Category: Religion / Religious / Theocracy
Billions In Public Money Now Go To Religious Schools
The attempt to turn the US in to a theocracy in red states run by republicans is being done by a minority of a minority. The reason they have the legislative power they do is they have gerrymandered and used voter suppression to get only their supporters into power. Churches which pay no taxes fund the campaigns of people who will give the churches more power and tax payer money. Churches pay no taxes, the pay no property tax on housing for clergy and many other tax free give a ways. Yet they are constantly demanding a share of the ever shrinking tax payer funds. They don’t add to the treasury but they want some of it. Why because they are greedy, but their numbers are shrinking, less butts in pews means less money in collection plates. That was their real beef with the Covid restrictions, they were losing money. So by forcing kids to see and learn religious stuff they hope to reverse the trend and get more people back to church. Some of them want to force people to attend at least one religious service a week. Democracy and the freedom from religion is being attacked hard, we need to defend them just as hard. Plus private schools get to be choosy in who the accept, so they can’t be openly racist and bigoted, they also get to refuse admission to kids that are difficult to teach or have specials needs. Hugs. Scottie
The Washington Post reports:
Billions in taxpayer dollars are being used to pay tuition at religious schools throughout the country, as state voucher programs expand dramatically and the line separating public education and religion fades.
School vouchers can be used at almost any private school, but the vast majority of the money is being directed to religious schools, according to a Washington Post examination of the nation’s largest voucher programs.
In Florida, several programs combine to make every student in the state eligible for vouchers, with more than 400,000 participating this year. At least 82 percent of students attend religious schools, The Post found. Florida is first in the nation in both the number of enrolled students and total cost of the voucher program — more than $3 billion this year
Read the full article.
The linked piece notes that much of the voucher money is going to families that would pay or already are paying for private or religious schools themselves.
Israel Has LOST – And This PROVES It
Dozens Of Palestinians Massacred To Rescue Four Israeli Hostages
He CHOSE!
Again she out did herself. She talks about the tRump being a cult leader with a new song as a chosen one while she lists off his horrible choices. Definitely a to watch video.
Side note not related to the video, my steroids injects kicked in, after a great night of sleep the first two nights with limited pain, I spent last night unable to even think of sleep. Finally my spouse helped me with some relief but I only got about 3.5 hours.
This morning when I got up I went right to my blog. I had to eat I was starved so I had a leftover grilled hot dog and grilled hamburger from the night before. Ron had planned on making a beef stew today which he is working on and smells grand. But I was so crazed with hunger a bit ago at 2:30 PM (I got up at 5 am and ate at 5:30 am) that I begged him to help me, so he made me a large salad, which I love and crave salads, we don’t know why. I do have an issue with anemia they once said was to my large bones not making enough red blood cells, but I have not been to low in a while. So he made this large salad and as soon as I started to eat it my cravings stopped and I could think again. I returned to being human. I was denied food as a child and even was hospitalized for malnutrition, so when I get that hungry I get frantic and desperate. I just hope now after a wonderful salad I will be able to eat his grand stew. Now to the video. Hugs. Scottie
CO Republicans And GOP House Candidates Call For Chair To Resign Over “Burn All Pride Flags” Message
This is what drives the increased hate and attacks on the LGBTQ+. This is what republicans consider to be high quality discourse and thought. Attack anyone different and hurt them hard, wipe them out. It is gang thug rule and it is the cults they are in. Either the tRump cult or the Fundamentalist cult. Hugs. Scottie
Denver’s ABC affiliate reports:
The fallout from the Colorado GOP’s anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric earlier this week continued Friday with state Republican leaders calling for party chairman Dave Williams to resign.
The latest denouncement came from the Jefferson County Republicans, who on behalf of “numerous Colorado Republican County Chairs, other county party officers, members of the Colorado State Central Committee in all 64 Counties, and many Republican candidates” called on Colorado GOP chairman Dave Williams to “immediately resign.”
The mounting backlash against Williams follows a blast email from the Colorado GOP that was signed by the chairman, in which the party accused the LGBTQ+ community of being “godless groomers” who want to harm children. On its official profile on X, the Colorado GOP also called for the burning of Pride flags.
