2020 Presidential Candidates: Pete Buttigieg

Scooter · Post by **Scooter** » Fri May 10, 2019 3:37 am

They hate Buttigieg so much because he never stops pointing that out.

MajGenl.Meade · Post by **MajGenl.Meade** » Fri May 10, 2019 9:41 am

Whether one agrees or not with the argumentation of the article, such as it is, I do not see any "dog-whistle" to assassinate anyone.

ETA:

Mayor Pete represents the “kill shot” launch by the gay community to now re-define Christianity

[Edited]
What the writer suggests is that Buttigieg is symbolic of the final push (the kill-shot) to assassinate Christianity (the way he sees it) which is achieved by redefining it. Nothing at all quoted about killing Buttigieg but about him being part of the killing of Christianity.

Purposely misreading and misstating the viewpoint of others is all part of the rough and tumble in this war of ideas. Both "sides" do it and we all know there is good on both sides

Crackpot · Post by **Crackpot** » Fri May 10, 2019 11:03 am

I would say it qualifies as a dog whistle as the whole point of a dog whistle is to not register to the public at large. To say that Mayor Pete has that type of power is completely irrational and only serves to paint him as a target in a “life or death” struggle.

MajGenl.Meade · Post by **MajGenl.Meade** » Fri May 10, 2019 11:44 am

"Christian" group sends out dog whistle calling for Mayor Pete's assassination.

Who called for Mayor Pete's assassination, CP? Show me the words.... don't hide behind made-up explanations for a plain lie

Crackpot · Post by **Crackpot** » Fri May 10, 2019 12:13 pm

Are you aware the of the concept of a “dog whistle”? If you want to be pedantic you could argue that “calling for” should be replaced “inferring (he) should be” but then again that is covered by the term “dog whistle”. AKA coded inference.

ex-khobar Andy · Post by **ex-khobar Andy** » Fri May 10, 2019 1:52 pm

I am quite familiar with the concept of a dog whistle and this ain't one. The Christian Newswire piece is saying (not whistling) that Buttigieg is attacking their (in my view intolerant) concept of Christianity. He is of course but they are not calling for his assassination.

And BTW I think the word you (CP) were looking for was 'implying' not 'inferring.'

Scooter · Post by **Scooter** » Fri May 10, 2019 2:00 pm

Sure, and Gabby Giffords getting shot had absolutely nothing to do with that picture of her superimposed with crosshairs...

Claiming that one man has it in his power to wipe out Christianity as we know it? The idea is so patently ridiculous that the use of the term "kill shot" obviously has a different, more nefarious purpose.

Of course there are none so blind as those who refuse to see what is right in front of their face.

Crackpot · Post by **Crackpot** » Fri May 10, 2019 2:10 pm

The use of the term “kill shot”. Way overstates whatever power to harm Christianity that Mayor Pete nay have to harm Christianity. And to use such a graphic and violent overstatement in close association to the person himself definitely can and you in this case probably should be construed as a dog whistle. The whole point of a dog whistle I’d to allow enough deniability to give the words an innocent (or at least a more innocent) explanation than the one implied.

He’d my cousin is more subtle when he laments about it “getting dark around here” (he at least waits for it to be near dusk before he breaks out that gem)

MajGenl.Meade · Post by **MajGenl.Meade** » Fri May 10, 2019 3:36 pm

CP, yeah it's an overstated anxiety but as to the rest - that's not what it says at all though, is it?

Mayor Pete represents the “kill shot” launch by the gay community to now re-define Christianity.

The "kill shot" is alleged to be an activity of "the gay community" and he is merely a representation of what the writer perceives as an effort to re-define Christianity. Did you read it or just react to the misrepresentation a-la-Trump of "Christian" group sends out dog whistle calling for Mayor Pete's assassination"?

You have to be a full-on member of the Ministry of Truth to get THAT out of the otherwise uninspiring article.

I'm disappointed by the article's failure to explain the arrant fallacy of the "God made me this way" argument. Very shallow theology involved there.

Bicycle Bill · Post by **Bicycle Bill** » Sat May 11, 2019 12:47 am

MajGenl.Meade wrote:I'm disappointed by the article's failure to explain the arrant fallacy of the "God made me this way" argument. Very shallow theology involved there.

I'd like to examine that one as well.  Back in the days when I was Tricycle Bill and being raised a devout, pious little blotter of a Roman Catholic, we had our own version of Chairman Mao's "Red Book".  This one was blue and went by the name of "The Baltimore Catechism".  And among the revealed and undeniable truths in this book were the following:
1) God made us in His own image.
2) God was all-powerful, all-knowing, all-seeing.
3) He was also infallible, and was incapable of ever being in error.

Well, that stuck with me, and apparently with a lot of the other people who eventually went on to become the Religious Right.  Their insistence that the Bible is the revealed word of God; it's all true; and should be taken as literally as possible tends to make me wonder....

OK, if you believe and profess that God made me, then it follows that God made EVERY ONE ELSE as well.... black, white, brown, yellow, polka-dotted (hey, just 'cause YOU haven't seen any don't mean they aren't out there somewhere!), Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, monotheist, pantheist, atheist, agnostic, male, female, and even those who aren't too sure.  And if you also believe and profess in God's supreme perfection, then EVERYTHING HE MADE is good — remember, God can't make mistakes, so that means God don't make no junk!

