How The Religious Right Ruined Everything

[@gsp4prez]

When you feel persecuted when others are given rights you have, you might be on the wrong side of everything.

[@vickimcburney8977]

Exactly!❤

[@geraintwd]

When you're used to privilege, equality feels like oppression.

[@TheAyanamiRei]

​@@geraintwdThe ironic part is they LITERALLY stand for ALMOST EVERYTHING they claim to hate these days, but ONLY when it's their side. Corruption, Lies, Propaganda, etc

[@smokingjoe9864]

@@geraintwd the term used to be "The Natural Order". That term covered white supremacy.

[@theeddorian]

@@smokingjoe9864 Not "white" supremacy necessarily. Rather supremacy of a designated aristocracy. It is present on all continents, and among people of all complexions. You want to remember that it was the "aristocracy" in African kingdoms that maintained the West African corner of the triangle trade, and they were not "white." Each aristoracy, or would be aristocracy, has some imaginary grounds for why it has rights that the rest of the human race lack.

[@Crissy_the_wonder]

You can believe in Christian Nationalism or you can believe in freedom, but not both. Christian Nationalist Republicans would hate Jesus if they met him, a Middle Eastern guy who helped the poor

[@LocoGeorge123]

Especially because he was a Palestinian Jewish Rabbi….they’d probably call him a Marxist Communist Globalist Pedophile….gotta love the accusations Christian nationalists lob at people who they don’t like

[@ecoRfan]

They would be the people who whacked him

[@thatoneguy2136]

Bro they’re so ignorant they’d probably call Jesus a Muslim communist 😂

[@wordforger]

Watch their faces when they learn that the eye of the needle was indeed a sewing needle.

[@lv1543]

Jesus is white

[@marcello7781]

This is what happens when a country is too focused in fighting religious extremism overseas instead of stopping its own homegrown version.

[@blackeyedsusan727]

Fighting religious extremism overseas is an excuse for contemporary colonialism, theft, and plunder. What you don't practise at home, you certainly do not practise outside of the home.

[@erisgh0sted961]

​@@blackeyedsusan727look at you with all the gems. Well done. ✊🏼

[@somerandomguy4919]

America should abolish and criminalized conservatism

[@ignoranceisbliss6259]

It's so weird that Jesus preached love, charity and forgiveness, which are pretty much the exact antithesis of the modern GOP. It's almost as though most conservative "Christians" haven't actually read the Bible...

[@Helelsonofdawn]

@@somerandomguy4919 so criminalize the hood and varirio full of conservatives?

[@Ra_vee9132]

I left my church after I started hearing people expressing far right and racist opinions. These people previously did not express political ideas and it’s obvious that they have become radicalised via the internet. After hearing some sermons expressing racist ideas, I took notes and researched where those ideas were lifted from. I traced the talk almost word for word, complete with the PowerPoint images to far right US Christian websites. I am not a young person either and I had many years of membership under my belt.

[@jennifersmith4864]

It's the left who are the real racists. Just look at their policies ----- Affirmative action - cuz they think blacks can't compete. Quotas cuz they think blacks can't compete Defunding the police in democrat cities where crime is largely in black neighborhoods Fighting against school choice when schools in black neighborhoods totally suck Discrimination against asians for getting into college. Promoting fatherlessness in black communities. Etc. You need to rethink.

[@deadpirateroberts9937]

When did this start. What year?

[@jennifersmith4864]

This is stupid to think only Christians are racists. We cav observe the real racists these day calling for the extermination of jews.

[@LaoZi2023]

And radicalised by their pastor, no doubt.

[@jennifersmith4864]

@@LaoZi2023 Democrats & progressives are the radicals, what planet you on?

[@simond4868]

The hypocrisy of these people never ceases to amaze me, Jesus would be shook seeing the kinda heinous shit these zealots do

[@lisettes.9598]

Jesus threw his own fit and knocked over the money exchangers tables outside of the temple. It's obvious you've never even read the bible.

[@arcanineryu]

These people don't listen to Jesus. They don't even read the Bible. They just listen to the semi religious political mouthpieces funded by billionaires that get incredibly unstealthily put into places of power in the evangelical religion. Which the believers then willfully turn a blind eye too because they're convinced that their deity would prevent corruption in his ranks through divine intervention. Truely there is no better cover for grifters than the assumption that an all powerful supernatural being simply wouldn't let a grifter come to power.

[@myvideodiary24]

@@lisettes.9598the politicians that these religious zombies are helping are literally the equivalent of the money exchangers.

[@erisgh0sted961]

Indeed. I'm constantly asking when they are hate spewing about the LGBTQIA+ community. "What do you think Jesus is more disappointed by, your hate, or their love?" 🤔 That really gets them going, because they know the answer, but will never say it.

[@victorhughgo2376]

Far Left Progressive Woke Liberals do not believe in Jesus. They do not believe in two genders.

[@jeffm9770]

I thought conservatives respected the flag. How respectful is it to use the flag as a weapon or as a tool to break windows?

[@jc-et4qk]

They also back "blue lives".

[@Helelsonofdawn]

so explain stepping on it?

[@JoeSmith-cy9wj]

Of the Capital no less. In fact, I believe this to be a chargeable offense in itself.

[@JazzYachtrocker]

The flag didn’t break that window

[@nuke___8876]

Because the rules are different for "real Americans." Real Americans know that they respect the flag because it's an inherent quality of being a real American; therefore, no matter what they do to the flag, they can never disrespect it.

[@hadara69]

“Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them.” ~Barry Goldwater

[@rosemarycrane5137]

This is not the first time that the religious rt wing has attempted to take full control of the US government. Their past failures give me hope. Also, the media seems to highten the religious right making it seem as though they were ubiquitous, they are not. Those who claim to be nationalist Christians are just loud and obnoxious. Presently the GOP loud mouths are basically the newer group of loud mouths, like MTG. Even Tommy Tuberville is a new senator. We will overcome the radical religous right.

[@unluckyone1655]

Those who can make people believe absurdities, can make people commit atrocities.” Voltaire

[@thomash.schwed3662]

Ironically, that's the same Barry Goldwater who, despite his personal views to the contrary, voted against the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a law which, to this day, continues to be opposed by religious Rightists. This was the same year in which he won the Republican Party nomination for president. He went on to lose the general election to incumbent President Johnson in a forty-four-state landslide. The states he did carry remain hotbeds of religious Rightism, and at the time were still enforcing their local versions of the "Jim Crow" ordinances. Even in his adopted home state of Arizona (Goldwater was born in the Canal Zone), Maricopa County (where Phoenix is located) had as its sheriff the infamous Joe Arpaio, whose discriminatory way of enforcing the law was so disgraceful that he was convicted in court, only to be pardoned by Trump. Arizona is also home to the disgusting S.B. 1070, also known as the "Papers, Please" law, aimed directly against immigrants. This doesn't deny the truthfulness of what he said, yet it is all connected to the hypocrisy of one Barry Goldwater. Indeed, his own party failed to learn the lesson of his defeat in '64 and has, instead, gone even further to the Right with the likes of Nixon, Reagan, the Bushes, Trump, DeSantis and Abbott, to name only a few of the more prominent examples. That party, by its actions and policies, tacitly says that it looks to Goldwater as something of a forerunner in being openly prejudiced, misogynistic, racist, xenophobic, et al., at least within the halls of government. They somehow see the Goldwater campaign of '64 as a winning strategy.

[@hadara69]

@@unluckyone1655 I share that often too! 👌 It's religion... Cult45 is a religion, "MAGA" mirroring that of the "Volk" of Nazi Germany!

[@darkshadow2679]

It's already is black are label the anti Christ

[@AcousticallyYours]

Leeja, I think you have quickly become one of my favorite KZbin presenters. You seem to speak about topics like this, that need to be discussed. You have managed to address the truth, and strip away the pretenses that the “anti-woke” movement has seemed to have embraced! Please, do NOT be deterred by criticism, or any threats. You have the platform and, the insightful ability for the critical thinking that everyone needs to hear!!

[@TheWerewolfOfNorway-mf5jz]

She's an idiot

[@autodidacticartisan]

There's nothing a religious zealot hates more than a religious zealot with even slightly differing views

[@jamesparson]

I am still surprised evangelicals supported Mitt Romney.

[@spicychad55]

Two scammers fighting each other over who has the biggest scam!

[@petervizzini4006]

Antifa?

[@autodidacticartisan]

@@petervizzini4006 "Noun?" Isn't a question. I would look into getting a refund from whoever taught You grammar.

[@rasheed7934]

​@@jamesparsonBecause he was running against a communist black Kenyan Muslim who wanted to take their guns, establish Sharia law, and convert white women to Islam.

[@edwardharvey7687]

Ever notice that just about every quarrel over religious rights is really about the ability of religious people to act horribly towards others? As in, if I can’t be bigoted, you are violating my religious rights.

[@draco_1876]

If your religion gives you the right to attack or discriminate against others it shouldn’t practice.

[@CaptainObvious0000]

"I dislike homosexuality" *boooo, homophobe* "my imaginary friend says homosexuality is a sin and he is right" *wow, such devotion, much religious freedom, wow, honorable traditions*

[@mitch_the_-itch]

The Govt attacking churches for not believing their covid lies like you did makes you silly Socialists the problem. The first amendment protects them for YOU.

[@mitch_the_-itch]

Yea, like that zealot who kicked that girl in the face because she was praying for the children the purple haired far left anti America zealot demands to indiscriminately kill without thought or conscience? Like that? You leftwits are truly delusional.

[@skeletorlikespotatoes7846]

No it isn't. You must not pay attention much 😂

[@brigham2250]

Too many people have been led to believe that practicing their religion (in their homes and in their churches) is not enough. Instead, they have been made to believe that they must practice it on others... for the greater good (as they see it). And when they are confronted on their special privileges or get push back for being too pushy themselves, they cry persecution. Oddly, they don't see the ludicrousness of their position. If you can't practice your religion and also play nice with the other adults, then maybe something is wrong with your religion. Likewise for politics. If your political party overwhelmingly attracts white supremacists and neo-nazis and racists and clan members, then, hey, maybe you should rethink your values and your political party.

[@duckheadbob]

This assumes these people are good natured at heart - and I just don't think they are. These are afterall the people that will try to say "hey, keep your gayness confined to your bedroom". They're hypocrits and filled with hatred for the other. These people don't do self reflection, if they did, they wouldn't be these people.

[@complainer406]

It makes sense when you realize that the reason why the popular religions are popular, is because they're good at getting people to convert their peers A huge part of Christianity is evangelizing. Christians believe that anyone who isn't a Christian is going to suffer an eternity of torture in hell. Converting isn't a matter of growing their community, they literally believe they're saving people

[@doomslayer1984]

On the contrary much of the world sees the US becoming the hollowed out immoral cess pit that it is largely thanks to the embrace of secular godless mind set. Its ironic that so many of you white in the US seem to think that by abandoning religion you somehow smarter for it. All the while much of the worlds scientists, teachers, and doctors are now overwhelmingly coming from nations that reject this white western point of view. I mean India is currently producing more smart people then both the US and UK combined. Which kind of destroys your whole argument of religion being the problem there Karen.

[@kimberlychodur3508]

@@duckheadbobmore like keep your gayness confined to the closet because that’s what they really want, is for gays to go back into the closet.

[@Uncanny_Mountain]

They know

[@jhaskins58]

I am a dedicated Christian and do not support the white Christian movement, which is the opposite of Christianity. I appreciate this excellent review...

[@bigchongusHH]

please explain how Christianity and racialism are mutually exclusive (you can't)

[@asroczka]

I agree with you. The church should not excluded people because of their skin color. After all, Jesus did say to love thy neighbor.

[@acidicjazzhead]

The Religious Right is the reason why I left the evangelical church almost 20 years ago. When I heard Christians cheerleading Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom and purporting then President GW Bush as being some kind of demigod was when I had enough.

[@blackeyedsusan727]

I'm glad you "had enough". It's good to know there are still people among us with a functioning moral compass

[@josepheridu3322]

There are diverse churches with diverse views even among evangelicals. You just wanted an excuse to leave, but you don't need any.

