Sinclair: Yes, the Prophet Charlie Kirk was a bigot, but his effectiveness as a bigot was undeniable. It was so undeniable that we left it in this special whitewashing his legacy. That's how undeniable his effective bigotry was.
Exactly! And which bigotry did they leave in, his attack on trans people. Because even a big portion of Dems have signaled that everyone is “okay” with that. Sure, the right wingers want to keep down people of color, women, all LGBTQ, etc but they thought that clip would be easily defended and accepted. Heck I just saw a clip where Kirk said taxing billionaires was against the Ten Commandments. It is so obvious the grift (and not God) is the point but people believe what they want to believe. “Belief is the death of reason.”
Belief is indeed the death of reason: beliefs can be true or false, but if you want to turn mere belief (or faith) into knowledge, you must add JUSTIFICATION=EVIDENCE. Justified true belief is knowledge, the kind of knowledge base we depend on in all of our science, math, history, research of all kinds, even whether or not we choose to stay in a marriage or a job.
Yup… even McBride. Obeying in advance and trying to be bipartisan while Trump loudly says he hates and will never work with the other party and just keeps expecting more and more capitulation.
If you don’t require evidence for your belief in a deity—and if there were conclusive evidence for the existence of a particular deity there would be no christofascists— then how can you refuse to believe other weird claims without evidence? You would have to accept ON PRINCIPLE that, e.g., a witch doctor could cure your car’s mechanical problems, or that Charlie Kirk was the reincarnation of Jesus, or that Tylenol causes autism. There is no evidence for any of those three claims, but on what grounds could you say that you reject them when you believe in a deity without any evidence? You’re stuck with cherry-picking the claims you FEEL LIKE believing. I just can’t bring myself to do that.
I mean, personally I’m not atheist and I’ve had certain things happen that I sort of leave a question mark on that could potentially be personal evidence for me to have a certain belief. But the problem I think is when other people have personal beliefs based on personal experiences and then feel entitled to turn that into evidence that everybody should believe what they believe. And most organized religion has it baked in that “converting” people is a goal and judging people is the point.
I believe in a loose idea in like “the energy of the universe,” which can be described maybe as positivity and negativity, opposing forces. I am no theologian and am kind of happy with following this idea that others might deem unscientific and not based in empirical evidence because experiences in my life have lined up in ways that lead me to that belief.
But Christianity, at its core, argues that if you do not believe that “Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins” then there is no bigger sin than not believing that and thus you go to some place called “hell” for eternity. Also different denominations have various stances on the “rapture” and the importance of converting as many as possible (and who is even eligible) but it is a foundational belief that God is returning and taking people to a heaven so it excuses treating animals, the planet, non-Christians etc like shit because it is all just the playpen of the true believers. The only version of Christianity that makes sense to me would be like what Joseph Campbell described. The bible being read as metaphor and moral inspiration and not literally and factually. And admitting that it was written and interpreted through the eyes (and potential corruption) of mankind.
I agree with your ideas about religion and also love Joseph Campbell. You’re also right that there should be no mistreatment of non-human animals, the planet, and other humans who follow another religions or have none. If different sects of christianity can’t even agree in the same theology and interpretation of the bible, that’s good evidence to me that there is no one perfect religious truth we all should accept. Religious wars are fought because there’s no reasonable way to settle these differences.
Religious wars are also typically fought because there are economic interests who find it convenient to cloak their financial aims in a veneer of religious morality. Strip the religion away and you're left with plain old human motivations to annex land and resources.
He didn’t cure cancer. He didn’t help raise funds in a natural catastrophe. He appears unacquainted with the actual teaching of Christ. No familiarity with The Sermon on the Mount. He actively promoted racism. He was against abortion, but ok with school shootings as a sacrifice for 2nd amendment. He denigrated education, probably as ppl would learn there’s no biological evidence for racism, or what the 2nd amendment actually says. What all the constitution says. The weirdest one of all misogyny. Now Kirk’s wife runs the organization?
BTW why do white supremacist look like Kirk or Homan?
