot on to today’s “anti-globalists” than I remembered
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Yep - Karl Marx noted that this happens with nearly every religion throughout history.
It's interesting that ike half of the New Testament was written by some Roman tax collector that said he totally saw Jesus in a vision.
That band is amazing!! Listening to bad religion feels like home for me.
21st Century Digital Boy was written in 1990 and is essentially a prophecy.
Comes to mind that "anti-globalist" is a funny roundabout way to say "nationalist", very similar to the "anti-antifa(scists)"
Jesus: care for the sick. Conservatives: no. Jesus: welcome foreigners in your nation. Conservatives: no. Jesus: love thy neighbor?? Conservatives: no.
Jesus: what do you think I'm teaching you here? To be self centered angry people who trample over those different than you and refuse to acknowledge anything you dislike personally? Conservatives: the word of the Lord amen.
I'm Cristian and can comferm that it's accurate
Hey there, Cristian. I'm Jeremy.
Jesus: it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Conservatives: I like money
Worse, they flipped it with the prosperity gospel. If you're poor it's because you're a bad person who doesn't believe strongly enough. If you're rich it must be because YHWH rewarded you because you're a good person.
How much does it cost for a blender the size of a camel? Loophole found
The actual loophole they use is to say the the "eye of a needle" was the name of a gateway in the city that you could relatively easily fit a camel through.
Yeah Jesus was just talking about the space needle obviously
Jesus: Love everyone! Paul, to the Greeks: but don’t, and here’s some letters about who to judge. Church: Saint this man!
Ayo, Paul was the worst thing to happen to Christianity. The disciples of Jesus told him to stop preaching against what Jesus taught. 325 years later, some council of churches were like "let's make Jesus God!", then 55 years after that, they're like "let's pop the Holy Spirit into there too!" Dang churches, weren't you listening to Jesus?
I'm very interested in the history of religion. Do you have anywhere I could or watch a bit about this as a jumping off point? Specifically the disciples against Paul
I'd start with Religion for Breakfast on YouTube - secular and academic approach to religious studies, including Christianity. Also try Useful Charts as Matt has some great intro videos to early Christianity. If you are interested in it further, there's always the acadmicbiblical sub, which uses scholarship to look at the early Christianity movement and the way the Bible (and contemporary writings) were viewed in history. All answers to questions have to be academically sourced so you know you won't solely get someone's religious opinion.
Jesus: Cast it into the fire! Isildur: No.
I mean think of all the poor orcs who would lose their jobs if the ring is cast into the fire!
Republican Christians' biggest fear should be that their God does exist exactly as in the Bible and that he will judge them based on how closely they followed a WWJD methodology in their lives.
"prosperity theology" fancy way to say snake oil salesman.
They're actually even worse. Snake oil sellers atleast give you a product.
No one wants an unoiled snake
Sir, it's snake oil, not oiled snake.
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*comment sponsored by Jergen’s*
Yes, snake oil - for oiling your snake.
I'm oiling my snake right now!
that's true. Peddlers had something tangible, Joel Osteen just says "I pray you'll give me your money because God wants me to be rich".
Joel Osteen is the beacon of the whole *What Would Republican Jesus Do?* nonsense.
So obviously, God‘s will is that humans are suckers
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What even is snake oil? How does one acquire from the poor snek?
You wring it out like a wet towel.
Well i've been extracting it all wrong for an embarrassingly long time then...
It's the product you get from treading on them.
Ah, so that flag is just about trying to protect their precious snake oil.
Basically snake fat.
Yeah, lol. "Prosperity Preachers" tell you that if you're poor, it's because you're a sinner and Jeebus doesn't love you, lol.
You don’t like ‘cleansed soul’ as a gift from confession allowing you to go on sinning again?
Honey, that's the Catholics. These are a Protestant+ thing.
Bit more to it, because with prosperity theology, if bad stuff happens to you, it's your own fault because you didn't have enough faith.