[@els1f]

​@@josepheridu3322right, they don't. They can just leave and be happy lol

[@str8delco589]

Cringe 🤦🏽‍♂️

[@Helelsonofdawn]

bernie voted afganistan war and koslov invasions

[@sailordaigurren8225]

Evangelicals ask themselves "what would Jesus do?" and then do the opposite.

[@rriddick8571]

😂😂😂 so true

[@dirtyden1]

If you don't sin. Jesus died for nothing.,,

[@lucifersapphire8412]

Jesus literally said he did not come here to erase his father’s laws; he came to enforce them. Jesus never not once said: “I’m going to die on this cross so we no longer have to follow my father’s laws like slavery, or killing rape victims for not crying out for help..” the idea that Jesus was a good guy is absolute camp. The Christian god literally required a human sacrifice for our survival, that’s gross af.

[@katie.g.]

Lmao 😂

[@fedrikrose2277]

​@@lucifersapphire8412 of course he never said that that would be oddly specific even by Jesus standard... And God's laws change from book to book throughout the Bible. The Bible being a collection of different books written in different times and places by different authors has its contradictions.

[@cartwrightworm1317]

I need someone to explain to me why religious conservatives think that America is a Christian nation. What civics or history classes taught them that idea? I’m guessing they are just so wrapped up in their devotion that they assume that to be the case, no legal or historical facts needed. It’s maddening.

[@MarshalMarrs]

Christianity should not exist

[@jamesparson]

They don't care what this history is.

[@qjtvaddict]

Civics was removed from schools that’s why

[@johnjohnson9100]

Their preachers told them.

[@MrRapp-yz4hu]

Its something passed down from generation to generation. Like how every white kid I went to school with an 1st through 4th grade "had cherokee" in their blood but couldnt tell you a thing about native americans. Most of the people who say the nation is a Christian nation dont attend church or care about the teachings of Christ. The God of the Christian faith is just a genie to them when they need something and who makes it alright for them too dunk in people they see as other.

[@mostlyjoe]

I want Freedom FROM Religion.

[@hifibrony]

r'amen to that!

[@theunknowncommenter725]

Tough shit. It can't be done.

[@theunknowncommenter725]

@@hifibrony NO

[@UnashamedCaliforniagirl]

That's why the establishment clause exists

[@hifibrony]

@@UnashamedCaliforniagirlThat clause was literally read out of the Constitution by the Katholic Kangaroo Kourt a couple of years ago in that Maine schools case.. It's gone.

[@williamsteinkamp3189]

Feeling persecuted for not being allowed to stand on another's neck is the GOP platform.

[@mariastevens6406]

It's the xSTAIN platform

[@GiggaGMikeE]

When you are accustomed to privilege, equality is oppression.

[@stananderson4524]

Victimhood is avery powerfull tool.

[@esteemedmortal5917]

When you’re not used to being held accountable and equal with others, any effort to do so feels like oppression

[@chompythebeast]

No, it is the euroamerican imperialist agenda. Joe Biden is no less aligned to such violence and cruelty than any rep. This is an America problem, not a GOP-exclusive problem, and to suggest anything else is to apologize for one half of the ruling class duopoly and to thus play right into their hand

[@talmadgeturnipseed7175]

I'm so sick of "American" being treated as a biblical addendum rather than simply being a nationality and being used as an excuse to hate/put down literally everyone else

[@Uncanny_Mountain]

Virtue signalling* Gaslighting, aka Grooming. Accusation in a mirror (AiM), mirror politics, mirror propaganda, mirror image propaganda, or mirror argument is a hate-speech incitement technique where one falsely attributes to one's adversaries the intentions that one has for oneself and/or the actions that one is in the process of enacting. During the 1994 Rwandan genocide, accusation in a mirror was used by the Hutus, along with other propaganda techniques, to incite the genocide in 1999. A straw man fallacy is the informal fallacy of refuting an argument different from the one actually under discussion, while not recognizing or acknowledging the distinction. One who engages in this fallacy is said to be "attacking a straw man". The fallacy of begging the question occurs when an argument's premises assume the truth of the conclusion, instead of supporting it. In other words, you assume without proof the stand/position, or a significant part of the stand, that is in question. Begging the question is also called arguing in a circle. Argument from incredulity, also known as argument from personal incredulity, *appeal to common sense* or the *_Divine fallacy_* (that is, pretending to be Omniscient, and able to know things you cannot know) is a fallacy in informal logic. It asserts that a proposition must be false because it contradicts one's personal expectations or beliefs, or is difficult to imagine, as if your beliefs have any empirical or tangible values The Gish gallop /ˈɡɪʃ ˈɡæləp/ is a rhetorical technique in which a person in a debate attempts to overwhelm their opponent by providing an excessive number of arguments with no regard for the accuracy or strength of those arguments. Gish galloping prioritizes the quantity of the galloper's arguments at the expense of their quality. Bullshivic (Bolshevik, bull, civic-minded, demagogue), someone who gains political power by appealing to people's emotion's instincts, & prejudices in a way that is considered manipulative & myopic; someone who incessantly reiterates the same petty complaints, until they are taken seriously. There are citizens with valid complaints & issues, but invariably the meeting will have to deal with some Bullshivic & his personal gripe of "supreme importance". *Gaslighting is a psychological term used to describe* the process of *grooming* someone into believing that they are losing it or going crazy. *Gaslighting a child is perhaps the most egregious form of child abuse.* Gaslighting is a common form of emotional/psychological abuse and can be used as a tactic in *grooming* children for abuse. The term comes from Gaslight (1944) a movie where the technique is used by the characters. *Gaslighting is sometimes also called “crazy making”.* *In the context of child sexual abuse (CSA) the **_gaslighting_** is often used to convince the victim all the abusive behaviours are fine, normal and an expression of “love”. It is used to ensure the victim doesn’t speak out about it and doesn’t fight back. It can also be used in concert with other **_grooming_** tactics like fear and isolation.* *Trivializing: The victim’s feels are made to feel like they don’t matter, are **_unfounded_** or they are weak for thinking so.* *Countering: This is quintessential gaslighting. * They _directly counter the memories and perceptions of the victim._ *Repetitive Questions: The abusive partner makes the victim doubt what they think or feel by asking the same question multiple times.* Questions are asked so many times the victim doubts their own answers. *Diverting: The abuser diverts the subject and puts the blame into outside circumstances.* "What Others Say": The abuser tells the victim what other people "think" about the victim, the abuser and/or the situation on whole. Literally what all Right Wing Fascist talking points are doing, making claims and arguments, asking questions that all rely on an unproven premise, which stumps the opponent because it's a logical fallacy. They then pretend to declare victory, knowing full well their crimes because the innocent don't know to lie. This is their entire toolkit, it's all reverse psychology, and Psychological warfare, perfected in Palestine, exported to the West. Republicans are Authoritarian Communists, America is a People's Democratic Republic with a Constitution, just like China, Iran, N Korea, and the USSR. All of which have _less_ inequality. Patriotism and Communism are Synonyms, they just Orwelled us into believing we were Capitalists, when in fact it's the rich leeching off the working class. This is why we must call for Direct Digital Democracy without parties or politicians. Citizen initiated referendums with thresholds and a social contract means Communities can vote their own laws. As well as a Public Authority to audit police and prosecute bad actors in our own courts. Thorium energy renders their global energy monopoly obsolete

[@hauntedshadowslegacy2826]

@@uraniumeaterr Children starve to death in America every day. Until that's no longer the case, America will never be 'the best' country.

[@joshuepico75]

@@uraniumeaterr That would be the japanese, that passport gets you everywhere

[@joshuepico75]

@@uraniumeaterr They can see with their eyes closed, I can't with my eyes open 💀

[@diggernash1]

Nations should allow their citizens the opportunity to improve their lives before, and at the expense of, all other people groups. If a central government does not protect this tenement, why should it exist? Notice that any form of equalizing outcomes for citizen goes against this prime directive. We did not form our country to provide happiness and well-being, we formed it to allow each individual an opportunity to succeed or fail; wholly.

[@HannahFortalezza]

One thing you haven’t mentioned - the religious right have lots of money and actively fund regressive / discriminatory groups across the world. They are a major reason (if not the biggest reason) we are seeing such backlash against lgbt+ people across the world. As much as I’m glad I don’t live in the US, I can’t ignore that US politics and money have huge impact on my rights

[@sanriosonderweg]

@HannahFortalezzat The modern progressive has to force themselves to believe Wallstreet and the money printers aren't pushing their agenda.

[@davidpaul6656]

Yet their religion teaches to love and accept everyone, regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation. Unfortunately these people will only cherry pick things from the bible, not to understand other people but to openly discriminate against those people.

[@esbenm6544]

@@davidpaul6656 So do you. It also says the opposite of that. You can take away any meaning you want from the bible to suit any agenda.

[@John_Michael2000]

Where do you live? I may want to move there..

[@jeffersonclippership2588]

Makes me long for the days when our top exports were junk food and junk movies

[@Clab-v5b]

Leeja, I am impressed by your lecture. I searched, pondered, researched and sweated during it and there was NOTHING I found that could logically or sanely counter it. People NEED to learn the truth. You, I hope, will continue to provide them with it and so will I. Elderly white middle class Australian

[@araisdead]

i love how the sensible people who SEE the issues of America, do not live in America.

[@PalmelaHanderson]

Also, Puritans (and most Europeans in general) felt totally fine taking land from native people because, by their logic, "they weren't using it." If no one is using land to produce something to sell, then that means it's essentially free land. It's pretty much squatter's rights. There were all kinds of justifications for it, but that's essentially what it boiled down to.

[@doomslayer1984]

Funny how you white atheist types think that just because your no longer christian that your racist history is somehow washed away from you. News flash slick...its not!

[@michaelfiori6700]

Most people still look at land like that.

[@MartinMaat]

I am a 57 year old Dutchman. I attended a christian kindergarten (because it was nearby and other kids in my street went there too). I don't remember much of what the young women who were taking care of us ever told us, it was mainly about keeping us occupied and socializing. The Israeli occupation was fresh and apparently a debated topic at the time. I DO remember my teacher making this exact argument! Like "it was all wasteland and now oranges grow there!", which supposedly made it right. I must have been 4 years old, maybe 5. I found it weird, it didn't make sense to me. I now wonder how the subject came up in the first place.

[@danbeaulieu2130]

@@MartinMaat Never mind that the Palestinian provinces had been producing food, tax revenue, and finished goods for the Ottomans, and the British, before the Nakba.

[@churblefurbles]

@PalmelaHanderson You are free to go home as penance.

[@paigeharrison3909]

When I was in 9th grade I was asked to write an essay on someone who's actions I found heroic. I picked Madelyn Murray O'Hair. My teacher called my parents, apparently very concerned. Joke was on her. My atheist parents were totally good with it. This was way back in1979.

[@kenofken9458]

Damn. Back then, admitting to being an atheist was like yelling "Hail Satan" at a school assembly. That was true really anywhere in the country, not just the Bible Belt.

[@labachaterairlandesa]

Students’ religious beliefs shouldn’t be their teachers’ concern, except to make sure those beliefs are respected. I mean, maybe if they’re handling poisonous snakes or their parents are marrying them off to an old dude, but otherwise, mind your own business.

[@jeffersonclippership2588]

​@@kenofken9458 it's still true in most of America

[@Bryndor_]

I would have written mine about Harvey Milk.

[@-alovelygaycat-]

I just read the Wikipedia article on her and holy crap. It took them 5 years to actually start investigating the guy who murderer her. That’s absolutely insane.

[@cynthiashaw45]

You can’t tell me I have freedom from religion and allow me to leave the church of my childhood. Then require my child to be groomed in school to be religious. Practice your faith at church and home. Leave our children alone.

