The Democratic Candidates

Hi!

Just got the doomsday report from my 70yr old parents. They are pissed and say what those woman did to Biden ruined the Democrats chances and they think Biden’s a good guy. Also, Pete don’t stand a chance in hell and progressive liberals have ruined the Democratic Party. Lol
My brothers nickname for my dad is” the king of negativity “

Spiritual_Chaos

Hi! said:

Just got the doomsday report from my 70yr old parents. They are pissed and say what those woman did to Biden ruined the Democrats chances and they think Biden’s a good guy. Also, Pete don’t stand a chance in hell and progressive liberals have ruined the Democratic Party. Lol
My brothers nickname for my dad is” the king of negativity “

I was "Mr Negative" in high school. Maybe I should be pen pals with your dad.

Spiritual_Chaos

Why is Beto starting to irritate me.

Hi!

I just made my first ever monetary donation to a political campaign. $3 to Mayor Pete.

benjs

Hi! said:

I just made my first ever monetary donation to a political campaign. $3 to Mayor Pete.

It's a nice progressive message he's including. The nerd in me has so many questions about how he controls the messages shown (are there different messages based on different responses, etc.).

Hi!

benjs said:

Hi! said:

I just made my first ever monetary donation to a political campaign. $3 to Mayor Pete.

Y

It's a nice progressive message he's including. The nerd in me has so many questions about how he controls the messages shown (are there different messages based on different responses, etc.).

Right, I don’t have enough money to find out, lol.

Hi!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MPjoYhtk-sg

benjs

Hi! said:

benjs said:

Hi! said:

I just made my first ever monetary donation to a political campaign. $3 to Mayor Pete.

Y

It's a nice progressive message he's including. The nerd in me has so many questions about how he controls the messages shown (are there different messages based on different responses, etc.).

Right, I don’t have enough money to find out, lol.

Doesn't actually take money, just HTML understanding usually  

mrussel1

Re Mayor Pete - One thing about him which I really like is that he does not appear to be afraid to embrace his Christian faith.  Several months ago, I brought up the point that the left needs to reclaim Jesus, and how progressive his teachings truly are.  In this forum, the idea wasn't received particularly well (although everyone was very nice about it).  So I'm going to bring it up again.  It's both a moral and political mistake to cede the teachings of Jesus to the religious right.  Here's a recent quote from Pete:

“We need to not be afraid to invoke arguments … on why Christian faith is going to point you in a progressive direction,” he recently told USA Today. He also questioned Donald Trump’s religious sincerity. “I’m reluctant to comment on another person’s faith,” Buttigieg said, “but I would say it is hard to look at this president’s actions and believe that they’re the actions of somebody who believes in God.”

I believe that a candidate can be true and open about their faith without it being a risk to putting the 10 Commandments on the courthouse steps or making laws based on the writings of Leviticus.  Hearing Pete speak about this is definitely a mark in the "positive" column for me. 

mrussel1

cincybearcat said:

He likes using the word troll a lot today it seems. 

I learned troll yesterday, you learned echo chamber.  We're even.  
On a slightly different note, I do apologize for calling you a dick yesterday.  I went too far.  My bad.  I still think your comment to PJ Soul was dickish though, but that does not necessarily make you an actual phallus..maybe a taint?  Kidding.  

Spiritual_Chaos

The one thing I don't like about Mayor Pete is that he lives in 2019 and still believes in this Christian storybook God.

But I guess it's needed to even be considered to be elected to President.... but wait, is Bernie an outspoken atheist or does he also believe in God?

mrussel1

Spiritual_Chaos said:

The one thing I don't like about Mayor Pete is that he lives in 2019 and still believes in this Christian storybook God.

But I guess it's needed to even be considered to be elected to President.... but wait, is Bernie an outspoken atheist or does he also believe in God?

He calls himself Jewish I believe.  I don't know how much he practices, but pretty sure he is of the faith.

Also, you have to realize there are millions (like me) who don't believe that the Bible is factual as an historical account, particularly the New Testament.  There's little doubt that the historical Jesus existed and if you read what he preached, rather than focus on God creating the Earth in seven days, I think most would agree that Jesus's value system is timeless.  

benjs

mrussel1 said:

Re Mayor Pete - One thing about him which I really like is that he does not appear to be afraid to embrace his Christian faith.  Several months ago, I brought up the point that the left needs to reclaim Jesus, and how progressive his teachings truly are.  In this forum, the idea wasn't received particularly well (although everyone was very nice about it).  So I'm going to bring it up again.  It's both a moral and political mistake to cede the teachings of Jesus to the religious right.  Here's a recent quote from Pete:

“We need to not be afraid to invoke arguments … on why Christian faith is going to point you in a progressive direction,” he recently told USA Today. He also questioned Donald Trump’s religious sincerity. “I’m reluctant to comment on another person’s faith,” Buttigieg said, “but I would say it is hard to look at this president’s actions and believe that they’re the actions of somebody who believes in God.”

