Edit: There’s a lot of people in the comment section who clearly didn’t read the article so let me clarify that no, this is not about Judge Aileen Cannon. Read. The. Damn. Article.

  • IninewCrow
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    688 months ago

    “It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.”
    ― Mark Twain

      • gregorum
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        8 months ago

        See, this doesn’t work as a truism because the "wrongness” or immorality is typically just a common coincidence taken advantage of by conmen (like Trump and other demagogues).

        It would be more accurate to say, “The enrichment of a person’s belief is often directly proportional to how self-serving it is.”

        Christianity provides a good example of this: believe in Jesus, and all of one’s sins are forgiven, basically writing a person a blank check to be a monster for their whole life, knowing that they’ll be forgiven when they die because “Jesus will forgive me.”

        This is what my mother believes and why my entire family refuses to ever speak to her again.

        • IninewCrow
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          88 months ago

          My sympathies to you and your family … I have a handful of people like that in my family but not to that extreme … they half heartedly believe in a bunch of evangelical bullshit but then aren’t smart enough or fundamental enough to debate anyone about it.

          I’m Indigenous Canadian and I grew up with a traditional land based mindset … my parents were Catholic but our belief system is heavily influenced by our old traditional ideas about the land, animals, and life in general. We didn’t need a book, a preacher or a big giant expensive church with men in dresses to tell us that we need to be good to people, definitely don’t kill anyone for any reason, treat everyone with kindness, don’t destroy the environment and every bad thing you do will eventually come back to haunt you or your descendants. We aren’t perfect either … but at least we don’t loudly proclaim how wrong we are.

        • Blaster M
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          18 months ago

          Amazing that people think being forgiven of sins is a free pass to make more sins, when the reality is, being forgiven requires that you make your best effort to do good and not sin again on purpose.

          People that sin on purpose because they assume to be forgiven… well, they won’t.

          • gregorum
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            48 months ago

            Is that explicitly stated in the Bible someplace? Because I don’t think it is. The part about Jesus always forgiving no matter what, however, is. It’s also widely taught.

            • Blaster M
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              8 months ago

              It is true that the forgiveness covers it all, but, if you claim to be a follower of God (and by extent, Jesus), you must behave to his standards to continue to be forgiven. Standards such as “return evil for evil to no one”, “love (kindness) your enemy and those persecuting you” (with examples of treating your enemies with deceny and respect as you would and should your neighbor), and so on. Include “he who lives by the sword shall perish by it” as a warning to those that feel the need to be fighters, vigilantes, and so on. Replace sword with gun for a more modern interpretation.

              • gregorum
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                8 months ago

                Or… not do that and just ask Jesus for forgiveness, who always forgives. Abrakadaba! Sins begone!

                See, it’s just a loophole so Xians have a free pass to be monsters with the belief that they still get into heaven when they die.

                Your mistake is attempting to apply logic to a belief system based on myth, magic, and nonsense.

                • Blaster M
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                  18 months ago

                  Those kinds of “once saved always saved, so I can do anything I want” people will most certainly not get a heaven ending. They are on the way to the Destruction ending.

                  • gregorum
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                    68 months ago

                    What makes you think anyone gets any ending other than simply being dead?

      • IninewCrow
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        128 months ago

        Mark Twain was a phenomenal American. Everyone should read his books and writings.

        I have my complaints about America but there are great things about the country … and Mark Twain is one of them.

        • GladiusB
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          48 months ago

          I have read a couple. It was many years ago. But I do remember a few gems.