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[Gutek]

I don't get this article. My understanding is that White Evangelicals are his strongest demographic on the GOP side.

 

[kinggroin]

And yet, this is the same Christ who said:

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law — a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household." (Matthew 10: 34-36)

I honestly wish people would see beyond this popular concept of the lovable, hippie Jesus.

Lovable hippie Jesus is more convenient

Edit: Don't want to be banned for being a smart ass, so, let me just say you took what Jesus said completely out of context.

 

[Pyrrhus]

I don't get this article. My understanding is that White Evangelicals are his strongest demographic on the GOP side.

They are, but they aren't the majority in this country and that's coming as a shock to many of them.

 

[Kthulhu]

These people asked for this. I have no sympathy.

 

[Des0lar]

After the controversy, regular customers stopped coming. Friends and family members stopped speaking to them. The Odgaards were vilified as bigots and haters.

They never stopped to think that maybe that already is God's punishment?

 

[Koyuga]

Reading this article made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. These dinosaurs are going extinct and they know it.

 

[SkeptiMism]

America is securalizing more rapidly than any other country on the planet. These people ARE being left behind. And unbeknownst to them a lot of the blame for that falls at their own feet. They've strayed so far from the teachings of Jesus they're no longer recognizable as Christians.

The ideals of classical Christianity are not diametrically opposed to modern liberalism. The core Christian ideals of loving your neighbor as yourself and forgiveness will always have a place in civilized society. If more evangelicals actually practiced this significantly fewer people would be turning their backs on the church.

A while ago (in spring if I remember correctly) I read an article from a Christian saying essentially that the American evangelical Christians are the anti-Christ.

The writer might not have been completely literal in his accusation, but they did have a good point about how a lot of Christians are so terrified of people becoming atheists and of liberals pushing rights to people (lol), while completely missing the monster that is among them, or even the monster that they are themselves. It's really frustrating, I've seen it myself - and I'm not even American (but Finnish) -as a few people I know (including my sister) have got pretty much completely sucked into the American evangelism type of faith. They are terrified of the direction this world is going to seeing as how gays can get married soon or because Norwegian kids can define their gender freely or whatever social progress towards things they view as unnatural. Never seen them caring nearly as much about actual issues. Never seen them being even a little bit critical of their own bigotry and the darkness in their heart. Fucking hell, as an example my sister apparently thinks western countries have no business trying to force even the smallest amount of LGBT rights to developing countries in return for help, no matter how badly they're treated and how much they're killed and tortured. It's enough for her that they're LGBT, so they shouldn't get any help whatsoever since God is against them.

If I believed that Satan was real (and that he was truly evil), it would make sense that he tried to get to Christians from inside.

 

[Lightning_Roller]

I certainly ain't shedding any tears for these assholes. I'm glad their disgusting views are fading away as we progress towards a better future for equality.

So in closing: Cry some more.

 

[Shig]

Overnight, it seemed, they discovered that even in small-town Iowa they were outnumbered, isolated and unpopular. Everyone they knew seemed to have a gay relative or friend. Mr. Odgaard’s daughter from his first marriage disavowed her father’s actions on Facebook, and his gay second cousin will not speak to him. Even their own Mennonite congregation put out a statement saying that while their denomination opposes gay marriage, “not every congregation” or Mennonite does. Mrs. Odgaard, 64, the daughter of a Mennonite minister, was devastated.

It's so annoying that these people can't see the yawning chasm of difference between the persecution they're feeling and the persecution they want to impose on others.

If the policies they want are enacted or upheld, people are denied basic human rights and have to live their lives as second-class citizens. If they aren't, people get their feelings hurt by something existing that doesn't actually affect or impose on their way of life at all.

 

[Soldiussnaku]

While I respect their beliefs and respect their freedom of speech and would lay my life on the line for the defence of such freedoms for all, no matter what they think of my beliefs or how much they hate them (Islam). I find their views just abhorrent, ugly and their despair of people, no matter what sexuality they choose, or what colour they are, to be somehow lesser beings and worthy of both societal and cultural discrimination frankly disgusting.

From my time reading and studying Christianity one thing that has stuck with me is the overriding sense of love for one another, and never to judge.A deep respect, love and care for your neighbor. A trait that seems to be sorely lacking from the people in the article who subscribe so vigorously to supposed 'true' beliefs.

