(08-04-2019 05:53 AM)Niner National Wrote:  https://www.10tv.com/article/9-dead-16-i...d-2019-aug

Two in a day. Sad. This country is diseased.

Overly simplistic introduction to my point, but breaking precedent set by the Founders, the Supreme Court ruled in Stone v. Graham in 1980:

Quote: If the posted copies of the Ten Commandments are to have any effect at all, it will be to induce the schoolchildren to read, meditate upon, perhaps to venerate and obey, the Commandments. However desirable this might be as a matter of private devotion, it is not a permissible state objective under the Establishment Clause."

Of course, this wasn't the first attack on the religious foundation prevalent since colonists first began setting foot on this continent, but it does fall in line with the narrative.

(08-04-2019 10:20 AM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:06 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 09:57 AM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 09:39 AM)shere khan Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 09:33 AM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  I don’t think it’s anything to do with any of that stuff. Those things either aren’t particularly realistic or new. People know the difference between video games/movies and real life and religion has served as the basis for dehumanizing people for millennia. That’s nothing new.

What is new and using real life are our 24-hour news networks (and yes, FOX counts) and social media. We also have politicians openly treating the opposition like ****. Hilary Clinton called people that didn’t support her “deplorables” and Trump has dehumanized everyone at some point or another. Hell, political message boards such as this dehumanize the opposition on the regular and they give validation to that behavior. We have an EL PASO guy that calls the opposition demons. There are examples on the liberal side as well, but that stood out to me in particular.

Nasty politics has made the slide into everyday life and it’s become harder and harder to avoid.

You think nasty politics are a new thing but dismiss other factors out of hand

Interesting.

Did I say nasty politics was new? No. It’s the way they are consumed and the way that the political industry runs these days that’s new. For the first time, the people are just as involved as the “insiders”. It’s in your face like never before. And the news media talks up everything like it’s a PPV wrestling match.

I think nasty politics reflects the way people treat others in real life, not some isolated situation. The internet helps create that situation. But its an exaggerated sense of self and isolation. In small towns you can't get away from people who think differently than you do. In big cities its easier for people to segregate themselves.

Somehow that has created a lot of mental illness. The way hundreds of thousands or millions of Democrats have reacted to Donald Trump's election is a sign of their mental illness. Delusion, fantasy, conspiracy theories, uncontrollable anger and sadness. Its just flat out bizarre. I had no idea so many people were so close to the edge. The same people who were fine with the Clinton's lies, corruption and sexual improprieties can't handle Donald Trump's ill-chosen words and insults of others.

Way to turn that around. But let’s not forget the reaction to the Obama election. It didn’t come with a bunch of “aww shucks” reactions. If democrats became mentally ill in 2016 then the republicans have been battling it since 2008. Even Trump spent at least 8 years denying the legitimacy of Obama’s election. Spent money to investigate it and everything. But this is neither here nor there and adds nothing to the conversation but a lack of focus.

You're comparing the reaction of fringe Republicans vs. the leadership of the whole Democratic Party. There is a massive difference. Now I'm not saying the same issues don't exist among huge numbers of Republicans. But it has been demonstrated in huge numbers of Democrats. And that is a significant part of the population. Including many seemingly normal people. Many of them good people.

I don't call people evil and all that you disagrees with me and they call me nasty things on here. I am not the one that will go to that far. There are good people on both sides except for the extreme on both on the left and on the right. I do not call people who are entering this country as murderers or rapists. I just call them good people who crossed the border illegally. As we know from history, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada and California were part of Mexico. We wound dividing native American tribes into 2 countries. Cuba, Puerto Rico and other Caribbean Countries and islands had their Native population wiped out by Disease from the Europeans. Spaniards and Portuguese colonized the islands, Central America, Southwest USA and South America. You can tell the difference with the color of the skin on who are Natives, light color who are European and who are in between who are mixed.

