Politics 2: Electric Boogaloo — Page 514

chyron8472 said:

Warbler said:

I agree. Target your criticism towards their insincerity

But I think that’s what they are criticizing.

Doesn’t sound that way, the way Wheaton words it.

One might criticize prayer if one didn’t believe in it, but that’s a different issue than what this is.

If they don’t believe in prayer, then they should try to be respectful of those that believe differently than you.

The Bible itself says don’t be public about it. Them calling for prayer is being public about it. Why can’t you make the connection?

I don’t know that he was saying never pray publicly, just don’t do it if you are only doing to be seen doing it.

DominicCobb said:

Warbler said:

DominicCobb said:

Warbler said:

TM2YC said:

There is nothing wrong with our leaders playing the violin… as long they are also providing adequate fire-fighting services and fire-safety legislation.

True, but if they don’t provide adequate fire-fighting services and fire-safety legislation, criticize them for that, not playing the violin.

But if the city is burning and all they’re doing is playing…

Criticize them for not doing anything about the fact that the city is burning. What else they are doing or is irrelevant to that point.

You’re contorting yourself here to make your point.

Obviously the mere act of playing the fiddle is not what’s reprehensible, it’s that they’re doing it instead of something useful. The thing is, if you were to criticize them, you’d be going out of your way to not say “the city is burning and yet you’re just here playing the fiddle.” But again, just because you say that doesn’t mean that you have a problem with them playing the fiddle by itself. That fact is easily understood.

It depends on how you word the complaint. It seems some are more concerned about the specific activity he is doing while the city burns, instead of being concerned about what he is not doing to put the fire out. Whether he is playing the fiddle or doing absolutely nothing, the problem is the same. The fiddle is the wrong target. The right target is the fact that he is not doing what he is supposed to be doing.

Frank your Majesty said:

Warbler said:

chyron8472 said:

But again, I criticize the insincerity; the disingenuousness. That they likely use a call to prayer to gain popularity with people of faith than actually being genuine in their own faith.

Then criticize them for being disingenuous, not the prayer itself.

That’s exactly what people were doing here.

That doesn’t sound like what Wheaton said.

CatBus said:

I like to think the recent revelations about Roy Moore will sink his Senate campaign. It’s well-sourced and corroborated with court filings from the time, but it’s already getting called “Fake News” at Breitbart, so who knows what the voters will think? Also, Trump’s racism gave him an impressive margin of victory in Alabama, in spite of the well-documented fact that he was a horrifying human being. Perhaps Moore can still pull this off. Child molesters can still win elections, as long as they’re sufficiently racist child molesters.

yikes indeed. I would hope that and the fact that he is obviously a racist would prevent his election. But I would have thought all of Trumps baggage would have prevent his election and it did not.

CatBus said:

Since it’s too late to change the name on the ballot, Republicans may attempt some sort of “refuse to seat him/he resigns/appoint new Senator” gambit, which basically amounts to “you’re just voting for the Republican ticket, not this particular Republican. Trust us to sort out the details.”

mayhaps.

chyron8472 said:

Warbler said:

I don’t know that he was saying never pray publicly, just don’t do it if you are only doing to be seen doing it.

Even so, that is what they were doing; or if it was not, it is unclear that it was not. Which makes it a bad idea either way and means it still is relevant.

It is unclear to YOU. It is not unclear to person doing the public praying or to God. If I pray publicly and my motivation is unclear to You, I am still going to pray. I know my real motivation and so does God.

chyron8472 said:

Okay, I actually read the article posted that points out Wil was actually criticizing prayer. (I did not previously read it because I have no interest in Wil Wheaton’s personal views.)

But regardless of Wil’s ignorant blathering, it still is not a good idea.

I continue to fail to understand why praying for the victims or asking people to pray for the victims is not a good idea. The thing that isn’t a good idea, is the decision to do nothing else.

http://wilwheaton.net/2017/11/point-of-clarification/

“I am so sick and angry that this keeps happening. America is the only first world country where we do nothing while our fellow humans are slaughtered by entirely preventable gun violence every day.

“People like Paul Ryan can write and pass laws that can address this epidemic of gun violence, which should be considered a public health crisis, but instead, Paul Ryan and people like him offer “thoughts and prayers” as a shield for their inaction.

