Evangelicals "rationalizing" their support of Trump

True. Not that they have a lot to go on… an apocryphal book 2000 years old, and the interpretations thereof from every nutball who sees a face in a twinkie. Their time would be better spent just embracing the Golden Rule.

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Related, although Supply-Side Jesus is more specifically the god that Saint Ronnie worshiped. RationalWiki has a decent article on prosperity gospel; in short, though, it’s a bit of an inversion of normal Christian theology, in that it has the concept of the Christian god rewarding the devout in this world, materially, rather than in the next.

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You may and it is a literal translation, but much English-language commentary translates as “Superman”. “Super” is simply derived from an Indo-European root meaning on top of, above or beyond (it appears as upar in Hindi, hyper in Greek and super in Latin) and at the time Nietzsche wrote was a perfectly acceptable translation. I really don’t think that comic books from part of the English-speaking world should be allowed to dictate literary custom and practice.

The OT is hardly homogeneous. Apart from the distinction between Torah and the prophets, the prophets disagree among themselves. Ecclesiastes is a nearly atheistic pessimist who thinks most of human effort is a waste of time; the similarly named Ecclesiasticus is partly a “how to get on in society” manual, then there’s the strange and, to our minds, morally ambiguous story of Ruth, the equally interesting story of Esther, and a whole lot of patriotic story telling that could be summed up as “Don’t mess with the Israelites” (which intersects with Esther.)

When one considers all the people who have spent their basement-dwelling lives trying to reconcile all that stuff, rather like someone trying to construct a consistent scheme of morality out of a pile of Federal law books, Westerns and romantic novels, it’s either a huge waste of human effort or perhaps a way of keeping these people from doing yet more serious damage.

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No, but simple pragmatism not only should be allowed, but must be allowed to do so.

If you say “superman” people will picture a guy in a blue jumpsuit with a red cape.

If you say “overman” people at least have a half-chance of imagining a chiseled, angular Ayn Rand character saving the world by browbeating his employees.

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While I agree that “overman” is more practical, I have to admit I probably just prefer it because that was the first translation I read.

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Not the people I associate with.

[edit - or the George Bernard Shaw Society, who are not about to rename Man and Superman any time soon. My father had a friend who was a member, and when he saw me with a Superman comic book he decided that I needed to read some proper literature. I’m actually quite grateful to him.]

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and saying Übermensch generates the image of Hitler driving a taxi

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Whatever you do, don’t think about the white bear.

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Not completely:

But it is also revealing for what it says about Christians who now testify on his behalf (there are plenty who don’t).

But yes, it does seem to minimize the Christians who lean left.

Sure, Trump isn’t the ideal Christian candidate, but on the other hand Hillary’s a Democrat.

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I feel like this election is going to be determined by intraparty apathy and low voter turnout rather than genuine excitement and enthusiasm.

I think my rhetorical technique when dealing with on-the-fence conservative relatives will be something like “when faced with two evils, why bother choosing at all?”

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Two evils? How many Hillarys are running?!!!*
 

  • Trump 2016!
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HA! I read that same word as pointing out people who are fundamentally (ahem) against rationalization and compromise (except when it suits them and only them) finding ways to rationalize and compromise their beliefs in support of that bloviating jackass.

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they should just embrace the Golden Rule

But which one?

But seriously, (if you want to be meaningfully Christian) just examine the quotes attributed to Christ (not all the job polishers that came after), especially in the earliest (least deified) accounts like Thomas

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If you watch Samantha Bee’s show Full Frontal, the evangelicals’ embrace of Trump is no surprise. If you’ve got about 3 minutes to spare, her overview of how racism invigorates the religious right is very informative.

The Religious Right - Part 1 | Full Frontal with Samantha Bee | (3 minutes)

And for good measure, how abortion is the other half:
The Religious Right: Part 2 | Full Frontal with Samantha Bee | (7 minutes)

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I live by this Golden Rule:

101.1. Whenever a card’s text directly contradicts these rules, the card takes precedence. The card overrides only the rule that applies to that specific situation. The only exception is that a player can concede the game at any time (see rule 104.3a).

101.2. When a rule or effect allows or directs something to happen, and another effect states that it can’t happen, the “can’t” effect takes precedence.
Example: If one effect reads “You may play an additional land this turn” and another reads “You can’t play land cards this turn,” the effect that precludes you from playing lands wins.

101.2a Adding abilities to objects and removing abilities from objects don’t fall under this rule. (See rule 112.10.)

101.3. Any part of an instruction that’s impossible to perform is ignored. (In many cases the card will specify consequences for this; if it doesn’t, there’s no effect.)

101.4. If multiple players would make choices and/or take actions at the same time, the active player (the player whose turn it is) makes any choices required, then the next player in turn order (usually the player seated to the active player’s left) makes any choices required, followed by the remaining nonactive players in turn order. Then the actions happen simultaneously. This rule is often referred to as the “Active Player, Nonactive Player (APNAP) order” rule.
Example: A card reads “Each player sacrifices a creature.” First, the active player chooses a creature he or she controls. Then each of the nonactive players, in turn order, chooses a creature he or she controls. Then all creatures chosen this way are sacrificed simultaneously.

101.4a If an effect has each player choose a card in a hidden zone, such as his or her hand or library, those cards may remain face down as they’re chosen. However, each player must clearly indicate which face-down card he or she is choosing.

101.4b A player knows the choices made by the previous players when he or she makes his or her choice, except as specified in 101.4a.

101.4c If a player would make more than one choice at the same time, the player makes the choices in the order written, or in the order he or she chooses if the choices aren’t ordered.

101.4d If a choice made by a nonactive player causes the active player, or a different nonactive player earlier in the turn order, to have to make a choice, APNAP order is restarted for all outstanding choices.

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Maybe not a soap opera though, maybe “reality” TV. I think that Drumpf supporters think that supporting him is a little like being on TV. Being on TV is desirable because reasons, I guess.

Also, I doubt that Drumpf is without supporters in Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv is largely about business.

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I was referring specifically to Evangelical Christians awaiting the Rapture, not Trump supporters en masse.

The spelling Drumpf is mildly amusing to English ears because we hear some US accents as substituting D for T, e.g. what sounds like Karmody (committee) or, indeed, sahbsdiduding. We expect Trump to be prounounced Drump by his supporders - sorry, supporters.

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Is that part of Agricola?

Some of the more hardcore Settlers players got into that stuff, but for me it was like the beginning of star wars episode 1 :sleeping: