Open Thread

by Bjinse Tue Apr 24th, 2018 at 09:33:16 PM EST

Threading is a short parenthesis in a long period

Open Thread | 19 comments (19 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

As with the GOP generally, the advent of Trump is forcing wider America to examine republican institutions more closely, and not to their general benefit

Political Orphans - Chris Ladd - The article removed from Forbes, "Why White Evangelicalism Is So Cruel"

Robert Jeffress, Pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas and an avid supporter of Donald Trump, earned headlines this week for his defense of the president's adultery with a porn star. Regarding the affair and subsequent financial payments, Jeffress explained, "Even if it's true, it doesn't matter."
Such a casual attitude toward adultery and prostitution might seem odd from a guy who blamed 9/11 on America's sinfulness. However, seen through the lens of white evangelicals' real priorities, Jeffress' disinterest in Trump's sordid lifestyle makes sense. Religion is inseparable from culture, and culture is inseparable from history. Modern, white evangelicalism emerged from the interplay between race and religion in the slave states. What today we call "evangelical Christianity," is the product of centuries of conditioning, in which religious practices were adapted to nurture a slave economy. The calloused insensitivity of modern white evangelicals was shaped by the economic and cultural priorities that forged their theology over centuries.
Many Christian movements take the title "evangelical," including many African-American denominations. However, evangelicalism today has been coopted as a preferred description for Christians who were looking to shed an older, largely discredited title: Fundamentalist. A quick glance at a map showing concentrations of adherents and weekly church attendance reveals the evangelical movement's center of gravity in the Old South. And among those evangelical churches, one denomination remains by far the leader in membership, theological pull, and political influence.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Wed Apr 25th, 2018 at 02:59:22 PM EST

Re: More on Evangelism (none / 0)

"forcing wider America to examine republican institutions ...": I'm not so sure I agree, Helen. The principle fly in this line of inquiry lies in the certainty that "evangelical" vein of cruelty in US American tradition is particularly partisan. It's not. It's the complement of "small-R" folklore that indoctrinates every generation to valorize the sanctity of The Individual. It's the spirit of entrepreneurial adventure.

I've dropped examples with reference to the several Great Awakenings and the propensity to cultivate celebrity zealots ("televangelists") from Sojourner Truth to Aimee Semple McPherson, Frs. Coughlin or Sheen, Billy Graham and the Bakers, and so forth, even Guy Kawasaki. Now, he is self-styled "evangelist" who hitched to Wired magazine's rocket, I recall. Talk about mixed metaphors: "Guy's job on this tour of duty was to maintain and rejuvenate the Macintosh cult." Perhaps Chris Ladd should have looked into these peculiar coincidences and crunched some numbers.

The Southern Baptist Convention and its precursors was a nest of Democrats long before it turned as "red" as any mainline WASP denomination or Holy See north of Mason-Dixon. They didn't elect today's GOP majority by themselves, did they.

The "movement" that recurs is coalescence then explosion into hundreds of thousands of what I'd call vanity churches and personal relationships with the christ until eclipsed by the next blockbusting "pastor". In the US establishing a church --or a school-- is easier than incorporating a commercial business. Someone should count them, see what's changed since 2010. By county.

I think, the thread at balloon-juice (to which you linked earlier in the week) offers a poignant sample of the density and resilience of ecumenical life-style "choices" (lutheran? or *unitarian?) I've observed US Americans confess to the worldwide web these many years. They just can't quit it.

I read the editor's explanation and advice for the orphans. It's an intellectually awkward position for a publisher who professes a preference for empirical ("data driven") knowledge to take, rather than simply admit Mr Jeffries' complaint about the unflattering review of his style could not be ignored. And that response is emblematic of a culture afflicted by convenience.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Apr 25th, 2018 at 11:06:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: More on Evangelism (none / 1)

Selling Spiritual Care, Part II

This "new model of spiritual care" recognizes that "haplaincy care had not been able to demonstrate value because defined, evidence-based quality indicators and competencies did not exist."

File in "sociopaths teaching sociopaths manners"

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed May 2nd, 2018 at 05:31:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: More on Evangelism (4.00 / 3)

Quite smart move for the Republicans ...

Cut welfare such as food stamps for the poor - read Democrats
Cut number of medicare and healthcare recipients - voted for the donkeys anyway

Under George Bush, a similar action and funding was implemented under the Homeland Security Act for "first responders" connected to churches, fire department and upgrading armament for the police units. Looking for those FEMA grants anyone.

○ Hurricane Katrina: Why is the Red Cross not in New Orleans?