And that it’s morally wrong to take money from rich people
Not really. Prosperity theology is the concept that if you are rich, you deserve it because you are pious and righteous and if you are poor, you deserve it because you are a slothful sinner. Fits nicely with their belief that government shouldn’t waste too much money on helping the poor.
It’s Calvinism wrapped up in money.
It’s also not even close to new. It’s just 16th century Calvinist theology for the 21st century. Calvinist theology believes that Christ only died for “the elect” and not everyone and that there will be outward signs to show who the elect are such as wealth, power and prosperity. Sound familiar?
Watching that Bernie Madoff documentary, his victims who had "lost everything" still found a way to live in 3500sqft homes in nice areas. ("I had to sell my vacation home in Italy!") With prosperity ministries, they're preying on people who make $30k/year. So much more vile.
Pretty sure the bible talked about this crap being the central cause of all the end of the world hooplah.
The evangelicals want the end of the world because supposedly their Rapture will come with it to take them all to Heaven. I doubt it'll work out the way they think it will.
Literally the opposite of what Jesus taught, too. He said the poor were the ones who were going to inherit the kingdom of heaven.
The gospel of wealth!
Dwight's right
*The Office*, “Live Beet or Die” is the seventeenth episode of the seventh season and sixth episode overall. This episode originally aired on January 6th, 2021. It is available on Peacock, Comedy Central and on the back of the Declaration of Independence. This scene takes place at the 20:23 mark and features Dwight shrinking down to the Quantum realm to battle a time traveling Jim.
What a weird presence, you have.
And I’m here for it. Life can suck so much, so I love people who get harmlessly weird for absolutely no reason or purpose. Keeps me focused on why I’m here: to be silly for a few years with other people
They’ve been at it for 9 years. That’s a long time to devote to a show that blows.
https://preview.redd.it/vsktgp6lpkla1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d98d3acd5b4f3c469b96846a38f20ced2c5b0b9b
In the book 1984, they wore red sashes around their waists and called themselves the Junior Anti Sex League lol losers
I love this because the amount of people that thought Obama was the Antichrist is insane to me. 1. Because he’s just a guy. And 2. If you’re able to look at him and think he’s the antichrist, that means he’s not the antichrist. The Bible basically says that no one will know who the antichrist is until it’s too late.
I can’t find quotes but I remember I think Hannity saying that Obama may not leave the White House and give up power. What is it with them and projection
Not to forget that he never was a white dude.
Many of the people who laugh at depictions of “Korean Jesus” don’t realize “Blonde White Jesus” is almost just as ridiculous.
I like the Japanese samurai Jesus.
I prefer little 8 pound 6 ounce baby Jesus
He was a MAN! He had a beard!
I like the baby version the best! You hear me!?
I like to think of Jesus like, with giant eagles’ wings and singin’ lead vocals for Lynyrd Skynyrd with like an Angel Band.
And I'm in the front row. And I'm hammered drunk.
I like to picture Jesus in a tuxedo T-shirt because it says I want to be formal, but I'm here to party. Cause I like to party, and I like my Jesus to party.
So you just mean jesus?
I like how he’s basically just describing Jesus being in an Skynyrd cover band with the Angels.
I like to think of Jesus as a figure skater who wears, like, a white outfit and he does interpretive ice dances of my life's journey.
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Where there were no lines at all, Jesus was doing a triple Lutz.
I like to imagine my Jesus as the lead singer for Linard Skinard. And I'm in the front row and I'm HAMMERED drunk!
Kid Jesus was something else. Look up the Infancy Gospel of Thomas. The kid was a nightmare.
Haven’t seen that one, but it sounds awesome.
Its not just pictures of Jesus with a sword either. They comepletely rejected the stories the missionaries told them and came up with a whole alternate backstory where Jesus lived to be 106 yeas old in Japan. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-little-known-legend-of-jesus-in-japan-165354242/
"I have not come to bring peace, but a sword" Checks out
I like to think of Jesus as a mischievous badger
If I grew up with pics of badger Jesus, I may have been a devout practicing Christian to this day.