I scratch my head at the nuke comment as well. As a devout believer you think a MAN MADE device will deliver divine justice?? But isn't your god all powerful and all knowing, isn't the supposed divine justice they believe not of this world?? So why would your supposed god use the weapon of sinners and degenerates to perform intervention? That comment kinda betrays how true to the faith they are.

A tinge of hypocrisy methinks, imho.

 

[Jombie]

God launching a nuke at the US. I've heard everything now :lol.

As a death cult, they would like nothing more.

 

[cackhyena]

And yet, this is the same Christ who said:

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law — a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household." (Matthew 10: 34-36)

I honestly wish people would see beyond this popular concept of the lovable, hippie Jesus.

You're misinterpreting that.

 

[depths20XX]

Wouldn't God just make fires rise from the ground or something? Something that lets us know, "Hey it's me God doing this." Instead of something that could be interpreted as just a country launching a nuke?

 

[le.phat]

I feel bad for em. In general, evangalists aren't the smartest people around. They never developed the critical thinking skills that allow them to free up and take in the world. Instead, they live in constant fear if a world that has long forgotten about them. And now they finally catch up to reality. Must be terrifying.

 

[jstripes]

Wouldn't God just make fires rise from the ground or something? Something that lets us know, "Hey it's me God doing this." Instead of something that could be interpreted as just a country launching a nuke?

"God works in mysterious ways."

 

[adj_noun]

Wouldn't God just make fires rise from the ground or something? Something that lets us know, "Hey it's me God doing this." Instead of something that could be interpreted as just a country launching a nuke?

I'd imagine it's just the first revenge weapon that popped into their head.

 

[Palette Swap]

He expects that more and more Christians will, like the Odgaards, suffer “persecution” for their beliefs.

Fuck off with your bullshit, you aren't getting eaten by lions, you're just a little less free to bully other people like you think your imaginary friend told you to.

 

[jediyoshi]

They joined a troupe of business owners upheld as Christian martyrs in the nation’s culture wars: the cake baker, the florist and the photographers who stood up for their religious beliefs and lost legal battles.

Sounds like a sequel to that episode of South Park waiting to happen

 

[Snowybreak]

I feel bad for em. In general, evangalists aren't the smartest people around. They never developed the critical thinking skills that allow them to free up and take in the world. Instead, they live in constant fear if a world that has long forgotten about them. And now they finally catch up to reality. Must be terrifying.

I'd feel worse if it wasn't for the fact that they can be so insufferable. They're so tied down to their individual beliefs that they can't see the bigger picture. The idea that "their god" and "their religion" is the most important in the world is a mainstay amongst evangelicals. It's always kinda weird when you remember that there are a ton of religions that pre-date Christianity.

 

[Zips]

Pretty funny that they are sad about being ostracised for their hatred of others.

 

[studyguy]

Is a God Nuke something like a Holy Handgrenade?

 

[rjinaz]

Is a God Nuke something like a Holy Handgrenade?

We just need the select chosen few to take a Stand and get it to Las Vegas.

 

[BunnyBear]

Fuck I love the NYT. Fantastic article.

 

[Blackpanther25]

God is essentially complicit in the murdering of these babies.

Also they forget that God gave human beings free choice but they will never think about that.

 

[h1nch]

Evangelicals are the fucking worst.

Their influence over American politics will hopefully one day drop to zero.

 

[VariantX]

Geez, people choosing not to do business with you because of your views is not persecution. When women couldn't get birth control from a pharmacy because of a buisness owner's religious views, I bet these people didn't even so much as blink and thought that all was well in the world. The only thing under attack is their misguided belief that people have to entertain their shit views. When people drag you out of your homes, start killing people like you for your religious beliefs en masse or just denying your basic human rights and dignity then we can talk persecution. The idea that America or any nation must be punished by God in some horrible fashion due to society's evolution is absurd.

 

[Crocodile]

Note that its primarily WHITE religious people voting this way. The Black and Hispanic communities are known to be heavily religious and yet they don't vote the same way. I wonder what is really going on...............

But yeah, as a Christian, few things grind my gears more than perveting Jesus' message of inclusiveness and forgiveness into "lets hate on people". How spectacularly can someone miss the point?

"We love gay people, we just don't want them to have the same rights as everyone else".

People like this make me sick as a christian. Jesus forgave the people murdering him. You should be able to forgive some people that wanna throw a party and smooch.

PREACH

LOL but spot on IMO

America is securalizing more rapidly than any other country on the planet. These people ARE being left behind. And unbeknownst to them a lot of the blame for that falls at their own feet. They've strayed so far from the teachings of Jesus they're no longer recognizable as Christians.

