Separation of Church and State Is "Junk": Church Is Supposed to Direct the Government

[Iconoclast]

It is a long tradition in the American south for the new father-in-law to be packing heat at the wedding, but usually it is just a single shotgun.

This bloke had a rifle that was so heavy and so long, it had to be mounted before being shot.

By the way, when I say "shooting", it was paper targets.

[rjpalmer]

his new father-in-law took us all out shooting ton the morning of the wedding.

It is a long tradition in the American south for the new father-in-law to be packing heat at the wedding, but usually it is just a single shotgun.

[rjpalmer]

Well I will now, RJ. I'll be locking the house up tonight after that!

In all seriousness, it's a terrifying insularity decent sane Americans are having to deal with there and I don't know if it'll ever get much better. I attended my brother-in-law's wedding in a small town in Texas many moons ago and his new father-in-law took us all out shooting ton the morning of the wedding. I couldn't believe that it was happening nor could I believe the arsenal at his disposal. One of my more surreal life moments.

Damn, Ike. Are we cousins?

I think I may have been at that wedding.

[Iconoclast]

Sleep well.

Well I will now, RJ. I'll be locking the house up tonight after that!

In all seriousness, it's a terrifying insularity decent sane Americans are having to deal with there and I don't know if it'll ever get much better. I attended my brother-in-law's wedding in a small town in Texas many moons ago and his new father-in-law took us all out shooting ton the morning of the wedding. I couldn't believe that it was happening nor could I believe the arsenal at his disposal. One of my more surreal life moments.

[rjpalmer]

Unfortunately for our American cousins, their forefathers (wisely) exploited the abundant natural resources of an amazing continent.

Wisely? Soil erosion, the destruction of rainforests, global warming, the end of biodiversity, etc. There was nothing wise about how it went down, Ike.

I don't know how an entire continent got so utterly detached from the basic realities most of the rest of the world can see for what they are, but it's a terrifying truth. I love their country, but - Lord - I'm scared that some of their insulated, uninformed, uncaring inhabitants will come over here.

I don't think you truly understand gun culture, Ike. Their ultimate argument isn't that they are arming themselves to personally protect their kinfolk from Ned Kelly or Dick Turpin--they believe they are arming themselves from the U.S. Government.

Paranoia of government runs deep in the American psyche.

Listen to what they are saying. They believe that the UK and Australia, etc., are communist nations who are being controlled by an evil government that is keeping their population in check by not allowing them guns to defend themselves. And if they give up their AR-15, Big Brother will put them in concentration camps.

This is what they believe, or at least claim to believe.

There's a bloke in a small, semi-rural town that I frequently visit. Think of Mayberry, North Carolina if you get the allusion--this is a residential street with white picket fences and gardens and children playing hopscotch.

His yard is complete surrounded by a tall wooden fence and the only entrance is a thick metal security gate. He has CCTV cameras mounted on all four corners of his property and a large tin sign that shows German Police Dogs with the appropriate warnings. There is a large antenna on his roof, and I imagine he has a police scanner in operation at all hours. He is, of course, armed to the teeth--but with better weapons than the average Ukrainian soldier has access to. In the middle of his compound--lets fact it, it is a compound--he has a large flagpole with a "Don't Tread on Me" flag and a 'F--k Joe Biden' banner.

And this guy is not all the way to the end of the spectrum of paranoia. He's probably only a relatively mild case. Half of rural 'Merica thinks the way this guy thinks. I call it the Alamo Syndrome.

Sleep well.

[Iconoclast]

Why are they all sooooo shi* scared of losing their possessions, their homes and their lives, if they know they already have their tickets to heaven?

Love,

Caz
X

Obviously religion in every single form it has ever taken is buried someplace horrible in our psyche. Separating the patent biases of a 'church' from the democratic responsibilities of a state is the first measure of decency in the human brain. Unfortunately for our American cousins, their forefathers (wisely) exploited the abundant natural resources of an amazing continent, but the relative wealth that brought in terms of GDP quickly blinded them to the mockery they experience daily all around the world.

Guns for Christmas. How incredibly advanced a society where more or less 50% of the population thinks it's fine to own an item that can fire huge rounds of ammo every minute. Do burglars come mob-handed in America? Are there squads of baddies running around breaking into houses collectively, from all angles?

And what does it say about American parenting that their spineless, spoilt children can walk into primary schools and kill small kids. I saw a YouTube clip yesterday of two law enforcement officers arresting a fifteen year old for stating on an online video game that he was thinking of going into school tomorrow and shooting the place up. The mother was crying (obviously), telling the police that her son "was only fifteen" and "he's a good boy". Shyt parenting 101. "Have you got a gun in the house, ma'am?" the policeman asked. "Yes" she said. I don't recall exactly what the officer said to that but it was along the lines of "He's got arms and legs and that's enough for us to take him in". He was off to juvenile, apparently, and I trust they lock him up and throw away the key because - if they don't (and, of course, they won't) - he'll be the source of headlines one day too.

I don't know how an entire continent got so utterly detached from the basic realities most of the rest of the world can see for what they are, but it's a terrifying truth. I love their country, but - Lord - I'm scared that some of their insulated, uninformed, uncaring inhabitants will come over here. Fortunately, the ones which I'm most fearful of have never bothered to get a passport ("Passport to where, dude?").

The UK has just four gun-related deaths for every one hundred homicides. That's because almost none of us can get a gun legally. It's not rocket science and - come on - what's more important, your precious constitution written a quarter of a millennium ago, or your precious kids? Stop citing your ******* antiquated constitution like it was written in stone; change it, grow some gonads, get rid of your guns and - for the love of God - grow up the lot of you.

[caz]

Here is another Republican Christmas card. Certainly brings out the spirit of the season and makes you feel warm inside doesn't it?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacheverson/2021/12/24/congressman-thomas-massies-christmas-card-arsenal-is-probably-worth-tens-of-thousands/?sh=7b9e23803054

c.d.

Why are they all sooooo shi* scared of losing their possessions, their homes and their lives, if they know they already have their tickets to heaven?

Love,

Caz
X

[c.d.]

Here is another Republican Christmas card. Certainly brings out the spirit of the season and makes you feel warm inside doesn't it?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacheverson/2021/12/24/congressman-thomas-massies-christmas-card-arsenal-is-probably-worth-tens-of-thousands/?sh=7b9e23803054

c.d.

[Svensson]

Historians in the 34th century will conclude that SNL and GOP were popular comedy shows in the early 21st century.

[harry]

Perhaps c.d. ,there are those who want to revive the 'Catholic Mafia',but maybe that mob never died out.

[c.d.]

Her voters must also be barking mad.

Yes, that is how she got elected in the first place. Check out her Christmas Card photo.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/lauren-boebert-shows-off-her-rifle-toting-kids-in-christmas-photo

c.d.

[Simon Wood]

Her voters must also be barking mad.

[c.d.]

Ayatollah Boebert is barking mad.

She just won her primary election.

c.d.

[Simon Wood]

Ayatollah Boebert is barking mad.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Hello Herlock,

Book banning and even burning has become big in America right now.

c.d.

Hi c.d.

Its a sad state of affairs to be sure.