Democrats Are ‘Children Of Satan,’ Right-Wing Radio Host Says

[ProudModerate2]

Now that's ironic seeing as how most of what Republicans stand for is the antithesis of what Jesus preached, but I expect nothing more from these wolves in sheep's clothing who seem to think that Christianity is correlated to being a Republican.

The warmongering of the Republican Party is something that is un-Christian, but Democrats do that too.  Jesus also said nothing about whether helping the poor should be done through private charity or through government involvement.  And when you factor in Democrats' support for abortion, the GOP is clearly the lesser of two evils from a Christian perspective.

1) That sort of hair splitting doesn't matter if you are truly concerned about the poor.

Agree.
Like, get real.
Why don't we also make a distinction between supporting the poor using US Dollars versus European Euros.

[Since I'm the mad scientist proclaimed by myself]

Modern secular social liberalism has at its root the same pitch as Satan gave to Eve: you know better than God, so why follow His rules? In a very literal way, social liberalism, atheism, libertarianism, etc. could all be labeled as Satanic and rightfully so.

While it's literally impossible for people to know better than God, God gave us a brain in order to think, otherwise he would have left the brain part out. It's all part of God's plan. In any case, Trump isn't very Godly.

Sure, but not all possible thoughts and actions are in accordance with God's will; He gave us fists, but that itself doesn't morally justify a punch. That's part of the whole free will thing.

The Bible is predicated on the notion that God's will is inherently and definitionally the highest possible good, ergo deviation from it is suboptimal at best and outright evil at worst. Every time Satan appears in the Bible, his message is consistent. He talks to people who know what the right thing is, but for whom doing what they want to do would be easier, more pleasureful, and full of positive worldly consequences. When Satan came to Jesus in the desert, it was to tell Him that taking the easy way out would give Him all kinds of worldly wonders, despite the fact He knew the Father's will for Him was anything but easy.

The Left complains God's commands as understood through the Bible are too strict, too hard, too intolerant, too offensive. Wouldn't it be easier to just ignore them? Think of all the money, fame, sex, drugs, and power you could have. Wouldn't that just be so good? Think of how many fewer arguments we'd have if no one cared what others did. No one would ever have to feel judged for what they did; no one would have to ever experience anything negative which might actually build moral character. Everything would just be so easy. And at the end of the day, when you feel that gaping maw of emptiness inside you, it's okay because you can fill it with new shallow frivolities tomorrow; you can always mortgage your soul another day.

But at least liberals care about the worldly pleasantries of others. Libertarians and some others on the Right (including Trump) would take even that if they could extract another ounce of worldly pleasure for themselves. Atheists go so far as to say God's commands don't even exist, and spend their lives pre-gaming for the absence of God awaiting them after this life, going so far as to lionize eternal annihilation as a desirable end. The Satanic call is so ingrained in their psyche that even the infinite beauty of God's love becomes like ash in their mouths, something to be despised and hated even if they believed it existed. It's no coincidence that the Church of Satan is essentially an atheistic, libertarian cult.

You can see all that in this very thread. Satan's servants will embrace him at the slightest provocation, even if they never realized they were so before. Sure, it may often come as jest, but it is a Freudian jest at best; that they would even allow such an equivocation is telling in itself.

Neither are real, people who ironically identify with Satan do it because it's edgy and makes religious people go ballistic. Your gods laws are evil. It being easier (or more accurately, not torturous) has nothing to do with it. Your god represents murder and torture of innocents for the sake of a crude imitation of morality.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Guys, guys, we're all basically children of Satan.

[ProudModerate2]

If this is true, then I'm jealous because Atlas member MasterJedi can more easily adjust his username compared to the rest of us.
He can just change his username to SithLord.

[Badger]

Modern secular social liberalism has at its root the same pitch as Satan gave to Eve: you know better than God, so why follow His rules? In a very literal way, social liberalism, atheism, libertarianism, etc. could all be labeled as Satanic and rightfully so.

