It took years for the scales to fall from my eyes. A major turning point occurred when I took a leave of absence from Faith and Action to pursue a late-in-life doctorate. Part of my research involved the German Christian movement of the 1930s, which supported the Nazi Party. One of the most respected Bible scholars of that period, Paul Althaus, declared Hitler’s ascent to the chancellorship to be a “gift and miracle from God.” I began to suspect that we evangelicals were similarly allowing our faith to be co-opted for political purposes. Devastating consequences seemed inevitable for evangelicalism and for our country. [Confessions of a (Former) Christian Nationalist]Listen to the Reveal broadcast linked here.
interested party
snarking up The Right's tree
10/17/24
Pastor sounding the alarm on NAR
10/16/24
South Dakota suffering lack of political engagement
Blue states are twice as politically engaged as red states are.
In 2020 my home state of South Dakota was 47th in the percentage of the electorate who turned out to vote and 49th in percentage of women who voted that year. In May, 2021 a poll conducted by South Dakota News Watch and the Chiesman Center for Democracy at the University of South Dakota revealed that Republicans in the failed red state revel in authoritarianism when Republicans are in power and loathe democracy and progress when Democrats govern. Just 59% of the electorate turned out for the General Election in 2022 and only 17% of voters turned out for the June 2024 primary election. Chiesman has known about voter disgust in South Dakota for at least two decades.
Even the state's establishment Earth haters are on tilt about it.
"Hi Larry,
With Election Day coming up and only 66.8% of the voting-age population having cast ballots in the 2020 presidential election, WalletHub today released its report on the Most & Least Politically Engaged States in 2024, as well as expert commentary, to identify where Americans are making their voices heard the most. The more engaged voters are, the better chance they have to impact future economic and social issues.
WalletHub compared the 50 states based on 10 key indicators of political engagement. They range from voter registration statistics and laws to the percentage of people who voted in recent elections to political contributions."
Most Politically Engaged States | Least Politically Engaged States | |
1. Maryland | 41. Louisiana | |
2. Virginia | 42. Mississippi | |
3. New Jersey | 43. South Dakota | |
4. Oregon | 44. Nebraska | |
5. Washington | 45. South Carolina | |
6. Montana | 46. Indiana | |
7. Minnesota | 47. Oklahoma | |
8. California | 48. West Virginia | |
9. Arizona | 49. Alabama | |
10. New York | 50. Arkansas |
10/9/24
Johnson v. Noem in 2026?
A statement from Johnson’s family said “Tim always quipped that neither the left, nor the right, had a monopoly on all of the good ideas, but that working together, we can find common ground for the good of our country. In his work and life, Tim showed us never to give up. He will be missed. Our lives are fuller for having been loved and supported by him.” [Longtime Senator Tim Johnson dead at 77]ip photo: Sen. Tim Johnson attending the 2014 South Dakota Democratic Party's State Convention in Yankton.
10/8/24
The good news? Hurricanes disperse hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico
In 2020, Hurricane Hanna passed through the central and western Gulf days prior to the research cruise and mixed the water column, disrupting the hypoxic zone which forms in the coastal ocean west of the Mississippi River delta. While the size of the hypoxic zone fluctuates naturally throughout the summer, it usually forms again within days or weeks after the passage of storms. [Dealing with Dead Zones: Hypoxia in the Ocean]Tropical cyclones cycle nutrients, too.