(08-04-2019 10:23 AM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:17 AM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 09:33 AM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 08:34 AM)SoMs Eagle Wrote:  Devaluation of life. From video games to abortion to violent movies, the youth of this country are growing up desensitized. No God or higher power. God is mocked and man’s the new deity. All of this is not surprising.

I don’t think it’s anything to do with any of that stuff. Those things either aren’t particularly realistic or new. People know the difference between video games/movies and real life and religion has served as the basis for dehumanizing people for millennia. That’s nothing new.

What is new and using real life are our 24-hour news networks (and yes, FOX counts) and social media. We also have politicians openly treating the opposition like ****. Hilary Clinton called people that didn’t support her “deplorables” and Trump has dehumanized everyone at some point or another. Hell, political message boards such as this dehumanize the opposition on the regular and they give validation to that behavior. We have an EL PASO guy that calls the opposition demons. There are examples on the liberal side as well, but that stood out to me in particular.

Nasty politics has made the slide into everyday life and it’s become harder and harder to avoid.

That is a stunning comment. I don't see how anyone could pretend those are not serious root issues here. Unless they just don't want to for some reason.

The Bible tells us quite clearly these ARE the root problems. So does common sense imo.

Read Romans chapter 2 for starters, these issues ARE at the root.

I’ll read it when I have time. Are you dismissing the notion that it could also be the fact that our behavior on social media and the behavior of the news media could be main factors?

I have no doubt the behavior of news media is the biggest factor in the increase in the number of "mass shootings." They "glorify" it with 24/7 coverage.

(08-04-2019 10:26 AM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:23 AM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:17 AM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 09:33 AM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 08:34 AM)SoMs Eagle Wrote:  Devaluation of life. From video games to abortion to violent movies, the youth of this country are growing up desensitized. No God or higher power. God is mocked and man’s the new deity. All of this is not surprising.

I don’t think it’s anything to do with any of that stuff. Those things either aren’t particularly realistic or new. People know the difference between video games/movies and real life and religion has served as the basis for dehumanizing people for millennia. That’s nothing new.

What is new and using real life are our 24-hour news networks (and yes, FOX counts) and social media. We also have politicians openly treating the opposition like ****. Hilary Clinton called people that didn’t support her “deplorables” and Trump has dehumanized everyone at some point or another. Hell, political message boards such as this dehumanize the opposition on the regular and they give validation to that behavior. We have an EL PASO guy that calls the opposition demons. There are examples on the liberal side as well, but that stood out to me in particular.

Nasty politics has made the slide into everyday life and it’s become harder and harder to avoid.

That is a stunning comment. I don't see how anyone could pretend those are not serious root issues here. Unless they just don't want to for some reason.

The Bible tells us quite clearly these ARE the root problems. So does common sense imo.

Read Romans chapter 2 for starters, these issues ARE at the root.

I’ll read it when I have time. Are you dismissing the notion that it could also be the fact that our behavior on social media and the behavior of the news media could be main factors?

I did not dismiss anything, you are the one who dismissed things. Its not a matter of choosing one or the other, they all play a role.

The rejection of God and worship of self and pleasure seeking combined with a desensitized youth are core issues.

Do you have any evidence that mass shooters identify as less religious than others? No "no true Scotsman" please.

Do you feel like this "rejection of God" has become a bigger issue in recent years?

(08-04-2019 10:24 AM)wmubroncopilot Wrote:  And yet violent crime is down significantly from the 1970s-90s period. I don't dispute there's a problem, I just really don't think this is a new generational thing. Just that the wall to wall news coverage dominates today.

But it is now moving back up. That long trend has changed in the last 5-10 years.

Simply a bigger younger generation where people are more prone to violence? The internet and social media? Parenting?

(08-04-2019 10:26 AM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:23 AM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:17 AM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 09:33 AM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 08:34 AM)SoMs Eagle Wrote:  Devaluation of life. From video games to abortion to violent movies, the youth of this country are growing up desensitized. No God or higher power. God is mocked and man’s the new deity. All of this is not surprising.

