Our integrity is severely tarnished: Christianity Today editor says no one will believe a word...

[Soph0571]

we say’ after Alabama

“No matter the outcome of today’s special election in Alabama for a coveted US Senate seat, there is already one loser: Christian faith. When it comes to either matters of life and death or personal commitments of the human heart, no one will believe a word we say, perhaps for a generation,” the editorial explained. “Christianity’s integrity is severely tarnished.”

Democrat Doug Jones defeated Roy Moore in the special election.

The editorial noted the Alabama special election, “put an exclamation point on a problem that has been festering for a year and a half—ever since a core of strident conservative Christians began to cheer for Donald Trump without qualification and a chorus of other believers decried that support as immoral.”

“The Christian leaders who have excused, ignored, or justified his unscrupulous behavior and his indecent rhetoric have only given credence to their critics who accuse them of hypocrisy,” the editorial continued.

[link:https://www.rawstory.com/2017/12/our-integrity-is-severely-tarnished-christianity-today-editor-says-no-one-will-believe-a-word-we-say-after-alabama/|

Indeed

[Happyhippychick]

1. Well said

[Achilleaze]

2. Well, when you are a lying, cheating, pedophile republican FAKE christian

that's what you deserve.

[Nonhlanhla]

3. This progressive Christian agrees

Evangelical Christianity is heretical, on many levels. But they have become the public face of Christianity in the US, and they have tarnished the faith immensely.

[Demsrule86]

7. I am a Christian too...and spent some time in evangelical churches in Georgia (hubs liked the music)

One day, they had an entire sermon against Gay people. I got up and walked out with my kids and never went back. I had not even evolved on that issue completely, but I know hate when I see it and it has no place in any church. I wish I had never taken my kids to church in Georgia as it drove them away from faith not towards it. And the Evangelicals and those who support men like Trump and Moore have tarnished Christianity further...perhaps permanently. I now go to the Episcopal church and they are truly a church that serves the needy, the sick and stand up for civil rights...they also marry Gay couples. They marched in Cleveland's LGBTQ parade last year. Faith has sustained me during difficult periods in my life. And it is ironic that those who are trying to force their faux version down our throats have driven many young people and others away from Christianity.

[AllyCat]

15. I know many a fine Episcopalian.

There is a Lutheran Church in town who just hired a lesbian pastor and worked tirelessly to ensure hungry kids got lunches this summer when school was out. They offered meeting space for us when my dad died and we are not religious. There are GOOD Christian people. They are the majority of Christians. The ones on the teevee are usually not those people.

[Demsrule86]

18. Yes, "By their works,you shall know them". Christians are supposed to minister to the poor, the

the prisoners, the immigrants, etc...and the most important commandment is to love one another. Most of the nonsense taken from the bible by 'evilgelicals' is from the old testament. This is not where Jesus laid down the tenets of the Christian faith.

[pangaia]

53. Thing is, EVERONE should minister to the poor, and love one another.

It has noting to do with Christianity..


Nothing against what you are saying..

I'm just saying ...well, what I said...

[Demsrule86]

61. I agree. What I am saying is that those who claim to follow Christ and don't do those things are not

Christians at all...they are frauds. Everyone should take care of their fellow man and woman...and other religions also have tenets that call for this.

[pangaia]

62. Yes, we agree....

Now, DEMS, could you get rid of that cat GIF, it drives my eyes nuts..

[Demsrule86]

63. I love my kitties...

[sprinkleeninow]

79. My dogga daughter is evidence-based Christian Love.

She loves the One Who fashioned her.
She gets holy water sprinkling and oil anointing from time to time.
I'm serious in this.

[Demsrule86]

87. Every dogga daughter needs a little Christian love.

haha

[Demsrule86]

65. ++1000

[airplaneman]

98. No I love the cat GIF - have a copy in my GIF collection. n/t.

[sprinkleeninow]

78. There've been hypocrites since time immemorial.

These will be with us always unto the end of the age.

