I hate how the Bible is being used as a nationalist prop. Nationalism was a theme of the old testament and Jesus called his followers to move beyond national identity. But that’s how fascism works, it apropariates instead of actually creating something new.
Well, they really seem to be in a hurry to bring on the events in Revelations. Sadly, since most of them have never read it, I think most would be surprised to find that this now puts them squarely on the side they think they are against!
Rome?
I was thinking anti-christ. But, i wouldn’t rule that one out either lol
Nationalism was a theme of the old testament and Jesus called his followers to move beyond national identity.
What?
Gotta love when Christians ignore half of their holy book when it’s inconvenient for them.
Trump’s bible also includes the US Constitution for an added layer of irony.
Irony, perhaps. Or, for anyone that’s actually read the book, foreshadowing might be a better word
That seems to be a desecration of the Bible. I wonder if “Christians” will even raise an eyebrow.
Usually, when various Christian denominations call some writings (which other denominations consider canonical) apocryphal, they at least recognise that those writings are roughly as old as the canonical writings and the subject matter concerns the same topics (i.e. accounts on lives of Biblical figures, and doctrinal material). Just that they don’t agree it’s valid teaching or doctrine. Apocryphal, as said.
I mean, American Evangelicals wouldn’t just randomly slap demonstrably modern material that is explicitly not religious doctrine, not even worded as such, in the book and call it Biblical canon, right? …right? …that’d be patently stupid, right? …nobody would do that? …people would have at least some problem with that?
(Me, I’m not American, and an ex-Christian. I actually liked the Deck of Cards better. These days, I just do the same thing with Tarot deck I guess. …confuse myself endlessly with esoteric imagery.)
They wont
It’s okay, he doesn’t seem to sell to actual Christians.
Have they changed the fallacy to “No true Christian” yet?
“No true Scotsman” is when you modify the initial claim to conveniently skirt evidence to the contrary. Saying “I’m ashamed these people are allowed to call themselves Scotsmen/Christians” is another matter
Is that a fact‽
It includes … copies of historical documents including the U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence and Pledge of Allegiance.
https://www.npr.org/2024/03/27/1241186975/donald-trump-bible-god-bless-usa
The Daily Show plays a clip from Trump’s own promotional video in which he explains what his Bible contains.
Wow, and they won’t read either.
I would say we start the rumor that his Bible literally doesn’t match any others and contains Satanic verses, but that would probably increase sales. I wonder whose Bible he plagiarized.
I wish he would die of sepsis from an infected hemorrhoid already.
It isn’t plagiarism unless he takes credit for it.
So you might be right.
This is the best book ever written. It’s tremendous. All the pastors tell me my writing style is the best. Number one seller of all time!
Just quote some “woke” passages and claim it’s not in the “real” bible and tell them that they should check themselves as that seems to make them believe basically anything.
I wonder whose Bible he plagiarized.
King James, who has been dead for almost 400 years. (Also, it’s public domain, so there’s that.)
Is American democracy the shittiest version of democracy on earth?
Considering it’s one the oldest/longest lasting, that checks out
I really struggle to understand why Americans are proud that they have never updated their constitution in 200 years. It’s a bug, not a feature.
This comment should win an award for its confident stupidity. Google “constitutional amendments”.
It has been updated. That’s what “amendments” are…updates. Here’s a list.
It really scares me how many upvoted this comment has.
Idk if you’re painfully ignorant or just lying but it’s been amended 27 times.
Religion was probably invented by some starving person telling a story to get some food for free.
… ya know, this theory feels like it may actually hold water. In an ancient society, it seems very feasible that a starving vagrant would employ stories about an omnipotent being that rewards acts of kindness with eternal heavenly glory.
Is religion possibly the result of a diogenes persuading unemphatic peers into acting selflessly as a means of improving their quality of life?
Not a Diogenes for certain. He was a shit stirrer not a person trying to trick people into being good.
But we do have a fair amount of realistic stories about the founding of one major religion that don’t require miracles to explain: Buddhism. And from the sounds of it Siddhartha Gautama was a member of the familial elite born to a life of luxury who was still not happy, he attempted asceticism as a means to fill the hole in his heart but found it too to be unfulfilling. Then he began developing a philosophical framework and set of techniques which sought to resolve the issue as he came to understand it, and when it helped he spread it. I believe he knowingly used metaphor that would’ve been understood by many of the people of his time and place as well as placing it within the religious framework of the Hindu society in which he lived.