Stupidest thing you've ever posted.

Stupidest post I've read all week, and that's saying a ton.

Go re-read the Book of Luke, and reconsider your words.

[Devout Centrist]

Modern secular social liberalism has at its root the same pitch as Satan gave to Eve: you know better than God, so why follow His rules? In a very literal way, social liberalism, atheism, libertarianism, etc. could all be labeled as Satanic and rightfully so.

You're a great mapmaker, but...you should stick to mapmaking.

[Badger]

Now that's ironic seeing as how most of what Republicans stand for is the antithesis of what Jesus preached, but I expect nothing more from these wolves in sheep's clothing who seem to think that Christianity is correlated to being a Republican.

The warmongering of the Republican Party is something that is un-Christian, but Democrats do that too.  Jesus also said nothing about whether helping the poor should be done through private charity or through government involvement.  And when you factor in Democrats' support for abortion, the GOP is clearly the lesser of two evils from a Christian perspective.

AGAIN. As I patiently tried explaining to you a couple weeks ago, it is NOT NOR EVER HAS BEEN a "private charities" OR "government assistance" dichotomy. It is in fact the former or both. Cutting public funding does NOT increase charitable giving much if at all. The end result is more sick, starving, suffering.

In short, literally everything Jesus ever instructed us NOT to do to our fellow mankind.

[Badger]

Modern secular social liberalism has at its root the same pitch as Satan gave to Eve: you know better than God, so why follow His rules? In a very literal way, social liberalism, atheism, libertarianism, etc. could all be labeled as Satanic and rightfully so.

While it's literally impossible for people to know better than God, God gave us a brain in order to think, otherwise he would have left the brain part out. It's all part of God's plan. In any case, Trump isn't very Godly.

Sure, but not all possible thoughts and actions are in accordance with God's will; He gave us fists, but that itself doesn't morally justify a punch. That's part of the whole free will thing.

The Bible is predicated on the notion that God's will is inherently and definitionally the highest possible good, ergo deviation from it is suboptimal at best and outright evil at worst. Every time Satan appears in the Bible, his message is consistent. He talks to people who know what the right thing is, but for whom doing what they want to do would be easier, more pleasureful, and full of positive worldly consequences. When Satan came to Jesus in the desert, it was to tell Him that taking the easy way out would give Him all kinds of worldly wonders, despite the fact He knew the Father's will for Him was anything but easy.

The Left complains God's commands as understood through the Bible are too strict, too hard, too intolerant, too offensive. Wouldn't it be easier to just ignore them? Think of all the money, fame, sex, drugs, and power you could have. Wouldn't that just be so good? Think of how many fewer arguments we'd have if no one cared what others did. No one would ever have to feel judged for what they did; no one would have to ever experience anything negative which might actually build moral character. Everything would just be so easy. And at the end of the day, when you feel that gaping maw of emptiness inside you, it's okay because you can fill it with new shallow frivolities tomorrow; you can always mortgage your soul another day.

But at least liberals care about the worldly pleasantries of others. Libertarians and some others on the Right (including Trump) would take even that if they could extract another ounce of worldly pleasure for themselves. Atheists go so far as to say God's commands don't even exist, and spend their lives pre-gaming for the absence of God awaiting them after this life, going so far as to lionize eternal annihilation as a desirable end. The Satanic call is so ingrained in their psyche that even the infinite beauty of God's love becomes like ash in their mouths, something to be despised and hated even if they believed it existed. It's no coincidence that the Church of Satan is essentially an atheistic, libertarian cult.

You can see all that in this very thread. Satan's servants will embrace him at the slightest provocation, even if they never realized they were so before. Sure, it may often come as jest, but it is a Freudian jest at best; that they would even allow such an equivocation is telling in itself.