It's a travesty that it's so foul presently what this desecration and tainting of The Faith presented to us has devolved into.

You witnessing The Good News to all in hopes they hear the Word of Salvation??? And then your acts desecrate.???

[notdarkyet]

22. I've been episcopalan all my life. No regrets. They evolve.

[Grins]

42. "Trump and Moore have tarnished Christianity...perhaps permanently." That may be very true.

"...those who support men like Trump and Moore have tarnished Christianity further...perhaps permanently."

We know church attendance has been dropping by those under 30, the same people who also think the poor, the sick, and the environment are IMPORTANT. They are not stupid and clearly see what is before them.

Lookin' at you Franklin Graham! You support Trump.
Lookin' at you Rev. David Wendt, who threatened rape against liberal blogger.
Lookin' at you Lou Engal, who held an infamous event in Uganda that whipped up anti-gay hysteria.
Lookin' at you Rev. Lou Sheldon of the Traditional Values Coalition implicated in the scandal around Jack Abramoff.
Lookin' at you Ralph Reed who took money from gambling interests while working for anti-gambling issues for another client.
Lookin' at you child and dog beater, James Dobson, of Focus on the Family.
Lookin' at you Rev. William Collier who held a ‘Whites Only’ Conference
Lookin' at you Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson on urging the denying women of their vote.
Lookin' at you Rev. Voddie Baucham who - Jebus like - said gays are “worthy of the death penalty”
Lookin' at you Rev. Phillip Kayser for urging: "Death Penalty For Gays!"
Lookin' at you Flip Benham who said Roy Moore Dated "Younger Ladies’ For Their ‘Purity."
Lookin' at you Robert Jeffress who said protesting NFL players are ‘lucky’ they haven’t been shot.
Lookin' at you pastor David Jones, who ran home-school funding scam and sees the South as ‘an independent Christian republic’.
Lookin' at you pastor, Mark Downey, who begged Trump to crack down - on Jews - the Jebus' own people.
Lookin' at you Pastor Ken Adkins, who said the Pulse victims got ‘what they deserved’, and as later accused of molesting boy.
Lookin' at you pastor Carl Gallups, who mocked the parents of dead children.
Lookin' at you Pastor Mark Dunford who described women as ‘penis homes’.
Lookin' at you Pastor Janet Porter.
Lookin' at all you "prosperity gospel" pastors - who bilk viewers of their money for another house, a bigger jet , a bigger yacht, a bigger helicopter.
Lookin' at you thrice-married Pastor Paula White, who said orange-headed howler monkey was "raised up by God."
And lookin' at you Donald "two Corinthians" Trump, who couldn’t name his favorite Bible verse, referred to Holy Communion as “my little wine and my little cracker”, and still received 81% of the white evangelical voter in the election.

And there are so many more....

[pandr32]

46. Such a list of deplorable "Christians"--well done!

[pangaia]

100. They aren't any more christians than i would be a ball player if i walked into the mets dugout

Suited up and went out on to citi field

[defacto7]

51. Excellent...

[dustyscamp]

81. Don't forget Pastor Steven Anderson of Arizona

[keithbvadu2]

89. Too subtle! He needs to be more outspoken.

Sarcasm thingie goes here.

[gopiscrap]

59. Good for you

I have always searched for a progressive congregation to worship with

[Roland99]

4. Those are not Christians. Never have been. Never will be. Fakes and frauds to the core

Nothing like what their christ taught

[edhopper]

24. The certainly are Christians

not all Christians to be sure.

But there are areas where these are the majority of Christians.

To say otherwise is not truthful.

[Roland99]

36. No. They arent. Theyre cultists who have distorted Christianity

Like Isis has distorted Islam.

[edhopper]

38. No true Scotsman arguments

never carry weight.

They might not follow your brand of Christianity, but they are Christians none the less.

I am sure they would say you are not a true Christian. They would be wrong as well.

