This obsession with Christianity while being totally oblivious to the cult of wokeness is kind of nauseating.

@wolfhnd Yes, and this obsession is a prelude to some kind of action against us. It starts with a smear campaign that seeks to paint us as some sort of domestic terrorists, and this becomes the means of marginalizing us and violating our rights.

All these Christian politicians are attempting to do is to speak their minds as they have a right to do under the Constitution, and they aren't hiding anything. They are completely open. Yet the article paints them as a sort of threat, even though the kinds of things they are saying have been said by Christians since the founding of our nation.

I prefer people respect others' religions, and not try and force their dogma into legislation and replace the Constitution with the Bible. Pretty simple.

@JacksonNought I don't know a single person who wants to replace the Constitution with the Bible....not even figuratively. On the other hand, every Christian I know places great value in our Constitution.

@coalburned

[pewresearch.org]

Today, about half of Americans (49%) say the Bible should have at least “some” influence on U.S. laws, including nearly a quarter (23%) who say it should have “a great deal” of influence, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. Among U.S. Christians, two-thirds (68%) want the Bible to influence U.S. laws at least some, and among white evangelical Protestants, this figure rises to about nine-in-ten (89%).

The more common answer to this question is that the Bible should take priority over the will of the people. This view is expressed by more than a quarter of all Americans (28%). About one-in-five (19%) say the Bible should have at least some influence but that the will of the people should prevail.

Two religious groups stand out for being especially supportive of biblical influence in legislation, even if that means going against the will of the American people: Two-thirds of white evangelical Protestants (68%) say the Bible should take precedence over the people, and half of black Protestants say the same. Among Catholics (25%) and white Protestants who do not identify as born-again or evangelical (27%), only about a quarter share this perspective.

There are a fair amount of Christians who believe the Bible supersedes the Constitution. Remember Kim Davis? This is what the Christian Dominion / Nationalist movement is about - replacing the Constitution with the Bible.

@JacksonNought I'm not saying there aren't extremists who wish for that. I'm saying I don't know a single person who thinks that way, and I think you're grossly exaggerating the threat of it.

As for biblical influence in legislation, I know you realize that virtually every felonious crime in this country aligns with biblical principles.

@coalburned anecdotal evidence is not evidence. You don't know people personally who think that way - it doesn't mean there aren't plenty out there. Ted Cruz is one of them, and he is an influential Congressman.

You realize that felonious crimes align with a lot of philosophical principles, not just Christian ones... even ones which pre-date Christianity? However, we don't legislate based on the Bible - that is why you are free to practice a non-Christian religion, homosexuality and adultery are legal, women aren't forced to be barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen, etc.

@JacksonNought Part of your reply affirms what I stated, but it's also clear that you missed my point, which had nothing to do with legislating via the Bible. So let's toss aside anecdotal "evidence" and get specific...where/when did Ted Cruz say he favored replacing the Constitution with the Bible?

@JacksonNought LOL you prefer what? Most Christians don't shove their religion down anyone's throat. Look at Islam if you want to complain. Look at atheists... now there's a bunch that continually shove their disbelieve down everyone's throat.

@JacksonNought Oh and another thing... when are you going to answer my question?

@JacksonNought Sooo re your inanity... what do you think?
Thou shalt kill?
Thou shalt steal?
Thou shalt lie?
Etc, etc, etc...

@Lightman as I've expressed before, you probably have a different experience in Australia than I do in the USA. Christians shove their religion down our throats 24/7, from trying to put Christian monuments at government courthouses, sticking references to their God in schools and on currency, blocking non-Christians from speaking before city council meetings (which let Christians lead prayer), blocking Atheists and non-Abrahamic dead soldiers from having symbols representative of their beliefs on their tombstones, throwing fits about a mythical "War on Christmas" if coffee cups aren't wintery enough for them, claiming you cannot actually be an elected official if you don't swear on a Bible, saying that you can only be a "true American" if you are Christian, legislating dry counties and blue laws to prevent people from buying alcohol (living in PA I've experienced some of the strictest restrictions in the country), previously making it illegal just to be gay, using federal funds to force Abstinence-Only education in schools (where they can lie to children and tell them condoms cause cancer), perpetuating child brides where old men can marry little children... need I go on?

