Takeaways from the Iowa Town Hall tonight; DeSantis finally punches at Trump

Anybody catch that tonight? Iowa Town Hall with DeSantis? Man, DeSantis seems like he was finally pulling no punches and he directly attacked Trump a few times. He even pivoted from other questions to go after Trump. One line of questioning in particular stuck with me.

Before I go further, a full disclosure: I am an agnostic. I am not religious. My higher education was at a Christian university, I took semesters and semesters of Bible studies; 3 of the 4 gospels, each their own semester, a semester of Revelations and one of Paul's writings from Rome. I ended up leaving college believing less than where I started. But I do believe in everyone's right to believe in anything they wish to, and to practice their beliefs without any intrusion from the government.

That said, in a rare occurrence for me, I have to agree with Trump, and I have to defend him from DeSantis' attacks in this case.

DeSantis blamed Trump for the rise of Satanism in America, and said that because Trump approved Satanism as a religion in 2019 and gave them IRS tax exempt status, that he was somehow weakening Christianity. He went further and blamed the Satanic Temple's display in the Iowa capitol on Trump, saying if he hadn't approved them, they would not be allowed to display their religion in public.

He even blamed Trump for the Satanic Temple of Iowa’s display at the state Capitol, a development that has roiled Iowa and triggered a free speech debate. “Lo and behold, the Trump administration gave them approval to be under the IRS as a religion,” DeSantis said, referring to the Internal Revenue Service granting the group tax-exempt status in 2019.

Link

Trump actually followed the Constitution when he gave Satanism those rights, as should be given to any religion that has people that want to follow it. It is not for the government to decide which ones are real and approved, and which are not. And this one comes from the very same book. I said I studied Revelations; I'm pretty sure Satan is in that book. Is it right to allow one religion that comes out of a religious text, but not others spawned from the very same text?

And if DeSantis feels some religions are correct and others aren't, how does he rate them? Which ones would he allow under his leadership and which would lose their rights and privileges?

Thoughts?

Was Trump wrong in upholding religious freedoms for a non-mainstream religion?

originally posted by: Mahogani
Anybody catch that tonight? Iowa Town Hall with DeSantis? Man, DeSantis seems like he was finally pulling no punches and he directly attacked Trump a few times. He even pivoted from other questions to go after Trump. One line of questioning in particular stuck with me.

Before I go further, a full disclosure: I am an agnostic. I am not religious. My higher education was at a Christian university, I took semesters and semesters of Bible studies; 3 of the 4 gospels, each their own semester, a semester of Revelations and one of Paul's writings from Rome. I ended up leaving college believing less than where I started. But I do believe in everyone's right to believe in anything they wish to, and to practice their beliefs without any intrusion from the government.

That said, in a rare occurrence for me, I have to agree with Trump, and I have to defend him from DeSantis' attacks in this case.

DeSantis blamed Trump for the rise of Satanism in America, and said that because Trump approved Satanism as a religion in 2019 and gave them IRS tax exempt status, that he was somehow weakening Christianity. He went further and blamed the Satanic Temple's display in the Iowa capitol on Trump, saying if he hadn't approved them, they would not be allowed to display their religion in public.

He even blamed Trump for the Satanic Temple of Iowa’s display at the state Capitol, a development that has roiled Iowa and triggered a free speech debate. “Lo and behold, the Trump administration gave them approval to be under the IRS as a religion,” DeSantis said, referring to the Internal Revenue Service granting the group tax-exempt status in 2019.

Link

Trump actually followed the Constitution when he gave Satanism those rights, as should be given to any religion that has people that want to follow it. It is not for the government to decide which ones are real and approved, and which are not. And this one comes from the very same book. I said I studied Revelations; I'm pretty sure Satan is in that book. Is it right to allow one religion that comes out of a religious text, but not others spawned from the very same text?

And if DeSantis feels some religions are correct and others aren't, how does he rate them? Which ones would he allow under his leadership and which would lose their rights and privileges?

Thoughts?

Was Trump wrong in upholding religious freedoms for a non-mainstream religion?

I like the part where DeSantis blames Trump for the rise of Satanism in America.

You may want to take a look at my thread discussing what the doctrine 'America First' means and what happens if you are non-Christian according to some white supremacists.

a reply to: retrigon

Link it please, I'll read it.

originally posted by: Mahogani
a reply to: retrigon

Link it please, I'll read it.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Here it is!

a reply to: Mahogani

What I find intriguing is how certain voters think of Trump. They believe Trump is an outsider someone the system doesn't want for some mysterious reasons when in reality it has been party of the establishment for decades.

a reply to: Mahogani

And if DeSantis feels some religions are correct and others aren't, how does he rate them? Which ones would he allow under his leadership and which would lose their rights and privileges?

That's easy to answer.

Christianity! And more specifically the extreme right wing version of it.

a reply to: Mahogani

If I remember correctly, The book of Satan expressly suggests there is is no god, and therefor no Satan.
en.wikipedia.org...

It's a not religious text, using freedom of religion to promote it's message.
I've played music through to many christian religions to believe in a unified message at this point.
So As much as I can get behind one denomination, I can get behind the antithesis. All things fair.

I had to defend the display at the capitol tonight on Facebook...a mason brother posted about it and said it was a disgrace to Christianity and I defended the right for that to be up in the capitol, which basically comes from the foundations of Freemasonry, to encompass all religions and be able to choose what light (or god) you follow. Being the Scottish Rite building here in Des Moines contains symbols and effigies to all religions of the world.

a reply to: Mahogani

a reply to: Mahogani

A couple main takeaways:

Nobody cares what's on CNN and Ron DeSantis isn't changing anybody's mind about that.