[@BobBob-rg9cp]

really they say they are oppressed yet i dont feel like i can sit and not say anything during noon when everyone pledges one under god this year i am going to try my best not to be dammed who talks behind my back

[@undrwatropium3724]

OUR SCHOOLS ARE NOT YOUR CHURCH

[@ToxiKid]

And we also should not be teaching sex to prepuebesnt kids

[@cynthiashaw45]

@@ToxiKidNOBODY is teaching that. You have drunk the koolaid of lies. The group you follow if they are not put in check We will be another Nazi nation killing gays, and brown ppl. Keep your Bible to yourself. I don’t believe God made childbearing dangerous and painful to punish Eve for a sin. I have a right to shield my child from such lies and misogyny and misinformation. Your Bible demeans and condemns women. It condones murder if your priesthood sends you to kill. You are in control of the republican party, making it the most corrupt, lying, gun toting and dangerous, bordering on Nazism this nation has ever been. Keep your Christianity to yourself. A few more elections under our belt and you will start to understand you’re the minority. We as a nation have moved on from wanting to remove and kill each other. We are working with what is real. Not your Christian doomsday plan that precedes every society that falls into murderous chaos. History keeps repeating itself. That is why it is so important the true history is the record. Not the sweep it under the rug crap your lot wants taught. You are the danger to society. Until a gay person steps on your porch and shove it down your throat that they want to date you, you need to leave them alone. Nobody is teaching gay, we are just allowing them to live in peace without hardship. Register independent America. Take our country back from these money grubbing zealots. Leave the Republican Party to the MAGA. Makes it easy to find the radicals, and white nationalists.

[@EstherSHELTON-c5x]

Yes leave the kids alone, they don't need to learn about sex in grade school. Let kids be kids.

[@callen8908]

The historic context really shows how we arrived here, at this dreadful struggle, again. These great productions are so useful and enlightening. Thank-you

[@michael-hw1uv]

For your info, leftist enablers, America had prayer in schools for over 250yrs. With little complaints. Oh my God! Even Yale and Harvard! Now a political movement for Marxism. Well the French are saying, We lost our Country! As the Far Left takes Power.

[@stormwarrior5362]

One time my mom said something that is to this day stuck with me and expresses precisely my opinions on religion. “Religion divides people”. It’s simple, but I couldn’t agree more with her.

[@gregvetter5070]

Your mom was absolutely right. Peace!

[@mom9552]

miscreant？Marxist？

[@diggernash1]

Division is not foundationally bad.

[@rosshoover6986]

@@diggernash1 Jesus said love thy neighbor, not divide and miss treat.

[@diggernash1]

@@rosshoover6986 As individuals, not civically by way of a central government.

[@thebec8853]

Fundamentalism of ANY kind from ANY Religion is anathema to Democracy!!!

[@timmmahhhh]

Yep, George Carlin said it best: there are three groups in this country that will continue to provide "entertainment" (in the form of terrorism): Christian fundamentalists Jewish fundamentalists Muslim fundamentalists ... And just plain guys from Montana.

[@thebec8853]

@timmmahhhh Don't forget- Hindu Fundamentalism is strong in India, right now. India, also a Democracy in trouble. :/

[@timmmahhhh]

@@thebec8853 yeah, Modi is really one for sure.

[@Not-Ap]

​@@timmmahhhhWhen are people going to fight back against it though? Seriously not just through words or understanding but meaningful actions that prevent any and all if these groups gaining any kind of political power whatsoever? So far it looks like nothing is being done.

[@literaterose6731]

👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 Exactly!

[@jgcoverkknot5701]

I'm Christian and I don't understand why it's so hard for other religious people to understand church and state cannot interfere. You can either have freedom of religion and a government unaffiliated with religion, or an oppressive theocracy.

[@loveableheathen7441]

Christianity has been hijacked and is being used as a tool by those in power. I'm glad I'm not a Christian because I would be horrified at the bastardization of my beliefs

[@blackeyedsusan727]

And the irony that it is the European countries that pushed state religion on their peoples and their colonies now actually respect separation of church and state. Meanwhile, U.S. Americans go on and on about Iran and the Taliban all while emulating their policies here.

[@andywomack3414]

Like Israel?

[@sanderdeboer6034]

Immigrants in any country are usually much more orthodox and religious than the country they came from. Here in the Netherlands for example Turkish immigrants (and second/third generations) are much more orthodox Muslim than the people in Turkey today. I have many family members living in the USA, and they are extremely religious, while we here are mostly secular. They called me ‘Hitler’ because I am openly atheist. Which to them made me the devil (actually the good one in the EVIL bible) that needed to be converted. I have little to no respect for my religious nutcase family in the USA, who are extremely RACIST and NEVER read the EVIL bible.

[@rustomkanishka]

It's got something to do with the fact that they identity with those particular values more and that they believe their religion is the correct one. Also, it genuinely helps to never read scriptures and come to your own conclusions, and read commentaries .

[@markshadaram9740]

'With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil - that takes religion.'

[@theunknowncommenter725]

Actually, that is incorrect. Religion (particularly Christianity, since that in the only true one) teaches the ACTUAL DIFFERENCE between good and evil, while atheism doesn't and can't. Doesn't mean Christians always get it right, we are flawed human beings like everyone else, but it's better than the alternative. Christianity teaches that men are divine creatures, while atheism sees men as no more than another animal.

[@petervizzini4006]

​​​@@theunknowncommenter725FINALLY someone who understands. But the Bible says man are divine creations of God

[@eon6274]

@@theunknowncommenter725 sorry but this is so dumb that it made me laugh. you might have a career in comedy

[@williamseric6492]

@@eon6274 and then they want to kill muslims because they are too religious lol

[@thatvietnamese]

@@petervizzini4006God directly told us that we aren’t divine. If being a Creation of God is Divine, i think every animal whether it is a microscopic germ or the biggest type of animal would be divine to a certain sense. Now, i’m not saying that humans aren’t made in the IMAGE of God, but the image of God doesn’t equate to divinity unless you are Mormon. “…Those who Exalt themselves will be humbles, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 18:14 Now- i am not American, i’m a Vietnamese Christian, but American quote-on-quote “Christianity” really ruined the reputation of Religions as a whole.

[@j.d1614]

The only way to get politics out of religion is to start taxing their properties and the money they bring in with donations

[@doomslayer1984]

If you want Christians Muslims and all other religions to band together and find a common enemy. By all means do that slick!

[@Starcrash6984]

The reason that they aren't taxed is because we don't tax charities, and churches are simply assumed to be charitable. This, obviously, is a bad assumption. In the city of Bangor, Maine there are over 40 churches but only 2 of them have programs for helping the poor (based on my experience there). Those 2 churches definitely should be tax-exempt. It's not a bad idea to treat charitable churches like charities, but this shouldn't be assumed as the default.

[@charisma-hornum-fries]

​@@Starcrash6984Completely disagree. When they get the exemption there's basically no accountability.

[@kaisersoze9880]

There it tis!

[@Starcrash6984]

@@charisma-hornum-fries The lack of accountability is due to the presumption. Charities are under the government watch. Remember when Trump's charity got shut down for not following the law? It does happen.

[@Arcanismedia]

I went to Liberty University back in 2010 with aspirations of becoming a fundamentalist evangelical southern baptist pastor. Talking to different worldviews and being exposed to people from all across the world, from different religions, and then switching my education to history and anthropology opened my eyes to the damage right wing evangelical Christianity causes. I was indoctrinated by emotional manipulation. Glad I got out of it.

[@BlntFrcTrma]

Welcome to reality

[@undrwatropium3724]

Most people seem to want to go to heaven under the impression that Heaven is perfect and without sin. So why did the angels rebel from God? Most people say the angels rebelled from God because they wanted power. So if the angels rebelled from God because they wanted power then there IS sin in heaven and therefore NOT perfect

[@BlntFrcTrma]

@@undrwatropium3724 All excellent points

[@AllDogsAreGoodDogs]

And a degree from "Liberty University" is "near-worthless". It does identify you as an extremist, so it makes it easier for employers to "see" you and say, "No Thanks". So it has some utility, I guess.

[@lindawhitehead8543]

my cousin is proud her daughter goes to liberty. i bite my tongue so i have a cousin. but after the pool guy story...i guess anyone can sin, but.....

[@MichaelLloydMobile]

..."Continue to support initiatives that actively lead to their own oppression." Couldn't have been stated better.

[@surrelljr]

Great video, being Native American, it always annoys me when people speak about religion in America they are only speaking about Christianity. Although I was heavily indoctrinated, I retained my paganism. Kind of existed undercover. I’m glad other people actually see what’s going on.

[@EfU574]

I often wonder why christains want christianity to be everyones religion when the vast majority of them do not follow the tenents of the religion. I can honestly say i have rarely met a christian with morals. Most of them are the exact people Jesus was saying to avoid at all costs.

[@craigpoer]

There is no god so man made a god. Now man wants to be God. Religion and all other man made system do everything she is complaining about. Some systems are worse

[@shizachan8421]

Its about the divine right of having a freshly born infant wife they desire.

[@lettuceman9439]

To answer your question is the matter of salvation and compassion, Wouldn't you want to save the soul of your fellow man given Christianity predisposition as a Abrahamic religion. Second, Most people do not known this but to be Elected into heaven it isn't simply that of being a good person but having faith alongside it Denomination

[@shizachan8421]

@@lettuceman9439 But christianity is satanic religion that seduces people into engaging in polytheism by declaring a prophet of Allah as god, putting man on the same level as Allah. Why do you think christians so often engage in depravity like pedophilia? They are seduced by Shaitan, to lose all natural inhibition.

[@EfU574]

@@lettuceman9439 save souls? The fact that you believe that there are many peoples but only 1 specific group among them has been chosen to save them all is just plain delusional. Further more, perhaps christains should tend to their own souls because it seems to me the best way to prove faith is to actually live in the manner you are wanting others to.

[@ottovonbismuth]

As someone who lives in Alaska, I can not express how happy I was to see Mary Peltola beat Sarah Palin during our 2022 special election

[@ivanj.conway9919]

So what is that batty woman up to these days, anyway? Haven't heard much from her of late. She's an attractive woman but a complete loon for sure.

[@junelaananke7138]

Fellow Alaskan here, could not agree more.

[@keirfarnum6811]

I used to mountain bike some with Sarah’s brother Chuck, and while he was a really nice guy, I have noticed that the entire Heath family seems to lack brain cells. They’re all conservatives and lack the ability to think critically. In mountain bike races, Chuck seemed to make the same stupid mistakes over and over again and didn’t seem to learn. It was weird! Sarah seems to be the only one who’s crazy though. I was happy to see Peltola win too; although I no longer live in AK, it’s sad to see the conservatives destroying Alaska. That brand of conservatism only became a thing in AK after the oil boom brought people from Oklahoma and Texass to Alaska. Alaska before that had a quasi libertarian kind of conservatism happening but it was always tempered by a progressive side that respected anyone who could survive and thrive in AK. Hence why AK has one of the oldest out gay communities in the country; a legacy, like San Francisco, of the Gold Rush. Alaska has always been much more purple than red and it’s always switched back and forth between Democrat and Republican in terms of the governorship. I hope the Democrats are on the ascendency again as it’s always beneficial for Alaskans.

[@cdogthehedgehog6923]

Not an Alaskan but I love that

[@metastatic746]

You acknowledge the role of Christianity in American nationalism and the January 6th insurrection. Liked and subscribed.

[@lynking4141]

I second that emotion ... 👇🏼 *CLICK*

[@nicolebrown1927]

SHE BROKE IT DOWWWN HONEY! That's why I recently subscribed!🤗

[@lynking4141]

@@nicolebrown1927 Word.

[@theunknowncommenter725]

It wasn't an insurrection.

[@michaeljohn7398]

Thank you Leega, for your very Articulate and Intelligent Discertation on this, the most obvious Clear and Present Danger to Worldwide Democracy Writ Large. Cheers from Michael. Australia.

[@carlosvigil1868]

This girl is really brave for making these so valuable videos, in a country so prone to unleash tons of hate to everybody who publicly shows dissent to what is the dominant opinion there. Keep going!

[@Divine_Health_And_Fitness]

They’re the minority

[@mitch_the_-itch]

She is spewing propaganda better than Baghdad Bob. Not a win.