[Roland99]

47. Actually they would be. I am reformed. Former Catholic. Now atheist

[edhopper]

72. I stand corrected

but they are still 100% real Christians.

[Roland99]

73. There truly isnt such a thing. Not anymore.

They think they are but they aren’t

[edhopper]

74. What defines a Christian?

Who dictates what a true Christian is?

[Roland99]

83. It would be someone who followed his teaching, esp the Beatitudes

I bet not one of these so called Christians know any of them or even heard of them.

[demopilot]

85. There's not much morality in the 'sermon on the mount'

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2015/11/09/watch-matt-dillahunty-deconstruct-the-entire-sermon-on-the-mount/

[Roland99]

86. I have no desire to get into a theological debate

Think what you want. No idea why you’re defending these cretins but whatever floats your boat.

[jberryhill]

105. But consider the woman at the well..

“Hey, get me some water. By the way, you’re a slut.”

What a marvelous example.

[jberryhill]

104. The believe his teachings thing doesnt

I mean, seriously, it did not take the Son of God to come up with “don’t be an asshole” as words to live by. That sort of thing is hardly unique to Christianity.

A somewhat distinguishing and broad characteristic of Christianity is belief in an earthly divine figure as a mediator between the believer and the ultimate divine being, to bring them to unity.

That’s a very broad circle that takes into account what may be considered more liberal and humanistic Christians, to the more “washed in the blood of Jesus” types.

[Mariana]

113. Everyone makes up his or her own definition.

That way, they can just define all those embarrassing Christians out. Isn't that convenient?

[jberryhill]

102. Do they believe that Jesus is their savior, who died for their sins?

Can we define the least common denominator as the Nicene Creed?

[Left-over]

44. Jesus spoke about and to the Pharasees.

Sad thing is, that the pharasees and sadducees still exist.

[jberryhill]

107. Innit something?

The New Testament further goes on to detail how they will be deceived en masse.

They are bound and determined to live that out. The sheer evil they can rally around almost makes me think they might be right, in a weird way, but they don’t seem to recognize themselves as having been led severely astray.

[Mariana]

114. He did indeed. He said to obey them.

He didn't like their hypocrisy, and heaped abuse upon them for that, but he didn't have any problem with their ideas.

Matthew 23 : 1-3 - Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.

[Vinca]

5. Remarks that were long overdue.

[democratisphere]

6. The "word" will be believed as long as it does not come from phony

evangelical's lips.

[DetlefK]

8. Tiny problem in that reasoning: YOU DO NOT REPRESENT CHRISTIANITY.

The only Christians voting for Roy Moore were the pseudo-religious, ante-bellum yearning, culture-warrior Evangelicals.

Other Christians (aka the whole rest of the christian community on Planet Earth) didn't give a fuck about Roy Moore and the rest of the world does not associate these other Christians (aka the whole rest of the christian community on Planet Earth) with Roy Moore or his hypocrisy.

The only Christians who got tarnished are the Evangelicals who associated themselves with Moore and Trump.

[edhopper]

26. Unfortunately

there are a great many of them, and they swing elections toward the Repugs.

Roy Moore is reprehensible with or without the child molestation. yet if not for that, he would have won handedly, mainly with the evangelical vote.

[snooper2]

54. actually, they are just following their holy book..... see below

It's OK to have sex with "women children" that are obtained in war.

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites ... And they warred against the Midianites, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew all the males ... And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives, and their little ones ... And Moses was wroth with the officers ... And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive? ... Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves. Numbers 31:1-18

When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it ... And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword: But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself. Deuteronomy 20:10-14

How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives? ... And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children. And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man. And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh. Judges 21 -11

Go and lie in wait in the vineyards; And see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh ... And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught. Judges 21:20-23



It's OK to sell your daughter (no mention is made of age) to a man for him to use as a sex slave.

if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant ... If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed ... If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish. Exodus 21 -10

[TwistOneUp]

91. It's OK to sell your daughter (no mention is made of age) to a man for him to use as a sex slave

That begets another question: do I have to auction her off on eBay to get the best price? Or will I be smote if I don't?

