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'Exceedingly dangerous': Why the rise of Christian nationalism is 'entirely out of our control' (www.alternet.org)

submitted 11 months ago by HLMenckenFan@lemmy.world to c/atheism@lemmy.world

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[-] ChicoSuave@lemmy.world 118 points 11 months ago

Christian nationalists hate like they are trying to make the world end before the boomers die off.

[-] squiblet@kbin.social 69 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

They’re literally praying the world ends while they’re still around, since something like 10 generations of their ilk have been excitingly promising and threatening each other with that. Oh my gosh! This is it for sure this time. Jesus is coming. The unfortunate thing is working and living with people who literally think what they do today doesn’t matter because the world is ending really soon. Obviously, that encourages very short term thinking, and these people are too indoctrinated to notice “the rapture” didn’t happen the last 155 times someone predicted it. Even worse, the more dire the news, the more excited they are because it means Jesus can’t be far now.

[-] chemical_cutthroat@lemmy.world 30 points 11 months ago

This is my entire family, and the way I was raised. It's fucking disgusting.

[-] Sanity_in_Moderation@lemmy.world 22 points 11 months ago

The rapture in 2011 didn't happen because a few days before it began, we lost Randy Savage. The Macho Man stopped fighting and ascended to heaven. But he didn't stop fighting out of weakness. Obviously not. The Macho Madness transcended this plane of existence to stop the rapture. His last words should be carved into Mt Everest. No Rapture On My Watch Jesus! I'm Coming For You! He hit Jesus with a flying elbow and saved us all!

Proof: https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/05/22/article-1389475-0C33B94300000578-599_634x680.jpg

[-] nymwit@lemm.ee 5 points 11 months ago

oooo, nice. I can just hear the guttural emphasis at the end, pointing his finger right at the camera "I'm coming for yooooouuuuuuuuu"

[-] Spzi@lemm.ee 16 points 11 months ago

Obviously, that encourages very short term thinking, and these people are too indoctrinated to notice “the rapture” didn’t happen the last 155 times someone predicted it.

One of my most politically frightening moments was when I (from Europe) was watching a "documentary" about the US. They showed a senator who firmly believed the rapture would come very soon.

If a person believes that, how are they in a position to make thoughtful long-term decisions? Which often not only affect their own country, but countries around the world, for decades to come?

It was a lasting moment of scare and despair. God bless you (smirk), drive out these demons.

[-] squiblet@kbin.social 12 points 11 months ago

Yes, a fair number of US politicians have an evangelical belief that conflict in Israel will bring about the second coming of Jesus and thus the rapture, Armageddon etc. It’s why they support Israel, other than the anti-Muslim/Arab racist sentiments, despite some being anti-Semitic. It’s scary, sad and disturbing that people with power not only believe these bizarre archaic fairy tales, but also are actively courting the end of the world.

[-] tryptaminev@feddit.de 3 points 11 months ago

Most ansird thing about it for me is that their shotty behaviour before the rapture means they'll all go to hell.

But i guess reading and understanding the bible arent evangelical qualities, when they just get some TV scammer "preach" to them.

[-] kicksystem@lemmy.world 8 points 11 months ago

Reading and understanding the bible is what creates atheists, so no they aren't evangelical qualities.

[-] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 2 points 11 months ago

The understanding part is the problem.

[-] nilloc@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 11 months ago

They don’t read it either, it’s read to them over loudspeakers and on 200 square foot TV mega screens.

[-] KillAllPoorPeople@lemmy.world 12 points 11 months ago

I've always thought this, not about Christian nationalists, but about boomers in general. Such a selfish generation where they can't imagine a world without themselves, so they want to make sure it ends for everyone else too.

[-] postmateDumbass@lemmy.world 5 points 11 months ago

Armageddon FOMO

[-] zcd@lemmy.ca 1 points 11 months ago

They are succeeding

[-] Digital_man@lemmy.one 68 points 11 months ago

Radicalized fanatics who do not fear death and hate anyone who doesn’t believe what they believe and those who do not look like them.

Domestic terrorists.

[-] richieadler@lemmy.myserv.one 26 points 11 months ago

And the "reasonable" religious people legitimize religion as a valid idea in societies.

[-] S_204@lemmy.world 0 points 11 months ago

Other than my religion, there are no 'reasonable' religions. My ghost is better than your ghost.

[+] tryptaminev@feddit.de -15 points 11 months ago

According to this logic any ideology, world view, political leaning, or even opinion on beef stroganov is invalid because there is radical people advocating for it...

You belief in free market capitalism? Well fuck you, because you are just enabling Elon Musk. You believe in fair wages and social security? Are you trying to legitimize Stalin?! Oh you think black people shouldn't be murder at random by cops? You are just advocating dor the Black Panthers now!

This is not an argument. You just invalidate anyone having a position on anything by this.

[-] richieadler@lemmy.myserv.one 11 points 11 months ago

Other ideas are based in reality. Religion isn't, and it's useless in itself.

[+] tryptaminev@feddit.de -11 points 11 months ago

It seems to be quite prevalent for something that you consider useless in itself. But still you claim knowledge and ability to assess what is real and what isnt and judge people based on the extremists in that particular belief system. You are just mirroring the religious zealots in your dismissal and insult of anything outside your belief system.

