Trump: “I want to try and get to heaven, if possible,”

[Tuur]

As is well known, USAID was not solely devoted to humanitarian aid but to economic and political development as well. It did not initiate programs but funded them at the request of the countries involved. BTW, the two examples you cited are flat-out lies.

Here's another:

All the shocking ways USAID spent your money

 

[Tuur]

Ever hear the term throwing out the baby with the bath water?

Thank you. I really mean that. Your's is perhaps the best argument I've come across here about keeping USAID. It doesn't deny that funds were misspent, only that it also did good as well.

A very real question is how much good verses how much waste. Like some charities who collect money for one cause but end up spending very little of it for that purpose. Amazing how much "overhead" eats up. And as long as it's not outright fraud, it's perfectly legal. At some point the rot is so far gone that the best thing is to start over from scratch.

 

[RileyG]

I guess its best if people taking communion aren't thinking about wow this is a great pinot noir or whatever.

LOL! My old parish used Franzia chillable Red for Communion. I know others use bottle of red wine, some even use white.

I actually drink that sometimes.

 

[BCP1928]

Chairman Mast Exposes Outrageous USAID and State Department Grants

LOL! Outrageous for sure.

 

[BCP1928]

LOL! My old parish used Franzia chillable Red for Communion. I know others use bottle of red wine, some even use white.

I actually drink that sometimes.

I was at an Evangelical church once and got flat strawberry Fanta and stale arrowroot biscuits. But their hearts were in the right place.

 

[RileyG]

I was at an Evangelical church once and got flat strawberry Fanta and stale arrowroot biscuits. But their hearts were in the right place.

Wow! That's quite interesting, to say the least. I know some use grape juice, but most liturgical Churches do not.

 

[public hermit]

I was at an Evangelical church once and got flat strawberry Fanta and stale arrowroot biscuits. But their hearts were in the right place.

There's the great story, perhaps apocryphal, of prisoners in Uruguay, who had communion with no elements. Perhaps a most substantial communion?

The Communion of Empty Hands

The beloved Uruguayan author Eduardo Galeano portrays a Good Friday service in prison.

www.plough.com

 

[Say it aint so]

And? A barber could have come up with it cutting the football coach's hair and it would still be funny.

My guess is that you're not a White Evangelical Christian, otherwise you'd know that as a "voting block," it's about as unified as a church business meeting. It's more of the Democrats saying "We don't want you," and voters taking them at their word.

The amazing thing is that an average person can say that they hope they've done enough good things to get to Heaven and people think nothing of it. Trump says pretty much the same thing, and people think there's a political ulterior motive.

Bingo:
"The amazing thing is that an average person can say that they hope they've done enough good things to get to Heaven and people think nothing of it. Trump says pretty much the same thing, and people think there's a political ulterior motive."

...for this reason:

"Taken at face value, the average person doesn't play a charade of faith in order to use those of faith to get a desired outcome."

Politics was the motivation; for Trump and the leaders of that religious voting block.

 

[Bradskii]

I guess its best if people taking communion aren't thinking about wow this is a great pinot noir or whatever.

Muscat seems popular in these parts.

Altar Wine Brown Muscat 750Ml Bottle | Online Christian Supplies Shop

Premium fortified Brown Muscat altar wine, Australian-made, with full-bodied sweetness. Ideal for small parishes or private Eucharist.

www.christiansupplies.com.au

 

[durangodawood]

I was at an Evangelical church once and got flat strawberry Fanta and stale arrowroot biscuits. But their hearts were in the right place.

Were they trying to test God?

 

[Pommer]

As is well known, USAID was not solely devoted to humanitarian aid but to economic and political development as well. It did not initiate programs but funded them at the request of the countries involved. BTW, the two examples you cited are flat-out lies.

“Soft-power” is a waste of money if you have the strongest military.
Apparently.

 

[Pommer]

I was at an Evangelical church once and got flat strawberry Fanta and stale arrowroot biscuits.

The church-discussions that led to “Fanta”, must have been entertaining.

 

[FireDragon76]

This is why the Democratic Party has lost two out of three elections to President Trump. Since his entry into U.S. politics, Democrats have frequently questioned his intellect, yet they have been defeated twice. Whether one agrees with President Trump or not, or believes his political strategy is beneficial or detrimental to America, it is necessary to acknowledge that his political skills are unmatched by any politician in the past fifty years. However, Democrats often struggle to accept this reality. Remarks such as “he doesn’t know anything” or “he never read anything” are common from Democratic critics. If President Trump lacks knowledge as they claim, it raises questions about their own skills or knowledge given these electoral outcomes.