Why is no one talking about the millions he has made spouting these awful statements..what other job could he have done to support his family like this??? He was another Vance.. figure out how to make a career
I think we just have to keep reminding people of this aspect - you're right, it's not given nearly enough attention. I try to include a mention every time possible. Also Sean Feucht, who sets himself up as some kind of religious crusader while building himself multimillion dollar homes on the proceeds of what he extracts from his gullible followers.
Sinclair’s agenda is not new. Arts/Entertainment and Media are two of the the Seven Mountains mandate (spheres of influence along with family, religion, economics, government and education) dreamed up in the mid 70’s by two fundamental evangelicals as a way to bring the US back to God. Maybe because I have been dealing with this white charismatic fundamentalism in family members for the last 50 years I have paid an inordinate amount of time learning and having to live with their agenda for what seems like forever. I am really sorry that the rest of the country thought that only purity culture and homeschooling were their agendas but here we are. Trust their actions- they will not stop until this is a “Christian” nation made in the image of their God. I and so many other Christians cringe at their hypocrisy. No, Charlie, there is no hierarchy of love that goes “God, family, freedom, country”. MAGA is their enforcement mob on steroids and the Queens borough real estate mobster posing as president is their savior. Jimmy Kimmel is just one casualty among many in every one of the mandates.
So, don't watch ABC, maybe CBS also? I already don't watch Fox. Good thing I have so much on streaming I don't need to bother with the major networks as long as I can still read a variety of news on RSS feeds and listen to NPR.
Ms. Jeffcoat is (was) an award winning journalist; Murrow award, Emmy, etc. What I can’t fathom is how or why someone in her position, and she’s not alone, doesn’t resign when directed to anchor this kind of program. This isn’t journalism, and everyone knows it.
Reading some stories in The Guardian this morning about the CK funeral and how rump says he hates the left. The headline says donations are pouring in to Turning Point. I can't help wondering if the CK killing was engineered by rump and co to shore up a base that is unhappy with him not keeping his promises on Epstein and the economy?
I think Trump has 1600 pardoned convicts that would pretty much do whatever he asked them to. I've read some pretty convincing arguments that Robinson wasn't even the gunman. We won't know anything about the evidence until/unless there is a trial, and history proves how far away we actually are from that.
In the meantime, how many people are still talking about Epstein? Or, have you heard any chatter about the massive increase in health care costs that are about to go into effect?
Eric Hoffer, the American philosopher put it succinctly in his book, “The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements”: “Hatred is the most accessible and comprehensive of all unifying agents,” adding, “Mass movements can rise and spread without belief in a god, but never without belief in a devil.” Trump and his personality cult are turning up hate toward any who criticize and oppose him.
If you read Jason Stanley's book _How Fascism Works_ and Ruth Ben-Ghiat's book _Strongmen_ you will see support for Hoffer's thesis. Fascist regimes need scapegoats for their citizens to focus their hate on.
Americans have always needed someone to hate. Which ever group immigrated to this country last were the hated until the next group came. We ran out of immigrants so we needed to turn on ourselves. Pick a group that is not Man, White, Cis, Job-holder and go after them with a vengeance. They may be a FELON, MOLEST CHILDREN, A RAPIST or LIE, CHEAT AND STEAL. If they hate loudly, they will have followers.
Just about all humans seem to have needed a scapegoat for their tribal hatred. Our brains can distinguish between who’s like us and who is other, but it takes an extra layer of fear to label the other BAD or EVIL.
When Sinclair bought our local affiliate, the journalists who worked there were concerned. They were public with their fears of being fired. None planned to stay if they were stifled. It took about a year. The National News Desk appeared late at night. Then editorials from who knows where. New local reporters. Even the advertising changed. It became unwatchable.
Last election less than 49.9% of the vote Mary does not equal a majority! House vote by some democrats was against violence not an honor to Kirk.
