Election Year or Fear!

[ramAnag]

Me too, (not #Me Too!) it would be a disaster.

I was listening to some itnerviews with his MAGA supporters in the South of the US today, it struck me that many of them as RA has said before are either stupid or incapable of rational thought.

As examples, there was a farmer, who voiced his opinion that despite the increased costs in fuel and fertilsier etc. , it would be worth it if Iran was removed as a threat. Which seemed to me to ignore two facts, 1) Iran's threat to the US has always been more potential than actual and 2) Trump hasn't actually said what the aim of the war is, I mean it started with regime change, moved onto degrading Iran's military capability with vague mutterngs about removing the possibility of developing nuclear weapons, despite Trump's claims to have done this in June 2025.

I mean do these people not think, Trump says one thing, then contradicts himself and then is found to be obviously lying? Makes claims that are often untrue, exaggerated or simply ludicrous. Or is his thought and speech pattern so simialr to their's he gets a free pass every time?

It amuses me greatly, that the evangelical and devout Christian's in the US support Trump becuase of his promotion of conservative values.

Mm, so a Leader who openely boasts of s@xually assaalting women, has been found guilty in a civil court of s@xual assault, who is overtly vain, immoral and a narcissist, is obviously enriching himself and family members, has a history of dubious business practices and is far from sympathetic to the poor and whose devotion to the Christian ethic is at best peripheral. This guy is what the conservative Christian's think represents a good leader???

I mean do these people actually read the basic tenents of the bible or do they just follow the bits that suit themselves and convince themselves of their piety and observance of the religon?

Still I see the Pope has had the sense to issue a rebuke to those who preach war and violence in gods name, presumably aimed at Hegseth, though he isn't named.

When I started this thread, 26 months ago, even I had little idea of how appropriate and apposite the words ‘election fear’ would become.

I disagree with you on just one issue, you referred previously to the situation NOW becoming very dangerous. I think it has been very dangerous since day one and my original description of Trump as ‘deranged’ has proven horribly accurate, but then some of us always knew that.

We are maybe dealing with a new manifestation of ‘Christianity’ in that I believe Trump sees himself not just as a ‘conservative Christian’ but as a latter day Crusader and a representative of Christian Nationalism which, when it comes into conflict with extreme Islamist leaders, is only likely to finish messily.

Where it all ends who can tell, but I honestly don’t recall ever being as fearful of any world situation as I currently am.

P.S. Apologies for question marks etc…site has been virtually unusable today.

[Ram Pant]

If the fake tan man who spreads fake news is called a faker by a Fakir, what the fake is going on?

[swaledale]

When I started this thread, 26 months ago, even I had little idea of how appropriate and apposite the words ‘election fear’ would become.

I disagree with you on just one issue, you referred previously to the situation NOW becoming very dangerous. I think it has been very dangerous since day one and my original description of Trump as ‘deranged’ has proven horribly accurate, but then some of us always knew that.

We are maybe dealing with a new manifestation of ‘Christianity’ in that I believe Trump sees himself not just as a ‘conservative Christian’ but as a latter day Crusader and a representative of Christian Nationalism which, when it comes into conflict with extreme Islamist leaders, is only likely to finish messily.

Where it all ends who can tell, but I honestly don’t recall ever being as fearful of any world situation as I currently am.

P.S. Apologies for question marks etc…site has been virtually unusable today.

The site is virtually unusable most days!!

I describe the curent situation as very dangerous, simply becuase whilst in the past Trump has always had the potential to be very dangerous, by which I mean threatens the relative stability of the world, up until his Iranian "adventure" his actions ahve generally impacted either the domestic political and economic environment or been reasonably specific in its detrimental impact, i.e. Ukraine and he rowed back on some of the more onerous tariffs.

I don't think anyone anticipated just how much of a loose canon he has proven to be.

I'm fairly dertain that Trump has no real belief in Christianity, beyond what he can use to get people to vote for him. Its those self professed "devout" Christians, who seem to think he is a leader they can get behind on the basis they are devout!! I'd struggle to think of a leader who is less appropriate to be the standard bearer for any faith.

[Geoff Parkstone]

perhaps Pol Pot who started life as a Buddhist monk before adopting atheism?

[ramAnag]

perhaps Pol Pot who started life as a Buddhist monk before adopting atheism?

Hmmm…he spent a little over one year as a novice Buddhist monk when he was very young and had given it up at least 35 years before coming to power when he outlawed all religion and authorised the slaughter of many Buddhists so…perhaps not.

Trump, on the other hand, is seeking to cloak his tyranny in Christianity…imo.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Hmmm…he spent a little over one year as a novice Buddhist monk when he was very young and had given it up at least 35 years before coming to power when he outlawed all religion and authorised the slaughter of many Buddhists so…perhaps not.

Trump, on the other hand, is seeking to cloak his tyranny in Christianity…imo.

Yet curiosly PolPot's version of markism embraced several core Buddhist philophies of no personal ownership of assets, a general renouncement of individuality in favour of community, pure simple lifestyles etc and a lot of the PolPot symolism was taken from Buddhist sources - eg wheel representing the path to enlightenment. He also married in a Buddhist temple when Im sure he was more that "very young". There is a strange connect between the two lifestyles which Im sure is no coincidence. That said Buddha is unlikely to have endorsed the wholesale slaughter of his own people, unlike certain other religious leaders.



Also I (and likely you) were married in a church but dont adopt Christanity except in its broadest sense.

[ramAnag]

Yet curiosly PolPot's version of markism embraced several core Buddhist philophies of no personal ownership of assets?

Also I (and likely you) were married in a church but dont adopt Christanity except in its broadest sense.

Is that Wahlberg, Zuckerberg, Pembridge, Ronson or Twain? Certainly not Thatcher!

First time in church, largely because I married a vicar’s daughter! Lasted? Not very long at all. Second time…Registry Office. Lasted? A great deal longer and still going strong.

[swaledale]

Yet curiosly PolPot's version of markism embraced several core Buddhist philophies of no personal ownership of assets, a general renouncement of individuality in favour of community, pure simple lifestyles etc and a lot of the PolPot symolism was taken from Buddhist sources - eg wheel representing the path to enlightenment. He also married in a Buddhist temple when Im sure he was more that "very young". There is a strange connect between the two lifestyles which Im sure is no coincidence. That said Buddha is unlikely to have endorsed the wholesale slaughter of his own people, unlike certain other religious leaders.



Also I (and likely you) were married in a church but dont adopt Christanity except in its broadest sense.

I presume you mean Marxism? Only keeping up the tradition of slagging others off for slleping mikakes!!

I have avoided enterng a church for any service, other than where its not my decision to hold whatever ceremony other people have decided to hold there and on every occasion have just marvelled at how any remotely sentient being can take that stuff seriously! Still each to his own.

Pol Pot is a good example of how man uses religion as a template for their evil doing, yet clearly pay no more than lip service if that to the actual principles of whatever religion they are *******ising.

The difference with Trump IMO, is the fervour and devotion that self confessed "devout" Christian folks within the US see him as a worthy leader. AS you say, its doubtful that many if any Buddhists felt the same about Pol Pot!!

[swaledale]

On another point I seriously think the King's visit to the US should be cancelled and Trump advised that as a country that has supported and stood by the US, the UK will not be treated with the level of disrespect it has had from him.

[Ram Pant]

First time in church, but not because I married a vicar’s daughter! Lasted? Not very long at all. Second time…Registry Office. Lasted? A great deal longer and still going strong.

I resemble that remark. Heading for our 39th anniversary this year.