It starts with the fact that they want Armageddon to happen.
I’m inclined to think that more of a symptom. Why would anyone in their right mind want Armageddon to happen?
Ok, I guess I answered my own question didn’t I?
So when can we stop pretending that these people are sane and rational?
when you are orthodox you don’t pay retail for festive tasty treats.
they are a bit anti pew/chair. more feet on the floor, than tush in pew.
I just saw the paragon of descriptors for that guy: he is a “Kremlin Infolaundromat”.
If you believe that that is when the sinners get punished, and you get to watch from heaven their lamentations and suffering, then it makes sense.
But, you did ask “in their right mind”, so I don’t know if they qualify.
But ultimately it comes down to hate. They hate anyone who doesn’t follow the same beliefs that they do (and a large portion of those who do), and they want them hurt and to suffer, and if the world has to come to an end in order for that to happen, so much the better.
For various definitions of “we” many of us never did.
However, they do vote, and those trying to win their vote will consider their position as though it were a rational position to take.
Because when you and I hear “Armageddon,” we think of the end of the world, and we consider that a bad thing.
When Pat Robertson hears “Armageddon,” he thinks it’s one of the steps that leads to the second coming of Jesus, and he considers that a good thing.
Yeah, their stupidity makes sense if you stop and realize, at least some of them actually believe the things they say.
Which is why I really lament the amount of influence they have over society and government.
With a very robust spin cycle.
In fact, if you look into Evangelical “end times” predictions, many of them start with Russia attacking some other country. Usually it’s Israel, but I suppose Ukraine will do. It’s not really that surprising that at least one Evangelical preacher would see the beginning of the Tribulation in this.
And yes, it’s important to understand that many many people really do believe this.
I keep getting hung up on that. No one can be that stupid and evil right?
I guess they can be. Live (I hope we live) and learn.
Did he ever consider maybe Jesus doesn’t want to come back? Look what happened the first time.
When confronted with such apparent beliefs, I’ve always found it useful to ask myself: “If I really, honestly believed what they claim to believe, how would I act?”
This provides two benefits: One, it helps me to understand why they sometimes do really crazy shit, and Two, it helps me distinguish between those who really believe something, and those who just say they believe it.
Take the “Hillary Clinton Pizza Kiddie Sex Dungeon” nonsense. If you really believed that this was happening , how would you have reacted to it?
Well, as much as we rag on that one guy who shot up that pizza place, that’s probably what I would do if I really believed that. How could you not?
Contrast that to all the internet keyboard tough guys who’ve spent years ranting about the Pizza Sex Dungeon, but have done literally nothing else about it. Not one chance in a million any of those losers actually believe the nonsense they’re spouting. To them, it’s all about the politics and “culture war”. They don’t give a shit if this stuff is true or false, all they care about is that it’s useful.
Not only do they believe it, they all believe that they are the good ones who will be taken up into heaven while the rest of us heathens endure pain and suffering. Kind of like a Christian version of the Islamic terrorists and the forty something virgins they’ll be surrounded with when they get to heaven. Boy will they be disappointed.
Texas has begun its assault on trans teens. The first victim is the daughter of an employee of the state’s agency that works on the review of reports of abuse and neglect. The state is demanding copies of the girl’s medical records.
Makes you wonder if the employee was narc’ed out by a co-worker.
“Congratulations, Governor Abbott! You’ve won the Stasi Award for cruelty combined with distrust!”
I’m wondering if he didn’t narc on himself to set up a test case and possibly get this travesty tossed.
I am visualizing a South Park style animated presentation captioned “THIS IS WHAT REPUBLICANS ACTUALLY BELIEVE”.
The thing is, though… Even if killing someone will send them to Heaven, we’re still not supposed to kill people. God was, in fact, quite clear about that point.
The End of Times will happen eventually, and God has a plan for that, but that doesn’t mean that we should be trying to make it happen.