The Advocate reports:
Williams sent an email to GOP voters earlier this week that referred to queer people as “barbaric,” “creeps,” “degenerates,” “godless,” “groomers,” “predators,” “radicals,” and “reprobates.”
Valdamar Archuleta, the head of Colorado’s Log Cabin Republicans, has been one of the few GOP members to defend Williams. He said Wednesday that “I do not think Dave hates me because I’m gay. I don’t think that Dave is a homophobic person. He’s trying to get a reaction.”
The Colorado News-Press reports:
Five of the six Republican candidates running for Congress in Colorado’s 4th District are disavowing their state party’s leadership, citing its recent anti-LGBTQ messaging and concerns over campaign impropriety.
The conservatives, who are on the primary ballot this month, have called into question Colorado GOP Chair Dave Williams and are advocating for new leadership. Only U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, who received the endorsement of the party, declined to comment on Williams’ messaging.
Williams has sparked criticism inside and outside of the Colorado Republican Party for an email sent from the state party that claimed people in the LGBTQ community are “evil” and “godless groomers.”
As I reported earlier today, Colorado has seen a spree of stolen Pride flags since the state GOP issued its “burn all Pride flags” message. Williams has called reports of the thefts a hoax.
Last month the Colorado GOP called on Christians to remove their children from public schools because Democrats are using schools to “turn more kids trans.”
Williams is running to replace retiring GOP Rep. Doug Lamborn. Williams, you may recall, lost a lawsuit seeking to have “Let’s Go Brandon” by his name on the ballot during his failed 2022 House bid.
During a December 2023 appearance on extremist Laura Loomer’s podcast, Williams told the Colorado Supreme Court to “go fuck themselves” after they removed Trump from the ballot. It’s what Jesus would want.
My 90 year old Colorado Father in law has always been a republican. He loves his Gay son and his gay sons husband (me), He told us last night, “I’m done with the republican party” after he received this email.
“Only U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, who received the endorsement of the party, declined to comment on Williams’ messaging.”
Oklahoma Gov Signs Bill Allowing Students To Leave School Three Periods Per Week For Religious Lessons
These same republicans constantly complain and bitch about public schools teaching things other than standard education. They complain about woke subjects and learning true history for example. Back to the basics is their goal they claim. But letting kids miss classes for religious church lessons is great they claim. Kids don’t need schooling they need bible and more bible. Who needs reading especial about people who are different from the majority when they can learn bible by sitting in church having someone tell them what they think god said or meant. And it must be their god not one of those false ones that the bad people worship. Public school is for the multiple of people who believe different things, in different gods or no god. They have churches for that. Keep god in your church and out of public schools. Hugs. Scottie
Oklahoma City’s NBC affiliate reports:
Governor Stitt signed legislation Wednesday on a framework for public school students to get credits by attending religious instruction during school hours. “What HB 1425 does is that it gives the schools a framework,” said Representative Clay Staires (R-Skiatook), who authored the bill.
Starting in November of this year students from all grade levels would understand their opportunity when leaving their classroom during school and heading to a religious instructional class that has to be off-site. Another rule is that it cannot be led by the school or anyone employed with the school.
Students would be allowed to leave for three class periods a week and 125 class periods a year to attend it. The Satanic Temple announced that if Governor Stitt signed HB 1425 they would offer up their instructional programs.
Read the full article.
Below, Christian nationalist state education Superintendent Ryan Walters says satanism is not a religion and therefore leaving school to attend classes offered by atheist trolling outfit the Satanic Temple will not be permitted.
As for Gov. Kevin Stitt, he last appeared here in March 2024 when he declared that God personally had him elected to stop abortion in Oklahoma.
Stitt, who appeared here in November 2023 when he publicly praised illegal cockfighting, is a self-avowed Christian nationalist.
Last year he declared November to be “family month as ordained by God.” In June 2023, he authorized the nation’s first state-funded religious charter school.
In 2022, he claimed “every square inch of Oklahoma in the name of Jesus.” Upon his inauguration, Stitt’s wife declared that his administration’s main priority would be “bringing people to Jesus.”
Superintendent Ryan Walters says satanism is not a religion and therefore leaving school to attend classes offered by atheist trolling outfit the Satanic Temple will not be permitted.
Fingers crossed for the lawsuit this will bring.