What question am I supposed to answer? What god I prefer? I don't believe in any, but as a strong supporter of religious freedom and pluralism, I think you can believe whatever god and religion makes you happy, as long as you don't try to force that belief on someone else.

So nice list of the 10 Commandments you got there. So I guess we should say them all, huh? So you have to keep the Sabbath day holy? You need to worship the Christian god? You can't worship idols? You can't blaspheme? You can't be jealous? You can't disrespect your parents (even if they beat and rape you)?

Funny how you seem to think the big ones (lying, stealing, murdering) are exclusive to Christianity, when all major religions and ethical systems have had those for millennia. Ever hear of the Code of Hammurabi? I am fine taking the good parts of Christianity (like don't murder) as long as you throw out the rest, like trying to prevent loving same-sex couples from marrying, or letting a woman choose what to do with her body.

@JacksonNought Do you think maybe you are just being TRIGGERED for no real reason on this?
"Funny how you seem to think the big ones (lying, stealing, murdering) are exclusive to Christianity, when all major religions and ethical systems have had those for millennia."
You wonder where I call you an idiot. Did I say that? NO.
We were discussing Christianity re the laws right?
Do you know that many religions have a version of the GOLDEN RULE... even ISLAM?
You my friend have deep seated biases that inform your reactions...
As for the gay stuff... gay is not the norm in any species.
I know you are gay or whatever, I don't care... that is your choice. Live and let live. Just don't try shoving your beliefs down my throat ok.

@JacksonNought Oh and again you failed to answer my questions.

@Lightman you have called me an idiot many times here, so, yeah. Also, why don't you tell me what questions I supposedly need to answer?

Of course I must be gay, huh? Only a gay man would care about freedom and gay civil rights, is that what you are saying? I guess someone like you cannot possibly understand someone wanting freedom and civil rights for all people, not just their specific special interest group, eh? I guess you don't give a shit about non-Australians, or women, or other religions? Such narrow thinking. I guess you are fine with slavery and subjugation?

I dunno how I am triggered? Because I think Christians trying to force their dogma into legislation is a bad thing? Are you sure you aren't the triggered one? You always seem to find my posts / comments to post your snark, then complain that I am wasting your time.

@JacksonNought What questions? The ones I asked... they end like this ?
Gay? I don't care if you are gay. I already said that but whilst arguing with someone early last year you did mention something that gave everyone the impression you were gay. Certainly gave me that impression.
You need to up your game and stop assuming you know everything about everyone else.
You don't.

@Lightman I've answered your questions. Either you can tell me what specific one you mean, or else you are just being obstinate.

stop assuming you know everything about everyone else

And yet you assume you know my sexual preferences based on my defense of personal freedom?

@JacksonNought No I base it on a post you made about a year ago. Where you basically said you were gay.

@Lightman probably a tall ask, but any chance you have that post? Because I am 100% positive I never said anything of the sort.

@JacksonNought oh for god's sake it was year ago, you gonna deny it now... Go ahead... I don't care. I don't keep your posts...

@Lightman consider I am not gay (not that it matters in any way shape or form) I wouldn't have claimed to be.

@JacksonNought considering what you said then you lied...

@JacksonNought So those question left unanswered...
LOL... so what is wrong with Jesus then eh? Is Mohamed better? Buddha perhaps? Vishnu? which do you prefer?
Sooo re your inanity... what do you think?
Thou shalt kill?
Thou shalt steal?
Thou shalt lie?
Etc, etc, etc...
Do you think maybe you are just being TRIGGERED for no real reason on this?
"Funny how you seem to think the big ones (lying, stealing, murdering) are exclusive to Christianity, when all major religions and ethical systems have had those for millennia."
You wonder where I call you an idiot. Did I say that? NO.
We were discussing Christianity re the laws right?
Do you know that many religions have a version of the GOLDEN RULE... even ISLAM?