But if you then stand up and say that this class of people, or this color of people, or people who practice this religion are a "mistake" or an "error" on the part of God — well, you've just kind of dissed God by saying, in effect, that He AIN'T perfect.  And it certainly follows that if in fact God is flawed and is NOT perfect, then His "revealed truths" are also flawed and just as likely to be as much hokum and hogwash as anything that P.T. Barnum ever spouted in his career... and you've just pushed the self-destruct button on whatever foundation you were basing your rhetoric on.

Personally, I think it would be fun to get a few of those types of people in a room somewhere and lay this scenario out before them, just like that, and then watch their brains short-circuit as they tried to warp their fucked-up thinking around such an obvious set of facts.

-"BB"-

MajGenl.Meade · Post by **MajGenl.Meade** » Sat May 11, 2019 4:15 am

Premise 1 is the main problem - a common one too, not just Roman. God made Adam in his image and likeness; obvs not two arms, legs, moustache etc. Was Adam all powerful, all knowing etc. - again, not. So this image and likeness means something less. It refers to the ability to choose and to be responsible and to love.

Adam, after the fall, made his children in his own (man's) likeness (Gen 5 isn't it?). Imperfect physically, mentally and morally. All people have "God's likeness" in their ability to will - it is similar, though not truly free as is his (and even he is limited by his own character - cannot lie, cannot do evil by definition). But all people have Adam's likeness - the very defective character incapable of doing what is right without also doing what is wrong. Essentially, to say "God made me do it" (or "made me this way") is a lame excuse that should be recognized as such by believer and unbeliever alike. And usually is when it's convenient.

RayThom · Post by **RayThom** » Sat May 11, 2019 4:28 am

My RC faith was never strong enough to grasp all this fantasy.

God, I'm so confused.

BoSoxGal · Post by **BoSoxGal** » Sat May 11, 2019 4:41 am

Doesn’t God know us and form us in our mother’s womb? Of course God makes us gay, as well as all the other things on the spectrum of human expression.

Religious fundamentalism is a scourge on humankind.

MajGenl.Meade · Post by **MajGenl.Meade** » Sat May 11, 2019 8:40 am

BoSoxGal wrote:Doesn’t God know us and form us in our mother’s womb? Of course God makes us gay, as well as all the other things on the spectrum of human expression.

Religious fundamentalism is a scourge on humankind.

Always good to learn from an expert

(Lovingly!) Another thing that amazes me. . . when non-fundamentalists suddenly become keen to interpret Biblical things literally rather than as metaphor.

God doesn't make any of us to be good or bad or homosexual or thieves or saints or anything - not according to Christianity. We can (and do) disagree about what is "moral" and the ground for morality, but sheltering behind "God made me like this" is a non-starter. Christianity (rightly or wrongly) includes accepting or rejecting all of the Bible as God's word - not cherry-picking bits we agree with and tossing aside what doesn't suit.

In the same way, pretending to believe one part when one doesn't believe any of it, is not a valid basis for arguing against what is written.

Atheism is a scourge on humankind. . .? Don't know; maybe; maybe not. I'm fond of many atheists but I'm definitely opposed to defective "christians" who are a damn nuisance.

BoSoxGal · Post by **BoSoxGal** » Sat May 11, 2019 1:54 pm

God doesn’t exist - I expected you could discern my sarcasm, apologies that you didn’t.

In future I will employ the [/sarcasm], or you could just default to knowing that I think all of your beliefs are a destructive influence on humankind and entirely pie in the sky made up stories to help scared people cope with the random brutality and beauty of life on planet Earth.

BoSoxGal · Post by **BoSoxGal** » Sat May 11, 2019 1:59 pm

Luckily there is hope for the future https://bigthink.com/stephen-johnson/th ... -may-think

Sadly, it will likely come far too late to save the planet from the masses who believe it’s okay to persecute people who think and believe differently, and to lay waste the natural world because some pie in the sky superhero is going to take them all somewhere better when they die.

Sorry Meade but I’ve lost all patience for the ugliness and idiocy that is religion.

RayThom · Post by **RayThom** » Sat May 11, 2019 3:48 pm

MajGenl.Meade wrote:... Atheism is a scourge on humankind. . .? Don't know; maybe; maybe not. I'm fond of many atheists but I'm definitely opposed to defective "christians" who are a damn nuisance...

I know absolutely and positively... NOT. Also, I consider fundamentalist, and Trump-like fake christians, "a damn nuisance."

With absolutely no preaching from me my highly educated daughter has followed in my footsteps.

Obviously, using BSG's graph, it's plain to see that Godlessness is on the rise. MGM, rue the day we take over -- it's coming.

AMEN!

MajGenl.Meade · Post by **MajGenl.Meade** » Sun May 12, 2019 5:45 am

Sorry Meade but I’ve lost all patience for the ugliness and idiocy that is religion.

Fair enough, as long as you accept that it's valid to lose all patience for the ugliness and idiocy that is non-religion. I think those two sentiments are equivalent in value.

Probably neither one of us prefers to judge others' beliefs by their worst practitioners.

rubato · Post by **rubato** » Sun May 12, 2019 7:23 am

Why is it that Christians make excuses for stealing, murdering, and mass sexual exploitation of children but believe faggotry is an existential threat?

they're stupid and evil.

yrs,
rubato

MajGenl.Meade · Post by **MajGenl.Meade** » Sun May 12, 2019 11:05 am

Be more specific - generalizations are pathetic (he generalized). I know and have known many, many Christians, all of whom are vehemently and firmly opposed to "stealing, murdering, and mass sexual exploitation of children", all violations of God's law and crimes against humanity.

If I ever met one of the other kind, I would be happy to expose their utter failure to qualify as Christian, which I hope is fairly obvious to all.

("mass" heh heh. I see what you did there

)

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