[@mitch_the_-itch]

@@Rrabows It’s easy to be an American Progressive. Just close your eyes, close your ears, and close everyone’s mouth who disagrees with you. It’s a formula for smug self-satisfaction. Socialism is the message, Marxism is the strategy and Fascism is the goal.

[@mitch_the_-itch]

@@Rrabows Liberals all live in George Costanza's World, "it's not a lie if you believe it." You sound like the kind of useful idiot that thinks The Russian Collusion deepstate psyop was real instead of a real insurrection against the President.

[@arazatliyev6564]

Owening to democracy

[@TheBrokeCyberWanderer]

As a Native, i have questions as to how these people believe they were the "first" people on this land. If it were about "who was here first", maybe they could stop running pipelines thru sacred sites and polluting water sources.

[@divine5183]

To them, conquering the land means they were first on the land. You can’t fight ignorance with fact, they’ll only ignore it to keep their ignorant views

[@geekcollage]

Simply because they are taught Christian Dominionism twisted history which heavily implies Native nations were barely human servants of Satan and thus less than them. They don't count you as first, they count you as less. 😓 Now they hate admitting it because soft racism is real. They just like to believe they are persecuted for their faith, instead the actual reason, because they're assholes. I used to be one, to my profound shame. But that is the big why: Hierarchy and power to control.

[@deeparks1244]

Sounds about white doesn’t it

[@arazatliyev6564]

Made,these primitiv chats is not on time

[@vvetapop]

I was raised in an evangelical home, and although I'm not Christian anymore, I think I have an idea. It may have to do with the fact that many of these Christians don't see native Americans as people (ESPECIALLY natives in the 15-1800s.) In their perspective, it would be like a sailor finding an island only inhabited by animals. In that case, they *would* be the first ones there. And to them, that's all natives are. Of course, that was also obvious by their slavery. Today they aren't as forward about it, but every evangelical I've ever met has zero care or regard for natives and the little land they're able to call theirs.

[@miaththered]

Beware zealots, they are the enemy of all.

[@lonewolfnergiganos4000]

What are zealots exactly?

[@strangeaelurus]

​@@lonewolfnergiganos4000people who are VERY deep in their religion. In this context, referring to Christians bc they are known to be very religious and force it on others

[@timotar4308]

​@@lonewolfnergiganos4000those who are extremists

[@tatersalad76]

​@@lonewolfnergiganos4000 people that make their religion the forefront of their life and its purpose while trying to force it on others

[@rodniegsm1575]

I don't care how you slice it. But this was nothing more than the death of democracy. I see people who are so disenfranchised by the government that they want to get rid of this government. And they have the right to do so. The United States is an oligarchie

[@pammer12345]

Thank you so much for this video. I just discovered you, and I will certainly check out your other vids. You hit the target exactly on the social issues in America, which derive from Christianity. I was indoctrinated into Evangelical fundamentalism abd my dad was a pastor. It’s a horrible, insane, perverted and violent way to grow up. My parents were very influenced by James Dobson who advocated extreme child abuse, and tim lahaye who was into the rapture and the terrors of being “left behind”. This horrific upbringing resulted in me having chronic insomnia, ptsd, adhd and bipolar. It was religion that caused this. And now America is close to become to becoming an authoritarian theocracy. The last time Christians had power like that they burned independent women at the stake as witches, enslaved black people and murdered most of the indigenous peoples. And this mix of religion with politics is like a cancer that has metastasized over time, with it gaining momentum exponentially after orange monkey gave them permission to be in public what they thought in private. My parents were also avid anticommunists. You are performing a vital service with your vids. You might be interested in exploring the link between evangelicals (or all Christians) vas child abuse. It’s an epidemic.

[@eon6274]

My father was also a pastor of sorts, running a church and siphoning money from the churchgoers by donations. He drove one man so far into debt that his wife left him and became athiest. My dad was the kind of person who was sure that every word he said was god talking through him. Narcissists backed by religion is a severely dangerous combination. Our family was more like cardboard cutout that he created to show off. He tried to force me to read the bible out loud to him from a young age. He'd make me sit on his lap as a child and listen to Bill O Riley with him. He'd drive me to school with no one else in the car and fill my head with right wing conspiracy theories. It wasn't until my friends laughed at me in high school after telling them about a conspiracy theory he'd told me that I realized he was a goddamn laughing stock. I realized he was wrong about everything and he tried so so so hard to indoctrinate me into it all. He ended up cheating on my mom with three different women, then moving away to a plot of land in the middle of nowhere texas. Now he lives on a tiny commune with his 3 wives, one being his second cousin. My mother saw the errors of the church and escaped, but my father only buried himself deeper. His conspiracies were more important than family and now that's all he's got.

[@eomguel9017]

It never ceases to amaze me how the US praises itself of being the pinnacle of Western social, economic and political development, and yet something as basic and essential for modern Western democracies as the separation of Church and State is not a thing there. "In God we trust", "God bless America," oath on the Bible... like why? I come from Mexico, which yes, has a lot of problems, but the US loves to point fingers at us as a so-called poor, underdeveloped, third-world nation, and yet, the separation of Church and State was implemented during the Reform War in 1861! We might have a population that is still majorly Catholic (albeit the number is declining fast), and the Church might retain some degree of soft power, but it has no say (at least not openly) in civic affairs. Although religious leaders might be able to advance certain old-fashioned views, the far-right in Mexico is extremely weak and the population remains steadfast in its rejection of far-right extremist rhetoric, to the point that the right has been forced to masquerade as being more centrist and in touch with women's and indigenous rights to try to fool the 'moderate' voters. Sometimes I really think the US just needs to look south and take notes of what we have done well. Not that their hubris would allow them to, but still...

[@bananajesus667]

"in God we Trust" and "God bless America" don't mean the U.S. lacks a separation of Church and State. It simply means that Christianity has had a large influence on the country. Nobody is forced to be a Christian. There are no laws that force Christian practices. For all practical purposes, Church and State are separate in this country.

[@zrunner800]

@@bananajesus667a distinction without a difference.

[@jamesparson]

@@bananajesus667 According to the Catholic Church because I am baptized, I am a Christian no matter. It sounds like it was forced on me.

[@qjtvaddict]

The right wing was able to do damage in Mexico leading to mass rejection of it. Economic failure helps speed up the rejection of fascism

[@eomguel9017]

@@qjtvaddict It can also go the other way around, like in the Weimar Republic, or more recently in many European countries that are electing far-right parties following the economic hurdles after the pandemic.

[@Cosmosisification]

I remember when I lived in Tennessee 3 years ago, I had a roommate that I asked "How are these parts of the state so red? There's a huge black population, are they really voting against their own interests?" She sighed, looked sad, and said "It's complicated. It mostly has to do with a mix of religion and gerrymandering, but mostly religion.". I didn't really understand what she meant at the time. I'm much more informed now but at the time I was thoroughly lost

[@kevinday2237]

I thought republicans freed the slaves and republicans were against Jim Crow Laws. HMM

[@alfredoalcantar8691]

Democrats keep black peoples oppressed

[@elebek8480]

And.... thats when you had the hyphony why Martin Luther King Jr. Was named after a white protestant man because it ultimately lead to the abolitionist movement in America?...

[@1980JPA]

Black man living in Georgia here. When it comes to black folks it's not religion, it's gerrymandering. Devout Christian black folks will vote for the party that supports right to abortion (even if they personally don't agree) as opposed to voting for the Republicans. Now the Hispanic vote (here in Ga) is the vote that most closely resembles directly voting against self interest, and that has to do with religion. Immediateexample is Florida right now. There's no way those in power can be there without a majority of the Hispanic vote. I find it pretty sad.

[@elebek8480]

@@1980JPA kzbin.info/www/bejne/e2aYnISclsibeLM

[@AtticHistorian]

It should be noted that Evangelicals didn't actually care that much about abortion prior to Roe v. Wade. Their leadership was on record saying that abortion was sometimes the better option. It just became useful to them to change their stance after Roe v. Wade so that they'd have something else to complain about.

[@markshelor3991]

More importantly not a single one of them can cite a bible verse outlawing it. The bible is full of slaughter, and doesnt consider a fetus human until first breath. These evangelicals have fallen from grace so much they're fawning over someone who cheated on his wife with a porn star and never apologized and will lie every time it's brought up, wants to starve the poor on the largest scale available, and has in fact brought a literal plague upon the US that killed over a million Americans.

[@ArnisKaye]

It wasn't even Roe v Wade that got them upset. After Roe v Wade, evangelical leaders thought abortion was neutral or positive for society. What made them upset was that they couldn't enforce segregation and racism anymore. Christian segregated organizations and colleges like Jerry Falwell's Liberty University were forced to desegregate and they couldn't use racism as a god given right and order anymore. So Falwell and his ilk looked for a new thing to rally the troops around and they choose abortion because it wasn't a big issue in the church and therefore they could easily shape the politics around it however the wanted.

[@keirfarnum6811]

Yup. Anti-abortion ideals are modern with no traditional basis in the church and were only adopted in the mid 1800s.

[@juliabriggs1141]

That may be true for most Protestant denominations but the Catholic Church has always condemned abortion. Praise God for the truth of the Catholic faith. 🙏

[@Themlpg73]

@@juliabriggs1141Don’t.

[@T-41]

As usual, well researched, organized, and delivered. For those who would appreciate more on this subject, the book Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du Mez is quite readable and informative.

[@TheBritalianJob]

The sentence should end at “the right to religious freedom.” But to so many Americans there’s the imaginary addition of “…to oppress others.”

[@pierregibson6699]

That PART

[@johnisaacfelipe6357]

@@pierregibson6699 Is what the left does to those who do want to express their religion in their voting.

[@hellsbells-b9r]

It's kinda been that way since the start. Country was religiously free, but only to monotheism.

[@spaceman081447]

@@hellsbells-b9r It goes deeper than that. The country was "free" only for Protestant Christians and only grudgingly so for Catholics and Jews.

[@BojanBojovic]

The freedom of religion also means the freedom from religion, however religious Americans do not understand that.

[@dublumlum]

My mother, who is probably the most dedicated to God in my household told me that, "Religion and politics are not the same thing," when I asked her if religion should dictate the direction a country should go.

[@Manas-co8wl]

Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Sorry I'm being facetious. On one hand, yes religion best stay out of the way of politics, historically. But on the other hand, if people were really religiously conscientious when dictating the direction of a country (via voting, obvs), you'd _think_ they'd do so following the most basic tenets of the bible by now. Like, I don't know, basic kindness and charity?

[@Devsord637]

​@@Manas-co8wlGood question. The problem with letting a religion dictate a country or government's direction is that religions are based on faith rather than logic, so they are inaccurate foundations of morals and philosophy. I am not trying to argue the existence of god(s) or put down anyone's religion. I respect everyone's personal right to practice it. But it is not dependable to run a government on. Also, religion is a personal matter that can be shared, but not forced. If a person doesn't want to follow a religion or its values, that's their choice. It's why the 1st amendment gives us freedom from religion as well as of religion. When you force religion onto someone, then it is a cult, and we've seen how disastrous that is. And that's what we'd end up with if religion were to control a country's government and its direction. It would be really dangerous.

[@milascave2]

@@Manas-co8wl It is fine and good for people to use the ethical guidelines of their religion to affect their own conduct as politicians. Most religions have stuff about don't steal, cheat, kill, lie, and so forth. If politicians followed those ethical guidelines, I think that the world would be better off. It is quite another thing to take the specific rules of your religion, all the micromanaging rules about how people should conduct their sex lives, what we should eat, when and how we should pray, and so forth, and try to turn them into laws.

[@cccaaawww8685]

However religion often effects your beliefs and your beliefs effect your political views

[@hellsbells-b9r]

​@@Manas-co8wl To add to the posts above me, not all religions have consistent messages (some have those that directly contradict each other). Similarly, those that have contributed to them are bound to not consistently see eye to eye, especially when groups of people are involved (and their rights).

[@BrokeandLazy]

Please, continue what you are doing. America is falling apart, you must continue. Anyone around the world who is tired of the US, they wanna tell you. Thank you

[@cartwrightworm1317]

I don’t think anyone is listening to opposing opinions anymore. We’ve all made up our minds, for better or worse.

