The Evangelical Universalist Forum

Do You Think We Are Heading Towards A Totalitarian/Orwellian

Yes. As of now, tech companies are blacklisting far-right websites; The Daily Stormer and Stormfront for example have been shut down. Now you might think this is of no concern because you aren’t Nazis and fascists; but these companies are going after more mainstream Right websites, not to mention that said companies listen to outfits like the Southern Poverty Law Center, which plays fast and loose with who and what they consider to be “hate.”

Be worried.

Remember George Orwell? 1984? He also wrote Animal Farm, in which he was pointing to the dangers of - Orwellianism? - better known as Leftism. He was an astute critic, and this is a fun piece talking about Animal Farm and Orwell.

A snippet:
“Indeed, it was precisely the leftist totalitarians’ habit of embroidering their murderous pursuit of power with professions of “equality,” “fairness,” and “egalitarianism” that so often allowed them to employ any means necessary to achieve their supposedly exalted ends. In sum, in Orwell’s eyes, the radical Left’s erasure of historical memory and its distortion of reality through the manipulation of language were the chief threat of the 20th century.”

That’s the Left in America right now - it may be different in your country.

Read more at: nationalreview.com/article/4 … mmandments

In the Nerd and Geek worlds, we are in constant battles over:

Which phone system is better - Google Android or Apple?
Which operating system is better - Windows, Apple or Linux?

Well, you can get experts from each camp. And they give their professional opinions - in articles. At the end of the day, it boils down to this: it’s a matter of personal choice.

Some folks think if you read and watch enough experts - of a right wing orientation - guess what? You will see the light. The same could be said, for those of the left wing.

Actually, I personally think that contemplation - makes you more objective.

I use “New Thought” contemplation - via the Fox Golden Key - to focus on God’s omnipresence and goodness.This helps to change circumstances.
I use the Buddhist and Eastern contemplation of Mindfulness, Zen and Yoga, to change my reaction to circumstances.
And from the Native American, medicine men and women…I hung around with - over the years…I learn to walk in balance

And I use my understanding, in harmony with the teachings - of the Christian faith.

Maybe one day, the Nerd issues of the best phone system…and best operating system…will be settled. But I doubt it. Just as I doubt, that the issues of the left wing…and right wing, will be settled.

Notice that during the hurricane, all the news channels are providing coverage. But they are refraining from commentary. Once things settle down and they focus again on Trump. Then we can expect, more right wing and left wing “commentary”.

And least I forget. Joel Osteen did respond to all the Twitter criticism - for ABC News:

Joel Osteen: Houston megachurch to shelter people if needed

Now we just need a definition of “if needed”. Who determines that and what is the criteria :question: Here’s what Joel says - from the article:

I think that you think that I need a therapist? That I have OCD, am unbalanced, am perhaps mentally rabid?

What I did was post about Orwell - kinda like the Opening Post asked about. I don’t need to ask a medicine man, a shaman, the Buddha, anyone on the Red Road, or take medicinal herbs (As good as those things may be!) to be able to talk sense about Animal Farm.

I am ‘yelling’ too loud? - about a washed-out bridge ahead, that Americans in great numbers are not aware of. And I’ll continue to do it, even though I’m aware that it is not of interest - at this time - or at least not compared to Trump’s hair. :smiley:

No, David. I had this conversation, with someone here before. Only a degree holder and state licensed therapist or counselor. Or a state licensed and degree holding psychiatrist. Can make a determination regarding mental health. And only after a in-person consultation.

As far as medicine men and women go, I believe that God - can talk to them. Just like he can talk to both Christians - and non-Christians today. And they can talk to what I feel, are “spirits of the Earth” (a term that best describes them, from the book The Pipe and Christ: A Christian-Sioux Dialogue. By Roman Catholic priest by William Stolzman). And that the plants and animals - can talk to them. And vice verse.

I believe we did all that stuff…and all the “mystical” stuff - in the biographies of saints and shamans - in the Garden of Eden (whatever that was).

I put more stock in these and personal visions, then I do in “experts”. But the medicine men and women will warn us, about having nature out of balance. And that could potentially be our destruction.

As far as Animal Farm goes. I watch the “experts” on Fox News, CNN and the BBC. If they have something interesting to say…And it strikes a cord in me…I will research it.

So let me pose this question - to you and Steve. If enough people read these “experts”…and become what I call “super right winger conservatives” (whatever that is)…this would stop Animal Farm…or Left Behind…or 1984 - from happening?

“So let me pose this question - to you and Steve. If enough people read these “experts”…and become what I call “super right winger conservatives” (whatever that is)…this would stop Animal Farm…or Left Behind…or 1984 - from happening?” - Randy

Oh come on, R, I am of course ‘super’, but not right-winger-conservative, for goodness’ sake. :smiley:

Yelling ‘the bridge is out’ might stop some fools from driving over the edge into the abyss.