I don’t think it’s anything to do with any of that stuff. Those things either aren’t particularly realistic or new. People know the difference between video games/movies and real life and religion has served as the basis for dehumanizing people for millennia. That’s nothing new.

What is new and using real life are our 24-hour news networks (and yes, FOX counts) and social media. We also have politicians openly treating the opposition like ****. Hilary Clinton called people that didn’t support her “deplorables” and Trump has dehumanized everyone at some point or another. Hell, political message boards such as this dehumanize the opposition on the regular and they give validation to that behavior. We have an EL PASO guy that calls the opposition demons. There are examples on the liberal side as well, but that stood out to me in particular.

Nasty politics has made the slide into everyday life and it’s become harder and harder to avoid.

That is a stunning comment. I don't see how anyone could pretend those are not serious root issues here. Unless they just don't want to for some reason.

The Bible tells us quite clearly these ARE the root problems. So does common sense imo.

Read Romans chapter 2 for starters, these issues ARE at the root.

I’ll read it when I have time. Are you dismissing the notion that it could also be the fact that our behavior on social media and the behavior of the news media could be main factors?

I did not dismiss anything, you are the one who dismissed things. Its not a matter of choosing one or the other, they all play a role.

The rejection of God and worship of self and pleasure seeking combined with a desensitized youth are core issues.

That’s my fault, I shouldn’t have dismissed everything outright. I guess we disagree on the weight each factor holds. I just think it’s that real people dehumanize people and desensitize the youth more than video games and movies.

(08-04-2019 10:32 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  I don't call people evil and all that you disagrees with me and they call me nasty things on here. I am not the one that will go to that far. There are good people on both sides except for the extreme on both on the left and on the right. I do not call people who are entering this country as murderers or rapists. I just call them good people who crossed the border illegally. As we know from history, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada and California were part of Mexico. We wound dividing native American tribes into 2 countries. Cuba, Puerto Rico and other Caribbean Countries and islands had their Native population wiped out by Disease from the Europeans. Spaniards and Portuguese colonized the islands, Central America, Southwest USA and South America. You can tell the difference with the color of the skin on who are Natives, light color who are European and who are in between who are mixed.

The tribes on both sides of the border were different, except that the Apaches and Comanches were nomadic. And they were mostly here.

Mexico and Spain never settled the north. That's why they invited the Americans to Texas. At the time of the Texas revolution, there were only 5,000 Mexicans compared to 35,000 Americans in Texas.

(08-04-2019 10:36 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:24 AM)wmubroncopilot Wrote:  And yet violent crime is down significantly from the 1970s-90s period. I don't dispute there's a problem, I just really don't think this is a new generational thing. Just that the wall to wall news coverage dominates today.

But it is now moving back up. That long trend has changed in the last 5-10 years.

Simply a bigger younger generation where people are more prone to violence? The internet and social media? Parenting?

Doesn't really seem to be the case.

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/20...n-the-u-s/

https://www.brennancenter.org/blog/crime...tinue-drop

Appears that there was a temporary spike 04-06 and again from 2014-2016 but the overall decrease over the long term has continued.

(08-04-2019 10:32 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:20 AM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:06 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 09:57 AM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 09:39 AM)shere khan Wrote:  You think nasty politics are a new thing but dismiss other factors out of hand

Interesting.

Did I say nasty politics was new? No. It’s the way they are consumed and the way that the political industry runs these days that’s new. For the first time, the people are just as involved as the “insiders”. It’s in your face like never before. And the news media talks up everything like it’s a PPV wrestling match.

I think nasty politics reflects the way people treat others in real life, not some isolated situation. The internet helps create that situation. But its an exaggerated sense of self and isolation. In small towns you can't get away from people who think differently than you do. In big cities its easier for people to segregate themselves.