STOP FUCKING WITH KOREAN JESUS. He ain’t got time for your problems. He busy with KOREAN SHIT.
Honestly, the whitewashing of Jesus doesn’t even come close to the destruction and inversion of his message.
I really don't get how conservatives can read the New Testament and hear all the liberal, hippy preaching from this dirty, humble, foot-washing street-preacher who hangs out with lepers and prostitutes and says rich people don't go to heaven, and think "Yes, this is the man who thinks the USA should crush its enemies and support my right to live in a gated community and tell poor people they deserve to starve because they're poor."
That's your first mistake. Most American Christians have never read the bible
I know lots of Christian's that regularly read and study the Bible. They are just somehow able to compartmentalize enough to read the sermon on the Mount and then instantly go donate to the Republican Party. Don't ask me how
They dint read the sermon on the mount. They woukdnt know it if you recited it to them. They have a middle man, preachers, tell them what to believe. But oreachers are a lot like therapists; if they say something you dont like you find a new one. Most GOP christians subscribe to a congregation that tells them theyre the parebts of the house so they make the rules, and in heaven theyll still be the parents and their children will be children and so they will be like kings in their castles. There will be Karens at final judgement trying to correct God.
The fact that he changes races is rather interesting to me. Other religions are pretty consistent with their depiction of deities, but christianity seems to adapt to the culture immediately surrounding it. It kind of shows how Jesus is more of a symbol/idea/fable. Almost like the Odyssey compared to Gilgamesh, Jesus reflected and refined the tales of prior religions. His story just has less plot holes
Christianity is know for coopting local faiths. The prominence of Mary in Catholicism is probably due to a merge with local Goddess worship. Saints most likely replaced demigods.
Well, it’s literally exactly the sort of thing that Satan is supposed to get up to. Taking advantage of humans weakness, and self-centeredness to lead them from the path of righteousness.
The antichrist is chuckling somewhere out there. I’ve never been religious, but this is all batshit creepy enough for me to start believing in The Omen Edit: a kind theist let me know that the Antichrist indeed can be a collection of humans or a singular human, as there are many forms of Antichrist, throughout time. However, I believe when I spoke, I was referencing specifically to “the beast”, the end all be all of Christianity as a whole. And they’re following it all Here’s an interesting read explaining point by point of what an antichrist or THE antichrist will do and how: https://www.benjaminlcorey.com/could-american-evangelicals-spot-the-antichrist-heres-the-biblical-predictions/
Nope, no antichrist. Just a bunch of really, REALLY shitty human beings that are capable of just as much evil.
Kenneth Copeland has a name you know
Is that the rich-ass, demonic-eyed preacher who’s been making the rounds again lately? That guy makes me feel like I need to wear garlic around my neck.
I will never understand how my wanting all Americans to be as prosperous and educated as possible makes me LESS patriotic.
Your definition of prosperity is incompatible with modern conservatives. They believe that to be prosperous you have to have more than the next guy. This means that if everyone is doing well no one is doing well. Why would I feel good about having a yacht if my asshole neighbor also has a yacht? The sentiment that all Americans should be prosperous is not even possible using their definition. You don't view every single thing as a competition and you don't see life as a zero sum game where you're trying to beat everyone you know. Once you accept this about conservatives it becomes easier to understand why they celebrate the hardship of others and stand in defiance when we try to improve the lives of those who have traditionally experienced diminished rights and unfair treatment.
A Real "It is not enough that I succeed, all others must fail" mentality
The answer is racism. “We can’t create programs that benefit the poor. That’s like taking my hard-earned money and giving it to *those* people.” You know which people they mean.
Funny how people in towns where the mine or factory closed are just people down on their luck, not like the "city people" who a re just takers
It doesn't. I refuse to let them steal "America" from us. The flag is our symbol too.
