Arizona's kick-ass new bisexual Senator took her oath on the US Constitution, administered by cringing, homophobic Dominionist Mike Pence

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There is the story of what happened to Ananias and Sapphira

Acts 4:32-5:10 New International Version (NIV)

The Believers Share Their Possessions

32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.

Ananias and Sapphira

5 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.

3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”

5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6 Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”

“Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”

9 Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”

10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.

It’s not Jesus, but Saint Peter is the next best thing.

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Not according to wikipedia

Kyrsten Sinema

Caucus memberships

Beto O’Rourke

Caucus memberships

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Don’t get me wrong, she is the Democrat that Arizona needs right now. I just don’t think that will work on a national scale.

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Agreed. But I think he’s that way with everyone. I don’t think he was squirming or extra whatever because it was Sinema.

I’m all for bashing the guy for the things that he’s an ass on. Not into making shit up.

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this topic is literally about religious freedom for atheists

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It’s like “Ms Deeds Goes to Washington”, not just a wave of women, that’s hardly new by now, but each bring a “first” in some other way, youngest, lesbian, bisexual, native, muslim, I’m sure some others. Some even hit multiple categories. But they feel safe with their identities, so it’s more a designator than the reason they ran. They’ll represent all constituents, though the ones from the other party may not be pleased. It seems like party politics is more divisive at this point than many other things that used to be a negative.

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If only most so called Christians stopped at the praying and didn’t take things further.

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The bible was written by highly motivated parties. It’s not a reliable source of facts for its own claims. It’s a bit like flat earthers claiming that their book about how they traveled to the edge of the world proves the geocentric model of the universe.

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Indeed, my big problem with the New Testament–the more likable of the two!

The Old Testament at least you can squint and see how it might have come about from Human civilization fundamentally being a famine or war away from total collapse. The way stuff was run was… well, elegant in a way that didn’t value the individuals at all, just the overall avoidance of rocking the boat and keeping the whole train rolling. (ETA: of course preserving the supremacy of Christians. See: Battle of Jericho)

But despite the NT being the overall better by modern sensibilities, its contents was largely dictated by the Catholic church–a major Political power throughout much of post-Christ history. See: 1527.

Personally, I would not lose a night’s sleep if Rome was sacked again and we got to see the other writings which didn’t make the cut, and then speculate why. That’s just me.

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relevant wikipedia information in case anyone is interested:

In the United States, the No Religious Test Clause requires that “no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.” Regardless of that, there are federal oaths which do include the phrase “So help me God”, such as for justices and judges in 28 U.S.C. § 453.[11]

The phrase “So help me God” is prescribed in oaths as early as the Judiciary Act of 1789, for U.S. officers other than the President. The act makes the semantic distinction between an affirmation and an oath .[12] The oath, religious in essence, includes the phrase “so help me God” and “[I] swear”. The affirmation uses “[I] affirm”. Both serve the same purpose and are described as one (i.e. “… solemnly swear, or affirm, that …”) [13]

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I’m no theologian either, and I’m aware of the words attributed to Jesus about those who pray in public and make shows of the length of the tassels in their prayer shawls and the widths of their phylacteries. He said they have already received their reward.

I’ll admit that being clobber versed about public piety for saying I do not believe in the existence of the (common) god of Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed is something I’ve not experienced before.

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Jesus did that a lot. for example

if someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.

is not an act of submission, but a subversive act. A Roman soldier could ask a person to carry his stuff for one mile, but no further. Continuing for the second mile could land the soldier in serious trouble, but if they try to stop them they risk causing a local uprising.

Christian Anarchism is based on this kind of thing.

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Agreed, but the poster was not making an argument for atheism. He was literally saying ‘my god is real, your god is false,’ when by his own religion the two are identical. Angels dancing on the head of a pin, and all that horseshit.

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I’m sorry for giving the impression that I believe it to be in any way “holy,” whatever that may mean.

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I think I’m the poster in question. I did not literally say that. I said, “the non existent god of Abraham and Moses.” And from this, you concluded I was an ignorant Christian or Muslim? Part of me is curious how you came to that conclusion, but that part’s overruled by the part that realizes we’re both just names on screens and therefore, I don’t need to know.

For clarity’s sake, I do not believe in the literal existence of any gods or goddesses, demons or angels that may (or may not) be dancing on the heads of pins. Pins and horse shit, however, I do believe have a literal existence.

Edited: Typo

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The entire time, Mike Pence was probably thinking in the back of his mind Where is Mrs. Pence? Where is Mrs. Pence? Where, in the name of God, is Mrs. Pence? And I could swear Pence’s 550nm laser-eyes were going to burn her, he was looking at her so intently.

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Pretty sure that Pence got a exorcism afterward by his fanatical Religious Right handlers. I wish I was joking.

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The headline promised us that he’d cringe, but he seemed very friendly, appropriate and professional towards her. I’d almost think he was a decent person if he didn’t have such terrible political ideas.

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