Left Behind? Not my cup 0’ tea.

I try not to rob legitimate issues of their force by pointing to a dozen other non-related issues.

Much depends on our orientation. Ultimately, God is in charge. But God works with us - depending on our faith and perspective. So watching someone like Joel Osteen on TV - can help. And I will still watch him. Regardless of his current helping hand position - for the Texas hurricane disaster.

Or we can work to change reality. At least, our own. By contemplating in the traditions of Mary Baker Eddy, Joel Goldsmith and Emmet Fox.

And perhaps we can change reality, by reading and watching - all these right wing experts.

They are different paths. It’s doubtful I can get folks here - to join my contemplation path. But I’m really NOT, trying to persuade them.

And I don’t think Dave and Steve, will get folks - to become super right wingers. Unless they already on that path.

My path brings a better world for me - hopefully. And Dave and Steve’s path, might also bring a better world - for me - hopefully.

But if God envisions our end by Left Behind, 1984 or Animal farm. Then neither mine nor Dave and Steve’s approach - will change God’s mind.

Maybe it’s like Pulp Fiction. Where Samuel and John, visit the college students. And Samuel asks, if he can try that tasty Kahuna burger. And wash it down, with a tasty Sprite. Well, NOT offering these items to him - or offering them to him. Might not really, change the outcome - for the college students. :laughing:

So let me pose this question - to you and Steve. If enough people read these “experts”…and become what I call “super right winger conservatives” (whatever that is)…this would stop Animal Farm…or Left Behind…or 1984 - from happening?

First as i have repeated often, i’m not a super right winger, i’m mostly pro capitalism and free speech and free thought. You may want to check out “The Thought Police” by Tammy Bruce an ex-leftist.
So yes It might stop Animal Farm from happening or am i missing some profound point flying over my head?? However i wouldn’t want super right wingers running the country either. Obviously political extremism is dangerous.

But if God envisions our end by Left Behind, 1984 or Animal farm. Then neither mine nor Dave and Steve’s approach - will change God’s mind.

Changing God’s mind is not the point. God gave us all “talents” and he called the one who didn’t develop and use his to be “wicked” so i think we should use our God given brains to try to honestly strive to be good stewards and make things better. Obviously God has the final word but until then we need to keep on , keeping on!

Perhaps because of the Texas hurricane crisis, this is a good story - to reflect upon: reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/67ouq5/two_boats_and_a_helicopter/

That’s a good one! :smiley:

Perhaps because of the Texas hurricane crisis, this is a good story - to reflect upon: reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments … elicopter/

The moral of the story is , don’t be “Left Behind.”

Truth is stranger than fiction!

"Searching for a scandal the way a crackhead hunts for crack, the media decided that the real story of the natural disaster ought to be Melania Trump’s shoes. Because that is what the media is now.

Melania Trump wore high heels while getting on Air Force One. The media howled that she was heading to a flood zone while wearing high heels. Never mind that she was still far from the zone and was just boarding a plane. Then she landed in Texas, wearing sneakers.

And that was also bad.

The Washington Post, where democracy, decency and sanity die in darkness, dedicated an entire article to the topic of Melania Trump’s shoes."

Article here

Melania Trump wore high heels while getting on Air Force One. The media howled that she was heading to a flood zone while wearing high heels. Never mind that she was still far from the zone and was just boarding a plane. Then she landed in Texas, wearing sneakers.

And that was also bad.

The Washington Post, where democracy, decency and sanity die in darkness, dedicated an entire article to the topic of Melania Trump’s shoes."

They used to call stuff like this yellow reporting or ragsheet news but now it’s MSM!!! Don’t forget that additionally Trump was not compassionate to the victims.

Well, you would NEVER find this type of story, in the supermarket tabloids…like the Globe or National Examiner. :open_mouth: :astonished:

Here is what John Robb over at Global Guerrillas has to say:

American Politics: Bad Boys vs. Mean Girls

Here’s a framework for understanding how social networking is changing US politics. It’s raw, simple and (hopefully) useful.


The political parties and the media aren’t the primary actors in the US political system anymore. Increasingly, politics is being waged online by networks. A fight between two powerful and very different online social networks (I gave them names that are both descriptive of how they operate and easy to remember):
•The bad boys (similar to a gang or tribe) network grew in support of Donald Trump. It proved innovative and fast enough to circumvent first the Republican party’s and then the media’s control of the electoral process. It was decisive to his victory.

•The mean girls (similar to a social clique or ruling aristocracy) network solidified in response to Trump’s unexpected victory. Its cohesion and single mindedness neutered the Trump administration even before he took the oath. It’s FAR more effective than the Democratic party and the media at exercising political power.

•The battle between these networks is evolving rapidly. For example, when a few small extremist groups from the bad boy network recently attempted to take control of the network through an organized protest in Charlottesville, they were roundly defeated and driven to ground by actions orchestrated by the mean girls network.