RI, just because I reject stoning idolaters and adulterers, not foregoing sex with my wife during menstruation, that the value of Pi is 3, etc. doesn't mean I believe God's will is "too tough".

The same cannot be said for those who cling like a newborn to its mother to Levitican Rabbinical laws to justify their already established world view as "ungodly", yet ignore pretty much everything Jesus himself said about giving and sharing as a society makes Jeremy Corbyn look more right wing then Thatcher....

Well, let's just say there are as many if not more "cafeteria Christians" on the right; they just help themselves to more familiar dishes.

[Devout Centrist]

Modern secular social liberalism has at its root the same pitch as Satan gave to Eve: you know better than God, so why follow His rules? In a very literal way, social liberalism, atheism, libertarianism, etc. could all be labeled as Satanic and rightfully so.

While it's literally impossible for people to know better than God, God gave us a brain in order to think, otherwise he would have left the brain part out. It's all part of God's plan. In any case, Trump isn't very Godly.

Sure, but not all possible thoughts and actions are in accordance with God's will; He gave us fists, but that itself doesn't morally justify a punch. That's part of the whole free will thing.

The Bible is predicated on the notion that God's will is inherently and definitionally the highest possible good, ergo deviation from it is suboptimal at best and outright evil at worst. Every time Satan appears in the Bible, his message is consistent. He talks to people who know what the right thing is, but for whom doing what they want to do would be easier, more pleasureful, and full of positive worldly consequences. When Satan came to Jesus in the desert, it was to tell Him that taking the easy way out would give Him all kinds of worldly wonders, despite the fact He knew the Father's will for Him was anything but easy.

The Left complains God's commands as understood through the Bible are too strict, too hard, too intolerant, too offensive. Wouldn't it be easier to just ignore them? Think of all the money, fame, sex, drugs, and power you could have. Wouldn't that just be so good? Think of how many fewer arguments we'd have if no one cared what others did. No one would ever have to feel judged for what they did; no one would have to ever experience anything negative which might actually build moral character. Everything would just be so easy. And at the end of the day, when you feel that gaping maw of emptiness inside you, it's okay because you can fill it with new shallow frivolities tomorrow; you can always mortgage your soul another day.

But at least liberals care about the worldly pleasantries of others. Libertarians and some others on the Right (including Trump) would take even that if they could extract another ounce of worldly pleasure for themselves. Atheists go so far as to say God's commands don't even exist, and spend their lives pre-gaming for the absence of God awaiting them after this life, going so far as to lionize eternal annihilation as a desirable end. The Satanic call is so ingrained in their psyche that even the infinite beauty of God's love becomes like ash in their mouths, something to be despised and hated even if they believed it existed. It's no coincidence that the Church of Satan is essentially an atheistic, libertarian cult.

You can see all that in this very thread. Satan's servants will embrace him at the slightest provocation, even if they never realized they were so before. Sure, it may often come as jest, but it is a Freudian jest at best; that they would even allow such an equivocation is telling in itself.

How much time did you waste writing this?

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Modern secular social liberalism has at its root the same pitch as Satan gave to Eve: you know better than God, so why follow His rules? In a very literal way, social liberalism, atheism, libertarianism, etc. could all be labeled as Satanic and rightfully so.

Huh.  So I guess that makes me a Satanic Christian, then.  What a concept.

[Badger]

Modern secular social liberalism has at its root the same pitch as Satan gave to Eve: you know better than God, so why follow His rules? In a very literal way, social liberalism, atheism, libertarianism, etc. could all be labeled as Satanic and rightfully so.

While it's literally impossible for people to know better than God, God gave us a brain in order to think, otherwise he would have left the brain part out. It's all part of God's plan. In any case, Trump isn't very Godly.

Sure, but not all possible thoughts and actions are in accordance with God's will; He gave us fists, but that itself doesn't morally justify a punch. That's part of the whole free will thing.

