But it is absolutely not a cult

[Scooter]

Actor promotes Trump's movie screening by pushing QAnon's bizarre infant blood-drinking theory

Actor Jim Caviezel pushed a QAnon conspiracy theory that liberals drink the blood of infants ahead of a film screening with former President Donald Trump.

On Thursday, Caviezel told conservative podcast host Steve Bannon he had a message for Trump about the screening of "Sound of Freedom," a QAnon-linked movie scheduled to be screened at the former president's Bedminster golf club on July 19.

The film suggests global elites are involved in a massive sex-traffic conspiracy.

"I also want to say to Donald Trump, then when you watch this movie, you will be at peace and at rest because you, more than anyone, have done incredible things Jesus talks about, that you know faith without works is dead," Caviezel said before comparing Trump to the biblical figure David.

"I believe Donald Trump was selected by God Almighty, and I'm talking about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit God," he said.

Caviezel also talked about a QAnon theory that claims liberal elites — often in Hollywood – drink the blood of infants to obtain their adrenochrome.

"That's why the devil wants to kill him, wants to hurt them," he insisted. "It's always been this way since Pharaoh and then to Herod and now but more than ever and enslaving them and doing many, many things including organ harvesting and adrenochroming. And I will say that until I'm, you know, I'm dead."

"It's true, and there will be a lot of things that are going to come out," he added.

Caviezel concluded with a claim about Hunter Biden's laptop.

"Well, eventually get to see what Trump talked about, the Hunter laptop from hell; what's on that," he said. "It's from hell."

In 2021, the actor explained his understanding of adrenochrome.

"When you are scared, you've produced adrenaline," he told an audience. "If a child knows he's going to die, his body will secrete this adrenaline, and they have a lot of terms that they use."

"But it's the worst horror I've ever seen, is adrenochroming, even if I never, ever, ever, ever saw it," he asserted.

[Bicycle Bill]

This goes past crazy all the way to fucking nuts.

-"BB"-

[Big RR]

I am amazed his brain generates enough power to make him walk.

[BoSoxGal]

Jim Caviezel isn’t stupid. Most people who get drawn into cults aren’t stupid, in fact research shows many are better than average educated.

The documentary Q:Into the Storm is worth checking out for an idea of the scope of our country’s problems in this regard.

It’s easy to dismiss this insanity as the height of stupidity but what it really is is so very much more dangerous. There are millions of Americans who think those of us with progressive mindsets are no longer just the loyal opposition, we are beastly child groomers and child killers who deserve to die in a righteous bloodbath. We are foolish to dismiss this reality.

[Burning Petard]

Joe Biden is notorious for his word salads, dating back before he even ran for Prexy the first time.

I get the giggles from the 'bible salad' from so many of these Evangelical/Fundamentalist leaders. "I also want to say to Donald Trump, then when you watch this movie, you will be at peace and at rest because you, more than anyone, have done incredible things Jesus talks about, that you know faith without works is dead," Caviezel said before comparing Trump to the biblical figure David.

I would like to see just where Donald Trump has given sight to the blind, made the lame walk, raised the dead to life. Or even lived the precepts of the Sermon On The Mount. The belly laugh comes from 'faith without works is dead'. Jesus never said that (according any records we have today). That comes from the second chapter of the letter James, traditionally attributed to Jesus' brother. The second chapter is full of stuff about not giving any special treatment to VIP's. The first chapter is about how nobody needs any special virtue or knowledge to communicate directly with the creator. Chapter one,verse five even states you do not need to look it up in the bible.

I myself am particularly fond of Second Timothy, chapter three verse sixteen, which clearly says not all scripture is inspired by God. But you have to be fluent in Greek to read this, because most English (I cannot speak for bibles now published in other languages) translations weasel out of this, translating the Greek to conform to the preferred institutional interpretation. For example, check out the NRSV translation, which hides the full meaning in footnote b. The older Greek documents are more complex.

snailgate

[Big RR]

Jim Caviezel isn’t stupid. Most people who get drawn into cults aren’t stupid, in fact research shows many are better than average educated.