[malaise]

9. Well to be kind

I have never believed a word they said.

[Girard442]

10. TL;DR on the Christianity Today article:

"We're right about everything, but sometimes our people say stuff and then everybody is mean to us."

[Mariana]

11. I give this writer a lot of credit.

He doesn't simply declare that these hateful and hypocritical evangelicals aren't Christian. That is refreshing.

[Cosmocat]

12. This shit is NOT a year and a half old

you have been in bed with the devil since the 80s when the "christian coalition" and "moral majority" Fallwell bullshit made the evangelical movement a defacto arm of the republican party.

[world wide wally]

13. Exactly!

[BumRushDaShow]

31. THIS

and also the James Dobson "Focus on the Family" and "Values Voter" summit bullshit. All of these organizations hijacked, distorted, and defiled that which they claimed to uphold.

[TBA]

34. I think it started with the "Prosperity Gospel" movement of the 1940s

Cooked up by people who opposed the New Deal as a way to demonize the poor.

[misanthrope]

108. Keep going backward

Take a look at the formation of the Southern Baptists from a schism over slavery.

[get the red out]

35. Absolutely true!

These extremist Christians have worked long and hard to beat down anyone who disagrees with their authoritarian vision for this country, I have no sympathy for any of them who whine over the harm to their image that today's GOP is doing. These sons of bitches sold their souls to the Republican Party and its rich thieves 40 years ago.

[workinclasszero]

58. Bingo

The original heresy right there!

[TwistOneUp]

92. Yes, I knew the Republicans had been compomised...

When Reagan appointed Bill Bennett as "porn czar". Bennett promptly allocated a bunch of FBI agents to go arrest porn producers.

Yeah, that's a priority. <groan>

[Moostache]

14. About damn time some of them speak out...

THIS should b drowning out the yelps of these hypocrites...

[sprinkleeninow]

80. You said what "I said" on another thread "that" multiplied by the

kabillions and bazillions would do the trick!
Puff puff. Pant pant.



Ima working onnit....

[Vogon_Glory]

16. Roy Moore Was Just One Aspect Of A Larger. Phenomenon

Roy Moore was just one aspect of a larger phenomenon: the willingness of Right-wing political “Christians” to turn to lying ang bullying at the expense of truthfulness, honor, and integrity. It started during the war on abortion, took root when Right-wing reactionaries made common cause with Republicans, and continues today. Roy Moore was just ONE member of a sorry sordid crew found coast-to-coast.

This guy wants his integrity back? He’s gonna have to work for it—and that assumes he even knows how. Roy Moore was one of the first examples of “credit refused” for the moral bankrupts of the Radical Right.

[notdarkyet]

27. Integrity involves honesty. Moore can't be truthful.

[standingtall]

17. Not a problem that has only been festering for a year

and a half, but a problem that has been festering sense the 70s when the religious right mobilized to defend Bob Jones University from losing it's tax exempt status for it's segregationist policies.

[PatrickforO]

19. Agreed. These misguided, propagandized people have,

in effect, turned their backs on the basic tenets of the faith.

Love one another as you love yourself, and do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Supporting Trump and the Republicans, trying to throw a wrench into everything that holds this country together just to 'do God a favor' and hasten the apocalypse, renders them unrecognizable as Christians.

[VaBchTgerLily]

20. That's right-TOTAL HYPOCRISY AND NO INTEGRITY!!!

[vlyons]

21. Ya think?

I predicted long ago that the utter vulgarity, dishonesty, greed, corruption, and treason of Trump would usher in a new wave of decency, integrity, and self-discipline. We aren't there yet, but I see the beginnings of it.