I believe that a candidate can be true and open about their faith without it being a risk to putting the 10 Commandments on the courthouse steps or making laws based on the writings of Leviticus.  Hearing Pete speak about this is definitely a mark in the "positive" column for me. 

mrussel, I want to be careful not to offend, and want to start by admitting personal bias here, as I'm not a fan of religion. I went through religious day school when I was younger, and I still have anger and resentment for being forced to pray to a god I don't believe in, as some form of penance for not doing homework. Sitting in a room as an atheist depressed teenager, in tears, while one of the shittiest humans I've ever had the displeasure of meeting was on the other side, yelling at me to pray louder because she couldn't hear me, is an image that over fifteen years later I've been unable to shake. I've seen and heard too many other examples of exertion of undue influence over weak and impressionable minds, rationalized by an obligation to spread a gospel which is inherently unprovable, to believe that religion is used authentically to lead a value-driven discussion or life in most cases. 

With that being said, as long as there's a willingness to invite debate on religion-founded statements and to treat religion the way I really believe you believe it (which is that there are good values that could be shared and discussed - and not that there are good voters who could be swayed), I'm cool with that. I really feel that sharing and discussing ways to improve ourselves is part of our obligation as a race that wishes to have more tomorrows, but it has to be dialogue and not (pun intended) set in stone.

Hi!

Right, growing up in Christian church/household the message that was instilled in me was, help the poor, care for the sick, treat others as you want to be treated, ect. I find the dems policy to be tilted towards those teachings far more than what the Republicans are offering. I am fine with Mayor Pete embracing his faith, and strategically it’s probably a good idea. 

mrussel1

I was brought up in a horrible Catholic environment as well.  Nuns locked kids in lockers, threw erasers, we were punished unfairly, etc.  I had to go to church 4x a week, 3 of them for school.  The redeeming factor is that church wine is quite delicious and the priests had no inventory control mechanism.  
So to be clear, I'm not espousing organized religion.  I'm saying it's a political and moral mistake not to use the teachings of Jesus, and the social values around the poor, indigent, the strangers in our land, and the command to stand humbly before God and man.  When Democrats hand that over to the Republicans, we lose a strong moral high ground while this administration literally shits on it.  

cincybearcat

Spiritual_Chaos said:

Why is Beto starting to irritate me.

Stump speech?

mrussel1

Hi! said:

Right, growing up in Christian church/household the message that was instilled in me was, help the poor, care for the sick, treat others as you want to be treated, ect. I find the dems policy to be tilted towards those teachings far more than what the Republicans are offering. I am fine with Mayor Pete embracing his faith, and strategically it’s probably a good idea. 

YES!  These are the core components of the New Testament.  And they are aligned with progressive values.  Embrace them.  

benjs

mrussel1 said:

I was brought up in a horrible Catholic environment as well.  Nuns locked kids in lockers, threw erasers, we were punished unfairly, etc.  I had to go to church 4x a week, 3 of them for school.  The redeeming factor is that church wine is quite delicious and the priests had no inventory control mechanism.  
So to be clear, I'm not espousing organized religion.  I'm saying it's a political and moral mistake not to use the teachings of Jesus, and the social values around the poor, indigent, the strangers in our land, and the command to stand humbly before God and man.  When Democrats hand that over to the Republicans, we lose a strong moral high ground while this administration literally shits on it.  

That's what I thought you were saying, and I agree there. As long as this is kept as value-driven discussions, I see no problem with talking about how religious texts agree with those values that are core to the society we want to perpetuate and providing examples of that.
As for wine - that's key in Judaism as well. We actually have a holiday where Jews are commanded to get drunk enough that they can't tell right from wrong. 

mrussel1

benjs said:

mrussel1 said:

I was brought up in a horrible Catholic environment as well.  Nuns locked kids in lockers, threw erasers, we were punished unfairly, etc.  I had to go to church 4x a week, 3 of them for school.  The redeeming factor is that church wine is quite delicious and the priests had no inventory control mechanism.  
So to be clear, I'm not espousing organized religion.  I'm saying it's a political and moral mistake not to use the teachings of Jesus, and the social values around the poor, indigent, the strangers in our land, and the command to stand humbly before God and man.  When Democrats hand that over to the Republicans, we lose a strong moral high ground while this administration literally shits on it.  

That's what I thought you were saying, and I agree there. As long as this is kept as value-driven discussions, I see no problem with talking about how religious texts agree with those values that are core to the society we want to perpetuate and providing examples of that.
As for wine - that's key in Judaism as well. We actually have a holiday where Jews are commanded to get drunk enough that they can't tell right from wrong. 

The Jews celebrate the purge?  Crazy!  

benjs

mrussel1 said:

Hi! said:

Right, growing up in Christian church/household the message that was instilled in me was, help the poor, care for the sick, treat others as you want to be treated, ect. I find the dems policy to be tilted towards those teachings far more than what the Republicans are offering. I am fine with Mayor Pete embracing his faith, and strategically it’s probably a good idea. 

YES!  These are the core components of the New Testament.  And they are aligned with progressive values.  Embrace them.  

As an aside, it would be a beautiful day if the variety of religions represented in politics today were able to proudly share their own examples of how their religion's values are in alignment with the values we're trying to maintain/develop. We all have red blood after all, and we should show that.