Is it hyperbole to say that the evangelical right are basically becoming the Christian Taliban?

Yes. They are militant about their religion and they’re armed.

Yes, in fact if you look at some of my postings here over the last several years, I have made exactly that point.

The only difference between the evangelical right and the Taliban is that the Taliban purports to believe im Muhammad.

Religious coercion, religious goverment takeover: the right wing christians are no different from the Taliban in Afghanistan.

^^^^ I don’t think you guys are answering the question as asked.

No, it is not hyperbole to say that they are basically the same.

It is indeed.

It’s not hyperbole (which, dudes, means a great exaggeration, not the truth) in some broad senses, but it’s not true in various specifics.

That is, the evangelical right in the USA share many of their worst qualities.

^^This dude knows that.

They always have been, but now they have a renewed capability to force their bigotry on everyone else.
It is funny though.
In Germany, Evangelicals are generally seen as more liberal than Catholics.
They even support same sex marriage.
That is why German has a separate word for colonial evangelicals:
German evangelicals are “evangelisch”, the colonial types are “evangelikal”.

It is, they are not the same, not even close. While I don’t have a good opinion of evangelicals they’re not exactly in the same ballpark as the Taliban. I don’t see Evangelicals throwing acid on young girls for going to school. They’re different animals.

@Blackwater_Park…. yet. Throwing acid will likely happen when school starts.

Ah, ok, whatever.

I wouldn’t group all Evangelicals into this push for a theocracy, but yes, it’s mainly Evangelicals turning the US into Taliban-like rule.

Although, I can’t ignore there are Catholics on the Supreme Court doing the work for the Evangelicals, which I find depressing. Plus, many of the Catholics in the country are sucked in by the religious rhetoric, which I find extremely disappointing and surprising. I feel the Catholics are being used as pawns. When the Evangelicals take over the government it will not be Catholicism being taught in the schools. The extremist Evangelicals don’t even consider the Catholics to be Christian.

Plenty of Catholics reject all of this extremism and have bailed on the Republican Party. I keep calling them the swing vote that can help save the country.

Not only do we have Evangelicals trying to install Taliban like rule, we have extremists among them using physical and sometimes deadly force similar to ISIS cells. Carrying out orders or working up in their own mind that it’s their job to kill those who threaten the plan.

Afghanistan, where the Taliban has taken power, is rife with honor killings, stoning,
women cannot go to work, school, play sports, leave the house unaccompanied on
and on…

On other hand the evangelical right might be committing micro-aggression!

Well then not hyperbole.

Right… Microaggressions.

^^ Is this steadfast church in charge of the US government?

The way the Taliban is charge of most of Afghanistan? Aren’t gay people thrown
from the rooftops according to sharia law.

I think I understand your confusion. Bear with me. President Joe Biden left for the
Taliban a billion dollars worth of arms and ammunition. Since President Biden
can do no wrong, well then the Taliban must not be bad!

Just surmising here… before you call me a troll/

This feeble defence of yours is the same as saying that the Nazis before 1933 were not the same as the Nazis during WW2.
How do you think the Christofascists will act, once in power and free of any restrictions imposed on them by those meddlesome things like “rights”, which will be conveniently dismantled by the current corrupt supreme court? They are telling you outright that they intend to kill gays. They have the will, they only lack the means, and they have every intention of rectifying the latter obstacle.
This is not about the difference in power that exists between the Taliban and the Christofascists, but the congruence of ideology, which can not be denied.

While I appreciate the desire to attempt to compare these two things, I don’t know if it serves any purpose. Conservatives in the US don’t dislike the Taliban or any other conservative movement or society because they oppose the values. They dislike them because their existence is used as a tool to drum up support for US military action, they worship a different god, and they’re brown-skinned. US conservatives don’t oppose oppressing women and developing a government based on religious doctrine. It’s just the wrong religion, and they would prefer to start with different goals, like controlling the reproductive organs of women and forcing them to reproduce (or die trying to control their own fucking body).

In a way, we all try to do this comparison in hopes that someone will suddenly realize that they are the problem. But it will never happen. Comparing fascist white nationalist fucks in the US to Nazis is useless. They really believe this shit. They’ll say, “Well, we can’t be Nazis because we don’t have the silly moustache” or some bullshit. They’re always going to find a “but we don’t [fill in the blank]” excuse for why they’re different. They are different, and it doesn’t matter. They need to be eliminated whether or not they wear the swastika or admit they are like the Taliban or whatever shitty ideology they hold. It’s ok to destroy these people even if there were no such thing as the Taliban or the Nazis never happened.

@ragingloli Your opinion

Yes.

Explain the difference…

Yes of course it is. Just like the far left wackjobs. No party is free of extremists.

@hat Conservatives in the US don’t dislike the Taliban or any other conservative movement or society because they oppose the values. They dislike them because their existence is used as a tool to drum up support for US military action, they worship a different god, and they’re brown-skinned.

True, though it’s interesting that among some on the “new right” you’re starting to see more admiration of the Chinese government. Not the “communism”, obviously, but the rigid control over society and behavior that the Chinese government has and can enforce (like limiting the number of hours a person can play video games). The facade is starting to drop a bit. The limits of libertarianism are starting to be seen.