[Politicub]

23. The good lord works in mysterious ways

[Cuthbert Allgood]

25. Good

Last edited Wed Dec 13, 2017, 11:25 AM - Edit history (1)

It's high time religion actually get out of politics. Do what you want in your own church and house. Keep it out of government.

If this means that religion loses it influence on government, that it was an even better day yesterday.

[Glorfindel]

33. "religion loses it influence on religion"??

Politics? Government? Don't forget the face of your father, Gunslinger!

[Cuthbert Allgood]

48. Derp. Thanks. Clearly didn't reread before posting it. Fixed.

I did forget the face of my father.

I do not post with my hand.

[Pope George Ringo II]

76. Now that it's been put like that, though

I'm going to have to admit that I've thought about it and religion actually would be better off without the influence of religion.

[Glorfindel]

28. K&R n/t

[KY_EnviroGuy]

29. Another probable truth is...

that Doug Jones most likely holds closer to true Christian values than Roy Moore and his ilk. His platform reads that way.

(snip from Wiki)
He has been a member of the Canterbury United Methodist Church in Mountain Brook for more than 33 years.

---------
After being raised in the Southern Baptist Church in the 50s/60s, I'm no longer among the faithful because of the rampant hypocrisy and because of those who claim to know what their god wants and does.


The Planet Earth is now my highest power. We get along well and I can actually touch Her!

[get the red out]

30. I hope he is right

I am so sick of these theocrats stepping all over people's rights I can't stand it! They have just about destroyed democracy.

[workinclasszero]

32. I got news for them

The religious right/evangelicals have been a horrible witness for Christ for decades now.

The world's biggest hypocrites. It didn't start with backing a pedophile for the Senate, that's just the newest low. There will be more lows to come I have no doubt!

Don't forget the pussy grabber that denies Christ that they put in the white house whom they prayed over, laid hands on and proclaimed him God's instrument for mankind.

They make me sick and the TRUTH is not in them! They are slaves to $$$$$ and insult God every day of their lives!

Matt 6:24 "No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

[zentrum]

37. The RW has

....never been particularly Christa in. Always carried the bible and wrapped themselves in the flag. Just because it's so obvious now and you finally speak out---does not provide a pass for what's gone on since Jim Crow.

[gibraltar72]

39. I have watched in amazement

at the co opting of the "christian" brand. As a recovering Evangelical I have been amazed that "good' Christians haven't tried to reclaim what little good there is in the brand. I know many who though misguided on lots of it want to actually do the things the bible teaches. How have they allowed themselves to be drowned out by false prophets and money changers?

[Mariana]

55. It's so much easier for "good" Christians to just say, "They aren't Christians!"

when they're talking about the ones they don't agree with. Then "good" Christians can just ignore the "bad" Christians because it's not their problem. This writer doesn't do that, he doesn't try to handwave the problems away.

[DFW]

40. Well, you see there's this.............

If you publicly promote Roy Moore over Doug Jones to represent you in the Senate of the United States.....

WTF DID Y'ALL EXPECT???????????

[BadgerMom]

41. K and R

[Wounded Bear]

43. They should worry about how small their "integrity" is, not how "shiny"...

[lark]

45. Evangelical Christianity's reputation is in tatters,

exposed by the liars and hypocrites who just use it for personal power. It's been exposed as tribalistic greed, racist and misogynistic hatred, with no thought for morals or caring or humanity. The creed that promotes a pedophile is exposed as hollow and rotten from the inside out.

[peggysue2]

49. Gee, who would have thunk it?

When Christian leaders tie their wagon to everything and everyone the True Faith rejects, American voters decide enough is enough. If the evangelical community hadn't turned into a bunch of hypocrites and money/power grubbers maybe their so-called integrity would not be in tatters.

You supported a frigging pedophile for senator. You supported a compulsive liar/cheat/scam artist for president and you're worried about your honor and integrity?

You ought to be worried about the state of your soul. Not to mention your addled, medieval minds.