[@Not-Ap]

​@@cartwrightworm1317Then it's time to dust off the nukes cause that is where people are headed.

[@edwardmiessner6502]

@@Not-Ap I don't look forward to the cities and suburbs getting nuked and the countryside poisoned by the radioactive fallout, making the US completely uninhabitable.

[@BrokeandLazy]

@@cartwrightworm1317 We are all rooting for a revolution or a civil war to happen in the US. This is exactly the road to get there. Liberals don't care, as long as they get to feel like they are superior. Which is amazing. Confident ignorance is amazing

[@xDCAxNexus]

​@@cartwrightworm1317 people keep doing this dumbass thing where they act like people were more reasonable and open to debate in the past. Civil rights and social progress were not just gained by nice little debates and protests where hearts and minds were changed: people fought and died for them. Women's suffrage movements bombed people, civil rights protesters marched with guns and threats to fight back against the oppressive systems if they weren't changed, and we literally fought a civil war over slavery. So many presidents and politicians have been assassinated that it's almost laughable. This is merely the latest string of craziness that we have to push past

[@Jose-Gonzalez-cfl]

I'm so glad I never believed the religion BS when I was a kid. My parents converted to Pentecostalism from secularism (non church-attending Catholics) when I was six, and I was always so doubtful of those teachings, so for years, I pretended. I'm thankful of my skepticism back then.

[@flawlix]

I grew up around these folks. My family wasn’t religious-and I was outright atheist-but I cannot overstate how much the community I lived in was steeped in these evangelical and Christian nationalist beliefs. And just by being present in the community, I became infected by a lot of the conservative politics I was surrounded by. It didn’t help that my family were all “economic Republicans.” It took me years (and I mean years and years) to unlearn a lot of the politics I grew up with. I had to spend a lot of time examining the cognitive dissonance between the political positions I argued for versus my actual personal beliefs. And again… my family wasn’t religious; I absorbed this crap by proxy.

[@undrwatropium3724]

I was not raised in church and never considered myself religious but when I started watching videos about atheism I realized how I had been culturally indoctrinated because I was born and grew up in the bible belt. I ended up deconstructing everything I had learned. It's a relief to know there's no God, Satan, demons, jinn or ghosts watching me go to the bathroom or having sex

[@Mark3nd]

I have a belief that isn't about a god. Nah, the belief I finally believe in is these figures that control/enforce existence of everything. That include cults and religion. They created a God to create the universe. And by said God creating the people, he is enforcing us as he is enforced by the existence enforcement. And these E.E keep tabs of everything whatever the god they created and assigned it to making sure it doesn't do what we want. Rather against us. Yet they still wanna make sure the laws of existence are still followed. And these .... existence cops live in a reality we do not understand, nor will be able to comprehend/process. Not only it'll make us be wiped of our soul, but our entire cognitive will be broken beyond the repair that wouldn't save us. If they were against the fictional characters we created, they wouldn't even exist due to their presence. The reality of this universe does not apply to them, because they control our reality id needed. That includes Saitama, sorry but even joke characters are fictional characters/cartoons as well. Thats the belief I will follow. Because .... well let's be honest, they control religion/cults, reality, or existence. The plus side is that there's always two enforcement agents, a male and female actually working together and getting actual shit done. The only negative is that it's very low .... because our reality cannot transport any organism to a no reality.

[@hellsbells-b9r]

​@@undrwatropium3724 Last bits funny, but even if they exist, why should we care while we're still alive? That shouldn't be a problem if we don't hurt others deliberately or by neglect. If we lived by all the standards of our communities because we should, they would pity us because to varying extents, we haven't lived our lives. I understand and respect people who don't believe we would exist without a prophet and/or diety, but to make that everyone else's problem is an issue in itself, especially if you don't respect constructive criticism of a religion or take it to heart

[@Eatinbritches]

Yeah, that's very common, so many people don't even know the influences they were raised with. They think it's "the standard", not recognizing it's another slant.

[@olwill1]

@@hellsbells-b9r Did the black and white cat write this?

[@mattdawg83686]

I was an Evangelical from 1985 to 1988. At the end, I realized that they were a cult and I immediately told them to piss off.

[@Clemshortzy]

Similar experience here in Australia. The kicker was when they all prayed in tongues over me... I thought "I don't want to be around anything, angels or otherwise, that communicates like that." It was like twenty people having epileptic fits mixed with emotional meltdowns. I just thought "these people all need help" and I never went back. Well done 16 year old me!

[@user-ho3dk4pg8y]

@@ClemshortzySheesh! Glad you got out of that nonsense!

[@eguerra777]

This statement reveals that you were never an “evangelical”…

[@eguerra777]

BTW, I would recommend you to look into reformed Christian doctrine which is far away from charismatic “speaking in tongues” evangelicals 🙏

[@thegarry7542]

@@eguerra777That’s right, even christians can not agree with other christians.

[@mikebronicki8264]

Always remember: the Moral Majority is neither moral nor the majority.

[@calidawg510]

Welp its definitely bigger than you think

[@robbyten100]

​@@calidawg510still not as big as you think

[@calidawg510]

@@robbyten100 You don’t know what I think but Ik people on the left think the right is small and only is strong thanks to the electorate system and although that’s definitely a booster, the right is still massive and the reason Biden won big was because moderates got tired Trump….If conservatives get a smart leader that knows the system but is also charismatic, it will be a tough time for the Dems….Moderates can lean conservative on many issues

[@mementomori7825]

@@calidawg510 "moderates", what's that. Just a tiny bit nazi, not full on KKK/Nazi like the full on red blooded republicans?

[@robbyten100]

@@calidawg510 I dont think the right in general is small but the far right who consider themselves so superior to everyone are. Also it seems like moderates, of which I consider myself one, dont see a ton of viable candidates on the right. At least the ones the right is pushing now.

[@mrmusiclover4178]

Now you know why I dropped religion 60 years ago, and now I am atheist. I have never even for one moment regretted my action. I waked up. America nowadays keeps me awake at night from worry.

[@oliviawolcott8351]

Trump actually was the turning point for me to leave fundamentalism. I saw people sacrificing their beliefs for political idealogy.

[@Divine_Health_And_Fitness]

Good for you. I’m sure that wasn’t easy, but you saved your soul

[@diggernash1]

Trump is a liberal, that is the grand joke on both his haters on the Left and supporters on the Right. Andrew Jackson was a conservative. Ronald Reagen was a much toned down modern version of Jackson; Trump wasn't even close. His plandemic and gun control stances alone prove he was not a Constitutionalist conservative. He was Left of the traditional Center of our country; in the vein of JFK.

[@oliviawolcott8351]

@@Divine_Health_And_Fitness lol I think they would think the opposite. it was difficult, but it was made both harder and easier because I'm queer and they didn't have a space for me to exist as myself. I left, but also was sort of pushed out by their beliefs.

[@FretnesButke]

I hope it wasn't as lonely and painful as mine was. There is life after leaving,and you can even recover a sort of faith and a different community. There's a lot of faiths and denominations that are truly open hearted and human. Best of everything to you.🕯️♥️🕊️

[@oliviawolcott8351]

@@FretnesButke I find my power in myself now. after my experience, I couldn't turn to any other god and feel ok about it.

[@lavalampluva55401]

The Evangelicals would have jailed Jesus because he wasn't white enough.

[@caixiuying8901]

the Evangelicals would have cancelled Jesus for being woke and brown

[@smittykins]

If he were to come back today, they’d crucify him all over again.

[@rustomkanishka]

Too woke, too commie, and wore a 'dress'.

[@farokudahitam]

They would really hate him, him being Jewish with a Mexican name and a construction worker,not middle class like a preacher.

[@mikebronicki8264]

Plus Jesus was clearly a communist.

[@kittyhooch1]

I was an evangelical for much of my life. Fortunately I'm extremely curious and eventually I got free. I saw many of these people up close. Ironically they are driven by fear and expertly manipulated. Deconstructing it all has been eye opening. If I want to explain why I'm sounding the alarm this is the best video I've ever seen. Thank you so much.

[@Thatguy101987]

I too grew up in a very conservative evangelical family, so I only know politics from the filter of my parents. But when I got out in the world and started being able to see the world from a different perspective, it changed a lot of my views. Needless to say, my parents and I don't see eye to eye on politics or religion anymore.

[@CodenamePrince]

I love skeptics! My favorite people to befriend always eager to learn and polite enough to know when they need expand their views

[@radschele1815]

That must still be hard to deconstruct. Are you still at it, though?

[@night6724]

Yeah I doubt you have any real reason

[@night6724]

@@Thatguy101987 The way you talk is beyond nonsensical

[@peterwarner553]

Thank you, I'm not American so it's great to find a series of videos that explain why the US is the way that it is, really hope you guy's and gal's get yourself sorted out.

[@davidstorrs]

Another book to check out: "The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism Is Un-American" by Andrew Seidel. It's a point-by-point refutation of every argument that Christian Nationalists use, thoroughly researched and with all the citations. Plus, it's very engaging because Seidel is a good author who knows how to explain things that could seem dry in a clear and interesting way.

[@philarmstrong3765]

Seidel is a national ttreasure.

[@literaterose6731]

Thanks for the rec! Got the audio version, looking forward to it.

[@talonanthony]

Got my signed copy,great read.

[@bkkersey93]

Yeah, like none of their made up talking points can be refuted...

[@davidstorrs]

@@bkkersey93 Are you saying that none of the Christian Nationalist talking points can be refuted? Because that's literally what the book does, with citations and references.

[@barbaradavis393]

I contend that there is nothing truly 'religious' about the "Religious Right". There never has been.

[@rosemarycrane5137]

As throughout history you're comment is spot on.

[@rosemarycrane5137]

@@sanriosonderweg there is no "athesist movement" moreon, it's all in you're head, just like the magical thinking of religion.

[@ezbody]

The same can be witnessed in Russia, as well, where millions of morally insane "Christians" support a president, who is an obvious thief, manipulator, murderer, ex-KGB agent, dictator and, of course, a "Christian". They support his lies, his propaganda, his war, everything. So did the morally insane German "Christians" during Hitler, so did the morally insane American "Christians" during Nixon and Trump (just to name a few).

[@ezbody]

​@@sanriosonderweg You kind of conveniently overlook the fact that the "atheist" murderers and abusers have been murdering and abusing their fellow atheists, as well. Also, as soon as, for example, the Soviet Union fell, this same "atheists" converted to Christianity overnight, while remaining the same abusers or murderers.

[@davidlockett4207]

​@sanriosonderweg Thanks for supporting this channel - albeit with your troll bigot evangelism.

[@scottcampbell9515]

Not only is all of this great, and needs to be said loudly, but we also need people to vote NO on Issue 1 in Ohio.

[@thomash.schwed3662]

As someone who was born and raised in Columbus, I wholeheartedly concur and associate myself with your comment. LaRose and Company are following the playbook of the religious Right to the letter. Needless to say, even though I now live elsewhere, I will be listening Tuesday evening as the returns come in.

[@deeannabratton9991]

I LOVE your channel - educational and entertaining. It is everything we should have been taught in school, but were not. This episode is number 2 on my favorite list, the fist one was How Reagan Ruined Everything. Please keep your channel going, it is a public informational service. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, for making sense out of the nonsensical. 😊😊😊

[@lynnees9828]

Watched a table conversation between well known religious leaders; a Rabbi, a Priest, Deepak Chopra, Muslim leader, and a Baptist Minister. All could and were respectful of one another except the Minister, set on Hell as any who did not believe like he did. Born again ppl scare me and my brother is one. I find, deep within many, is some mental problem. They have been fixated and planning to change this country into what they believe is their duty, a Christian Nation. Loved your well studied history on how they plan to do so. God help us if they succeed. I find it so odd they cannot see themselves as no different than, say, a Muslim fundamentalist. Is A Hand Maidens Tale in our future? In TX, where my daughter lives, they actually sell The Epoch propaganda news right next to The New York Times. Frightening!