So yes, I think there are comparisons to be made as far as the kind of “moral policing” and control over behavior that the Christian right strives for.

I truly think some far left wingers here live in an alternate reality.

I go by actions, not stated beliefs.

“But they throw gay people off roofs!” is rich coming from people who conflate homosexuals with pedophiles and would support anti-sodomy laws. It’s hollow and in bad faith.

@KNOWITALL Not “Just like the far left wackjobs”. The similariities aren’t just about being “extremists”, but about being judeo-christain-islamic religious extremists, who want their religion and moral code to rule their country (and preferably the world) in pretty much all ways legal, political, social, etc., for everyone, who feel threatened and hostile toward other religions and other people’s sexual behavior, and want an authoritarian theocratic patriarchal regime with them in charge, who like to brandish automatic weapons, won’t listen to the arguments of others, pretend like their holy books authorize all of this, want to greatly control and restrict the behavior of women, etc etc etc.

Pretty much zero of that describes far-left wackjobs.

@Zaku I think the comparison is probably in the “woke mob” who want to cancel and silence anyone who says something “problematic”. The difference is that outside of certain academic institutions and social media, this really has no real power. If the SCOTUS were ruling in favor of throwing people in jail for using the wrong pronoun, then…maybe there’d be something to gripe about. The thing is that the “far left” excesses are frustrating socially, but they are not the ones shaping the legal structure of this country right now.

@Zaku Yes, you guys love your wackjobs like Maxine Waters. Hypocrits.
I do agree some on the Right definately take thing’s too far, as well.

@WhyNow Right. The lack of any semblance of understanding the values, even regarding life itself, is insurmountable.
The Left is just pissed that the Right finally found the legal loopholes to counterattack and win. The next election should be entertaining.

What semiautomatic guns is Maxine carrying ?

I know, she goes against almost all your values !

Nothing pisses the right off more than getting what they want. They’re in effective complete control of the government (let’s face it Biden is doing nothing, the SCOTUS and the Senate are where the power is) and the country (more so when the inevitable Moore vs. Harper ruling comes) and they’re still bitter and upset because someone compared them to the Taliban. Moreover they have no sense of the effect of their control.

@Demosthenes Biden is doing a lot more than nothing, and most of it is bad for Americans.

I happen to think gerrymandering, environmental regulations rollbacks, abortion bans, attacks on libraries, and remaining in endless wars are bad for Americans, but hey, we live in two different realities.

This is part of why I ultimately am not opposed to federalism taken to its extreme. There is a part of me that doesn’t give a shit if gay sex is illegal in Texas or whatever. Each state can pick and choose which rights to protect, which regulations to instate, the federal government will be increasingly diminished, and we can all live where we want if we have the money and means to do so.

@Demosthenes We certainly do.

@Demosthenes Yep, all that’s bad. So is defunding the police, reckless energy and fiscal policy, as well as disastrous foreign policy. There is A LOT of BAD to go around right now. This may be selfish, but when it I no longer feel safe in my neighborhood, it’s hard to afford groceries and fuel, that takes the bulk of my attention. This will turn people away from voting left. Get ready, that’s almost a certainty. None of us really want the nutty, far right politicians filling that vacuum either, myself included but the left are about to be run over. If you don’t want fringe republicans in office get ready to rally around the few moderates closer to the center if there are any to be found.

@KNOWITALL I really don’t know what you mean. It seems to me that this is a question about the many similarities between Evangelicals and the Taliban, not claiming there are no other radicals, nor is anyone claiming that the “extreme” Left (which the GOP seems to currently define as including conservative corporate Democrats) doesn’t have some extremists. We are just saying there are many similarities between Evangelicals and the Taliban.

And, I have no idea what you mean about Maxine Waters? I see “Bombing Attempt” on her Wikipedia page, but that’s about Cesar Sayoc trying to bomb her and other Democrats and/or critics of Trump.

Current Democrats are moderate. There aren’t any real leftists running, at least not beyond the local level. I’d support them if there were, but we’re just going to get more of the same or more of the same with additional rights roll-backs and cultural regressions that virtue signal that something is being done when it’s not, so that’s part of why I’m not motivated to vote (in national elections at least; local ordinances and measures have more direct effect on me; the president doesn’t control gas prices even if we feel instinctively that they do).

Most of us vote on the economy and our well-being, no matter what side. The issues that matter the most to me are the economy, the environment, and LGBT rights and that is how I vote. I don’t think I’m radically different from most Americans, even if the specific issues that motivate us differ.

@Demosthenes I know that about you, you’re a very reasonable guy. There is an ideological wave right now and it is pushing people closer to the extremes and it’s also forcing politicians to take sides. It’s not really one side or the other wrecking things here. It’s that wave. You still see a lot of older or middle aged people in the center, just not very many below the age of say 30. all I can say is hang on, things are about to get bumpy.

@Demosthenes “Current Democrats are moderate.”

I would say the current Democrats are conservative by all objective measures except on the LBGTQ+ issues. That’s how far right we’ve drifted as a nation. Regan would be considered a Maoist by today’s Republicans.