[hunter]

50. The venal hypocrisy of today's evangelical Christian Republicans...

... is very similar to that of the Catholic Church Martin Luther was protesting in the early 16th century.

[defacto7]

52. Never thought I'd say it... but

this atheist applauds Christianity Today for honesty.

[Renew Deal]

56. For example...

Link to tweet

[riversedge]

57. Lots of sane folks around who have trouble breaking through the LOUD noices of the RW

[sarcasmo]

60. Republican Jesus has destroyed Christianity

[ladjf]

64. 85% of the White Christian evangelists supported Moore.

Christians might do well to get out their New Testament and study the teachings of Jesus. They might discover that Roy Moore was not a faithful follower of the fundamentals of Christianity. The pastors who supported Moore should consider changing professions.

[raven mad]

66. Yeee HAWWWWWWWWW!

[keithbvadu2]

90. Need to divide that pie some more.

Need to divide that pie some more.

Franklin (and Billy) Graham say Mormons are not Christians

According to them, Catholics are not Christians either.

https://billygraham.org/decision-magazine/october-2012/can-an-evangelical-christian-vote-for-a-mormon/

"We need something like what Jerry Falwell did in the 1980s. We need a “moral majority”-made up of Christians, Jews, Mormons, Catholics and many others of faith-to come together to take a stand for our religious freedoms and rights."

Of course there are Catholics who say Protestants are not True Christians.

[TwistOneUp]

93. Nobody believes anybody else is right

Every religion has a subgroup (sect, division, movement) that believes they are the Only Ones that are the true followers of <insert supreme being(s) here> and Everyone Else Is Wrong.

Catholics believe they are the only "true church" (you really should pronounce this with a Celtic accent) and all others are wrong.
Orthodox Jews believe you have to keep kosher or you aren't a Jew.
Mormons will tell you if you do not believe in Joseph Smith you are not Christian.
Some Muslims believe that non-Muslims are infidels.

And all believe that if you are a penis-bearing lifeform that likes other penis-bearing lifeforms, you're toast.

No. Thank. You. Golf Foxtrot Yankee.

[sofa king]

67. I thought Jebus wanted the child molester.

The problem isn't that people won't believe what the snake handlers say; one out of four people always, always will, and they know that.

The problem now is that probably another one out of four Americans will never, ever forgive or forget what they've done. If the permanent opposition they've created is of similar size to their own zealotry, the Christian right just permanently neutralized themselves in American politics, except at a local level.

[Martin Eden]

68. Sexual misconduct aside, the "Christianity" of the religious right uis severely tarnished by ...

... the bigotry they continue to harbor and Republican policies that comfort the rich while afflicting the poor.

[Sentath]

69. LINK to original article

https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2017/december-web-only/roy-moore-doug-jones-alabama-editorial.html

rawstory had a rogue add that was serving me a trojan, AND I was curious about the chopped quotes. So, I went and found the article itself.






I also think this one is interesting: https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2017/november/trump-stephen-mansfield-why-so-many-conservative-christians.html

Sounds like they have some concern for their projected demographics.

[RandomAccess]

70. So ANOTHER win thanks to Moore's defeat

Groovy.

[NastyRiffraff]

71. That's fine, but

where was Christianity Today when Trump was a candidate? When he was trumpeting his misogyny and bigotry while snuggling up to compliant "ministers"? When it COUNTED?

All of a sudden the timid anti-Trump people are slowly, cautiously crawling out of their hiding places and expressing their OUTRAGE. How could this have happened?? Look what he's done to us!!

I have a t-shirt from the Bush era that says "Where are all the Bush supporters? Has the Rapture happened?" We can say the same about people who are ONLY NOW that we have a monster in the White House are belatedly wringing their hands.

[Iggo]

75. "...no one will believe a word we say..."

Um...lol.

[jmowreader]

77. There is a reason for that, and they know what it is

To the modern Evangelical Christian, "the end justifies the means."