As the resolution reads on Kirk “ as a model for young Americans across the spectrum “ who was known for “ engaging in respectful, civil discourse across college campuses, media platforms, and national forums, always seeking to elevate truth, foster understanding, and strengthen the Republic.” This “ … “ is as false about what Kirk’s real statements, and beliefs were
As only those pro t believes t didn’t do anything with young girls. Did you forget about the files?
Sinclair Broadcasting owns 185 TV stations and The Baltimore Sun newspaper and only broadcasts racist faux bible-thumping rubbish that the dishonorable David Smith demands. This Charlie Kirk remembrance with the foulest injected lies of his obviously false religiousity is nothing but pure bullshit, and if this country actually believed that truth and integrity was required of media outlets, these types of pestilence like Smith, Murdoch, and other bottom dweller billionaires would be chopped up and tossed in the gutter.
Seems they needed a martyr to divert attention from the the corruption... wonder how much planning went into making this happen just as it did.
Also, watched a video of Utah's governor call for reason and peace immediately after the event, with Patel cringing and glaring in the background. Then suddenly Gov. Cox is all about the shooter being left and eligible for the death penalty.
The conspiracy theories keep swirling in my head as I wonder how many people they are willing to take out to further the ends they seek. Not sure if that means I need to stay away from the news or seek more of it.
That said - I know I can always trust Judd and PI.
There really is no bottom to the cardboard version of Christianity!
100%
Is "Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness" now considered optional by today's Christians?
It always has been for some, just as with non Christians.
Sinclair: Yes, the Prophet Charlie Kirk was a bigot, but his effectiveness as a bigot was undeniable. It was so undeniable that we left it in this special whitewashing his legacy. That's how undeniable his effective bigotry was.
Exactly! And which bigotry did they leave in, his attack on trans people. Because even a big portion of Dems have signaled that everyone is “okay” with that. Sure, the right wingers want to keep down people of color, women, all LGBTQ, etc but they thought that clip would be easily defended and accepted. Heck I just saw a clip where Kirk said taxing billionaires was against the Ten Commandments. It is so obvious the grift (and not God) is the point but people believe what they want to believe. “Belief is the death of reason.”
Belief is indeed the death of reason: beliefs can be true or false, but if you want to turn mere belief (or faith) into knowledge, you must add JUSTIFICATION=EVIDENCE. Justified true belief is knowledge, the kind of knowledge base we depend on in all of our science, math, history, research of all kinds, even whether or not we choose to stay in a marriage or a job.
Only 38 Democrats in the House of Representatives voted NO on the resolution to honor Charlie Kirk.
JEFFRIES, Lieu, Lofgren, Moskowitz, Nadler, RASKIN, CUELLAR, Khanna, Goldman, CLARK, CROW - ALL VOTED YES!
Yup… even McBride. Obeying in advance and trying to be bipartisan while Trump loudly says he hates and will never work with the other party and just keeps expecting more and more capitulation.
Yup, this.
If you don’t require evidence for your belief in a deity—and if there were conclusive evidence for the existence of a particular deity there would be no christofascists— then how can you refuse to believe other weird claims without evidence? You would have to accept ON PRINCIPLE that, e.g., a witch doctor could cure your car’s mechanical problems, or that Charlie Kirk was the reincarnation of Jesus, or that Tylenol causes autism. There is no evidence for any of those three claims, but on what grounds could you say that you reject them when you believe in a deity without any evidence? You’re stuck with cherry-picking the claims you FEEL LIKE believing. I just can’t bring myself to do that.
I mean, personally I’m not atheist and I’ve had certain things happen that I sort of leave a question mark on that could potentially be personal evidence for me to have a certain belief. But the problem I think is when other people have personal beliefs based on personal experiences and then feel entitled to turn that into evidence that everybody should believe what they believe. And most organized religion has it baked in that “converting” people is a goal and judging people is the point.
I believe in a loose idea in like “the energy of the universe,” which can be described maybe as positivity and negativity, opposing forces. I am no theologian and am kind of happy with following this idea that others might deem unscientific and not based in empirical evidence because experiences in my life have lined up in ways that lead me to that belief.