Feel free to actually answer them directly and not go off on a tangent or ignore them completely.

@Lightman

So based on some faint memory of a year-old post you can't remember, you just accuse me of lying, with no evidence to back it up? So if I told you that based on a year-old post I cannot provide, you came across as one of the people rioting and looting during the summer, and called you a liar if you denied it... would that be fair? You can't even tell me what I said, yet make baseless accusations. So much for integrity.

What is wrong with Jesus? Nothing. I have no problem with Jesus, or any gods for that matter. They are all the same to me - because I don't believe in them, as I am an Atheist. So Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha, Vishnu, take your pick, I don't care. You can worship the Flying Spaghetti Monster, or Xenu and Thetans, for all I care. As someone who believes in religious freedom, I don't care what you worship or what practices you take part in, as long as you don't encroach on my freedom. Where I take issue is when I am forced to take part in your religion, whether that is captive audience prayer, or denying me civil rights because of your particular religious interpretation, or literal force. What about you? Do you think your religion should be mandated?

Sure, killing, stealing, and lying are all bad. Well, lying isn't actually illegal in most cases. And killing isn't always illegal either - there are self defense laws, and you can hunt non-human animals, and soldiers go indiscriminately kill people during war. What does any of that have to do with Christianity and Jesus though? Pretty much all religions have similar moral codes against those things. Even non-religious moral teachings, predating Christianity, had similar edicts. Why do we need religion to follow common-sense laws?

To paraphrase George Carlin, just have a monument saying be honest & faithful and don't kill, and I'd be fine with it being placed outside of government buildings. But are you forgetting the other 10 Commandments? Should there be forced obedience to a god, and don't you dare take his name in vain? Forced respect to your parents, even if they are deadbeats and abuse you? Keep the Sabbath holy, or else get stoned? I know Jews who won't even lift a finger on the Sabbath, are they better people than Christians who work during that day?

I think you are the one who is triggered here. I posted an article about the dangers of Christian Nationalism - from those who want to force their dogma on the country and turn it into a theocracy, to those who participated in an insurrection in the name of their religion, to people who literally want to imprison and execute LGBTQ people and Atheists. The article said nothing critical about general Christians. Yet you take issue with that apparently. If someone posted an article about the dangers of Islamic Extremism, like ISIS, would you comment in the same way? "LOL... so what is wrong with Mohammed then eh? Is Jesus better? Buddha perhaps? Vishnu? which do you prefer?" All of this for a country YOU DO NOT LIVE IN. And you think I am the triggered one here? How absurd.

@JacksonNought It aint faint.... but it's not something I memorised word for word once the point was made. You made it not me.
You seem to be obsessing over this... embarrassed because your gay or lied about being gay?
Get over it.

@JacksonNought Good grief.
1/ Don't answer questions with questions ok.

"What is wrong with Jesus? Nothing."
Then I suggest you stop bagging Christianity and denying that a great many laws are based on its teachings.

"Where I take issue is when I am forced to take part in your religion, whether that is captive audience prayer, or denying me civil rights because of your particular religious interpretation, or literal force. What about you? Do you think your religion should be mandated?"
Really? You live in an Islamic theocracy do you? Get over yourself no one is forcing you to do or believe anything.
Typical atheist shoving your disbelief and confected outrage upon others.

@JacksonNought Do you even know what my religion is?
As for your question, I wouldn't live in a theorcracy.
I believe in the correctness of a secular democracy.
Which is what I live in.

@Lightman how old are you? "You're gay na na na". Sheesh. Is this primary school or something? Are you even remotely mature? Again, you are baselessly accusing me of lying, yet you aren't even telling me what I apparently said, meaning you are the liar here. You're also of the mindset that somehow being called gay is an insult or something? I'm confident in myself and my sexual preferences... are you? Probably not, if you are that easily triggered.