Somehow that has created a lot of mental illness. The way hundreds of thousands or millions of Democrats have reacted to Donald Trump's election is a sign of their mental illness. Delusion, fantasy, conspiracy theories, uncontrollable anger and sadness. Its just flat out bizarre. I had no idea so many people were so close to the edge. The same people who were fine with the Clinton's lies, corruption and sexual improprieties can't handle Donald Trump's ill-chosen words and insults of others.

Way to turn that around. But let’s not forget the reaction to the Obama election. It didn’t come with a bunch of “aww shucks” reactions. If democrats became mentally ill in 2016 then the republicans have been battling it since 2008. Even Trump spent at least 8 years denying the legitimacy of Obama’s election. Spent money to investigate it and everything. But this is neither here nor there and adds nothing to the conversation but a lack of focus.

You're comparing the reaction of fringe Republicans vs. the leadership of the whole Democratic Party. There is a massive difference. Now I'm not saying the same issues don't exist among huge numbers of Republicans. But it has been demonstrated in huge numbers of Democrats. And that is a significant part of the population. Including many seemingly normal people. Many of them good people.

It only seems like it was fringe republicans because that’s your side. It’s like a UNC fan saying “well we’ve cheated, but LOOK at Miami”.

Remember that fringe republican IS the leadership of the whole Republican Party.

(08-04-2019 10:41 AM)wmubroncopilot Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:36 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:24 AM)wmubroncopilot Wrote:  And yet violent crime is down significantly from the 1970s-90s period. I don't dispute there's a problem, I just really don't think this is a new generational thing. Just that the wall to wall news coverage dominates today.

But it is now moving back up. That long trend has changed in the last 5-10 years.

Simply a bigger younger generation where people are more prone to violence? The internet and social media? Parenting?

Doesn't really seem to be the case.

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/20...n-the-u-s/

https://www.brennancenter.org/blog/crime...tinue-drop

Appears that there was a temporary spike 04-06 and again from 2014-2016 but the overall decrease over the long term has continued.

Good find. But I don't agree with their interpretations of those graphs. Maybe the "spikes" were temporary, but the trends have significantly changed.

(08-04-2019 10:36 AM)wmubroncopilot Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:26 AM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:23 AM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:17 AM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 09:33 AM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  
I don’t think it’s anything to do with any of that stuff. Those things either aren’t particularly realistic or new. People know the difference between video games/movies and real life and religion has served as the basis for dehumanizing people for millennia. That’s nothing new.

What is new and using real life are our 24-hour news networks (and yes, FOX counts) and social media. We also have politicians openly treating the opposition like ****. Hilary Clinton called people that didn’t support her “deplorables” and Trump has dehumanized everyone at some point or another. Hell, political message boards such as this dehumanize the opposition on the regular and they give validation to that behavior. We have an EL PASO guy that calls the opposition demons. There are examples on the liberal side as well, but that stood out to me in particular.

Nasty politics has made the slide into everyday life and it’s become harder and harder to avoid.

That is a stunning comment. I don't see how anyone could pretend those are not serious root issues here. Unless they just don't want to for some reason.

The Bible tells us quite clearly these ARE the root problems. So does common sense imo.

Read Romans chapter 2 for starters, these issues ARE at the root.

I’ll read it when I have time. Are you dismissing the notion that it could also be the fact that our behavior on social media and the behavior of the news media could be main factors?

I did not dismiss anything, you are the one who dismissed things. Its not a matter of choosing one or the other, they all play a role.

The rejection of God and worship of self and pleasure seeking combined with a desensitized youth are core issues.

Do you have any evidence that mass shooters identify as less religious than others? No "no true Scotsman" please.

Do you feel like this "rejection of God" has become a bigger issue in recent years?

Well whether you like it or not, there is a massive difference between politically identifying with a religion and being a bible believing Christian. That is just a fact, even if its one you don't like to acknowledge.

And yes, the facts show that secularism and a Godless world view and culture are on the rise, and rising even faster in the internet age.