The nomination of Roy Moore, and his near-victory last night, prove this. Mr. Moore claims to be a Christian and professes to hate abortion. That's all it takes to gain Evangelical support. Mr. Moore is also one of the most evil men on the face of the earth, but all that is overlooked.

[IronLionZion]

82. A lot of Christians voted for Doug Jones.

There is a Christian Left/Moderate that prefer social justice over creeping on teen girls.

How dumb are these RW assholes? What faith do they think the Democrats/minorities of Alabama follow? Islam? Atheism? Flying Spaghetti Monster? I want to know!

[Willie Pep]

106. African-Americans tend to be pretty religious.

More so than whites on average and we have the African-American community to thank for the victory in Alabama. Christians have different priorities and contrary to what most people think it doesn't all come down to abortion, not even for conservatives. Economics, race, civil rights, police issues, these all factor into the equation and explain why white and black Christians often vote differently.

[misanthrope]

109. That is certainly the case in Alabama, at any rate

where religion occupies a concerning role in society. Sadly, a great number of those same folks are very homophobic.

[demopilot]

84. Faith is a piss poor substitute for thinking. n/t

...

[TryLogic]

96. Now you are getting somewhere with this discussion.

[misanthrope]

111. +100

**

[Skittles]

88. with all due respect

you have never had a lot of credibility

[struggle4progress]

94. Good! Maybe we can tear down the pompous temple of pretenders who always manage

to proclaim their own personal political views as Holy Writ

The project, proposed long ago, of actually trying to Love Thy Neighbor, remains as tricky as it ever was, and it has always been too-readily misrepresented -- Hey! What the Bible is trying to say is that it's OK for me to grope that fourteen year old -- but it remains an interesting suggestion for anyone searching for a good way to live

[Hayduke Bomgarte]

95. Well that's exactly who they are, and

have been for decades.

“The Christian leaders who have excused, ignored, or justified his unscrupulous behavior and his indecent rhetoric have only given credence to their critics who accuse them of hypocrisy,”

Hypocrisy. It's one of their natural attributes.

[TryLogic]

97. My observation of essentially all religions is that, from time to time,

they do a little good in the world.

But mostly they do great damage. Religious wars, us-versus-them thinking, black-and-white thought processes, blind acceptance of despicable people who claim to be god's agents, hateful attitudes and behaviors... the list goes on and on.

I have been there. It is difficult and frightening to break free.

[jberryhill]

110. But there is one thing...

“Christians” like Roy Moore and his ilk do help some of them break free a little easier.

I saw the direction that bus was going decades ago.

[misanthrope]

112. Like so many other human institutions

they too frequently are used for brandishing and consolidating power and wealth.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

99. Christian leaders have been watching kkkristian leaders taking it down the sewers for a while.

Roy-Roy is just an end-stage symptom.

[Rainbow Droid]

101. Shameless, disgusting, hypocritical bile thinly disguised as "moderate, centrist, Comp.Conservatism"

Maybe the most disgusting piece of shit I've read in 2017 and that's really saying something considering 2017 has been 2017.

Uneducated, shamelessly self-unaware, utterly hypocritical bilespew.

I need a shower.

[Willie Pep]

103. Christian churches made a big mistake by hitching their wagons to the Republican Party.

I don't think any church should align with a political party anyway, even the Democrats. People have come to see the churches as too political and it makes them look bad, too worldly. It would be best if they focused on social movements like the churches did during the Civil Rights era but the Christian Coalition and the Religious Right became drunk on power and it harmed them big time.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

115. I noticed this long ago...

... and is pretty much why I only show up at church for funerals or weddings, since the 1980's.

[Achilleaze]

116. So many republican so-called christians are full-on hypocrites

They don't deserve to be called followers of Christ...

[lindysalsagal]

117. marking for later.

[dembotoz]

118. I sometimes do battle on their Facebook page.

If it's the same page it's whack job central
Would imagine this guy's job is now in trouble