@JacksonNought I'll just ignore all the crap I asked you not to post ok.
I did ask you to reply directly to the questions not post your own biased diatribe.

"I think you are the one who is triggered here."
Ah no, I don't even use that term, I posted it because you do. You obviously get triggered by lots of things especially those dealing with LGBTIQ... why?

"I posted an article about the dangers of Christian Nationalism - from those who want to force their dogma on the country and turn it into a theocracy."
Yet you don't live in a theocracy.

"to those who participated in an insurrection in the name of their religion, to people who literally want to imprison and execute LGBTQ people and Atheists."
BINGO.... you keep on about that obsession of yours... why? Your not gay right? Now
you seek to feigning outrage over nothing... where gay and atheists are a minority group. Why?

"The article said nothing critical about general Christians. "
I replied to your comments. Re Christianity so have others. Christians and non-gays seem to be people you have issues with.
Can you be a satanist and an atheist.... ?

@JacksonNought
"how old are you? "You're gay na na na". Sheesh."
Yet I've never said that nor do I have that attitude.

How many times must I say I don't care oif you are gay or not?
You want to see childish and a liar look in a mirror.

Oh and there you go using "triggered" again one of your favourite terms... how very Progressive of you.

BTW I agreed with you in that original post where you told they guy arguing with you that you were gay. Even if it was a lie.

"Even though you said you aren't gay, I am going to keep calling you gay because I think it is funny and an insult, and I will call you a liar and reference some post I made up where you said you were gay." - @Lightman

That is essentially how your argument comes off. And yet again you apparently aren't able to comprehend the possibility that people can argue for the freedoms of other groups in which they do not identify with. I argue for the bodily autonomy of women, I guess that makes me a woman then?

I am not railing against Christianity, only Christian Nationalists trying to force their dogma on others. You apparently don't see a difference. Laws were based on many different principles, not just Christianity.

Funny that you refer to "Islamic theocracy" when I am talking about Christian Nationalists. I guess you don't recognize Christian rule as a theocracy, only Islam? Is that what you mean when you say you wouldn't live in a theocracy, because you wouldn't live in an Islamic society? But you'd live in a Christian theocracy, which you don't consider a theocracy.

One of the reasons I post about and speak out against Christian Nationalism / Dominionism is because I do not want to live in a theocracy, and we need to make sure we don't like these fringe Christians push our country in that direction. A country that once again you do not live in, so how would you even know what the experience is like? Yes, I do not live in a theocracy. And I would like to keep it that way.

I actually do know your religion. You are a Christian Scientist. You believe that prayer alone is the only medicine needed. I remember you once posted about your son dying of appendicitis because you chose to pray for him to be healed rather than taking him to a doctor. Your daughter was then taken by the Department for Child Protection because you were endangering her. Don't deny it, I remember the post pretty clearly. Unless you lied about it.

You used the term "triggered" first. I am just using language you can understand. Plus it seems to "trigger" you when I do.

@JacksonNought Oh puhlease stop posting nonsense, how many times must you be corrected for lying and posting rubbish?

@JacksonNought One last time for the idiot.
"how old are you? "You're gay na na na". Sheesh."
Yet I've never said that nor do I have that attitude.

How many times must I say I don't care oif you are gay or not?
You want to see childish and a liar look in a mirror.

Oh and there you go using "triggered" again one of your favourite terms... how very Progressive of you.

BTW I agreed with you in that original post where you told they guy arguing with you that you were gay. Even if it was a lie.

I don't believe in Satan, so no.

@JacksonNought Your profile indicates otherwise!!! but, then I guess you believes do not allow you to tell the truth!!!

@Serg97 Satanism is a non-theistic religion that does not believe in any gods or any degree of supernaturalism. But of course you know that, you just want to be snarky.

@JacksonNought Just following the lead!!!