@gorillapaws Catering to social issues is easier to do and more inflammatory, even if it means basic economic policy, foreign policy, and governance (gerrymandering and what not) aren’t actually any different. That’s the appeal of focusing on wedge issues and drumming up controversy over pronouns or whatever. It gets people’s attention, it gets people angry, and the big picture status quo that the establishment seeks to maintain is maintained.

What do you define as “far left wackjob”?

People who support universal healthcare?

@Blackwater_Park I think it’s mostly a result of the fact that things are not “getting better” (in varied senses, but I don’t think anyone on either side is particularly happy with the state of modern life in America) and we need a side to blame and something angry and passionate (not bad things in themselves) to latch onto. Unfortunately the result is more of us angry with our fellow countrymen and fracturing of the “united” states (into the more federalist each-state-is-a-nation vision that I referenced above). That is coupled with anxiety and uncertainty that comes America no longer being the #1 superpower (in addition to the pandemic, climate anxiety, etc.). I don’t think it leads anywhere good. We’re going to break soon. If it’s not outright civil war, it’ll be some kind of dissolution of most structures we take for granted.

@Demosthenes that’s my take as well. It needs to stop before that happens though. It’s easier to repair a foundation than it is to level the structure and attempt to build it back.

@rockfan More like the ones who disregard the Constitution any chance they get.

https://www.baltimoresun.com/opinion/op-ed/bs-ed-op-1122-democrats-their-own-worst-enemy-20201120-tybsvfh2vfcaxoua2xmqy6p27y-story.html

@KNOWITALL You know your The Baltimore Sun is an editorial right ?

Without basis on several of wild claims !

Next someone will wheel out the pizzeria pedophile claim HA – - HA- – - -HA !

@Tropical_Willie Yes, a lot of people feel the same way. The non-hypocrits anyway.

Thanks for highly biased right wing opinion !!

I am not biased, I use critical thinking not dogma.

@Tropical_Willie The bias rating is Left-Center, not Right. Funny huh?

Geez, stop defending Maxine Waters. She talked about being more confrontational, more active, it sounded like she was encouraging people to lash out, not just march in the streets. If a Proud Boy said the same thing we would all be up in arms. Her choice of words wasn’t good at the time. I personally don’t feel she wanted people to become violent, but she screwed up.

Meanwhile, I was just watching TV about Pennsylvania GOP Senator Mastriano donating $5k to Gab some sort of social media antisemitic platform implicated in the synagogue shooting in that state.

If he’s not a Nazi he’s playing with them and helping to fund them.

Stop helping the Nazis. On some other Q a jelly (can’t remember who) said they are tired of the term White Supremacists, well so sorry you’re tired, but that won’t stop me from using it. That’s what the Republicans did regarding Roe v. Wade, oh that’s decided law, that will never be overturned, don’t vote Democrat just for that issue. I NEVER believed it. The GOP constantly and consistently pounded and chipped away at Roe for the 45 years I have been aware that it was a political issue. Believe your eyes not what you are told to think. Watch what is happening.

Republicans need to WAKE UP about the extremists in their party. Stop helping them get control. Republicans who aren’t racist and who aren’t as white or as Christian as the Taliban-like Christian fanatics who are running things will find themselves in the same place as the Jews and Blacks, good luck with it. Don’t be fooled. You will lose your freedom too. You will have to walk on eggshells too. You will have to be concerned about breaking all the new laws too. You will have to worry about your children breaking some idiotic law too. You will have to disassociate from minority groups to stay safe, unless you have the guts to stand with us and risk the repercussions.

The White Supremacists have a certain brand of Christianity, they do not speak for all Christians, but too many Christians just don’t understand where it’s headed. That giving power to zealots is detrimental to the country and to themselves. They feel safe in their majority. Guess again.

@JLeslie Several GOP people are still upset Pence and Pelosi weren’t lynched on January 6th. There is your WS and Fascists.

^^I’m not sure why you are telling me that, but I certainly already know that’s true. That’s part of my point in my rant.

A friend posted amazing photos of Jupiter on his Facebook status. Below is what someone commented:

Cool CGI lol. I have become a flat earther. I know, crazy right? But use your rationale thought. How did they take this picture without any other celestial beings around. Bro-it’s flat. The only planets are those outside the arctic that is on our same plane. NASA is a lie. Most everything you have been taught is a lie. That, my friend is a very pretty CGI picture. Please make it make sense if you truly believe it. I am open. But please explain.

A few people replied to her statement trying to get her to think straight. She wrote back: I have videos of rockets hitting the firmament and bouncing back. That is where we fundamentally disagree. I believe in the Bible. The earth is flat. We are not insignificant. And God is our divine creator. So, it really doesn’t matter if what you are saying is true. That is insignificant. Because of everything I already stated.

The babble goes on. That’s what we are dealing with. If that is not like the Taliban I don’t know what is. My friend, who also thinks she’s nuts, is a Christian, yet this totally ignorant woman is preaching to him about Jesus. He isn’t Christian enough according to her I guess. She will follow her Christian leaders off the plank and bring the country with her.