So it also concludes that your criticism of religion is not because of the totalitarian institutions, terrible crime and inhumanity it created, but just that you want to replace the belief system used to justify these with your own.

[-] richieadler@lemmy.myserv.one 12 points 11 months ago

It seems to be quite prevalent for something that you consider useless in itself.

Popularity fallacy? Really?

But still you claim knowledge and ability to assess what is real and what isnt

I reserve the right to think something isn't real until it's proven to scientific and legal standards.

and judge people based on the extremists in that particular belief system.

No such thing as "extremists". There are the believers (who follow the doctrines to the letter) and the cherrypickers, who follow whatever parts of the doctrine their own sense of morality and common decency decide they accept. The "good believers" tend to be the latter.

you want to replace the belief system used to justify these with your own

Stop projecting.

I just want people to be more rational and stop believing supernatural nonsense.

[-] jasory@programming.dev -1 points 11 months ago

"I just want people to be more rational"

"I reserve the right to think something isn't real until it's proven to scientific and legal standards."

How can you promote the latter and claim the former? Do you think something cannot be real unless is has empirical facts attesting to it? Do you reject logical facts? Like mathematics?

Do you think that legal standards have an inherently rigorous basis?

It's really embarrassing to claim that you promote rationality when you almost certainly can't provide a general description of philosophy of science.

[+] tryptaminev@feddit.de -7 points 11 months ago

I just want people to be more rational and stop believing supernatural nonsense.

But do you realize that every economic theory is based on that? So if you support the capitalist economy you believe in supernatural nonsense just as much like you'd do with socialism or communism.

And for scientific proves. Please explain to me how Higgs Bosons are proven? You just believe that the people at CERN did a good job because you believe in the surrounding institutions.

How do you consider people like Heisenberg? He said that the first sip from the cup of science makes you an atheist, but at the button god awaits. Is quantum physics supernatural nonsense now? After all unless you are a researcher in that particular field it is all just you believing people who believed someone who considered it evidence of some god...

And that is where all this "Atheism is superior hurr durr" circlejerk breaks down. You end up in the same fallacies as the religious zealots because you deny nuance and take fundamental positions.

[-] richieadler@lemmy.myserv.one 7 points 11 months ago

You just believe that the people at CERN did a good job because you believe in the surrounding institutions.

OK, you're either a troll or a fundamentalist, either way it's useless trying to discuss anything else with you.

[-] tryptaminev@feddit.de -2 points 11 months ago

You claimed that normal Christians, Muslims, Jews or any other religious group are equal to radicals that commit atrocities in the name of their religion.

How can you remain blind to the fact that you are a fundamentalist who is full of prejudice and vile against billions of people based on your personal superiority complex?

[-] LemmysMum@lemmy.world 19 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Despite what they tell you they most certainly fear death. One dead insurrectionist put down Jan 6. There's a reason they need their emotional support weapons.

The real issue is that their fear is entirely illigitimate, up until they threaten the rest of us, and because they're scared rats in their own self made corner that they pushed themselves into out of cowardice and fear, it will be a self fulfilling prophecy that they lash out against their imagined enemies.

[-] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 64 points 11 months ago

These are the most dangerous people in the country. These are often the ones who shoot kids through doors and cars. These are who storm government buildings and plan kidnappings of politicians. We’re pretty fucked.

[-] agent_flounder@lemmy.one 14 points 11 months ago

Indeed. Really any group consisting of people whose zealous beliefs are formed irrationally is a group that has the potential for doing great harm—to others, to themselves, to society, to the environment, etc.

[-] LemmysMum@lemmy.world 12 points 11 months ago

Malicious ignorance is the real pandemic.

[+] Maajmaaj@lemmy.ca 38 points 11 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

[deleted]

[-] Jaytreeman@kbin.social 10 points 11 months ago

I have an ex who's oji-cree. She went from embracing her roots to going full christian. Never understood it.
At least with her traditional stuff there was a connection to reality.

[-] cricket97@lemmy.world 9 points 11 months ago

African religions are just as nutty as Christianity, fyi

[-] GladiusB@lemmy.world 3 points 11 months ago

Most religions are nutty. Very few own it and say "it's just for the lesson". The only one I can think of is Hinduism. But confisionism or toaism exist as well, but different formats.

But I digress. The point is that people that are religious aren't inherently bad. A big percent of the world believes in religion. It's when they start using as a reason to oppress people do we run into issues.

[-] jasory@programming.dev -2 points 11 months ago

Only in an atheist community will promoting non-Christian superstitions be permissible.

[-] Zstom6IP@lemmy.world 9 points 11 months ago

The christian talaban will be coming.

[-] Kernal64@sh.itjust.works 9 points 11 months ago

What do you mean, "Will be coming?" They've been murdering abortion providers for decades.

[-] Zstom6IP@lemmy.world 3 points 11 months ago

I mean an armed insurrection

[-] FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world 6 points 11 months ago

It's out of our control because we're powerless to change it. We're powerless to change it because we pretty much only elect Christians.

this post was submitted on 01 Oct 2023

469 points (96.6% liked)

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