The ideals of classical Christianity are not diametrically opposed to modern liberalism. The core Christian ideals of loving your neighbor as yourself and forgiveness will always have a place in civilized society. If more evangelicals actually practiced this significantly fewer people would be turning their backs on the church.

PREACH again!

 

[Dalek]

Fuck I love the NYT. Fantastic article.

Nothing compares to the NYT. They have the best articles.

 

[RoyaleDuke]

What I got from that is that you are so bigoted that even the Amish don't like you.

The Amish. Let that sink in.

 

[JustenP88]

That was a very pleasant read.

 

[KdylanR92]

Maybe all these things that you Evangelicals are so against are happening because even God thinks you guys are assholes.

 

[QuantumZebra]

Wait, so slavery, the holocaust, those were nothing compared to a woman's right to choose in your god's eyes? Who are you praying to?

Well...

Honestly, a God that killed a lot of people

 

[QuantumZebra]

Maybe all these things that you Evangelicals are so against are happening because even God thinks you guys are assholes.

Thats what I always thought

Like... if God is on your side why is nobody else

 

[Blood Diamonds]

God launching the nukes if donald trump wins and he decides enough is enough:

 

[Messofanego]

Quote my post if you felt as good reading this article as the Hillary shake.

 

[To Far Away Times]

Evangelicals must be extremely confident there is a god, because if there isn't, they're going to look like a bunch of bigots and racists to everyone else.

 

[DOWN]

Amazing that the Christian majority in America says they are being discriminated against because America is rejecting their own discrimination.

 

[Lonewolf_92]

I have a hard time understanding the whole "God is going to punish America" thing.

I mean, I'm an atheist. I don't believe in anything except reality, really. I don't care about religion, but I also don't really care what you believe in, and I won't belittle you for your beliefs.

I grew up sort of catholic, all that stuff. I don't recall a single instance of god being a vengeful being, who smites down whoever doesn't apply to his beliefs. It's so puzzling to me - why would your deity "punish" your entire country because abortions are taking place? Why is your deity so insanely dangerous and such?

Is it something to do with specific branches of christianity? It's just... weird... god's going to punish america with a nuclear weapon.....?

Evangelicals aren't so big on the New Testament but are REALLY into the Old Testament, with it's Sodom and Gomorrah, and the Jews being sold into slavery to Egypt, etc. God's kinda a needy egotistical dick in that part of the book. Many believe the Bible is literal as well, to the point that if the book said 1+1=3 they'd believe it and try to explain away why it comes up as 2 for the "unbelievers". You can see this element in the number of people who believe the earth is only a few thousand years old, based on a bit in Genesis. In other words, reality and common sense have little hold in their world.

 

[Frozenprince]

I weep for the poor bigots who no doubt sincerely believe I should burn in hell.

 

[Stinkles]

Remember when Jesus turned over the tables of the money changers at the temple to ensure a forward facing deduction instrument? Smart.

 

[Rayis]

It has always rubbed me the wrong way how fundamentalist Christians claim to be the moral compass of the country and describe themselves as the only true Americans ignoring large swathes of the country which largely don't share their beliefs and have had different experiences in this country, I can't wait for them to be irrelevant at the national level.

 

[reggieandTFE]

I love how all these evangelicals have multiple marriages while trying to oppress others based on a literal reading of the Bible.

 

[Wowfunhappy]

GRIMES, Iowa — Betty and Dick Odgaard used to own the tiny church next door to their home. They had built it over 13 years into an art gallery, bistro, flower shop and framing service. They even rented out the chapel, with its bright stained glass windows, for social events.

But three years ago, the Odgaards refused to rent the quaint site to two gay men for a wedding, saying it would violate their religious beliefs about marriage. The men filed a civil rights complaint, and the Odgaards settled, paying a penalty because it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. After the controversy, regular customers stopped coming. Friends and family members stopped speaking to them. The Odgaards were vilified as bigots and haters.

I think I'm going to get crap for saying this, but I really did feel bad for the couple after reading this section. They were just trying to follow their religious beliefs.

...I FULLY REALIZE all the crap that takes place when this argument is followed to its logical conclusion, but... I don't know.

 

[Doominated]

They feel as though they've been abandoned? Good. I hope they continue to feel that way. It's the same way EVERY group that shun and hate has felt for centuries. It's time karma and human appreciation took its turn.