Republicans spew the language of Christianity or Democracy all the while opposing its principles in the pursuit of exclusive wealth. Donald Trump is its super champion kissing Bibles and saying it’s his favorite book. Pause to puke. That figures. More evil than good has been done in the name of Christianity — someone has said — and I agree. Donald Trump has plans.
Christianity arrived in North America with the very first pilgrims in 1620 (to escape religious persecution history tells us) so they had a good understanding of how persecution is done. They were probably itchy to practice a little of it themselves as soon as they could find someone different to punish. In the next 150 years, there must have been lots of opportunities to squabble as different persuasions made it across the hostile Atlantic to convert everyone else. When Freedom of Religion was finally enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, it did not need to be said that this freedom was meant for Christian people of varying beliefs. That was assumed. Hindus, Buddhists other alien opinions need not apply. No one could be certain that they even existed.
Now, 400 years have changed everything you might care to name — except intolerance. Intolerance has gone ballistic. A Republican may kill you or threaten to dismember you if you infer that Trump should be punished for his crimes. A Taliban would do the same thing over an unintended insult. Organized Religion is spreading its blessings. A Democrat will unfriend you for disagreeing over book banning — but not threaten death. That special unpleasantry is particularly in the ‘deplorables’ basket’.
The parishioners from one dogmatic flavor to another will snipe at the heels of disagreement. It makes them feel insecure to imagine that their own belief might not be correct as they depend on it for selfness. Only false self-worth is available to a prick with ears and he gets it from his religion.
Whether you feel a lot of hostility toward other people or are burdened by others’ hostility toward you — or imagine it to be so, the time we live in is massively insecure. There is more negativity, more suspicion and dislike, more competition, more social stratification, more sickness, more bigotry, more hate, more selfish isolation, more war, more fear, more starvation, more poverty, more rigidity — ok, this list is like going up one side of a mountain. Here we go down the other side — less flexibility, Less bonding, less friendship, less security, Less kindness, less generosity, Less honesty, less courage, Less caring, less thriving, Less health and less wealth.
To bottom out this list, less stewardship. — and that leaves the planet in short shrift. The wealthiest people like the status quo just fine and will fight to maintain it for the duration of their comfortable life — after which, who gives a shit for the survival of anything. They are good Christians, they say, and will pray for the good of humanity and the survival of the planet but they certainly will not do anything that threatens $1 worth of their profits and everybody should understand that — unfortunately, everyone seems to.
I think Humanity is in an outboard boat whose motor has died and drifting with the strong current toward Niagara Falls. Only a few swimmers will make it to the shore safely. The assholes in the boat are trying to paddle upstream with their bare hands and hoping that the rescue helicopter named Artificial Intelligence will pluck them to safety.
I would love to be made optimistic by anyone who disagrees with me.