The Bible is predicated on the notion that God's will is inherently and definitionally the highest possible good, ergo deviation from it is suboptimal at best and outright evil at worst. Every time Satan appears in the Bible, his message is consistent. He talks to people who know what the right thing is, but for whom doing what they want to do would be easier, more pleasureful, and full of positive worldly consequences. When Satan came to Jesus in the desert, it was to tell Him that taking the easy way out would give Him all kinds of worldly wonders, despite the fact He knew the Father's will for Him was anything but easy.

The Left complains God's commands as understood through the Bible are too strict, too hard, too intolerant, too offensive. Wouldn't it be easier to just ignore them? Think of all the money, fame, sex, drugs, and power you could have. Wouldn't that just be so good? Think of how many fewer arguments we'd have if no one cared what others did. No one would ever have to feel judged for what they did; no one would have to ever experience anything negative which might actually build moral character. Everything would just be so easy. And at the end of the day, when you feel that gaping maw of emptiness inside you, it's okay because you can fill it with new shallow frivolities tomorrow; you can always mortgage your soul another day.

But at least liberals care about the worldly pleasantries of others. Libertarians and some others on the Right (including Trump) would take even that if they could extract another ounce of worldly pleasure for themselves. Atheists go so far as to say God's commands don't even exist, and spend their lives pre-gaming for the absence of God awaiting them after this life, going so far as to lionize eternal annihilation as a desirable end. The Satanic call is so ingrained in their psyche that even the infinite beauty of God's love becomes like ash in their mouths, something to be despised and hated even if they believed it existed. It's no coincidence that the Church of Satan is essentially an atheistic, libertarian cult.

You can see all that in this very thread. Satan's servants will embrace him at the slightest provocation, even if they never realized they were so before. Sure, it may often come as jest, but it is a Freudian jest at best; that they would even allow such an equivocation is telling in itself.

How much time did you waste writing this?

Very little, I suspect. This is merely what plays in RI's mind as a loop.

[JerryArkansas]

Modern secular social liberalism has at its root the same pitch as Satan gave to Eve: you know better than God, so why follow His rules? In a very literal way, social liberalism, atheism, libertarianism, etc. could all be labeled as Satanic and rightfully so.

[MalaspinaGold]

Modern secular social liberalism has at its root the same pitch as Satan gave to Eve: you know better than God, so why follow His rules? In a very literal way, social liberalism, atheism, libertarianism, etc. could all be labeled as Satanic and rightfully so.

While it's literally impossible for people to know better than God, God gave us a brain in order to think, otherwise he would have left the brain part out. It's all part of God's plan. In any case, Trump isn't very Godly.

Sure, but not all possible thoughts and actions are in accordance with God's will; He gave us fists, but that itself doesn't morally justify a punch. That's part of the whole free will thing.

The Bible is predicated on the notion that God's will is inherently and definitionally the highest possible good, ergo deviation from it is suboptimal at best and outright evil at worst. Every time Satan appears in the Bible, his message is consistent. He talks to people who know what the right thing is, but for whom doing what they want to do would be easier, more pleasureful, and full of positive worldly consequences. When Satan came to Jesus in the desert, it was to tell Him that taking the easy way out would give Him all kinds of worldly wonders, despite the fact He knew the Father's will for Him was anything but easy.

The Left complains God's commands as understood through the Bible are too strict, too hard, too intolerant, too offensive. Wouldn't it be easier to just ignore them? Think of all the money, fame, sex, drugs, and power you could have. Wouldn't that just be so good? Think of how many fewer arguments we'd have if no one cared what others did. No one would ever have to feel judged for what they did; no one would have to ever experience anything negative which might actually build moral character. Everything would just be so easy. And at the end of the day, when you feel that gaping maw of emptiness inside you, it's okay because you can fill it with new shallow frivolities tomorrow; you can always mortgage your soul another day.