The documentary Q:Into the Storm is worth checking out for an idea of the scope of our country’s problems in this regard.

It’s easy to dismiss this insanity as the height of stupidity but what it really is is so very much more dangerous. There are millions of Americans who think those of us with progressive mindsets are no longer just the loyal opposition, we are beastly child groomers and child killers who deserve to die in a righteous bloodbath. We are foolish to dismiss this reality.

I don't know BSG; I think most people who are in cults are not insane, but voluntarily give up their decision making authority to someone else; sure, they're pressured to do so by other members, but they make a choice to cede all control to someone or something else--and to me, that's more likely to be stupidity than insanity (although cults welcome both. Now don't get me wrong, stupidity does not necessarily a lack of intelligence as it is commonly reckoned--only the stupidity of abandoning critical thinking. I knew a few people who were part of cults when I was in college (a couple of Moonies and one girl who followed one of those rich swamis (a young guy called something Iike Guru Majaraji)--they were there long enough to be considered part of the fold, and they all told me they originally made the choices they made because tey were searching for something they couldn't find elsewhere; once the choice was made, it was easier and easier to accept everything else--no matter how stupid it seemed, because they would otherwise have to say they were behaving foolishly (and would not do that). They each left when they were able to realize they were acting stupid, but did not have to continue being so.

Yes this is just anectdotaI, and I imagine there are some mentally ill people in cults, but would bet a good number of them are people who would rather act stupid (with the group's approval) than admit they were stupid. It's kind of like the alcoholic who keeps drinking and says "I can stop anytime I want to" rather than admitting to themselves and others that they lack the ability to stop.

[BoSoxGal]

I don’t think this is a matter or intelligence or education, although I’ll reiterate that the research on cult psychology evidences that highly intelligent and highly educated people are nevertheless susceptible.

I think Carl Sagan has the best perspective on why people end up intractably involved in cult think:

“One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.“

[Big RR]

“One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.“

I agree 100%. And as for intelligent people being susceptible, I think intelligence is no bar; the people I knew were fairly intelligent. Also, I would bet far more intelligent people undertake spiritual searches than non-intelligent people do; these people try to make sense by seeking answers. But intelligence is far different from stupidity, and they can easily fall into those traps, at least until they say "I might have been stupid in the past, but not anymore".

[rubato]

I don’t think this is a matter or intelligence or education, although I’ll reiterate that the research on cult psychology evidences that highly intelligent and highly educated people are nevertheless susceptible.

I think Carl Sagan has the best perspective on why people end up intractably involved in cult think:

“One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.“

I’ve seen it in real life more than once; if someone Is conned and made a fool of and you point it out they will hate you more than the person who conned them.

My carpool partners were talking about the Susan Boyle episode of britains got talent where Simon was surprised and amazed by her performance and I said; you know Simon Cowell owns that show? Meaning that no one gets on stage with the cameras rolling unless he has seen, heard, and approved them?. It was a frosty ride home after they yelled “ shut up”.

Proving that people often want satisfying lies over the truth.

Yrs,
Rubato

[rubato]

Wild wild country is a great documentary about the Rajneeshis and shows many of the dimensions of self deception. While I can see cleverness and cunning in their actions I cannot see evidence of intelligence in a broader sense.

Yes,
Rubato

[BoSoxGal]

I thought this story fit best here, since it is about the hive mind harassment and threats of violence being unleashed by trump’s minions on the judicial system and related actors holding him accountable.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/202 ... cutor-slur

I hope there are some young people out there who are seeing these prosecutors in action and feeling admiration and respect for them. There are a lot of reasons to criticize law enforcement and the justice system, certainly I’m no shrinking violet on that count. But it is good to remember that there are some principled figures operating within it and trying to do the right things even at great personal cost.