But Christianity, at its core, argues that if you do not believe that “Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins” then there is no bigger sin than not believing that and thus you go to some place called “hell” for eternity. Also different denominations have various stances on the “rapture” and the importance of converting as many as possible (and who is even eligible) but it is a foundational belief that God is returning and taking people to a heaven so it excuses treating animals, the planet, non-Christians etc like shit because it is all just the playpen of the true believers. The only version of Christianity that makes sense to me would be like what Joseph Campbell described. The bible being read as metaphor and moral inspiration and not literally and factually. And admitting that it was written and interpreted through the eyes (and potential corruption) of mankind.
I agree with your ideas about religion and also love Joseph Campbell. You’re also right that there should be no mistreatment of non-human animals, the planet, and other humans who follow another religions or have none. If different sects of christianity can’t even agree in the same theology and interpretation of the bible, that’s good evidence to me that there is no one perfect religious truth we all should accept. Religious wars are fought because there’s no reasonable way to settle these differences.
Religious wars are also typically fought because there are economic interests who find it convenient to cloak their financial aims in a veneer of religious morality. Strip the religion away and you're left with plain old human motivations to annex land and resources.
Excellent comment and spot on, both in writing and content!!
Charlie Kirk was not a national hero.
He didn’t cure cancer. He didn’t help raise funds in a natural catastrophe. He appears unacquainted with the actual teaching of Christ. No familiarity with The Sermon on the Mount. He actively promoted racism. He was against abortion, but ok with school shootings as a sacrifice for 2nd amendment. He denigrated education, probably as ppl would learn there’s no biological evidence for racism, or what the 2nd amendment actually says. What all the constitution says. The weirdest one of all misogyny. Now Kirk’s wife runs the organization?
BTW why do white supremacist look like Kirk or Homan?
Why is no one talking about the millions he has made spouting these awful statements..what other job could he have done to support his family like this??? He was another Vance.. figure out how to make a career
I think we just have to keep reminding people of this aspect - you're right, it's not given nearly enough attention. I try to include a mention every time possible. Also Sean Feucht, who sets himself up as some kind of religious crusader while building himself multimillion dollar homes on the proceeds of what he extracts from his gullible followers.
And several others who are supported by senior’s social security checks
Bottom line: Kimmel was right!!
Sinclair’s agenda is not new. Arts/Entertainment and Media are two of the the Seven Mountains mandate (spheres of influence along with family, religion, economics, government and education) dreamed up in the mid 70’s by two fundamental evangelicals as a way to bring the US back to God. Maybe because I have been dealing with this white charismatic fundamentalism in family members for the last 50 years I have paid an inordinate amount of time learning and having to live with their agenda for what seems like forever. I am really sorry that the rest of the country thought that only purity culture and homeschooling were their agendas but here we are. Trust their actions- they will not stop until this is a “Christian” nation made in the image of their God. I and so many other Christians cringe at their hypocrisy. No, Charlie, there is no hierarchy of love that goes “God, family, freedom, country”. MAGA is their enforcement mob on steroids and the Queens borough real estate mobster posing as president is their savior. Jimmy Kimmel is just one casualty among many in every one of the mandates.
Check out Ziklag too if you haven’t already, Jockey owners are huge donors so I have been boycotting them since I found out! https://www.propublica.org/article/inside-ziklag-secret-christian-charity-2024-election
So, don't watch ABC, maybe CBS also? I already don't watch Fox. Good thing I have so much on streaming I don't need to bother with the major networks as long as I can still read a variety of news on RSS feeds and listen to NPR.
Ms. Jeffcoat is (was) an award winning journalist; Murrow award, Emmy, etc. What I can’t fathom is how or why someone in her position, and she’s not alone, doesn’t resign when directed to anchor this kind of program. This isn’t journalism, and everyone knows it.
When a cult is dominating the national conversation...
The people running the country are dangerous weirdos. Maybe some polling will reassure that *most* Americans also find them unsuited to be in power.
Reading some stories in The Guardian this morning about the CK funeral and how rump says he hates the left. The headline says donations are pouring in to Turning Point. I can't help wondering if the CK killing was engineered by rump and co to shore up a base that is unhappy with him not keeping his promises on Epstein and the economy?
