The media, and society at large, has always treated religion with much more deference than it deserves.

@Flyingsaucesir Probably afraid of alienating people since society and some media claims to be neutral. What's happening now the might be reconsidering their take.

@pedigojr Sure, because the current and ongoing authoritarian takeover (however bungling, ham-handed, and hopefully destined to fail it may be) is tacitly being carried out in the name of Christian nationalism. Evangelical Christians make up the core of Hair Gropenfuhrer's political base. Media companies don't want to endanger their bottom lines over a silly thing like the separation clause of the First Amendment!

@Flyingsaucesir I agree about the wants of the media's but, at this time there is real danger of alienating religious people (and many others) as a large group of people in this country are 1. non-religious; nones, 2. Religious but not Christian or 3. Christian but fully support the freedom of religion as they know the idea of 'Christian Nation soon becomes one of which Christian belief - Catholic, Protestant or some sect of both groups. Right now the most violence in the world are within the Moslem religion Sunni's verses Shiites. The Christian Nationalists are a small minority.

@pedigojr By all means endeavor to persuade and not alienate. To that end, learn the teachings of Jesus, that ye may teach them to the so-called Christians who are the core of the MAGA movement. For by their actions we see plainly that they are woefully ignorant of their Savior's words: help the poor; welcome the stranger; withhold judgement; admit your own flaws; ask forgiveness; forgive yourself and others; determine to do better; etc. MAGA is is an authoritarian movement, but their principal goal is to impose "Christian" values like ostracizing and discriminating against people on the basis of their sexual orientation, national origin, race, color, and/or creed. They want to outlaw abortion everywhere, nevermind that there is no proscription against it to be found in the Bible. Speaking of which, that book has a very violent ending, known as the Apocalypse, which is preceded by the Rapture, where only true believers, those who have had their souls saved by accepting Jesus into their hearts, are spared the suffering and lamentation involved in the fiery end of the world. A truly dangerous number of idiots believe in the literal truth of this, and yearn for it to come about. This also explains why US foreign policy has us supporting the ongoing war crimes being perpetrated in Gaza. The Bible also says that Christ's second coming cannot occur until the Israelites have complete control of the Holy Land. Trump's proposal to ship out the Palestinians and turn the strip into Club Med East is going over gangbusters in Evangelical parishes everywhere!

How far MAGA will get is anybody's guess. We have a supine majority in Congress; they only exist to serve Trump. But at least the judiciary is pushing back. We're close, if not already in, a constitutional crisis. But Trump's famous incompetence is kicking in, and his poll numbers are tanking. People remember promises of lower prices and all they see is higher prices and their 401Ks plunging. We may see pitchforks soon.

@Flyingsaucesir One big problem is that too many are sheep and, for fear of maybe being wrong, chose to believe the lies. The average person is a victim of their past. They go the same route as their friends, family and others that say things they want to agree with. Critical thinking usually does not come naturally and has to be taught. My late partner, from Iran, had a mother who saw a part of her that was like the grandfather - had a smart mouth (as she would say). She had 4 brothers but the mother saw that she was different and constantly trained her to question everything and use reason as a guide. Later her favorite son (who got a full scholarship in the college and later became a doctor) became a S. Baptist. She asked herself, "where did I go wrong." she then realized critical thinking has to be taught and fostered which is sorely missing fro society.

@pedigojr Now we have a president who wants to dictate what can and can't be taught in universities, colleges, and schools, and will deport any non-citizen who expresses an opinion not shared by the government. How's that for promotion of critical thinking?

@Flyingsaucesir non-citizen but there are still plenty that will teach the truth. I feel this is why PBS is under fire but PBS gets most of its funding from members so if we increase our pledges we may save it.

@pedigojr My thinking exactly. That's why I sent my local PBS affiliate $100 just the other day.

I'm glad Harvard and some other universities didn't cave in to Donny Two Dolls and his MAGA lickspittles. And some big law firms are standing up to him too. I think there's a chance we don't fall into full-blown autocracy, and we wrench our democracy back from these fascist assholes.

Evangelical Christianity, along with conservative Catholicism, have both played a big part in holding back progress in America, and are now pushing the regressive policies of Trump and the Repubs. Having a more secular population, as well as racial homogenity, goes a long way in aiding and preserving social justice and progress..

Literally the definition of sheeple, which describes most people, and certainly most Americans..

@TomMcGiverin Sometimes I wonder if things may happen to wake some of those sheeple up. The election of a an unrepentant criminal and pathological liar might be one thing. When people are directly affected and they can no longer blame others it might be a turning point for some.

@pedigojr I doubt it. They will continue to blame Biden, long after he's been gone from the job..

@TomMcGiverin I have joined and started demonstrating with the national group, indivisible. There are members who have woken up (after being fired or been affected by one of the idiots rulings) and now seeing the real tRump and the Maga maggots for what they really are. You can listen an believe lies but when those lies affect you, sometimes you start to think.

@pedigojr As to the starting to think process, I guess it's better late than never, but I'm not holding my breath that it will happen soon enough for us to stop him..

@TomMcGiverin I consider myself very pro-active for personal issues and issues that affect me. Politicians and even the everyday person is starting to see the demonstrations are having an effect not only on the enemy but those politicians on the right side who are seeing there is a force out there that is willing to fight back. One example is the effect on Muskrat's Tesla business. He's losing a lot of money and more people are dumping their Tesla's (and even burning them). It is hinted he is considering dropping politics in order to try and restore his Swasticar business (good luck as his legacy is already out there for all to see and hate).