What extremist corporate Democrats want in their ideal Republican candidates isn't really a big factor to anybody except corporate Democrats. I'm sure they'd like somebody as greedy as McCarthy and as unscrupulous as McConnell to more readily accept bribes.

I know you thought somehow Democrats selecting the new Republican archetyoe would come off without a hitch, but your Jan 6th stooges don't seem to be filling any campaign events.

Whomp whomp.

Lol


twitter.com...

originally posted by: Mahogani
Thoughts??

- Satanism is a religion and therefore Trump is right.

- The Iowa Satanism display shouldn't be in a government building. No religious display should be.

- Desantis is desperate. He is third in line for the GOP crown. If Trump goes to jail it will be Nicki Haley that is the GOP nomination, not him.

- I didn't watch it. Just getting the gist from your post.

originally posted by: Mahogani
Anybody catch that tonight? Iowa Town Hall with DeSantis? Man, DeSantis seems like he was finally pulling no punches and he directly attacked Trump a few times. He even pivoted from other questions to go after Trump. One line of questioning in particular stuck with me.

Before I go further, a full disclosure: I am an agnostic. I am not religious. My higher education was at a Christian university, I took semesters and semesters of Bible studies; 3 of the 4 gospels, each their own semester, a semester of Revelations and one of Paul's writings from Rome. I ended up leaving college believing less than where I started. But I do believe in everyone's right to believe in anything they wish to, and to practice their beliefs without any intrusion from the government.

That said, in a rare occurrence for me, I have to agree with Trump, and I have to defend him from DeSantis' attacks in this case.

DeSantis blamed Trump for the rise of Satanism in America, and said that because Trump approved Satanism as a religion in 2019 and gave them IRS tax exempt status, that he was somehow weakening Christianity. He went further and blamed the Satanic Temple's display in the Iowa capitol on Trump, saying if he hadn't approved them, they would not be allowed to display their religion in public.

He even blamed Trump for the Satanic Temple of Iowa’s display at the state Capitol, a development that has roiled Iowa and triggered a free speech debate. “Lo and behold, the Trump administration gave them approval to be under the IRS as a religion,” DeSantis said, referring to the Internal Revenue Service granting the group tax-exempt status in 2019.

Link

Trump actually followed the Constitution when he gave Satanism those rights, as should be given to any religion that has people that want to follow it. It is not for the government to decide which ones are real and approved, and which are not. And this one comes from the very same book. I said I studied Revelations; I'm pretty sure Satan is in that book. Is it right to allow one religion that comes out of a religious text, but not others spawned from the very same text?

And if DeSantis feels some religions are correct and others aren't, how does he rate them? Which ones would he allow under his leadership and which would lose their rights and privileges?

Thoughts?

Was Trump wrong in upholding religious freedoms for a non-mainstream religion?

Good right wing christians won't give any rights to satanists.

originally posted by: inflaymes69
I had to defend the display at the capitol tonight on Facebook...a mason brother posted about it and said it was a disgrace to Christianity and I defended the right for that to be up in the capitol, which basically comes from the foundations of Freemasonry, to encompass all religions and be able to choose what light (or god) you follow. Being the Scottish Rite building here in Des Moines contains symbols and effigies to all religions of the world.

a reply to: Mahogani

Well done!

a reply to: Mahogani

I wouldn't call them punches.

DeSantis wears heels.

More like the proverbial handbag.

originally posted by: 19Bones79
a reply to: Mahogani

I wouldn't call them punches.

DeSantis wears heels.

More like the proverbial handbag.

They need to have a competition on who is a more right wing christian.

a reply to: Anode

None of them are.

Right-wing Christians are for the most part likeable people.

Pity about their blind devotion to Israel though.

a reply to: Anode

Simply asking Trump to quote a Bible verse or repeat one of the tales inside said book would prove exactly how Christian he is.

As to right-wing, i think they both tick that box, or at least pander to the target audience for sick political kudos and votes.

originally posted by: 19Bones79
a reply to: Anode

None of them are.

Right-wing Christians are for the most part likeable people.

Pity about their blind devotion to Israel though.

They both have Jesus in their hearts

originally posted by: inflaymes69
I had to defend the display at the capitol tonight on Facebook...a mason brother posted about it and said it was a disgrace to Christianity and I defended the right for that to be up in the capitol, which basically comes from the foundations of Freemasonry, to encompass all religions and be able to choose what light (or god) you follow. Being the Scottish Rite building here in Des Moines contains symbols and effigies to all religions of the world.

a reply to: Mahogani

Iconography falls under free speech. Same as the portrait of Jesus and the Bible as a "swearing in" device at most federal establishment. Their right is your right. One can hardly be prejudiced and be shocked when prejudice gradually swings back around to scrutinize and mock you.

originally posted by: inflaymes69
I had to defend the display at the capitol tonight on Facebook...a mason brother posted about it and said it was a disgrace to Christianity and I defended the right for that to be up in the capitol, which basically comes from the foundations of Freemasonry, to encompass all religions and be able to choose what light (or god) you follow. Being the Scottish Rite building here in Des Moines contains symbols and effigies to all religions of the world.

a reply to: Mahogani

as a mason, I'll pipe in and say I think you are spot on. At least in freemasonry religious tolerance is what brings us together. So to make the claim that your religion is better than others isn't one born from the teachings. It's just the hubris of man.