It feels more and more like this is the case. Another false flag
I think Trump has 1600 pardoned convicts that would pretty much do whatever he asked them to. I've read some pretty convincing arguments that Robinson wasn't even the gunman. We won't know anything about the evidence until/unless there is a trial, and history proves how far away we actually are from that.
In the meantime, how many people are still talking about Epstein? Or, have you heard any chatter about the massive increase in health care costs that are about to go into effect?
Eric Hoffer, the American philosopher put it succinctly in his book, “The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements”: “Hatred is the most accessible and comprehensive of all unifying agents,” adding, “Mass movements can rise and spread without belief in a god, but never without belief in a devil.” Trump and his personality cult are turning up hate toward any who criticize and oppose him.
If you read Jason Stanley's book _How Fascism Works_ and Ruth Ben-Ghiat's book _Strongmen_ you will see support for Hoffer's thesis. Fascist regimes need scapegoats for their citizens to focus their hate on.
Americans have always needed someone to hate. Which ever group immigrated to this country last were the hated until the next group came. We ran out of immigrants so we needed to turn on ourselves. Pick a group that is not Man, White, Cis, Job-holder and go after them with a vengeance. They may be a FELON, MOLEST CHILDREN, A RAPIST or LIE, CHEAT AND STEAL. If they hate loudly, they will have followers.
Just about all humans seem to have needed a scapegoat for their tribal hatred. Our brains can distinguish between who’s like us and who is other, but it takes an extra layer of fear to label the other BAD or EVIL.
When Sinclair bought our local affiliate, the journalists who worked there were concerned. They were public with their fears of being fired. None planned to stay if they were stifled. It took about a year. The National News Desk appeared late at night. Then editorials from who knows where. New local reporters. Even the advertising changed. It became unwatchable.
Yes, their faith is grounded in a White Blue Eyes ,Jesus…they’re so blinded, deaf, and dumb.
All blessed and manipulated by the greed and absolute power of selfishness billionaires.
Fortunately for the majority of Americans, Judd is showing us the Truth! We stand vigilant in the Truth.
Last election less than 49.9% of the vote Mary does not equal a majority! House vote by some democrats was against violence not an honor to Kirk.
As the resolution reads on Kirk “ as a model for young Americans across the spectrum “ who was known for “ engaging in respectful, civil discourse across college campuses, media platforms, and national forums, always seeking to elevate truth, foster understanding, and strengthen the Republic.” This “ … “ is as false about what Kirk’s real statements, and beliefs were
As only those pro t believes t didn’t do anything with young girls. Did you forget about the files?
Judging by the votes in the last election and the votes in the House to honor Kirk, the majority of Americans are pro-Trump/Kirk .
Kimmel will do just fine on alternate platforms. He doesn’t need to sell out to Sinclair.
Sinclair Broadcasting owns 185 TV stations and The Baltimore Sun newspaper and only broadcasts racist faux bible-thumping rubbish that the dishonorable David Smith demands. This Charlie Kirk remembrance with the foulest injected lies of his obviously false religiousity is nothing but pure bullshit, and if this country actually believed that truth and integrity was required of media outlets, these types of pestilence like Smith, Murdoch, and other bottom dweller billionaires would be chopped up and tossed in the gutter.
Seems they needed a martyr to divert attention from the the corruption... wonder how much planning went into making this happen just as it did.
Also, watched a video of Utah's governor call for reason and peace immediately after the event, with Patel cringing and glaring in the background. Then suddenly Gov. Cox is all about the shooter being left and eligible for the death penalty.
The conspiracy theories keep swirling in my head as I wonder how many people they are willing to take out to further the ends they seek. Not sure if that means I need to stay away from the news or seek more of it.
That said - I know I can always trust Judd and PI.
How can someone tell if they have Sinclair?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_stations_owned_or_operated_by_Sinclair_Broadcast_Group?wprov=sfti1
Thank you for posting this link! You have done a fantastic public service today!