That doesn’t explain the earliest religions but for those I look to animism which just kinda makes a lot of sense to many people. It’s a natural consequence of applying empathy to all things. But Buddhism does explain how religion evolves from a framework with which to understand the world into a framework with which to understand oneself and to tell people how to act. We could also look at early Judaism which seems to be more rules for social harmony and for survival in a less than hospitable location.
Buddhism also explains animism. Things aren’t separate from the mind that perceives them. The mind is alive. Thus, all perceived things are alive. This also explains non-violence and dana (selfless acts of giving). Being aggressive towards anything in our field of perception is to be aggressive to ourselves. To be giving to anything in our field of perception is to give to ourselves.
Took Buddhism plus DMT to actually grok that, though.
but the bible isn’t copyrighted? right? Is there any other aspect than just the economic abuse of religions trump fans?
Yes. See OP.
I think the question here is how is this money laundering? I could sell Sherlock Holmes for $60, and that wouldn’t be Arthur Conan Doyle giving me money under the table. How is this any different?
It’s laundering because when someone is expressly forbidden to give you money and you start to sell them snow in the winter that’s what is called giving you money. And the cheaper you get stuff to sell the less you pay to clean up the funds
Is there any evidence of churches buying these stupid bibles? If there is that’s a pretty serious accusation. If it’s just weirdo Trump cultists then that’s not actually money laundering.
Serious accusation? Please. Trump does six financial crimes worse than this one every morning before his breakfast burger. All we’re saying is we can see the grift.
Just because he does worse things all the time doesn’t mean this isn’t serious. Don’t let him move the goalpost like that. But also maybe have some actual evidence instead of just paranoid conspiracy theories. That’s their thing. We need to be better than them.
Again I guess I haven’t explained properly.
I am not accusing him of a specific crime.
I am saying: look, he’s selling bibles, which will allow terrible churches to support his cause without falling foul of campaign finance law.
There’s no evidence because technically there’s no crime. He’s just found a new way to rip the system off.
Also: I don’t have access to Trump’s Bible sale records. Never will. Nor will you Does that mean we shouldn’t say anything about the fact that he’s cheating the electoral system? That right-wing churches can advance their power grabs without fear of prosecution? Even if it’s not illegal it’s unjust and dangerous.
Hey I’m sure Trump will release the sales records right?
Right after he tells us who’s buying up all the shares of Trump Media & Technology Group that just went public but just BEFORE he releases his taxes.
I’m all for giving the benefit of the doubt inititally but those days are long long past. He’s definitely using this to funnel money into his campaign.
You’re right, if anyone deserves the benefit of the doubt it’s Donald Trump and Evangelical Christians.
This is like buying merch from a YouTuber. It’s not about buying a product for what it’s worth, it’s about donating to a “cause” with something to show off that you did. (Not hating on supporting YouTubers, just a comparison)
There’s 2 types of right wingers, dumb ones and disingenuous ones.
Scared, stupid and selfish. The 3S framework of conservatism. You don’t have to be all 3 to be conservative, but you’re at least one.
Nice, I’d say the first two of those terms apply mostly to the dumb ones.
The disingenuous ones take advantage of the stupidity of the others to induce fear to facilitate manipulation.
Money laundering via book ‘sales’ isnt something confined to republicans
All politicians have books…a single person is free to buy 10,000 copies, book seller gets a cut and politicians get the rest… 100% legal, clean profit. And the person that bought 10k copies gets access to said politicians
Hadn’t considered that angle.
Its def a way around church funding. But a legal one. So the use of laundering weakens the complaint.
The only potential legal question. Is are churches buying the bible or openly encouraging memembers to. And let’s be honest. That tax dodge is totally ignored by the IRS for so long. I can see it getting challenged as unequal application of law. Unless the IRS dose some major attack on most churches.
Edit; odd autocorrect. Nuking vs buying.
There’s a loophole grift for everyone!
A Super PAC for all your greenback “free speech”!
Limited Edition shoes for scalpers and people who like collecting shiny shit!
NFTs to offload your crypto wallets!
Truth Social to legally funnel Wall Street money through holding companies!
Bibles for churches to spend money while saying they are “updating their library”.
Come one come all, ye shady source of funding!