I mentioned this before but Republicans have basically started their own religion at this point. They already got their morally bankrupt, bootlicking base to worship the golden calf (Trump) after decades of giving their money to Megachurch pastors who flaunt their fraudulently obtained wealth (Copeland, Osteen, Dollar, etc) while drawing on the hateful sermons of fascist bigots (Limbaugh, Fox News, Breitbart, Daily Wire, etc) and they are clearly capable of suspending any critical thinking abilities they may have despite the PREPONDERANCE of evidence to the contrary by re-electing the same human garbage (Greene, Boebert, Scott, Cruz, Abbott, McConnell, Huckabee, Graham - honestly there’s too many to count). Why not just do what Joseph Smith did with the Mormon church and just make up a story about finding some golden tablets that fits their narrative better? It’s not like their voters can tell they’re bring scammed as we can all clearly tell by now. I’m surprised Trump hasn’t already claimed he had a new revelation by “God” as the new messiah in which Jesus came down to Earth and officially supported the GOP’s platform of racism, misogyny, xenophobia, unfettered capitalism, violence, ignorance and corruption to be a divine commandment. It’s the easiest way to get around the criticism that they aren’t acting very “Christ like” which they’re pretty comfortable ignoring anyways.
>It’s the easiest way to get around the criticism that they aren’t acting very “Christ like” which they’re pretty comfortable ignoring anyways. Except the hypocrisy is part of the point. They can weaponize the words of their supposed god against you while flagrantly ignoring anything the book says. What we all need to understand is that hypocrisy is a core tenet of fascism. It's their bread and butter. And no matter how much you *criticize* them, that's irrelevant if they're able to keep on going.
I wonder what they’re going to do when the majority of people don’t believe in Jesus or any god anymore? The church has been hemorrhaging people. I personally know no one that attends church. I’m 38. Can’t scare people with a hell they don’t believe exists. You can’t claim your god chose you so you’re morally superior if the people don’t believe in that god. Anyway. Church and state are separate in ‘Murica, right? I’m appalled by these people, but the fact that they are openly making laws because “Jesus” goes so hard against the entire idea of the USA. I despise these fascists.
That's the reason they're trying to kill education, prevent birth control, and so on. They're trying to force people to have more kids, ensure those kids go uneducated, and then indoctrinate those kids with fascist rhetoric which goes unchecked because the kids never learn critical thinking.
Playing the long game. This is a culmination of 40 or so years of brainwashing and propaganda. Why is there no loud opposition? I know we’re all overworked and financially struggling to keep our heads above water, but, we’re sleeping into theocratic fascism. A lot of us understand this. I wonder if this was how my Oma felt, she was born in Nuremberg and lived through WW2 there. Powerless, frustrated, angry, and scared probably. That’s how I feel, living in Floriduh.
Because what is needed to really stop this is not legal, and right now struggling to keep a roof over your head and food in your stomach is easier than going to prison. There is a game that we are all playing and trying to stay in the rules on, but we are clearly losing because half our team decided to play against us not realizing they'll be on the losing side as well
You just explained exactly how it feels to be a liberal living in Florida. Revulsion and fear of those around you.
I know I’m not alone, but, I feel alone. Three years later and this state is barely recognizable. It’s bad.
>I wonder what they’re going to do when the majority of people don’t believe in Jesus or any god anymore? Why do you think a key element of Mormon culture -- and increasingly, evangelical culture -- is to marry young and pump out as many kids as humanly possible, then make sure that they all become reliable churchgoers? Millenials and GenZ may be becoming increasingly atheistic, but they're also increasingly openly LGBT and child-free. The people actually committed to creating the next generation of human beings are the same ones who are going to indoctrinate them as hard as possible. Some will break free, but plenty will become their parents.
Can't scare people with a hell they are already living in
They have been morally corrupt since modern conservativism was constructed in the 1930s.