[@TheBrooklynbodine]

If one of them tries to talk to me about it, I'm getting the HELL (no pun intended) away from them! Whatever happened to "Live and let live"?

[@lynnees9828]

@@TheBrooklynbodine Indoctrinated zealots cannot see past their fanaticism, IMO.

[@RobertBreckenridge13]

I call them "Yeehawdists".

[@RagPen01]

when Deepak Chopra has a better trust rating than you, something's wrong with your delivery XD

[@kevoreilly6557]

Look up Christopher Hitchens

[@UGAIMES]

And this, my friends, is how I came to deconstruct my lifelong religious "beliefs" that were indoctrinated upon me since birth and am now a happy atheist.

[@doomslayer1984]

On the contrary much of the world sees the US becoming the hollowed out immoral cess pit that it is largely thanks to the embrace of secular godless mind set. Its ironic that so many of you white in the US seem to think that by abandoning religion you somehow smarter for it. All the while much of the worlds scientists, teachers, and doctors are now overwhelmingly coming from nations that reject this white western point of view. I mean India is currently producing more smart people then both the US and UK combined. Which kind of destroys your whole argument of religion being the problem there Karen.

[@timmmahhhh]

Congratulations on reaching the age of reason!

[@doomslayer1984]

@@timmmahhhh You western atheists got a long way to g if you think that. Seeing how over 90% of the world are believers😂

[@timmmahhhh]

@@doomslayer1984 thanks to the Internet it's happening faster than you children would like. Religion boils down to fairy tales meant to keep the literal masses under control. And just because the majority believes something doesn't make it right. Now to argue with the duck god guy why your rabbit god is the right one.

[@Redactedlllllllllllll]

​@doomslayer1984 yeah and you can see the effects of so many sheep.

[@david.g.hudson9812]

I do research on Politics and Religion, and I have to say ,you are a breath of fresh air. NEVER heard this subject so easy and precisely explained. I'm a first time fan and look forward to your other informative videos. Keep up the good work.

[@r3altalangodfrey39]

wrong, did she talk about how the rockerfellas own these chruches

[@coreyham3753]

Agreed .... an outstanding overview of the subject about religion and politics and the religious right.

[@elisabethmolatore9071]

Where've you been all this time?Your article filled a gap in my life: born a dau of Evangelical Christian missionaries I was steeped in a sense of entitlement to the gifts of the U.S. - Jesus, comfort, schooling, whiteness and all it brings with it, happiness, safety. The belief I could do anything I wanted was told me until I became a woman. Another story. I wasn't able to leave this pleasant claustrophobia until I was 24. Still working on it in my sixties, I've built my understanding of the real world chunk by chunk. This piece, this history that you wrote, filled a shockingly emotional space in me. I saw myself as not alone for the first time ever. A part of society. I knew all the names from Rex Humbard and on to Aimee Semple MacPherson. Oh gods, Thanks for your accuracy, thoroughness, clean clear explanations, time, help. I have a lot of watching to do. Look forward to it.

[@nathaniellopez6438]

America allows the freedom of religion for obvious reasons, but it doesn't give them the right to force anyone to believe any particular discipline or doctrine of religious belief. Civil rights are being walked on by these religious zealots who adopt their personal beliefs over constitutional rights. Let's keep separation of church and state 🙏 please 🙏 and thank you.

[@somerandomguy4919]

Conservatives dont care about founding fathers ideals of religious freedom. What they really want to convert America into Saudi Arabia.

[@johnlast6066]

No constitutional rights are being trampled on over religion. Stop being dramatic.

[@churblefurbles]

@nathaniellopez6438 Your rainbow religion says otherwise. Civil rights itself is a religious belief based on creationist assumptions of equality.

[@FactStorm]

@@churblefurbles What are you saying?

[@Uncanny_Mountain]

​@@churblefurbles Gaslighting, aka Grooming. Accusation in a mirror (AiM), mirror politics, mirror propaganda, mirror image propaganda, or mirror argument is a hate-speech incitement technique where one falsely attributes to one's adversaries the intentions that one has for oneself and/or the actions that one is in the process of enacting. During the 1994 Rwandan genocide, accusation in a mirror was used by the Hutus, along with other propaganda techniques, to incite the genocide in 1999. A straw man fallacy is the informal fallacy of refuting an argument different from the one actually under discussion, while not recognizing or acknowledging the distinction. One who engages in this fallacy is said to be "attacking a straw man". The fallacy of begging the question occurs when an argument's premises assume the truth of the conclusion, instead of supporting it. In other words, you assume without proof the stand/position, or a significant part of the stand, that is in question. Begging the question is also called arguing in a circle. Argument from incredulity, also known as argument from personal incredulity, *appeal to common sense* or the *_Divine fallacy_* (that is, pretending to be Omniscient, and able to know things you cannot know) is a fallacy in informal logic. It asserts that a proposition must be false because it contradicts one's personal expectations or beliefs, or is difficult to imagine, as if your beliefs have any empirical or tangible values The Gish gallop /ˈɡɪʃ ˈɡæləp/ is a rhetorical technique in which a person in a debate attempts to overwhelm their opponent by providing an excessive number of arguments with no regard for the accuracy or strength of those arguments. Gish galloping prioritizes the quantity of the galloper's arguments at the expense of their quality. Bullshivic (Bolshevik, bull, civic-minded, demagogue), someone who gains political power by appealing to people's emotion's instincts, & prejudices in a way that is considered manipulative & myopic; someone who incessantly reiterates the same petty complaints, until they are taken seriously. There are citizens with valid complaints & issues, but invariably the meeting will have to deal with some Bullshivic & his personal gripe of "supreme importance". *Gaslighting is a psychological term used to describe* the process of *grooming* someone into believing that they are losing it or going crazy. *Gaslighting a child is perhaps the most egregious form of child abuse.* Gaslighting is a common form of emotional/psychological abuse and can be used as a tactic in *grooming* children for abuse. The term comes from Gaslight (1944) a movie where the technique is used by the characters. *Gaslighting is sometimes also called “crazy making”.* *In the context of child sexual abuse (CSA) the **_gaslighting_** is often used to convince the victim all the abusive behaviours are fine, normal and an expression of “love”. It is used to ensure the victim doesn’t speak out about it and doesn’t fight back. It can also be used in concert with other **_grooming_** tactics like fear and isolation.* *Trivializing: The victim’s feels are made to feel like they don’t matter, are **_unfounded_** or they are weak for thinking so.* *Countering: This is quintessential gaslighting. * They _directly counter the memories and perceptions of the victim._ *Repetitive Questions: The abusive partner makes the victim doubt what they think or feel by asking the same question multiple times.* Questions are asked so many times the victim doubts their own answers. *Diverting: The abuser diverts the subject and puts the blame into outside circumstances.* "What Others Say": The abuser tells the victim what other people "think" about the victim, the abuser and/or the situation on whole. Literally what all Right Wing Fascist talking points are doing, making claims and arguments, asking questions that all rely on an unproven premise, which stumps the opponent because it's a logical fallacy. They then pretend to declare victory, knowing full well their crimes because the innocent don't know to lie. This is their entire toolkit, it's all reverse psychology, and Psychological warfare, perfected in Palestine, exported to the West. Republicans are Authoritarian Communists, America is a People's Democratic Republic with a Constitution, just like China, Iran, N Korea, and the USSR. All of which have _less_ inequality. Patriotism and Communism are Synonyms, they just Orwelled us into believing we were Capitalists, when in fact it's the rich leeching off the working class. This is why we must call for Direct Digital Democracy without parties or politicians. Citizen initiated referendums with thresholds and a social contract means Communities can vote their own laws. As well as a Public Authority to audit police and prosecute bad actors in our own courts. Thorium energy renders their global energy monopoly obsolete

[@mkucstars1]

When one is accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.

[@jenniferrose-ly4ej]

Wow! That's a very true statement.

[@eseguerito2629]

Here’s another observation: They KNOW that they keep minorities down. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t be so terrified of becoming the minority.

[@jedimindtrix2142]

That sums up everything pretty nice and neat. Pretty much anyone complaining about what we view as progress in society is really complaining about loss of privilege and having to play on equal terms. They disguise it as persecution and that society just "hates them" but that's just a cop out to keep from having to actually think and debate. I truly hope we can "politic" our way through this as we have been doing but something tells me that sooner or later it's going to end up in some kind of violent outburst that makes Jan. 6th look like daycare. I really hope I'm wrong about that but history has shown that sometimes differences and beliefs become so polarizing that sharing the same political space becomes nearly impossible and we may be fast approaching that point. If I have to defend my beliefs and my right to existence make no mistake.....I certainly will.

[@jedimindtrix2142]

@user-qk9sx3ls5n how am I privileged? I'm simply pointing out that any movement towards progressive politics and equality in choice of lifestyle tends to trigger people who view that as a personal attack on themselves. If you believe that someone pointing out issues we have in society is somehow an attack on you then you may be part of that problem.

[@jedimindtrix2142]

@user-qk9sx3ls5n I'm 37 years old bud. I'm a 2nd amendment supporter. I support the military and americna foreign policy to do what we need to do so long as it's justified. When it comes to social policy I am liberal leaning. I support more investment in Healthcare and education so we have healthier and more productive citizens, that in turn creates more opportunities for everyone else. I support people being able to choose the life style they want without others infringing on their rights to do so. So long as what you do doesn't personally effect me, I may not agree with it but I can respect it and that it's not my choice to make how others live. I call it as I see it. Pretending that society is just perfect and doesn't need to improve is a recipe for disaster. Change can be uncomfortable for some. How do you think people who supported segregation felt when laws changed surrounding that? Should we have just kept society how it was and still have separate facilities because of skin color? I doubt you would say yes even if you did. Point is society is heading in a more liberalized direction. You have every right to fight change and state your opinion. That's what liberal democracy is all about. However you are also going to run into people who disagree with your opinion and rather than get upset and call everyone who sees things different than you "woke" (that term used to mean people who understand how things really work and see through the system, not sure how it came to mean liberals these days) maybe try a respectful discourse and try to see why people feel the way they do. Everyone's feelings on a matter are valid because we all come from different places and walks of life. Our experiences are all different and we come to conclusions based on what we experience and the knowledge we gain along the way. We need to remember how to compromise and meet in the middle. We need to put our nation and fellow Americans above party politics. If we continue to view each other as "the other" we will tear this place apart and that would be a horrible mistake. We have come this far and managed to make things work. Let's try to find the middle ground and understand each other a bit better.

[@thomasgoodson7290]

I was a fervent believer into my mid 20s even graduated from Bible school. I quickly abandoned the extremism but it’s taken many years to sort out what is important in life and it isn’t religion

[@TheBrooklynbodine]

Kudos to you, sir!

[@paulbrinkman5631]

I am not Christian nor of any religious type, nor atheist. But there are books out there by a number of authors whose ideas dovetail into something far more sensible and believable. For instance, religious scholar Elaine Pagel ("Beyond Belief") states that only one apostle, John, said that "Jesus is God," or the third part of the trinity. Only John said that, according to her, stating this was (probably) because Jesus preferred the company of Thomas (yes, that Thomas). Because of his critical mindedness (THE "doubting Thomas") -- “What...the Gospel of Thomas teaches- [and what the gospel of John opposed] is that God's light shines not only in Jesus but, potentially at least, in everyone. Thomas's gospel encourages the hearer not so much to believe in Jesus, as John requires, as to seek to know God through one's own, divinely given capacity, since all are created in the image of God. For Christians in later generations, the Gospel of John helped provide a foundation for a unified church, which Thomas, with its emphasis on each person's search for God, did not.” (pg. 34) I top this off with another author, eastern yogi Paramahansa Yoganada, whose INTERPRETATION of Christian scripture seems to be presented in more modern-day terms: THE CHRIST CONSCIOUSNESS: John 14:6--"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." Sri Yukteswar, Paramahansa's guru, re-translates this verse: "Jesus never meant that he was the sole Son of God, but that no man can attain the unqualified Absolute, the transcendent Father beyond creation, until he has first manifested the 'Son' or activating Christ Consciousness within creation. P.Y.: “Jesus, who had achieved entire Oneness with that Christ Consciousness, identified himself with it inasmuch as his own ego had long since been dissolved." Pg. 198-199, from "Autobiography of a Yogi," by Paramahansa Yogananda. [The Christ Consciousness, or "Son of Man," which resides within us all. -PB]

[@thomasgoodson7290]

@@paulbrinkman5631 interesting thoughts. I have drifted towards the thinking of my ancestors in the Americas (I’m First Nations) but I can’t say I’ve come up with any definitive ideology nor do I expect to.

