Political Memes

Speaking of "paying 10% for the privilege", one of the things irked me was my dad's insistence that tithes had to be monetary. Per him, volunteer work didn't count.

I was roped into running the computer, or doing the sound, for all 5 services Saturday + Sunday, plus practice before hand. 16 hour commitment twice a month.

My day job was only 20 hours/wk back then, so in terms of time, my volunteer work was ~30% of all my work. Yet my dad still insisted I payed 10% of the taxed cash I received...

That was one of many "cuts" in my "death by 1000" for being religious.

Don't get high on your own supply!

Omnipotent God, Creator of all things, ruler of heaven and earth ..... needs 10% of your wages because he can't make ends meet ...... this universe ain't gonna pay for itself is it?

Sources for the OP references:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+25%3A34-46&version=ESV

34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,[a] you did it to me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

On divorce:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2019&version=NIV

9 I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”

On abortion:

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Any and all religious folks are indoctrinated and mentally ill.

The ONLY mega-pastor of an Evangelical, Protestant group of churches in America, that I have EVER heard of who acknowledged Trump's moral failings (of being a lying rape-y sack of shit at best, and at worst someone who has attempted literal genocide) is John Piper. The fact that he knew already that he was old and dying of a wasting disease probably helped him care less about the fall-out that doing so would certainly cause, i.e. his career was already (mostly) over. In any case, THAT dude has earned my MAJOR respect. Which is not to say that I agree with or even understand everything he says - e.g. he is heavily anti-abortion, though to his credit he seems to acknowledge that Christian judgement should be reserved for other Christians and not extended to non-Christians, and I wonder if he would consider medical exemptions and such (at a guess... yes?).

But those religious freaks who twist the words of the Bible away from the likes of "workers deserve their wages", and "take care of widows and orphans", and "justice good, bribery/corruption bad" (all summed up in the infamous words of the most holy prophets Bill & Ted: "Be Most Excellent To One Another, Dudes!") to say that basically Christianity = voting Republican, can fuck all the way off! :-(

Especially given Trump's official COVID policy of letting the virus have its (usually non-consensual) way with us, which reminds me of that scene in Braveheart, like .

This si how it's been explained to me.

Noah was a drunk, King David killed a husband to get near his wife, Solomon had thousands of concubines, and so on and so on...

The Lord can use a less than perfect man to deliver his message, and aren't we all sinners?

And yes, I think that's complete and utter bull.