But at least liberals care about the worldly pleasantries of others. Libertarians and some others on the Right (including Trump) would take even that if they could extract another ounce of worldly pleasure for themselves. Atheists go so far as to say God's commands don't even exist, and spend their lives pre-gaming for the absence of God awaiting them after this life, going so far as to lionize eternal annihilation as a desirable end. The Satanic call is so ingrained in their psyche that even the infinite beauty of God's love becomes like ash in their mouths, something to be despised and hated even if they believed it existed. It's no coincidence that the Church of Satan is essentially an atheistic, libertarian cult.

You can see all that in this very thread. Satan's servants will embrace him at the slightest provocation, even if they never realized they were so before. Sure, it may often come as jest, but it is a Freudian jest at best; that they would even allow such an equivocation is telling in itself.

This is an interesting concept. Have you considered writing a gay porn novel about it?

[ProudModerate2]

Modern secular social liberalism has at its root the same pitch as Satan gave to Eve: you know better than God, so why follow His rules? In a very literal way, social liberalism, atheism, libertarianism, etc. could all be labeled as Satanic and rightfully so.

While it's literally impossible for people to know better than God, God gave us a brain in order to think, otherwise he would have left the brain part out. It's all part of God's plan. In any case, Trump isn't very Godly.

Sure, but not all possible thoughts and actions are in accordance with God's will; He gave us fists, but that itself doesn't morally justify a punch. That's part of the whole free will thing.

The Bible is predicated on the notion that God's will is inherently and definitionally the highest possible good, ergo deviation from it is suboptimal at best and outright evil at worst. Every time Satan appears in the Bible, his message is consistent. He talks to people who know what the right thing is, but for whom doing what they want to do would be easier, more pleasureful, and full of positive worldly consequences. When Satan came to Jesus in the desert, it was to tell Him that taking the easy way out would give Him all kinds of worldly wonders, despite the fact He knew the Father's will for Him was anything but easy.

The Left complains God's commands as understood through the Bible are too strict, too hard, too intolerant, too offensive. Wouldn't it be easier to just ignore them? Think of all the money, fame, sex, drugs, and power you could have. Wouldn't that just be so good? Think of how many fewer arguments we'd have if no one cared what others did. No one would ever have to feel judged for what they did; no one would have to ever experience anything negative which might actually build moral character. Everything would just be so easy. And at the end of the day, when you feel that gaping maw of emptiness inside you, it's okay because you can fill it with new shallow frivolities tomorrow; you can always mortgage your soul another day.

But at least liberals care about the worldly pleasantries of others. Libertarians and some others on the Right (including Trump) would take even that if they could extract another ounce of worldly pleasure for themselves. Atheists go so far as to say God's commands don't even exist, and spend their lives pre-gaming for the absence of God awaiting them after this life, going so far as to lionize eternal annihilation as a desirable end. The Satanic call is so ingrained in their psyche that even the infinite beauty of God's love becomes like ash in their mouths, something to be despised and hated even if they believed it existed. It's no coincidence that the Church of Satan is essentially an atheistic, libertarian cult.

You can see all that in this very thread. Satan's servants will embrace him at the slightest provocation, even if they never realized they were so before. Sure, it may often come as jest, but it is a Freudian jest at best; that they would even allow such an equivocation is telling in itself.

Are you a member of the Westboro Baptist Church ?
You sound like you fit right-in with this organization.
You know ..... someone who uses Jesus and Christianity to form severe, perverted angles of hate.

[Beet]

Guys, while RI's viewpoints are obviously a minority, I appreciate that he took the time to respond to my post with actual reason and arguments, no matter how controversial, explaining his thinking. That's all too rare these days. Good on him.

[Torie]

"Atheists go so far as to .. lionize eternal annihilation as a desirable end."

I am more or less an atheist, but after about 5 or more decades of living in such a Godless state, I remain unaware that I lionized annihilation. Sad! Who do I want annihilated  when pray tell? Please explain. Thanks so much.

