I have come into the world as light, so that no one who believes in me need remain in the dark. Yet, if anyone hears my sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him—for I did not come to judge the world but to save it. Every man who rejects me and will not accept my sayings has a judge—at the last day, the very words that I have spoken will be his judge. For I have not spoken on my own authority: the Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and what to speak. And I know that what he commands means eternal life. All that I say I speak only in accordance with what the Father has told me.”
J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS)
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Watch Remember the Titans at link below (30 second ad will precede full-length movie)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pohYXtVFvR8
In Remember the Titans the head coach makes very clear to the players in training that THIS IS NOT A DEMOCRACY. It seems to me a major characteristic of conservatism—especially Trumpian conservatism—is an adamant conviction that the workplace is no democracy. Every employee must accede that at any moment on the job an employee is subject to a strong boss's determination of disciple which to be effective must be inherently not subject to appeal.
Many people understand that there can be situations that require intense micromanagement--if when in an emergency I am being guided in by an expert pilot over radio how to safely land the plane. Yet many also understand that a good leader requires exceptional empathy and great capacity to listen and receive helpful input from within sources using multiple communication directions. Communication must never be viewed as legitimate and absolute only when directed downward. Would that any individual could have such totally reliable perception and understanding.
I have often found it curious that Russia chose the NRA to infiltrate US politics. There are gun owners virtually solid in their belief that gun ownership is centrally about hunting and sports. There is however another mindset regarding gun ownership. In more recent years the NRA has evolved into propagandizing a highly ideological message that sounds a circle-the-wagons mentality. I tuned into a speech given by a high official in the NRA last year. The whole speech was circle-the-wagons ideology. I was shocked for I had never thought of the NRA this way--as source of a scary and threatening propaganda
Last week Trump hinted of a violent reactionary uprising. Clearly, Trump and the new ideological NRA were sharing the same book of divisive diatribes.
Finally, the hard core leader/employer hierarchy shares the conservative-right evangelical mindset They see the faith as sternly serious-- judgmental and autocratic. You mainline Christians, they hold, are totally outside the fold of faith and since we conservative evangelicals know the very mind of God, you defective ones simply don’t measure up to us the truly saved. We, of course, the most humble on earth can't help but feel--you understand--that we select few are among that relative small group knowing fully God's mind and are thus enabled to perceive clearly who is and is not saved. We understand the great deficiency of mainline Christianity and...no need to ask...we will pray that someday you may join us in being among the truly righteous.
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