(08-04-2019 10:42 AM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:32 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:20 AM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:06 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 09:57 AM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  Did I say nasty politics was new? No. It’s the way they are consumed and the way that the political industry runs these days that’s new. For the first time, the people are just as involved as the “insiders”. It’s in your face like never before. And the news media talks up everything like it’s a PPV wrestling match.

I think nasty politics reflects the way people treat others in real life, not some isolated situation. The internet helps create that situation. But its an exaggerated sense of self and isolation. In small towns you can't get away from people who think differently than you do. In big cities its easier for people to segregate themselves.

Somehow that has created a lot of mental illness. The way hundreds of thousands or millions of Democrats have reacted to Donald Trump's election is a sign of their mental illness. Delusion, fantasy, conspiracy theories, uncontrollable anger and sadness. Its just flat out bizarre. I had no idea so many people were so close to the edge. The same people who were fine with the Clinton's lies, corruption and sexual improprieties can't handle Donald Trump's ill-chosen words and insults of others.

Way to turn that around. But let’s not forget the reaction to the Obama election. It didn’t come with a bunch of “aww shucks” reactions. If democrats became mentally ill in 2016 then the republicans have been battling it since 2008. Even Trump spent at least 8 years denying the legitimacy of Obama’s election. Spent money to investigate it and everything. But this is neither here nor there and adds nothing to the conversation but a lack of focus.

You're comparing the reaction of fringe Republicans vs. the leadership of the whole Democratic Party. There is a massive difference. Now I'm not saying the same issues don't exist among huge numbers of Republicans. But it has been demonstrated in huge numbers of Democrats. And that is a significant part of the population. Including many seemingly normal people. Many of them good people.

It only seems like it was fringe republicans because that’s your side. It’s like a UNC fan saying “well we’ve cheated, but LOOK at Miami”.

Remember that fringe republican IS the leadership of the whole Republican Party.

Trump was still a registered Democrat back then. How many Republican birthers were there in the Congress? 5? 10? Did McConnell and Boehner and Ryan act like the Democratic leadership who claim Trump should be impeached even if only 100 will vote for it? You are flat out lying to yourself if you can't see the difference.

(08-04-2019 08:34 AM)SoMs Eagle Wrote:  Devaluation of life. From video games to abortion to violent movies, the youth of this country are growing up desensitized. No God or higher power. God is mocked and man’s the new deity. All of this is not surprising.

The lives of many Americans have been devalued since the founding of this nation. Look no further than the Constitution, which counted slaves as only 3/5's of a human, not fully human. It continues through the history of slavery (trading humans as property), lynchings and KKK night rides, Blacks being spit on for trying to get an equal education, police using hoses and dogs on peaceful protestors. We just heard another recent example with then-Governor, and later President, Ronald Reagan referring to African as monkeys...to the great delight of sitting President Nixon.

Some lives have always been devalued by our society at large. It continues today with shootings (mass or not), physical and sexual abuse of children, our treatment of immigrant children, and much more.

I think in general we are in a better place than we were 50 and 100 and 200 years ago, but we have a President today that is stoking the fires of hatred and division.

(08-04-2019 10:38 AM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:26 AM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:23 AM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:17 AM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 09:33 AM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  
I don’t think it’s anything to do with any of that stuff. Those things either aren’t particularly realistic or new. People know the difference between video games/movies and real life and religion has served as the basis for dehumanizing people for millennia. That’s nothing new.

What is new and using real life are our 24-hour news networks (and yes, FOX counts) and social media. We also have politicians openly treating the opposition like ****. Hilary Clinton called people that didn’t support her “deplorables” and Trump has dehumanized everyone at some point or another. Hell, political message boards such as this dehumanize the opposition on the regular and they give validation to that behavior. We have an EL PASO guy that calls the opposition demons. There are examples on the liberal side as well, but that stood out to me in particular.

Nasty politics has made the slide into everyday life and it’s become harder and harder to avoid.

That is a stunning comment. I don't see how anyone could pretend those are not serious root issues here. Unless they just don't want to for some reason.