“I heard privately from some close friends who are people of sincere Faith, and they were concerned that my anger at Paul Ryan would be misread as an attack on people of Faith. I want and need to apologize to anyone who felt like I was attacking them, or their faith (unless that person is Paul Ryan). I respect your Faith, even if I do not share it. I respect that prayer brings comfort and strength and guidance for a lot of people, and if you are one of those people, praying for God to bring comfort and strength to the families and friends of the victims and survivors is a deeply meaningful act.

“I am not attacking you or your Faith, and I see that in my anger, I didn’t write my thoughts as clearly as I could have. For that I sincerely apologize to anyone who I offended or hurt. I can’t take it back, but I can tell you that it was never my intention, nor is it my belief.

“I am angry at people like Paul Ryan who are quick to offer their thoughts and prayers after mass murder, but who refuse to do anything to even attempt to slow or stop the epidemic of gun violence that plagues America. He and people like him are hoping that you will give him a pass and let him exploit your Faith so he can continue to shrug his shoulders, take money from the NRA, and do absolutely nothing else.

“So just to be crystal clear: I apologize to those of you who are sincere people of Faith, who felt attacked by me. That was not my intention.”

To the professional atheists out there who are endlessly cruel, condescending, and dismissive toward people of Faith: I am not your ally and I’m not on your team. Don’t claim me as one of your own, because the right wing noise machine misinterpreted what I said (and I will do better in the future, to prevent my words from being misunderstood and misconstrued so easily).

To anyone who believes that my anger at Paul Ryan’s empty words is in any way directed toward the victims of gun violence: Attacking the victims, the survivors, or the victim’s families of any mass shooting, the way Alex Jones does with his false flag lies, is despicable and inexcusable. I want to be very clear: I was not and I am not attacking anyone who was in that church, I am not mocking their Faith. I don’t believe that a reasonable person would believe that I was, but because that lie has taken hold as a narrative, it’s important to me that I restate this, once again: Paul Ryan hides behind empty words about thoughts and prayers, exploiting the real and sincere beliefs held by people of Faith. He and people like him offer words without deeds over and over again, and I’m sick and tired of it. That is what I am attacking, and that is what I am angry about.

Fox News and its allies are working really hard to deflect attention and anger away from the role that unfettered access to weapons of mass murder played in the latest incidence of mass murder in America. Fox News and its allies want you to be angry at something they mislead you into believing I said, so you will take the anger and sorrow and desire for action you feel after a mass shooting, and aim it at me, instead of holding the people in power who could prevent this to account. Fox News, Paul Ryan, and their allies are counting on their ability to fool you into believing their lies, so they can continue to do nothing until the next mass shooting, when they’ll offer thoughts and prayers but no action.

Once again, to people of Faith who find comfort and strength in prayer: I am not mocking or belittling or attacking you or your relationship with God, and if you felt that I was, I hope you will accept this apology.

I will not apologize for being angry at Paul Ryan and people like him who have words but no deeds, and I hope that people of Faith will hold him to account.

https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1820163660

SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, TX—In the hours following a violent rampage in Texas in which a lone attacker killed 27 individuals and seriously injured several others, citizens living in the only country where this kind of mass killing routinely occurs reportedly concluded Sunday that there was no way to prevent the massacre from taking place.

https://www.theonion.com/nation-to-wait-for-more-facts-on-texas-shooting-before-1820186609

WASHINGTON—In the wake of a shooting in Sutherland Springs, TX that left at least 26 people dead and 20 wounded, the nation declared its intent Monday to wait for more facts on the mass slaughter before doing absolutely nothing about it. “We don’t want to jump to conclusions and get the facts wrong before we start ignoring it completely,” said Enid, OK resident Roger Benson, echoing the sentiments of 324 million other Americans who added they weren’t willing to do nothing whatsoever to address the country’s mass shooting epidemic until they learned more about the killer, including his possible connection to the church and his mental health background. “People have been speculating on social media, but that doesn’t do us any good unless we know the truth about his family life, and how and why he was able to acquire an assault weapon—otherwise, there’s just no way to neglect to address this shooting in the larger context of gun violence in America.

Biblically justified?

TAKE IT TO THE WHAT ARE YOU READING THREAD!

You have my thoughts and my prayers on your journey.

More proof that Twitter is the worst.

chyron8472 said:

TV’s Frink said:

More proof that Fox News is the worst.

fixed.

Well yeah, but also Wil Wheaton should know better to try to make a point via Twitter.