[@theheckwithit]

as a POC living in the Deep South, when ever i'm surrounded by these folks and we don't get political it a good time. however, I sometimes get the feeling they're ok with me while being racist cuz they see me and others like me as "one of the good one" and if so that fucked. I've heard the term come out of there mouths before and makes me paranoid.

[@araisdead]

you should stand up to them and challenge their beliefs! show them that you're not "one of the good ones" whatever the hell that means.

[@tonyfeuerhelm]

"The whole thing [religion] is so patently infantile, so foreign to reality, that to anyone with a friendly attitude to humanity it is painful to think that the great majority of mortals will never be able to rise above this view of life"...Sigmund Freud

[@doomslayer1984]

And yet over 90% of the world is religious. And its overwhelmingly religious societies doing well right now. All the while secular atheist western sociieties are sinking faster then an anchor in the sea😊

[@amycox5733]

Rare Freud W

[@FactStorm]

Religion is perhaps the biggest disease to inflict and infect humanity

[@Uncanny_Mountain]

"I have a foreboding of an America in my children's or grandchildren's time -- when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; when, clutching our crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what's true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness... The dumbing down of American is most evident in the slow decay of substantive content in the enormously influential media, the 30 second sound bites (now down to 10 seconds or less), lowest common denominator programming, credulous presentations on pseudoscience and superstition, but especially a kind of celebration of ignorance" Carl Sagan 1995. This is why we need to call for Direct Digital Democracy without parties or politicians. Citizen initiated referendums with thresholds and a social contract means Communities can vote their own laws. As well as a Public Authority to audit police and prosecute bad actors in our own courts. Thorium energy renders their global energy monopoly obsolete

[@doomslayer1984]

@@Uncanny_Mountain Yeah if you want to go start a civil war. By all means encourage this🙄

[@randomarcgunner4543]

As a dystopia writer it is scary to see real life become more like my setting. When I started writing the setting I had no idea that actual militias would form around the idea of a holy war, nor that they would attempt to depose the US government, but here we are.

[@rmyikzelf5604]

The Handmaid's Tale isn't that far off US reality ...

[@S.J.S_Adair]

Handmaid’s Tale, 1984, Cyberpunk and Brave New World… everyone gunning for their utopia leaves a dystopia in their wake. At any rate, a poison’s going to be picked, it’s just a question of which one.

[@sciencewithfun2052]

Hey, to whatever phenomenon is causing the world to trend towards dystopia could you maybe move more towards like comedy instead

[@GirirajGupta-gy1wt]

Hello! Can you tell me about some books or stories you wrote I am interested in reading

[@randomarcgunner4543]

@@GirirajGupta-gy1wt I mainly just worldbuild.

[@tjs200]

I really hate when people say America is/was a "Christian nation" when the founders were so very clear that it is not, and was never intended to be one.

[@Mizelei2012]

That's not true. John Adams said, “Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

[@randallcauley9484]

there's a whole push in "Christian classics" schools, churches, and publishing coordinated to repeat (and do pseudo history and "source documents" cherrypicked and wholly out of context - and, of course, missing the compromise and counterpoint that created the actual document and working institutions we currently have) ... this "no real separation" Biblical roots of democracy (hah!) nonsense ... my very Yt triumphalist Xian family members started spouting this crap with the rise of Xian + AltRight Radio in the 90s ... a sad, damning, and dangerous redux

[@abdell75roussos]

It is based on Christian principles of tolerance, fairness, and honesty. What you are looking for is a simplified world view, which is also racist, intolerant, bigoted. A balanced view is too hard for you, as with most humans.

[@tjs200]

@@abdell75roussos it is based on enlightenment ideals, which yes are rooted in Christian values but that does not in any way make America a 'Christian nation' The founders were pretty clear that they didn't want religion meddling in politics. Also you have no idea what kind of worldview I hold and which one I am a proponent of, so please don't make claims based on assumptions.

[@abdell75roussos]

@@tjs200 Keeping religion out of politics, or trying to keep it out, is a common goal for any democracy obvious reasons. You made a comment that is oversimplified and generalizes. I also get sick of seeing videos like this, with its stupid titles like this; its the lowest common denominator; us and them.

[@freetochoose6421]

When religion ruled government in Europe many years ago, it was called the dark ages. Thank you Leeja.

[@theunknowncommenter725]

No, the BARBARIANS caused the dark ages.

[@Pax-Islamica]

What a pseudohistorical statement 😂

[@timothytikker3834]

I'm an organist, and years ago auditioned for the job of assistant organist at what had been the church that Father Coughlin founded with the money he raised ny donations received through his radio program: the Shrine of the Little Flower in Royal Oak, Michigan. While practicing for my audition, I overhead a tour guide leading a group through the church, showing them various of the many art objects also funded through radio show donations. He stopped at one of the fourteen Italian-made bas-relief cast-bronze panels of the Stations of the Cross, and told what happened when they had one of these appraised for insurance purposes. The appraiser did his research, the returned with a figure of $14,000,000. Was that for the whole set of fourteen panels? No, said the appraiser, that was for just one panel! This says something about the power of Loughlin's radio program, in how it was able to raise such phenomenal amounts of money. BTW, once I was offered the job, I was low-balled to the point of gross insult on salary. So, remembering what the tour-guide had said, I refused the offer!

[@rosemarycrane5137]

Wow!! Religion does tend to grift, especially organized religion. Good for you for refusing the job.

[@magnificentfailure2390]

Father Coughlin was nuts, but at least he could spell his own name.

[@ULTRAV1OLE7]

I live with one of these. Her anger is exhausting. She is just constantly enraged and never at peace. She always has a problem with no solution. She is always a victim.

[@robertschooner1812]

There's no hate like Christian love.❤

[@JoeOrwig]

I think Miss pierced nose hates men more.

[@20035079]

@@JoeOrwig Projection.

[@Daxdax006]

Ouch. Well said.

[@choporchubbzda1]

@@JoeOrwig not the faceless freak trying to talk about others appearances 🤨🤨

[@Logiconfire]

Hate is a Democratic Party family value.

[@NDB-Semper]

Being born a non-Christian, my understanding of the faith as a child involved whether or not one believed in Santa Clause. The Christians with whom I'm privilged to call my friends and family *never* attempt to prescribe their faith onto others, and most importantly they dont look down upon different peoples as "misguided." It has given me the perspective that "What would Jesus do?" Is not by word, but by deed. Ths strength of one's faith in Christ comes stems from one's own commitnet to acts of benevolence, without reservation.

[@sarahrobertson634]

Christianity is a very twisted religion. It's reprehensible.

[@ninja1antelope]

Tax the church. It’s just another corporation….

[@Dominus_Augustus]

Nah, it's also a cult

[@Mimi-cq4bg]

THIS.

[@jamessanders145]

@@Dominus_Augustus a lot of corporations are also cults

[@gothboschincarnate3931]

its a pedo corporation.

[@somerandomguy4919]

And tax every conservatives at a higher rate

[@Paint_The_Future]

"A whole separate video could be made about Madeline" And I would watch it. She sounds awesome. Shame about her story's ending.

[@scuzifly]

Commenting for more views. Leeja, can we make this happen?

[@jujucrock14]

It happened.

[@mycenth22]

This was a ridiculously good and thorough video everyone should watch. I think you did more than all my history teachers combined.

[@hellsbells-b9r]

​@@Padq Yes, but some will always go above and beyond because accuracy matters. My history teachers certainly have. But you have point, that's not the case everywhere.

[@msjkramey]

That poor woman and her family. 3 generations snuffed out all at once! Because she criticized religion? I'm Christian and I find that worse than disgusting. I hope her and her family are peace and that they didn't suffer much, since we can't go back in time and undo it

[@elisabethmolatore9071]

This is a serious question, not sarcasm. As a Christian, don't you believe that she and her family are now burning in hell?

[@starmantheta2028]

She wasn't killed because she was an atheist, in fact her killer was also atheist. She was killed because she wrote a scathing article on a former member of the organization who did some fucked up shit, and because of that he took revenge against her. All for one article. As for if they suffered... I won't go too deep into that.

[@msjkramey]

@@elisabethmolatore9071 I don't believe in hell

[@fawnieee]

​@@starmantheta2028 correction. She lost her life because a religious manchild couldn't let anyone insult his ego.

[@PalmelaHanderson]

"America needs to go back to how it was in the 50s!" "... you mean when fully a THIRD of the American workforce was unionized and income tax for the highest bracket over $200k was like 90%?" (in case you don't know how that works, no, that doesn't mean 90% of all their income was taxed, just that anything they made *over* $200k was taxed at 90%) "... that's not what I meant..."

[@manniking233]

Yup. The 50s were the closest America was to "communism" ironically... 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@MichaelParisi]

This makes me sick! Why is it so damn hard to live and let live?!?! Why do they have to control EVERYONE else?!

[@rustomkanishka]

"In the name of god"

[@ukamikazu]

As @rustomkanishka pointed out as well as having such a weak, unreasoned and unsubstantiated position that forcing make believe on everyone else is the only way of keeping their now dwindling momentum and faith going. All the tyrannical dictatorships do that.

[@jamesparson]

It is against their religion to live and let live.

[@Dominus_Augustus]

Because Abrahamic cultism (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) literally teach NOT to live and let live

[@MrRapp-yz4hu]

This is America. Control is what we do. Control other countries resources and economies. Control our own citizens. We do Control.😊😊😊😊

[@AnRuixuan]

I can't think of many other things that have been so destructive to our planet and to humanity than Christianity.

[@doomslayer1984]

On the contrary much of the world sees the US becoming the hollowed out immoral cess pit that it is largely thanks to the embrace of secular godless mind set. Its ironic that so many of you white in the US seem to think that by abandoning religion you somehow smarter for it. All the while much of the worlds scientists, teachers, and doctors are now overwhelmingly coming from nations that reject this white western Atheist point of view. I mean overwhelmingly religious India is currently producing more smart people then both the US and UK combined. Which kind of destroys your whole argument of religion being the problem .

[@ablanuza76]

"Religion" in general, religious fanaticism and fundamentalism to be specific.

[@doomslayer1984]

@@ablanuza76 It was state Atheist governments that murdered over 70 million in the 20th century. If its not religion it would be some other excuse for violence. Time to accept it.

[@roofdogblues7400]

I'd say Capitalism with it's capitalists forcing their dangerous resources onto societies(Like lead, plastics, loads of carcinogens, etc) and amorally polluting the world for their monetary benefit have had a larger hand, but Christianity has made for them a malleable group of useful idiots that help them stay in power and get obscenely rich.

[@johnlast6066]

Leftists have killed many people and destroyed this planet.

[@juliachildress2943]

This is excellent. Ten years ago I would have called myself an evangelical Christian. I'm still a Christian and I still believe in sharing the good news of Jesus, but now I simply call myself a follower of Jesus because of what the Christian right has done to the labels Christian and evangelical. You're obviously very well-informed, but if you aren't familiar with Rousas John Rushdoony and Gary North, you might be interested in exploring their theology of Christian reconstructionism and dominionism. Their beliefs underlie much of the theology (and I'm being generous using that word) of the Christian right, including people like the Duggars, even though most people have never heard of either Rushdoony or North. They're the most dangerous people that virtually no one has ever heard of. Their goal was to create a theonomy in the US and to replace the US constitution with the law of Moses. They're both now deceased but their toxic beliefs are going strong.

[@JeffWells-cw2sw]

Thanks for the warning. As the saying goes, "The price for freedom is eternal vigilance."