Bad Boys vs. Mean Girls

The real differences between these networks can be seen in how they organize themselves and how they fight:
•Bad boys. A loose decentralized network (populist and alt right, etc.). It has one organizing principle: disrupt the status quo. This network fights like an open source insurgency composed of many small groups and individuals acting independently. It disrupts from the shadows. It’s opportunistic, disorganized, and aggressive. It misleads, angers, and intimidates. It scores victories by increasing fear, uncertainty, and distrust.

•Mean girls. A tightly interconnected network (blue check Twitter and alt left, etc.). It has one organizing principle: repel the barbarians. This network fights like a ruling clique, albeit vastly larger than we have seen historically due to the scaling effects of social networking. This network openly connects people in authority across every major institution (from education to the media to the government to the tech industry) and leverages it and the politics of identity to establish moral authority. It fights by categorizing, vilifying and shunning enemies. It scores victories by manufacturing consensus.

•Both of these networks have their own moral and emotional framing for the news and events. Members prove their membership, particularly in the mean girls clique, by amplifying and repeating this moral framing when retweeting or commenting on news spread via social networking. Bad boys prove their membership through action i.e. exploiting every weakness by generating outrage, memetic reframing, and relentless trolling.

What this means

These networks have already replaced many of the functions previously accomplished by the political parties. They have also rewired, likely forever, how we consume news. Here’s some insight into how they are likely to impact the future:

•We face a paradox. This online war will persist as long as there isn’t any meaningful political change, but there can’t be meaningful change as long as this war persists. In the meantime, all of the underlying economic and social problems that have hollowed out the US over the last three decades will worsen. Worse, the existential crisis (a crisis that’s already killing more Americans than the entire Vietnam war every year) will deepen and the chance of catastrophic outcomes will spike.

•If we’re lucky, these networks will develop ways (apps and tools) to coerce and/or compel elected representatives into specific actions (aka drive change). The parties will either fight this development or embrace it. The party that fights it will be destroyed. The party that embraces it would have the potential to make the changes needed to prevent a wholesale collapse of the republic.

•If we are unlucky, we won’t see meaningful change and this existential crisis will drive us into authoritarianism. The form of this authoritarianism depends on which network wins. If the bad boy network dominates, we could see a dictator like Putin (or much worse) climb the ladder of chaos by scapegoating and purging enemies of the state. If the mean girl network gains control, we could see intersectional identity (all identities are in a perpetual struggle for dominance akin to Communist class warfare) mutate into an ideology that violently purges groups of people who become obstacles to progress. In their extreme forms, both of these political outcomes could create big piles of bodies. Let’s hope we avoid that.

So John has a little bit of credibility! (Randy take note) Check out his credentials…

And here is the link:globalguerrillas.typepad.com/globalguerrillas/

Interesting. I think he’s missing the boat on some very important things, however, especially in his descriptions of methods that the boys and girls use.
Still, interesting.

Fear the Fear the Walking Dead just ended, a couple of weeks ago. They will return shortly and the Walking Dead is close behind. And both are AMC shows about the Zombie apocalypse at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zombie_apocalypse. Let me give a definition from Wiki:

In reality, I don’t think we are heading for a Left Behind, Animal Farm or 1984 - but a zombie apocalypse. And I have mixed feeling here.

On the one hand, it’s the end of the world
On the other hand, Christians should celebrate

To show you I’m serious here, let me quote from the Wiki article:

In Fear the Walking Dead, the hero is a Kick A%$ woman. And she and her family members, hang around a “Super extreme, right wing” survivalist camp. The other group is a Native American Warriors camp. The only leftist who is surviving, used to belong to a Nicaraguan death squad. And he is one tough Hombre (i.e. Spanish for man).

I’m sure some here would be happy…that should a Zombie apocalypse occur…they could find a “Super extreme, right wing” survivalist camp - to hang out at. I would probably hang out, with the Native American warrior clan. :smiley:

I think some - like Steve and Dave - would survive in the “Super extreme, right wing” survivalist camp. And I would survive in the Native American warrior clan. I’m not sure about the rest, of the folks here. :wink:

Not being all that knowledgeable re your zombies, your walking dead, your other and assorted Others, can’t we all just get along? If all of us just met at the local Grange for potluck, then pushed the benches to the walls and fired up a bluegrass/celtic band, and we all danced like noone was watching?
Hmmm…better re-think that potluck, I reckon…

Actually, Dave…since the Zombie apocalypse hasn’t started yet…I’m all up for a party, where the guest list includes right wing survivalists, Native American warriors and zombies. It would bring a variety of perspectives - to any conversational topic (like we do here, on this forum). :smiley:

We all can have a heated debate…on whether we are headed towards 1984, Animal Farm, the Zombie apocalypse or something else entirely. Where we can all partake, of some liquid refreshments - that have more zip than the Zombies :laughing: