U.S here, and I’m legit considering selling my CR-V and getting a used electric if I could find one, provided it could go more than 40 miles on a charge and wouldn’t need a ridiculously expensive battery replacement in like 3 years.

I drive like 45 minutes to and from work, and filling this little tank multiple times a week is BRUTAL.

Thing is, we’re still paying off the SUV and I was worried it’d be all stupid over-inflated like everybody would be doing this due to gas prices…maybe?

…and no, I want nothing to do with Tesla and their “swastikars” and “kampfwagens”.

I just wonder which electrics would be at least a LITTLE user-respecting…the car spyware lately is ridiculous. We really need FOSS cars and firmware…

…but now I’m ranting…lol

…Is it still possible to switch without being rich or am I too late? Haha.

“We’re not like the others… We’re your friends!”

The only edge we have is that generally people don’t have guns to win arguments with.

Counterpoint: Generally the State is the only one allowed to win arguments with guns, knowing few would contest them. :(

Thank you for such an eloquently put explanation! I actually hadn’t considered the context to this extent, and it gives me much to think about.

We do have our problems these days, but I’m glad to be in this time; The norms of those days must have been quite awful in contrast. :(

I’m not giving you my particular interpretation, only sharing why the “good book” is used as an instruction manual by those who do so.

Fair! It is a great pain that people will be inclined to interpret things in a confirmation-bias kind of way.

The Bible does have lots of instructions, but the important context of “to whom”, and “for what reason” is often cast aside when people want to use it justify themselves. We all suffer for such vanity.

(the magic bird imparts no such wisdom)

Hehe I’m sorry, this reference(?) went over my head. 😅

As for the verse you posted, written I believe by the Paul the Apostle to the Corinthian churches, I think he means to say that those who are actively seeking to understand, eventually will find the wisdom God imparts.

But people applying solely material / natural / worldly sensibilities will see it all as foolishness, because they aren’t trying to find any revelation in it. They approach with preconceived notions to pick it apart instead, and in so doing reinforce their existing biases.

I think a lot of believers, either in bad faith or simply naive zeal, will skip the “seeking to understand” part, take the words at face value, and see all of it as a system of rules to push on others. At its core, this is where we see the bad examples of religions the world over: man’s attempt to elevate themselves over others, instead of humble themselves to serve each other.

Indeed. Foolishness. :(

Yeah, “God-breathed” means “He wanted it written down.” And “it is useful for teaching.” “Thoroughly equipped” means knowledgeable, especially when it comes to context and intent of the work.

(The more you know 🌈 ✨ ⭐)

Not “every single sentence is a direct command necessary to adhere to the faith.” That would be, obviously, ridiculous. (And extremists who insist on such, are indeed dangerously silly people.)

Tons of the Old Testament is just genealogy and records of law of the time. I’d hope you wouldn’t read a history book and conclude that the authors intended you to live by Hamurabi’s Code, or that they themselves endorsed slavery because it was recorded. Yet we still can derive a lot of wisdom from knowing about these things.

Sorry I know Internet doesn’t convey tone but I don’t mean to sound like, grouchy or anything. Just making an appeal to reason is all.

Hope you have a good one. :)

Sane Christian charities trying to desperately bandage humanity’s hemorrhaging across the globe? Not even newsworthy.

An insane whackjob makes a video screaming hot takes into the void and claims to be a believer?

The Internet: “SEE THIS IS WHAT ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE LIKE! I knew I was right to hate anybody different from me !!11one”

The first part of Deuteronomy is historical. The second part is legislative. There is still much that can be learned from it.

This idea, whether it comes from the religious or not, that the entire 44+ books of the Bible are some kind of “Do everything this collection of documents says to the exact letter or else hell or something” instruction manual is one of the most ignorant and sadistic jokes of our time, and to reduce it to such is an act of intellectual dishonesty.

I appreciate the exceedingly rare nuance. As a believer myself, this is…despicably unhinged, and needs to be called out. Predators have a way of gaining acceptance in the flock before they blatantly run amok.

I’ve met a grand total of about 4 people who are Christian and also decent people.

Hope if I’m not in that figure, I can be #5. :) 👋

But, yeah, all I can say is, I very much agree.

Unfortunately I’m not “John Christian” who can change the image of an entire people, but…

they need to be seen to actively be disowning and denouncing those terrible behaviors by those claiming to represent them.

…Yep, that’s what I’m trying to do, at least. :) That’s what gets me to write paragraphs and correct misconceptions and try to build bridges out in the wild wherever I can and just…try to be good. I want to do more I just… don’t really know how.

I truly believe there is a distinct and tangible evil working in this world, and the nationalization of the Church is its most diabolical weapon. It disgusts me and breaks my heart.

The biggest obstacle is simply organizing the true followers and seekers. (I know “true” is often loaded. Are they actively trying their best to follow Christ and His teachings? Then let’s rock, I say. Theology can be endlessly debated over coffee if they like lol.)

We are often disparate and isolated, and unfortunately easily cowed into silence by both sides of these culture clashes. Those “maybe Christians but you wouldn’t even know it” types you spoke of.

We’re up against “principalities and powers and forces of darkness” here. There’s so much NOISE created by these ultra-massive organizations backed by rich, evil people, that shuffle their true intentions under layers of facade and funnel money into politics, pretending to be righteous while exploiting and robbing and abusing to further enrich themselves.

Then there’s us: We have the Word, we have the Spirit, and we have love. These are enough, but we have to use it and amplify it…and not enough are doing that right now.

Just like trying to start a union at work: lots are content to just keep their heads down and hope it shakes out. And the news definitely isn’t going to cover the strike!

Maybe I respond like this because I hope that speaking out will encourage more believers to make themselves known, to disown the regime, to call out the false teachers, to loudly rebuke the all-around jerkwads attempting to poison the well and keep people from reaching the living water.

I actually see it! Here on Lemmy even, I see tons of posts calling out this regime’s bullshit every time they try and claim they’re Christian, or that the country is, or that their actions are remotely so.

Loads of posts of unmistakable Bible verses refuting every word and action of these monsters. I try to join that chorus.

We have so much noise to overcome, and sadly one of our biggest problems can be a lack of coordination and a lack of fire.

But if I didn’t believe we God could change this through us, one little bit, one changed mind at a time, I would probably be keeping my mouth shut too…

I appreciate your thoughtful responses and the conversation. I hope I haven’t taken too much of your time. Thanks for hearing me out and sharing your experiences as well. ❤️

A lot of this is speculation based on that disgusting comment AND an interview with her where she toured her old home and showed her childhood bedroom.

When she got there she just went quiet for a moment with a disassociating thousand-yard stare.

Unless he’s serving a purpose to punish us, and show us the logical extremes of a declining hateful and money-worshipping imperialistic culture.

A LOT of us understand the lesson and would like to be excused from the ride now, PLEASE.

EDIT: Apologies for the reply length!!

The overwhelming majority of Christians in the US

I respectfully, sincerely, beg to differ.

Yes, that’s definitely a picture we get when seen through the lens of headlines. We see the loudest and most obnoxious, hateful, and arrogant. We see ‘megachurches’ dodging taxes and preaching patriotism and idolatry to a flag and empire. We see crosses paired with those stupid red hats. We see gospel music “rockstars” at Turning Point rallies.

Raised hackles mean clicks! And clicks mean money. Our enemies boost this coverage to rile up their fanbase and demoralize their opponents.

We don’t see the number of faith based initiatives and charities desperately filling holes left by a gutted social system. We don’t see the everyday believers and even churches who are trying their best to stay sane and love their neighbors (and enemies!) as Jesus instructed.

I’m not even Catholic but kudos to the Pope for calling out the US goons’ nonsense!

Heck, look how long it took for the Guardian to actually report on Christians who are vocal against this stolen identity the Republican fascists are waving around. Ministers and other believers of a multitude of faiths are at protests, getting maced in the face by jackbooted govvie thugs. Churches are delivering food and supplies to families hunkering down trying to avoid capture by ICE.

