"I’m an atheist. Religion and spirituality don’t resonate with me, and historically, I believe they have more often than not contributed to unnecessary human suffering. That is my honest view.

However, I also recognize something equally important. Most people of faith or spirituality are not motivated by hate or division."

~ Oliver Kornetzke

#religion #politics #WhiteChristianNationalism #Trump #Republicans #MAGA #solidarity #resistance
/1

substack.com/home/post/p-18909…

in reply to William Lindsey

"They are guided by love, community, meaning, and a desire to do good. Over the past year, I have come to appreciate how many religious and spiritual people share many, if not most, of my core values and hopes for a better world."

#religion #politics #WhiteChristianNationalism #Trump #Republicans #MAGA #solidarity #resistance
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in reply to William Lindsey

"The greatest threats to humanity are not ordinary people who believe in God or Buddha, or who follow Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Sikhism, or any other deeply human tradition, or even those who believe in the Flying Spaghetti Monster or nothing at all, like me."

#religion #politics #WhiteChristianNationalism #Trump #Republicans #MAGA #solidarity #resistance
/3

in reply to William Lindsey

"The real danger comes from extremist movements and ideologies that weaponize belief, particularly ethnonationalist and theocratic ideologies that twist and pervert faith beyond recognition in their selfish pursuit of power.

In the United States, white Christian nationalism is one such movement."

#religion #politics #WhiteChristianNationalism #Trump #Republicans #MAGA #solidarity #resistance
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RiaResists reshared this.

in reply to William Lindsey

"If we can agree that every human being deserves safety without condition, education without debt, healthcare as a free and universal human right irrespective of where you live, the freedom to exist as one’s true self, and a fair shot at a meaningful and fulfilling life, then the world most of us dream about, the one we want our children to inherit, can be built—" (continued in /6)

#religion #politics #WhiteChristianNationalism #Trump #Republicans #MAGA #solidarity #resistance
/5

Deborah Rose ❌👑 reshared this.

in reply to William Lindsey

(continued from /5)

"by people of different beliefs choosing cooperation over division, principle over dogma, and humanity over ego. That is something worth committing to, and I am fully committed to it."

#religion #politics #WhiteChristianNationalism #Trump #Republicans #MAGA #solidarity #resistance
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in reply to William Lindsey

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William, man in the most dangerous and immoral beast on earth. Everyone is born an atheist, without exception, and taught morality by family and then friends and then experiences.

All religions are bastardized and misinterpreted accounting for their differences. Take the Bible for instance, 450 different versions in English alone and each treating the same subject differently.

Then we have the human leaders, the Pastors, Priests, Cardinals etc. who not only see things differently but promote different moral principles. I point to Cardinal Dolan and Rev Franklin Graham, both Christian leaders who enthusiastically support a man who is openly immoral and daily violates every principle of Christianity.

I respect and honor morality and common sense ... and despise those who look to religion for guidance for it is corrupt!

in reply to Waldorf

@Waldorf Thanks for sharing your opinion. For my part, I hear Oliver Kornetzke making very good sense, speaking as an atheist who has no time for religion but who recognizes the importance of acknowledging the good some people do because of their religious conviction, and the stupidity of refusing to make common cause with them as wel seek to build a better world together, because they act out of religious conviction. Stupidity combined with arrogance: a lethal combination.
in reply to William Lindsey

@William Lindsey

William Lindsey wrote:

... an atheist who has no time for religion but who recognizes the importance of acknowledging the good some people do because of their religious conviction ...

I disagree that people do good due to religious convictions. It would be more accurate to say people do good despite religious convictions in my opinion. As people are not good or bad based on their religious or spiritual belief but rather because they are good or bad. A good person is going to be just as good whether they are a theist or atheist. Their belief does not change this at all. I further suggest that if one does something to appease a demand of their belief in a deity and that it is not a built in trait, then they are not good at all. As this would suggest that they would not do it if it was not to appease their deity.

I welcome your thoughts on this reflection. Thank you for sharing a sensible topic.

in reply to Unus Nemo

@unusnemo This has been an interesting thread and personally I have enjoyed each of your thoughts.

Unus,, I believe that it has to do with an individual's dedication to simple morality and personal happiness. That may have been developed by a proximity to a religion or a friend or parent. I also believe that a good person can be made bad by life's experiences alone!

For instance, Trump didn't start out as a morally defective person or a criminal. He is most obviously devoid of religious training and likely found personal gratification, financial and otherwise, in getting his own way by bullying others. His parents were also obviously morally deficient, worshiping monetary success and winning!

William, ignorance can be fixed by education. Arrogance, or being afraid to appear inferior, in combination with ignorance is often fatal! 😲 !

in reply to William Lindsey

Dan Froomkin (he happens to be Jewish) says,

"This year, for an increasing number of Christian faith leaders, observing Lent has brought with it the obligation to speak out against the inhuman cruelty the Trump administration has inflicted on the country’s immigrants."

#religion #politics #WhiteChristianNationalism #Trump #Republicans #MAGA #solidarity #resistance
/7

headsupnews.org/p/christian-ch…

in reply to William Lindsey

"Let’s start with Pope Leo, who has consistently been a proponents of immigrant rights. In his message for Lent this year, the pope encouraged more empathy with immigrants. …

In a statement issued yesterday, a group of 18 Catholic bishops and archbishops primarily from U.S. border regions was not nearly so subtle."

#religion #politics #WhiteChristianNationalism #Trump #Republicans #MAGA #solidarity #resistance
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reshared this

in reply to William Lindsey

"They sternly urged a wholescale reversal from Trump’s immigration policies 'in a manner that protects the God-given human dignity and rights of the human person.' ...

Some 400 prominent Christian leaders issued 'A Call to Christians in a Crisis of Faith and Democracy,' citing the need 'for repentance and resistance, courage and conviction, faith and fortitude.'”

#religion #politics #WhiteChristianNationalism #Trump #Republicans #MAGA #solidarity #resistance
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