While I didn't agree with all his positions, I think he was a good guy and he tried to steer the Church in a better direction.

He ended up being just another obedient servant like all the rest. I still remember Pope John Paul I and the book about his murder, "In God's Name" and the photos and proof a lot of the church is controlled by the Mafia and the Vatican Bank. Like with any important leader of an organization, if you step out of bounds you are toast. A lot of leaders just go along to get along and that then makes them just another patsy.

I must have missed the TV coverage where they discussed the elimination of pedophile priests.

@pedigojr Pope John Paul I was not murdered. He died in his own bed, of a heart attack.

@Flyingsaucesir Yeah and tRump is innocent of all his crimes!?

@pedigojr There is voluminous evidence that Trump is not innocent, but guilty of many crimes. Is there evidence that JPI was murdered?

@Flyingsaucesir There's a whole book about it, "In God's Name." The book is full of photos and a strong link is made with the Mafia and their control of the Vatican Bank, of which they controlled. John Paul I was noted for his extreme want to make major changes in the workings of the Vatican and a message had to be sent to deter any future Popes from heavy handed changes.
[en.wikipedia.org]

@pedigojr A book that asserts a murder in its title is not evidence of anything. If you have actual evidence, let's here it.

There may well be a connection between the Vatican and the mafia. JPI may well have wanted to clean house. So there may well have been motive to rub him out. This on its own may serve as fodder for conspiracy theorists, but it does not constitute evidence of murder.

I never watch anything on my phone and I am never going to ever watch anything on my phone. The industry and all of the phone makers really, really want you to watch everything on your phone.. People lie to each other and claim they see everything going on watching that film on their phone. My Onn Google TV stream box thinks I am watching it on my phone. Nope. Big screen TV.

I don’t have cable. I stream it.

Same way at the Senior Center in my town, where I go to eat lunch most weekdays of the month, not to socialize, but to have the free meal. There are only a few people there that I ever talk to or sit with by choice, as they are the only other people there who, like me, are politically liberal and non religious. The rest are all clearly Trumpers, conservative Christians, or both. A few years ago, before they moved into their new, fancy building, they had all that bullshit you mentioned back there. The weekly Pledge of Alligence, the daily prayer before eating, which they called a Moment Of Silence, even tho it had obviously replaced a formal moment of prayer, but someone probably bitched about it and separation of church and state, so they simply altered it in title in order to get around the constitution.

At least they dropped that shit as soon as they moved to the new building, because they knew the new place would start attracting people who actually had some money and more education, so they decided to alter things for a more secular population of seniors. But what hasn't changed at all, is the politics of the group, and most of them are still conservative Christians. I have been asked why I am so seemingly anti social there, as in like why I always seek out an empty table to sit at, if none of my few friends there are present to sit with, and I've told them I simply don't want the hassle and friction of interacting with people that have nothing in common with me besides being age 60 or older and coming there to eat lunch, as almost none of them share my politics, non belief in religion, education or intellectual level. I tell them that I'm doing a favor to all concerned, by keeping to myself or my small group of friends there. And if they call that snobbish or rude, they can go fuck themselves.

It's better than getting into daily arguments there, or stifling myself and playing along to get along, by doing small talk and avoiding any real conversations. One can only discuss the weather and college sports for so long.... and I've always hated small talk.. And before they moved to the new building, I had already established myself as an outcast and misfit rebel to the group, because I would always sit by myself, at an empty table in the back of the room, and remain defiantly seated during the weekly Pledge, and also begin eating on my own, defiantly, while they did their stupid Moment Of Silence. I still remember all the death stares I would get from many of them during those moments, while I would simply smile back at them.

And true to the midwest enforced politeness and chickenshit nature of those sorts of people, none of them had the guts to ever speak to me about my boycotts of the Pledge and Moment Of Silence, because they knew that I had the law on my side, knew all of my rights, and would rip their face off verbally, if they had tried to confront me on my behavior regarding those rituals..

"...look around and see who else is looking around."

@TomMcGiverin Good to know what I can look forward to!!!

@Aaron70 Depends on where you live and if you fit the majority for local politics and culture, which I clearly don't. Now if I lived in New England or a really big blue city, my fit would be much better. But for better or worse, I'm stuck here, because that's where my friends are, even if they all live in other parts of my metro area, instead of in my town. I have to drive to all my social life, entertainment, and culture, outside of my town I live in. Depending on where you live in PA, your situation might be much better than mine, I dunno. At least you're in a purple swing state, politically..

@TomMcGiverin See my general reply. It will both be enlightening and depressing.

@TomMcGiverin I’m in the same boat you are. The only reason PA swings blue sometimes, is Philly, Pittsburgh, and a couple other bigger cities such as Erie, and Allentown are very liberal and have large populations. The rest of the state is very rural, and very red…..and I prefer rural over the city, so here I am……

@TomMcGiverin As far as New England goes, it’s pretty much like every where else in the US. Blue in the larger populated cities, red in the rural parts….

I agree with you. Well said.

It's simply beyond their level of intellect, experience, and education. May as well be talking to a Martian or someone from a foreign country who has no previous knowledge or experience with America.

Atheism does not "answer these questions" but pretending that you have answers to those questions is the biggest lie. It is OK to say "I do not know." I like those people who claim not to know and then explain why they cannot know. An honest person can see these things and know that they also cannot know. Nobody knows.