[The Self]

"Atheists go so far as to .. lionize eternal annihilation as a desirable end."

I am more or less an atheist, but after about 5 or more decades of living in such a Godless state, I remain unaware that I lionized annihilation. Sad! Who do I want annotated when pray tell? Please explain. Thanks so much.

One could easily flip it around the other way: "Christians are so entitled that they believe they have a right to perpetual bliss."

[Badger]

"Atheists go so far as to .. lionize eternal annihilation as a desirable end."

I am more or less an atheist, but after about 5 or more decades of living in such a Godless state, I remain unaware that I lionized annihilation. Sad! Who do I want annotated when pray tell? Please explain. Thanks so much.

One could easily flip it around the other way: "Christians are so entitled that they believe they have a right to perpetual bliss."

The Chronic Broad brushstrokes in this thread of both atheists and Christians is disturbing and downright annoying to say the least. Not to mention simply inaccurate

[Statilius the Epicurean]

RI is one of my least favorite types to discuss politics with: assumes the truth of his own position and then psychologises those who disagree with him from there. Rather than starting from "atheist liberals take a position of epistemic humility as to whether God exists or not", he jumps immediately to "the truth of Christianity is obvious, therefore atheist liberals must wilfully deny God because they hate him/are debauched"

If left atheists deny God because moral commandments are too hard, then why are so many of them vegetarian out of concern for animal welfare?

And then one can make the point that so far as religions go Christianity is pretty bloody easy on personal commitments, considering all you have to do is confess your sins on your deathbed to go to heaven...

[Badger]

RI is one of my least favorite types to discuss politics with: assumes the truth of his own position and then psychologises those who disagree with him from there. Rather than starting from "atheist liberals take a position of epistemic humility as to whether God exists or not", he jumps immediately to "the truth of Christianity is obvious, therefore atheist liberals must wilfully deny God because they hate him/are debauched".

Is religious piety frequently crosses the line into Orthodox zealotry. Why should we be surprised about this?

[Ban my account ffs!]

Modern secular social liberalism has at its root the same pitch as Satan gave to Eve: you know better than God, so why follow His rules? In a very literal way, social liberalism, atheism, libertarianism, etc. could all be labeled as Satanic and rightfully so.

While it's literally impossible for people to know better than God, God gave us a brain in order to think, otherwise he would have left the brain part out. It's all part of God's plan. In any case, Trump isn't very Godly.

Sure, but not all possible thoughts and actions are in accordance with God's will; He gave us fists, but that itself doesn't morally justify a punch. That's part of the whole free will thing.

The Bible is predicated on the notion that God's will is inherently and definitionally the highest possible good, ergo deviation from it is suboptimal at best and outright evil at worst. Every time Satan appears in the Bible, his message is consistent. He talks to people who know what the right thing is, but for whom doing what they want to do would be easier, more pleasureful, and full of positive worldly consequences. When Satan came to Jesus in the desert, it was to tell Him that taking the easy way out would give Him all kinds of worldly wonders, despite the fact He knew the Father's will for Him was anything but easy.

The Left complains God's commands as understood through the Bible are too strict, too hard, too intolerant, too offensive. Wouldn't it be easier to just ignore them? Think of all the money, fame, sex, drugs, and power you could have. Wouldn't that just be so good? Think of how many fewer arguments we'd have if no one cared what others did. No one would ever have to feel judged for what they did; no one would have to ever experience anything negative which might actually build moral character. Everything would just be so easy. And at the end of the day, when you feel that gaping maw of emptiness inside you, it's okay because you can fill it with new shallow frivolities tomorrow; you can always mortgage your soul another day.