An alternative hypothesis: Trump's politics skills (such as they are) don't exist in a vacuum: context is everything. The American electorate, worn down by decades of neoliberal technical managerialism, lost faith in major social institutions after the 2008 financial crisis, which made them vulnerable to demagogues.

 

[Tuur]

Politics was the motivation; for Trump and the leaders of that religious voting block.

What Trump stated isn't the Christian belief on Salvation. That's the story. There's no reason to think that Trump doesn't believe what he says he believes. It fits with his demonstrated unfamiliarity with the bible. It's a belief no different from the average American non-Christian's, and just as wrong.

Quite obviously you don't believe that. Quite obviously you're not alone in that regard here in CF. So be it.

 

[Tuur]

Were they trying to test God?

Maybe it's what they could get?

 

[Tuur]

An alternative hypothesis: Trump's politics skills (such as they are) don't exist in a vacuum: context is everything. The American electorate, worn down by decades of neoliberal technical managerialism, lost faith in major social institutions after the 2008 financial crisis, which made them vulnerable to demagogues.

Not even that complex. The American electorate got tired of lip service and no change. That was essentially what I heard from a Trump supporter in 2016. It was "We've tried everything else."

 

[BCP1928]

Were they trying to test God?

No, for Evangelicals it's a memorial, a re-enactment if you like, not a Sacrament.

 

[FAITH-IN-HIM]

An alternative hypothesis: Trump's politics skills (such as they are) don't exist in a vacuum: context is everything. The American electorate, worn down by decades of neoliberal technical managerialism, lost faith in major social institutions after the 2008 financial crisis, which made them vulnerable to demagogues.

I agree with all your points.

Conservative media, including Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, and Glenn Beck, has significantly influenced American right-wing political ideology.

W. Bush's failures, especially the Iraq war and financial crises, led many conservatives to abandon traditional conservatism in favor of populist ideas. These views often lack merit but remain popular; for instance, supporting high tariffs on Canadian goods without understanding their economic impact is a widespread but misguided patriotic sentiment.

For twenty-five years, conservative media have portrayed immigrants, particularly those from South America, in a negative light. As a result, when then-candidate Trump gave his first speech descending the escalator—criticizing immigrants—it sounded dark, divisive, and un-American to many who do not follow outlets like Fox News or Rush Limbaugh. However, for conservative viewers, it felt as though a politician was finally speaking what they perceived as the truth.

Of course, President Trump capitalized on the prevailing ideology and mentality within the current conservative movement. However, the question remains: why was no one else able to appeal to these voters as effectively as President Trump?

While some may not agree with President Trump or may perceive his supporters as overly simplistic, it is important to acknowledge President Trump’s ability to consistently retain the loyalty of approximately 40% of American voters. Such steadfast support can only be maintained by a highly skilled politician.

Democrats have lost two out of three times to President Trump because they consistently underestimated his political abilities since he announced his candidacy in 2015. Even today they are underestimating him.

 

[Say it aint so]

What Trump stated isn't the Christian belief on Salvation. That's the story. There's no reason to think that Trump doesn't believe what he says he believes. It fits with his demonstrated unfamiliarity with the bible. It's a belief no different from the average American non-Christian's, and just as wrong.

Quite obviously you don't believe that. Quite obviously you're not alone in that regard here in CF. So be it.

I do agree. Trump doesn't understand salvation. He has no desire to understand it. It's irrelevant to him because to him the end justifies the means.
For those Trump supporting Christians, the end justifies the means. To quote Russell Moore, the editor of Christianity Today: "Multiple pastors tell me, essentially, the same story about quoting the Sermon on the Mount, parenthetically, in their preaching—'turn the other cheek'—[and] to have someone come up after to say, 'Where did you get those liberal talking points?'" Moore said. When the pastor would say, 'I'm literally quoting Jesus Christ' ... The response would be, 'Yes, but that doesn't work anymore. That's weak," he added. "When we get to the point where the teachings of Jesus himself are seen as subversive to us, then we're in a crisis." Come Trump and Jesus, they are literally replacing one for the other.