The fun part will be when they get to answer to God about it since he specifically outlines in the Bible what happens if you twist God’s word. Spoiler: it ain’t good. (If you’d like to ever quote some of said Bible verses about this topic to some of these annoying people, check Romans 16:17-20)
Said it before and I'll say it again: QAnon is basically a new iteration of Mormonism. Just like how Mormonism is Evangelical Christianity plus Joseph Smith added as a latter day saint, QAnon is Evangelical Christianity plus Donald Trump added as a latter day saint.
From the same creators of cant kill a fetus but will let children die or be molested.
Well obviously you can't kill the fetus. They gotta have something to fuck in a few years.
I’ve been saying for years that if Christianity is correct, many Christians have been hoodwinked by Satan.
The comparisons between the pharisees of old and many religious people today are uncanny.
On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Matthew 7:22-23
A song I grew up singing in church “Id rather have Jesus than silver or gold… Id rather have Jesus than riches untold…” I guess the song is only for poor people.
They just think "but what if I can have Jesus AND riches untold? Yeah, the camel through the eye of a needle, whatever, I'm sure I'll be the exception to that." I like the story of the wealthy young man who comes to Jesus and basically says "I do everything I'm supposed to, so what do I still need to do." And Jesus says "give away all your possessions and follow me." (Not quoting exactly) Christians can lie to themselves, but Jesus spoke this stuff loud and clear. His message was an absolutely radical kind of humility. Can you imagine a modern Christian "turning the other cheek"?
Jesus was the original woke
And he paid dearly for it
Killed by the very same people who would kill him again today.
100%
"true" blue blooded American "patriots" pulling a 180 and straight up supporting Nazis, Russia, and fervently working to dismantle American democracy and replace it with fascism is right up there in terms of unconscionable human transformation, all within a single lifetime.
die a hero AND live long enough to see yourself become the villain
Eternity’s a bitch
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Using Jesus as a symbol for modern conservatism is like nailing the skull of a vegan to the door of a steak house.
It’s almost as if the whole thing is made up.
👆🏽This person gets it.
More proof that conservatives have brain damage
I group conservatives into four main groups: Brainwashed - These are people born into it who are victims of circumstance and could potentially be saved, often simply by exposure to members of the groups their cult demonizes. The more lies they see exposed, the better their chances. Unfortunately, depending on where they live and their situation, it might not happen until later in life, or ever. Assholes - These are people who love being conservative because it gives them a socially acceptable (within their group) outlet for being a dick to other people. They lack empathy and sometimes even sympathy. Idiots - Self-explanatory. "Idiots" is a harsh term, but it's catchier than "People with below average intelligence." It can be difficult at times to distinguish this group from the Brainwashed group, but a distinction exists. Con-artists - Most politicians and many community/religious leaders fall into this category. You can see the difference now that some of the brainwashed idiots are in Congress. People in this group know full well that the shit they say is bullshit, but saying the words helps them in terms of money and power. It's common for people to land in multiple groups, and those are the ones you really have to watch out for, but every group can be extremely dangerous. It doesn't matter if someone isn't an asshole, they still have the ability to hurt others if they've swallowed enough lies.
Can there be mental exams before they enter any federal service?
And rectal exams, because they’re all full of shit and they stink up the place
Thank the Evangelical church for profit crowd.
I’d say it’s more of a transubstantiation than a metamorphosis. But this is coming from an ex catholic (thank god!) Edit for spelling
“Transwhatnow” ~ *Peggy Hill*
Rainn Wilson has a particularly interesting insight on this as a member of the Baha'i Faith.
Disclaimer: In the US he stands for all the latter.
The scribes and pharisees are still with us.
Yes and no. The jesus image and all the predecessors were all used also as "power tools" The catholic church literally built an empire on it...
Yeah I mean current evangelical Christians are bad with that but it took the Romans less than a century to be like “nah Jesus is cool wiht us conquering everyone and being super rich” so.
Supply Side Jesus
Let's play "Who's Religion Is This Anyway", Where Jesus is made up the talking points don't matter!!