The Bible tells us quite clearly these ARE the root problems. So does common sense imo.

Read Romans chapter 2 for starters, these issues ARE at the root.

I’ll read it when I have time. Are you dismissing the notion that it could also be the fact that our behavior on social media and the behavior of the news media could be main factors?

I did not dismiss anything, you are the one who dismissed things. Its not a matter of choosing one or the other, they all play a role.

The rejection of God and worship of self and pleasure seeking combined with a desensitized youth are core issues.

That’s my fault, I shouldn’t have dismissed everything outright. I guess we disagree on the weight each factor holds. I just think it’s that real people dehumanize people and desensitize the youth more than video games and movies.

Its a big mistake to pretend movies, TV and games do not have a big impact on how people think and view the world.

They have massive impacts on everyone.

I too denied those facts for many years, now I see how foolish I was being. Our pride and ego blind us too that truth, and everyone is guilty of it. Me included.

(08-04-2019 10:49 AM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:36 AM)wmubroncopilot Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:26 AM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:23 AM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:17 AM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  That is a stunning comment. I don't see how anyone could pretend those are not serious root issues here. Unless they just don't want to for some reason.

The Bible tells us quite clearly these ARE the root problems. So does common sense imo.

Read Romans chapter 2 for starters, these issues ARE at the root.

I’ll read it when I have time. Are you dismissing the notion that it could also be the fact that our behavior on social media and the behavior of the news media could be main factors?

I did not dismiss anything, you are the one who dismissed things. Its not a matter of choosing one or the other, they all play a role.

The rejection of God and worship of self and pleasure seeking combined with a desensitized youth are core issues.

Do you have any evidence that mass shooters identify as less religious than others? No "no true Scotsman" please.

Do you feel like this "rejection of God" has become a bigger issue in recent years?

Well whether you like it or not, there is a massive difference between politically identifying with a religion and being a bible believing Christian. That is just a fact, even if its one you don't like to acknowledge.

And yes, the facts show that secularism and a Godless world view and culture are on the rise, and rising even faster in the internet age.

The Pew study released 3 or 4 years ago said religious people (all faiths) declined by 7% over 7 years (think it dropped from 84% to 77%). And the drop was most dramatic among younger people.

(08-04-2019 10:49 AM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:36 AM)wmubroncopilot Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:26 AM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:23 AM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:17 AM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  That is a stunning comment. I don't see how anyone could pretend those are not serious root issues here. Unless they just don't want to for some reason.

The Bible tells us quite clearly these ARE the root problems. So does common sense imo.

Read Romans chapter 2 for starters, these issues ARE at the root.

I’ll read it when I have time. Are you dismissing the notion that it could also be the fact that our behavior on social media and the behavior of the news media could be main factors?

I did not dismiss anything, you are the one who dismissed things. Its not a matter of choosing one or the other, they all play a role.

The rejection of God and worship of self and pleasure seeking combined with a desensitized youth are core issues.

Do you have any evidence that mass shooters identify as less religious than others? No "no true Scotsman" please.

Do you feel like this "rejection of God" has become a bigger issue in recent years?

Well whether you like it or not, there is a massive difference between politically identifying with a religion and being a bible believing Christian. That is just a fact, even if its one you don't like to acknowledge.

And yes, the facts show that secularism and a Godless world view and culture are on the rise, and rising even faster in the internet age.

I'm not disputing the first point, but there are millions of secular people who would never conceive of doing something like this. I'm just interested whether you have any real non-faith based evidence that there's a correlation.

To the second point: So how does that square with the fact that violent crime has been on an overall decrease for quite a long time? Bullet points out that crime may be leveling off or trending slightly up rather than decreasing in the short term and that may well be the case, but if there is some crisis of a Godless world view, why doesn't that seem to show up in the statistics?