But at least liberals care about the worldly pleasantries of others. Libertarians and some others on the Right (including Trump) would take even that if they could extract another ounce of worldly pleasure for themselves. Atheists go so far as to say God's commands don't even exist, and spend their lives pre-gaming for the absence of God awaiting them after this life, going so far as to lionize eternal annihilation as a desirable end. The Satanic call is so ingrained in their psyche that even the infinite beauty of God's love becomes like ash in their mouths, something to be despised and hated even if they believed it existed. It's no coincidence that the Church of Satan is essentially an atheistic, libertarian cult.

You can see all that in this very thread. Satan's servants will embrace him at the slightest provocation, even if they never realized they were so before. Sure, it may often come as jest, but it is a Freudian jest at best; that they would even allow such an equivocation is telling in itself.

This is an interesting concept. Have you considered writing a gay porn novel about it?

Oh you dirty bird

[RFayette]

Guys, guys, we're all basically children of Satan.

From a behavioral perspective, this - spiritual state of salvation is a different matter, but that's for another time.  Besides, King David was saved when he committed adultery and murder - luckily, salvation isn't about the good we do, it's the good work that Jesus Christ did on the cross.  We all have the capacity to commit evil, and denying the temptation to do wrong is a battle for everyone, Christian and non-Christian alike, and which is why society must punish wrongdoing severely.  We are not all basically good, and one simply has to read a newspaper to figure that out.

[SWE]

RI is one of my least favorite types to discuss politics with: assumes the truth of his own position and then psychologises those who disagree with him from there. Rather than starting from "atheist liberals take a position of epistemic humility as to whether God exists or not", he jumps immediately to "the truth of Christianity is obvious, therefore atheist liberals must wilfully deny God because they hate him/are debauched"

Interestingly, the fact that you would say this actually proves that everything RI believes is right

[pbrower2a]

Modern secular social liberalism has at its root the same pitch as Satan gave to Eve: you know better than God, so why follow His rules? In a very literal way, social liberalism, atheism, libertarianism, etc. could all be labeled as Satanic and rightfully so.

Modern secular social liberalism is not predicated upon the rejection of God. Modern secular social liberalism is predicated upon the idea that one cannot fully trust the voice in your head as the dictate of God. That voice could as easily be sheer nonsense, if not Satan. I have heard that voice in my head at times, and for the good of Humanity I rejected that voice. It often told me to commit a crime or at least something despicable.

In one of the worst times in my life - last year -- I had to push myself to visit my demented father in a mental ward in South Bend. I was nearly broke, so I had to find a way to reward myself for facing a rigid bureaucracy and a father who did not appreciate me. He threw punches at me on occasion. I didn't want to go shopping (drain on what few assets I had). Eating out? Likewise, except for stopping at a fast-food place and getting a giant soda and a hamburger patty for my traveling companion -- the family dog. The hamburger patty didn't last long.

The worst time was when I arranged to take the dog outside the window (I couldn't take it into the ward) so that it could see my father. The dog was excited. My father, to my astonishment, scolded me for doing so. I expected praise for letting him get as close to one of his best friends as the bureaucracy allowed.

I took some trips to a Japanese garden nearby.  Nice, peaceful, and beautiful, unlike the rest of my life -- and a reminder of some culture very different from mine. There was fall color at the time...   

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Well, we do have the ethical teachings of sacred text, and most of those hold up well. That's not to say that I would concur with young-earth creationism,  the more bloodthirsty dictates of Leviticus, the kosher food laws, or some of the more fanatical teachings of Jesus. (The economic realities of Jesus' time were simple: the rich were either oppressors or criminals, there was no middle class, economics was mostly a zero-sum game, and the High Priests were corrupt. Giving up family life to follow a religious leader is not a pure blessing, and I would not now tell a small businessman to liquidate his assets including a job-creating, wealth-creating enterprise). 

Donald Trump is the sort of secular leader whom Jesus would excoriate for his rapaciousness, lasciviousness, cruelty, corruption, and despotic style. I have a thread elsewhere on tyrannical style. A hint: a little restraint in the expression of wealth makes a huge difference between the Rockefeller family which has some humane decency and someone like Nicolae Ceausescu. Ceausescu has a palace which suggests an oil sheik whose family controls the majority of the wealth in his family's country, except that the foliage suggests Ohio instead of Oman.