And keyboard warriors want to lump them as enemies because they have belief?! How about all the people of differing queer identities that believe? Yeah, there’s lots of them too. God bless them, that’s got to be rough.

I’d argue the “vast majority” of Christians are pretty neutral: They could be doing a lot better. They just want to stay out of it, but they’ll try to help other human beings if they can, but they don’t read their Bible too deeply and are easy to lead astray.

The republifascists want to recruit these neutrals by taking over their church’s narratives, by equating faith with patriotism, and that gets easier when these poor (often self inflicted) ignorant neutrals keep getting bombarded with “ReLiGiOuS pPl SuK” messaging. It makes the bad guys look like friends. Then those neutrals become radicals.

A LOT of money has gone into this narrative that Christianity is simply “conservative by default.” Why? Because Christians used to be a leftist thorn in the side of capitalists! (Highly recommend “Behind the Bastards: How the Rich Stole. Christianity”

We’re harder to see. I definitely could do a better job, but we’re there.

The hard-right lean on pretending to be Christian because it serves two purposes: It galvanizes their radicalized blind fanbase, and attempts to snuff out the followers of Jesus that still remain. Letting them win is a net negative.

Thanks for listening to my ramble and for your thoughtful reply. I have to get back to work hahaha. XD

Oo, “beleif iz 4 dums” such a bold and controversial take on Lemmy. 🙄

I hesitate to post this because I really don’t intend to start a flame-chain but…

This is why we collectively struggle to fight these fascist bastards, because so many on “our side” can’t see past the establishment’s glaringly obvious false-flag bullshit, and are so ready to throw many of their friends and allies away, unable to see past their own arrogance.

If you leave no room to reconcile with those of differing experiences or beliefs, you will quickly find yourself isolated, bitter, and surrounded by enemies.

As a Christian who holds utmost love for friends and allies of a plethora of backgrounds and belief systems (or professed lack thereof), and who will resist this “Murica-brand xtian fascism” with all our might, I implore you and others who behave this way:

Please, leave this bigoted edgy pseudo-intellectual Hitchens/Dawkins-esque nonsense to rot, back on Facebook in 2006. Seeing it repeated so often on every stupid thread where this stupid government does a pathetic imitation of Christianity does not help the resistance. It plays right into their hands.

It’s the same reason the “manosphere” and other toxic movements have taken root: It tells certain groups of people who would have taken your side that they are not welcome because of who they are, and yet we’re surprised when they end up clustering with those who exploit them as pawns with claims of acceptance.

We need them, and WE NEED YOU.

Take care out there…

Aircraft carriers and nukes, of course! Yay. So much “winning” for you and me.

“Crew expendable.”

I think this was the point. Why else do you bomb a school? Hurting kids and ruining families creates generational rage, cries for vengeance, retaliation, and thus a constant little war that can go on in perpetuity. (To the delight of oil and defense industries.)

I don’t think they thought it through though, they just picked a recipe from “Republican Fascist Empire Playbook” and ran with it.

Iran going all in on rushing a working nuke sounds like an outcome they were too short-sighted and stupid to consider the ramifications of.

But the IRS is like “Sorry. Hands tied :(” going after all those Swiss bank accounts and offshore shells within shells where 0% goes to taxes.

I agree with you for the most part.

The thing that bugs me is myself and family not being that way here, but the system that permeates every single interaction starts to clench on you. You’ll be content, but the water keeps rising and trying to take more and more from you.

The costs keep rising, the packages keep shrinking, the wages are always stagnate so you’re supposed to hustle harder, work longer, get another job or clown around for attention or ‘sell feet pics bb’ or whatever other ridiculous hustle just to maintain a basic standard.

For people who see the consumerist rat race for the scam it is, we’re passively and actively punished at every turn.

That’s the part I’m sick of. I just wanna live simply, splurge on hardware every few years, and make videogames.

I struggle to imagine it being different elsewhere. It’d be cool to be smart / valuable enough to be a desirable immigrant to a civilized country. Lol