(08-04-2019 10:52 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:42 AM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:32 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:20 AM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:06 AM)bullet Wrote:  I think nasty politics reflects the way people treat others in real life, not some isolated situation. The internet helps create that situation. But its an exaggerated sense of self and isolation. In small towns you can't get away from people who think differently than you do. In big cities its easier for people to segregate themselves.

Somehow that has created a lot of mental illness. The way hundreds of thousands or millions of Democrats have reacted to Donald Trump's election is a sign of their mental illness. Delusion, fantasy, conspiracy theories, uncontrollable anger and sadness. Its just flat out bizarre. I had no idea so many people were so close to the edge. The same people who were fine with the Clinton's lies, corruption and sexual improprieties can't handle Donald Trump's ill-chosen words and insults of others.

Way to turn that around. But let’s not forget the reaction to the Obama election. It didn’t come with a bunch of “aww shucks” reactions. If democrats became mentally ill in 2016 then the republicans have been battling it since 2008. Even Trump spent at least 8 years denying the legitimacy of Obama’s election. Spent money to investigate it and everything. But this is neither here nor there and adds nothing to the conversation but a lack of focus.

You're comparing the reaction of fringe Republicans vs. the leadership of the whole Democratic Party. There is a massive difference. Now I'm not saying the same issues don't exist among huge numbers of Republicans. But it has been demonstrated in huge numbers of Democrats. And that is a significant part of the population. Including many seemingly normal people. Many of them good people.

It only seems like it was fringe republicans because that’s your side. It’s like a UNC fan saying “well we’ve cheated, but LOOK at Miami”.

Remember that fringe republican IS the leadership of the whole Republican Party.

Trump was still a registered Democrat back then. How many Republican birthers were there in the Congress? 5? 10? Did McConnell and Boehner and Ryan act like the Democratic leadership who claim Trump should be impeached even if only 100 will vote for it? You are flat out lying to yourself if you can't see the difference.

Trump has been a republican since 2009.

The only difference between the two eras is that both Trump and the democrats benefit from misbehavior.

(08-04-2019 10:53 AM)TheOrigamiJimmyChin Wrote:  I think in general we are in a better place than we were 50 and 100 and 200 years ago, but we have a President today that is stoking the fires of hatred and division.

I'm tired of hearing that talking point.

His political opponents have been calling him AND his voters, nazis, racists, white supremacists and Russian collaborators from day 1.

Who the hell are you people to call out hatred and division? What a bunch of flaming hypocrites.

You people dish out hatred and division every hour of every day.

(08-04-2019 10:49 AM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:36 AM)wmubroncopilot Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:26 AM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:23 AM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 10:17 AM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  That is a stunning comment. I don't see how anyone could pretend those are not serious root issues here. Unless they just don't want to for some reason.

The Bible tells us quite clearly these ARE the root problems. So does common sense imo.

Read Romans chapter 2 for starters, these issues ARE at the root.

I’ll read it when I have time. Are you dismissing the notion that it could also be the fact that our behavior on social media and the behavior of the news media could be main factors?

I did not dismiss anything, you are the one who dismissed things. Its not a matter of choosing one or the other, they all play a role.

The rejection of God and worship of self and pleasure seeking combined with a desensitized youth are core issues.

Do you have any evidence that mass shooters identify as less religious than others? No "no true Scotsman" please.

Do you feel like this "rejection of God" has become a bigger issue in recent years?

Well whether you like it or not, there is a massive difference between politically identifying with a religion and being a bible believing Christian. That is just a fact, even if its one you don't like to acknowledge.

And yes, the facts show that secularism and a Godless world view and culture are on the rise, and rising even faster in the internet age.

In the U.S., but that's not true in all parts of the world.

For instance, France has been undergoing a Christian revival for the past few years.

Is there a Christian revival starting in France?

This article is from 2015, but the trend has continued.

And this is happening in a lot of Asian countries. Heck, even China has seen a massive growth in Christianity.

No, God's not dead. And He won't be.


Heck, I thought everybody realized that's the case given His Resurrection a couple of thousand years ago.