Donald Trump is about as Christian as Nicolae Ceausescu.  But I have a thread on a history forum to offer you:


Here's "Trump taste"



and a critique:

https://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/12/donald-trumps-art-collection-reviewed/

In any event here is a link to a thread on dictatorial taste. All of the examples are of people with great power to grab resources and put them to expression of their dreams -- often the intimate dreams of personal excess. This is not expressions of old royal families who have the excuse that some absolute-monarch ancestor set up a spectacular pleasure palace that remains to this day nearly unchanged. Of course I would expect the reigning monarchs of the UK, the Netherlands, Spain, and Japan to have plush surroundings. The tyrannical kleptocrats that I mention (Ceausescu, Saddam Hussein, Yanukevich, Marcos, Bokassa, and Goering) dictated what was to be build for their bloated egos.

It's not simply power. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom has had great power, as exemplified by Churchill in World War II, But 10 Downing Street is remarkably austere by contrast to the pleasure places of the bad guys mentioned in the last paragraph.  You will notice that 10 Downing is at a human scale, which befits a Prime Minister who may have been a miner or an industrial worker before becoming a union official and in turn a MP, or to the daughter of a pharmacist who as Prime Minister had small businesspeople as a large constituency. But just read the thread and get the idea.

http://generational-theory.com/forum/thread-713.html

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God did not give us matches and lighters, but just because I have matches or a lighter does not mean that I am entitled to commit arson. 


Of

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Of course we also have senses, and those senses give me a quick warning to pull back from a hot object or to retreat from a vile, sulfurous smell. But I am not Jesus, and I am not in the desert. If I wanted to go to a desert it might be something like Scottsdale, Arizona, which isn't much of a sacrifice.   

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...the Right is just as vulnerable to the appeal for those things. I think that I am wise enough to know that beyond a certain level of income I am not likely to be happier just for having more power as a consumer. Fame is a dubious commodity, something as much a burden as a boon. Sex is nice, but it comes with consequences for misconduct of certain standards. I hate drugs, so those are not a temptation. Power? Only for doing good, I say.   
 

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I have a conscience, so I found a situation in which a boy running out of his parents SUV and showing fear inappropriate (I expect a whooping) for his age utterly appalling. I do care what people do to me. I took great offense with a threat of being gay-bashed and of being accused of molesting children. I cannot see images from the concentration camps of Nazi Germany without disgust. I can't imagine what I would have thought had I been one of the Allied soldiers who liberated one of the camps.

We care about what others do or we have an incredible nightmare.  I consider a good society good for me even if its strictures are inconvenient.   

   

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And someone like Irma Grese could loose her dogs upon me, an emaciated and helpless inmate of a concentration camp, and be even more helpless than a Christian in one of those sick Roman circuses in which the Emperor allows lions to kill and eat Christians. Dogs have much similarity in build and behavior to lions; they simply aren't as efficient.

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Man is more adept at creating Hell than at creating heaven.
 

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Have you ever heard of the paradox of hedonism? The most obvious ways to get quick delight, whether sweets, chemical highs, gambling, impulse shopping, loveless sex, and most forms of thrill-seeking, are extremely intense but ephemeral -- and often destructive. They often rely little on planning or foresight, and they may be enjoyed with extreme selfishness. The more lasting delights are developed more slowly and often involve an empathic interaction in which one takes delight in someone else's satisfaction. This too is hedonism, but it seeks more lasting, if less intense happiness.  This sort of hedonism is less destructive and less likely to result in some calamity.

The Right is as vulnerable to crass hedonism as anyone else.

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I have no desire for any connection to anything Satanic. Maybe "Satan" is nothing more than a perverse subconscious.