Supreme Court rulings have been clear that you don’t have to prove that your religion is “true” – since that’s impossible, of course.
But we’ve seen how much regard the current corrupt SQOTUS has for precedent or “settled law”.
.
SPLC Reports 50% Surge In White Supremacist Hate Groups, 33% Rise In Anti-LGBTQ Hate Organizations
Again the haters spewed their bigotry non-stop for years, over shooting any other voice, we have to raise our voice just as loud. We were stomping this shit out until the cult of tRump maga made being a low intellect gang thug the in thing. This is driven by those who insist on controlling the lives of others, to make others live as the haters are comfortable with. Hugs. Scottie
The Florida Phoenix reports:
Emboldened by the mainstreaming of hard-right politics ahead of a presidential election cycle, white nationalist and anti-LGBTQ+ groups increased to record levels in the United States last year, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center’s latest annual report on hate and extremism. The SPLC, which has published the annual report since 1990, documented 835 active anti-government groups, up 133 from 2022’s count, and 595 hate groups, an increase of 72 over the previous year’s figure.
Accounting for a large portion of the increase was a 50% surge in white supremacy hate groups in 2023, the highest jump ever recorded by the SPLC, growing to 165 over 109 in 2022. White power and neo-Nazi rallies across the U.S. totaled 143 in 2023, down from 191 in 2022. SPLC saw a 33% rise in anti-LGBTQ+ organizations over last year, bringing the total to 86. The group said the growth was largely attributable to the anti-trans movement on the far-right.
Read the full article.
The hubby and I got a couple of guns (locked away for safekeeping) but if push comes to shove, we’re not going down quietly.
Hate to have to think that way now.
Church Does Mass Checkout Of Library’s LGBTQ Books
There is no hate as strong as some Christian’s “love”! I love you so much I must hurt you badly, deny you exist, deny you have worth, I love you so much I must format hate against you. With loving friends like that who needs enemies. Hugs. Scottie
NPR reports:
A Wichita pastor recently encouraged members of his church to mark Pride Month by checking out mass amounts of gay- and transgender-themed books from their local library. “One way you can love your neighbors and your community is to gather together some of the men in your church and go empty the local library of all their LGBTQ+ books,” pastor Kyle Lammott [screenshot] wrote in a recent post on Instagram. “Start with the kids’ books and work your way up.”
The post featured a photo of more than 100 books checked out of the Andover Public Library. The titles include dozens of young adult novels with LGBTQ characters or themes, books about the Black Lives Matter movement and an autobiography of tennis star Billie Jean King. Lammott, lead pastor of Exodus Church in east Wichita, declined an interview and did not say whether he plans to return the materials.
Read the full article.
From the church’s about page:
We believe that men and woman are created in the image and likeness of God, but through Adam’s sin mankind is also fallen. We have inherited a sinful nature and have become alienated from God. Man is thus separated from God and, left to himself, incapable to remedy his fallen condition.
We believe that God, being rich in mercy, did not leave His people in their fallen condition, but through the blood of Christ purchased for Himself a people. Redeeming them from their sinful state and conforming them into the image of Christ.
Lammott has made his Instagram account private since the NPR’s report was published.
Join us for a Prophecy Conference on Saturday, March 2nd at Exodus Church. There will be thought-provoking lectures anchored in scripture and biblical truth followed by moderated discussion.
No registration required. pic.twitter.com/yJmQyLXarT
— Exodus Church (@exodus_ict) February 8, 2024
Teen Charged With Shattering Library’s Pride Display
Kids are not born haters, they are taught to hate by adults and older kids around them. Every maga republican and fundamentalist religious leader is spreading this hate like an infectious disease. Hugs. Scottie
Portland, Oregon’s CBS affiliate reports:
A juvenile suspect has been arrested in connection to an incident at the Newberg Public Library in which a window that displayed an LGBTQIA+ Pride flag was shattered by a BB gun.
According to the Newberg-Dundee Police Department in a post on Facebook, police were originally dispatched to investigate the incident on Wednesday at 7:15 p.m. No one was injured and it was initially investigated as a vandalism complaint.
It’s unclear what charges may brought to the juvenile, including whether or not they may include bias crime charges. However, police said the case is being “referred to the Yamhill County Juvenile Department for prosecution.
Read the full article.