○ Bush OKs Faith-Based Funding | CBS News - Dec. 2002 |
○ Continuity and Change: Faith-Based Partnerships Under Obama and Bush | Brookings - Dec. 2010 |

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Wed May 2nd, 2018 at 08:42:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: More on cosa nostra (none / 0)

Conroy is come again. The sin has a name now Jesuitgate thanks to the WaPoo mustard seed.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sun May 13th, 2018 at 12:32:46 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: More on Evangelism (none / 0)

Kaptur Exploring Legislative Reprieve for Ousted House Chaplain

Asked if there's a procedural action members could take, like filing a privileged resolution reinstate Conroy, Kaptur said, "I am certainly of that mind. But I want to work on a bipartisan basis. I don't want to make it a partisan thing. This is about a person and justice has to prevail."

wut

For me as a Catholic with everything else that has gone in my church with cover-ups and all the rest, I feel a special responsibility to not have someone's reputation damaged," she said.
Kaptur said she was surprised that Ryan, who is also Catholic, would make this decision. She said Conroy didn't say much when she spoke with him, but noted, "I think he's deeply hurt."
[...]
Rep. Mark Walker, chairman of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, is also serving on the group that will recommend the next chaplain. Both he and Collins said they had no issues with Conroy and were not familiar with Ryan's reason for asking him to resign.
As for successors, Walker, who served as a pastor for nearly 20 years before running for Congress, said he's looking for someone with a nondenominational background that has a multicultural congregation or an otherwise diverse background.

They. just. can't. quit. it.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Apr 27th, 2018 at 01:53:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

More on Brexit (none / 0)

Department for Exiting the EU to the French community in the UK: "We want you to stay."

On Monday @WalkerWorcester met members of the UK's #French community to explain the agreement we have reached with the #EU to secure their rights in the #UK. @franceintheuk pic.twitter.com/Y5UaHwxKQQ
— Exiting the EU Dept (@DExEUgov) April 24, 2018

by Bernard (bernard) on Wed Apr 25th, 2018 at 06:58:54 PM EST

Re: More on Brexit (none / 0)

Yes, I imagine similar things were said to the windrush generation who have spent the last 8 years battling a government that withdrew their right to work, their welfare, their pension and even access to healthcare.

It's bullshit promises from a bullshit government.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Wed Apr 25th, 2018 at 07:30:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Castro pioneers Amazon solution (none / 0)

Miguel Bezos

The first sign that Castro had extreme ideas for the country was the elections kept being put off until the decision was made that they weren't going to happen at all, and we were going to be a Marxist Leninist government. Then, Castro nationalized foreign industries and afterwards, Cuban businesses. My dad's little business was taken over. I was in the office with him when the army came in with the papers that said they would be taking over the business.

by generic on Tue May 1st, 2018 at 04:04:53 AM EST

Re: Castro pioneers Amazon solution (none / 1)

So move to the US and adopt a kid who will establish a business that, instead of being taken over by the government, will take over the government.

by rifek on Tue May 1st, 2018 at 11:02:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Happy 200th Birthday, Karl! (4.00 / 2)

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Thu May 3rd, 2018 at 07:48:44 PM EST

Re: Open Thread (none / 0)

Chinese tech companies hiring 'pretty' women to motivate male employees by chatting, playing ping pong and buying them breakfast

Chinese companies appear to be hiring women to motivate male workers
Photos show women chatting with programmers and playing ping-pong
They have been dubbed 'programming cheerleaders' by the companies
Their role is to create a 'fun work environment' for the men
HR managers say they help the males who are 'terrible at socialising'
They also say the girls have greatly improved their job efficiency and drive

by das monde on Fri May 4th, 2018 at 10:56:10 AM EST

Re: Open Thread (none / 0)

Friends who sit at a PC all day like myself, don't forget: pic.twitter.com/QoBju8jN99
— Smol Potato 🧝🏻‍♀️ (@oheather1337) 8. Mai 2018

by generic on Wed May 9th, 2018 at 09:50:21 AM EST

Re: Open Thread (none / 0)

Finland's 'Female-Only' Island Slated to Open Amid Controversy

Despite an ongoing investigation by the Nordic nation's equality ombudsman's office into whether a woman-only business classifies as illegal discrimination, the "Supershe" island oasis is scheduled to open "as planned."
Advertised as a "rejuvenating and a safe space where women can reinvent themselves and their desires," an island off the coast of Raasepori in southern Finland is being touted as an all-inclusive, testosterone-free luxury resort. According to the Supershe website, the island can accommodate ten women in four newly-renovated cabins.

by das monde on Fri May 11th, 2018 at 02:15:09 PM EST

DICTION CORNER (none / 1)

Gambino, US-Eng., NYC colloquial 20th cen. usurped by Gotti (lord and mayor of my old nabe, fork at the Old St Patrick's), usurped by Giuliani, inexplicably touted "America's Mayor," later ridiculously sanctified by HRH Elizabeth II, still later recalled to service by the don.

usage: You're wondering who the hell this 'Childish Gambino' character actually is

A crime family, gangstas. Get yo' money. Might over right and all that.

This, not "defiance," is the context of hustling in America, in the colonies, dear Ms Murphy.

Guess you had to be here, or black, to see it coming down.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.