[@AllDogsAreGoodDogs]

North had an etire publishing firm "following" him, and a mag called, "The Remnant Review". Some real fraud there. IIRC "remnant"means, "those whom rhe Rapture missed". As if! lol I avoid all of the associated magazines and "authors", and instead deal openly & honestly, and look out for me & my friends. Like we all should do.

[@allen3397]

"Dominionism" Is Alive And Well, Considering The 7 "Mountains"

[@Thats_all_she_wrote_Dear_John]

The USA is not a Democracy...we are a Constitutional Republic... where the littlest person has as many rights as the most significant guy..STATE!..........................Democracy is Mob...Mobsters... Common....Communism.

[@ZeusAssassin]

I fully believe the idea of original sin and salvation is just evil at its core. Most Christians cannot let that go, and that will always cause non believers to doubt the sincerity of love shown from Christians.

[@Aveeguides]

Most of my family are atheists or agnostics. My grandpa and I for years would get into debates with them talking about how we should openly criticize religion because it is so dangerous. And for years, my family would roll their eyes at cookouts and point out how most Americans are moving away from religion. Now, the *only* thing we talk about is how mainstream Christian Nationalism has become, and how religion has weaponized the right at large. I hate to say we told you so, but we told you so.

[@eric2500]

My Christian, Pagan and Jewish -Agnostic extended family have also been saying this for years.

[@mitch_the_-itch]

When you don't believe in religion you don't believe in nothing, you believe anything. Even a lying Socialist.

[@JGLy22086]

😊😊😊

[@kashatnick]

@Rrabows Atheists became the worst religion as they lacked self awareness.

[@YouthCoachingDK]

​@@Rrabows And contrary to religions, there has never been committed genocides or atrocities, in the name of Atheism!

[@justinfowler2857]

The true motto of a christian is, "Believe what I believe or I'll hurt you."

[@Dominus_Augustus]

Abrahamic cultism (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) in general, really

[@GenerationX1984]

They miss the old days. And by old days I mean pre-industrial Europe where many countries attacked or persecuted people who didn't practice their version of Christianity.

[@kimvaughn9838]

You so right

[@doomslayer1984]

Is that why over 70 million were killed under the state Atheist policies of Stalin and Mao?

[@jamessanders145]

Believe what I believer or I'll hurt you but combined with do as I say not as I do. The moral character of so many religious leaders would make Matt Gaetz sound like a nobel peace price candidate.

[@punditgi]

Leeja is just who we need now. Go for it, lass! 😊

[@ColletteHeaney8260]

The Equal Rights Amendment actually has been ratified by the states! As of 2020, Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the ERA so now it just needs to be published by the National Archivist to be added to the Constitution. It is being held up by bureaucracy.

[@annmarieknapp]

Thanks. I am glad to hear it. Ironic that, it is right there to finally be legal, but women have lost universal right to choose. Sigh.

[@kjw6383]

Even if published today oct 11th 2023 what good is it? We have 14th amendment and cannot apply it and disqualify tfg who ordered an insurrection. Amendments have to be usable

[@Phoenix-in-flight]

I bet Tennessee object.😢

[@КГБКолДжорджКостанца]

Ironically they're bigots but love thy neighbor?

[@arcanineryu]

Its why they all live in gated all white communities.

[@doomslayer1984]

Well considering Richard Spencer and David Duke are hardcore bigots who happen to be irreligious. I would say religion isn't necessary to be a racist POS.

[@Rossoneri2]

To them that means only people like themselves

[@SPierre-dm4wo]

To them, bigotry is essential to 'loving' people. They genuinely believe only Christians experience the full range of human emotion: the rest of us are never truly happy and can never actually feel love. We must be bullied and coerced into believing exactly what they believe so that we can become actual human beings. It's fucking vile.

[@billypalka1482]

Why do I feel like out of all the independent news - tens of thousands of videos - on YT, there is only one KZbinr who really gets it? Thank you Leeja!

[@anitalinke6659]

Leeja is terrific, but she's sure not the only one on KZbin with these views!

[@ladyjatheist2763]

never trust the religious who scream their faith on the street corners, and rarely trust those who keep their faith in the closet.

[@christiansoldier77]

What type of foolishness did you just say? 😅🤣😂

[@ladyjatheist2763]

@@christiansoldier77 matthew 5:5 and 5:6

[@artofkai]

​@@christiansoldier77for simpler terms that the commenter was trying to say (I think) never trust someone who airs out their religion like they make it their whole personality and sharing it to everyone (probably in negative/uncomfortable way) or when people don't exactly share their beliefs it could be assumed that it's sus

[@galvatrontimewars]

Why anyone would give validation to the absolute dumbest beliefs ever conceived on earth, and continue to do so is beyond me.

[@Helelsonofdawn]

i know its like crying white supremacy is a threat

[@lanceash]

Exactly. This is one of things that irritates me the most about left-wing or marginally left-wing commentators. Many of them see Christianity as all peace and love, flowers and sunshine, and a warm fuzzy feeling about some amorphous spirit in the sky. They see fundamentalists as having "perverted" sweet little Jesus' teachings about brotherhood and love into something evil. But here's the truth, folks: Religion in general, and Christianity in specific were ALWAYS evil and stupid. Jesus, if he really existed, had the temerity (or the insanity) to say I AM GOD, bow down and obey. Piss off. There is no "god." There is no "soul." There is no "afterlife." Until humanity divests itself of this nonsense, we will continue to flounder as a species and remain divided and vulnerable. I wish we had leaders and public figures who had the guts to tell the truth. But no, we don't want to hurt anybody's feelings. Somehow religious belief is off-limits to ridicule.

[@Helelsonofdawn]

@@lanceash you started it by saying men are women

[@mementomori7825]

@@Helelsonofdawn You don't know much, do you.

[@lanceash]

@@Helelsonofdawn I started it? I started it? Did I? I didn't know I did that. Well well, I started it. Hey, if I started it, why don't YOU finish it? Let's see, how are you going to do that? Are you going to force me and my family to worship your ridiculous god? Are you going to take my kids away and brainwash them to believe in Big Daddy in the Sky? "Men are women." Well, well, that's a new one. I started it by saying "men are women." You know, I don't remember having ever done that. But maybe I whispered it in your ear while you were sleeping, while you were dreaming about John Wayne and his Big Gun.

[@lewashcliffe]

Thank you, Leeja Miller, for saying so well the truth of our dystopian society. This needs to be clearly understood by the majority of Americans and needs to be a stimulus for those of us who support separation of church and state to make sure we always vote.

[@JeffWells-cw2sw]

Make that "Separation of State and Superstition!"

[@alfredoalcantar8691]

Also the woke culture teacher LGBTQ fundamental idea

[@JoeOrwig]

This lady is an idiot and she's counting you to be one too. Religion is on the decline in this country, the broken home rate, adolescent depression and suicide are on the rise. You can say those things are unrelated if you want but they are both statistical facts. At the very least it is contrary to the facts to say the rise in Christianity is messing up the country.

[@tod1way]

A feature length film about this topic would actually be a great idea for a KZbin documentary. I would have totally sat through a 1 hour 45 minute long version of this video.

[@rriddick8571]

👏👏👏 this is what needs to be taught in schools

[@jonathanshaltz7750]

It's not quite the same, but if you like well-researched long takes on social topics like this, and the history behind them, I highly recommend Knowing Better (www.youtube.com/@KnowingBetter/videos). Like Leeja, he's good at presenting the level facts even when addressing the ugliest moments in American history... or the American present.

[@Oxios]

@@jonathanshaltz7750I schedule nights in around KB’s new videos

[@JSon-yl1ty]

First amendment doesn't mention separation of church and state. It clearly states that Congress can't establish one official religion.

[@UnashamedCaliforniagirl]

Ugh " Congress shall make no law respecting ( meaning giving any special deference to,) Any establishment of religion Is ( Separation of church and state) you can't have freedom of religion if religion is enforced by the state it's not complicated.

[@UnashamedCaliforniagirl]

Look up the Federalist papers and the writings of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison etc they are available for free in the library of Congress for any American that wants to understand why the founding fathers felt very strongly that separation of church and state protected the sovereign rule of both

[@disappointingdbdclips]

The Constitution is worded in the language and communication style of the era in which it was written. Unfortunately, people who lack this understanding are far more likely to misunderstand the Constitution. People who can think critically understand that a "separation of church and state" is what the Establishment Clause states without those specific words. They don't like that interpretation, but struggle to come up with their own because there really isn't another.

[@h.s.lafever3277]

because it doesnt mean a seperation of church and state as the left portrays... it means the govt can not create its own official religion, or elevate that above others... there is a difference. the simple truth is, if the leftist idea of separation of church and state was correct, then they would have to stop funding the faith based global warming doomsday cult in their attempts to prevent cult extinction event prophecies.... the left only hates certain religions, not all religions. their position is rooted in bigotry and unfairness, not tolerance and equality

[@davidwright7193]

They thing the Christian Right don’t understand about the founding fathers is that many of them weren’t Christian at all in the modern sense. They were possibly deist at best or culturally Christian atheists. The number who were Christian in the born again sense was virtually none and those didn’t write the constitution.

[@diggernash1]

Why can the second amendment be so wrongly interpreted by the Left? It succinctly states that the ownership of weapons, by citizens, cannot be limited.

[@UnashamedCaliforniagirl]

Oh thank God. ( No pun intended) But yes exactly 💯

[@sarah-wadesmith430]

A correction here. The law banning the teaching of evolution was upheld by the Tennessee State Supreme Court. It never actually reached SCOTUS because the Tennessee Supreme Court, while upholding the law in question, still vacated the trial verdict on a technicality and the case was subsequently dropped without further action.

[@WeAreBeingInvaded]

And the Lemon Test was overturned by: Kennedy v. Bremerton School District(2022)

[@WeAreBeingInvaded]

Law Degrees are worthless today. This Supreme Court is overturning all of the Warren Court Decisions! 😘😍✝️🤣🇺🇸👏👌

[@thomaslarson459]

I came into this video a little skeptical. I am a person of faith. I grew up in the evangelical church (I am recovered now, thank you for asking). And I still hold my beliefs close. It was nice to see someone take a respectful stance of religion and christianity in particular, demarcating the boundaries between actual christianity and christo-fascism. I appreciate that.

[@Jemawin]

Leeja’s videos are like college seminars. Wonderful scholarship and presentation.

[@TheMayonakaMidnighter]

The enemy always comes from within, why can't they see that? At least according to their own doctrine, that's what I was always taught.

[@arcanineryu]

Because they belive in divine intervention. They literally belive that an all powerful supernatural being will simply intervene and prevent any grifters from coming into places of power and authority in their religion. And what better cover for grifters than to belive that even if you do literally nothing to prevent or hold them accountable, that they literally cannot exist in you and your allies ranks.

[@TheMayonakaMidnighter]

@@arcanineryu Isn't the anit-christ like the ultimate undetectable version of that? Like Randall Flagg on charismaroids or something? Though even then, they'd say "just wait 7 years"

[@rustomkanishka]

I'd like to add- they're extraordinarily quick to forgive themselves when caught doing something naughty. Moreover a vague goal of godliness prevails. For example, child abuse survivors are browbeaten into forgiving their abusers to protect the family. Most importantly, the persecution complex really is on point. These guys desperately want to be the rebel alliance from star wars but are effectively the empire. So if they're lashing out or attacking someone it's fair, it's god's work, and a million other ways of justifying their bs.

[@arcanineryu]

@@TheMayonakaMidnighter the anti christ is literally supposed to be somone who brings about world peace through secular means or through a non-Christian religion. Thus causing people to turn from God because of world peace being accomplished without his help. So it's actually even worse than that. Literally whenever somone tries to make things better in a big public way without kowtowing to Jesus, they belive it to be a potential anti-christ that needs to be taken down. Like just in case you wanted to know part of why the Christian right wing is so anti left wing stuff like socialism and social safety nets. Making the world a more fair and democratic place invites the coming of the anti christ and fills the world full of demons who want to turn the world against christ through things like "kindness" and "charity" and "altruism". Make no mistake, many of them care for their God, and that's it. Everything else is either secondary or just a means to getting more Christians for their God.