Just a moment...
www.politico.com

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/36774531

Northern Vermont went all in on Trump because of his border promises. Then came the changes voters here weren’t anticipating.

By Will Bredderman
09/26/2025 05:55 AM EDT

  • yesman@lemmy.world
    2·
    2 days ago

    I think it’s weird for non-believers to have an opinion about true Christianity, or correct Bible interpretation. My policy is that anyone who says they’re Christian is. And Christian character is how those people behave. I certainly prefer Liberation Theology to Prosperity Gospel, but I’ve no opinion about who’s reading the Bible “better”.

    Many abolitionists opposed slavery because of their Christian faith. They said the Bible condemns slavery, and it does. Many slavers supported slavery because of their Christian faith. They said the Bible upholds slavery, and it does. Geographic location (North/South) seems more correlated to Christian practice than the Bible. My conclusion is that Christians can’t find moral clarity in the Bible, therefore it’d be silly for anyone else to look there.

    • shawn1122@sh.itjust.works
      3·
      2 days ago

      Non believers can absolutely have an opinion on Bible interpretation. In fact one of Christianity’s flaws and what has led to its balkanization into innumerable denominations is the idea that only a central religious authority can interpret the Bible for application to daily living.

      Also if anyone who says they’re Christian simply is one then that’s not really a true religious philosophy. It’s more a club with no real entry requirements.

      There is one central belief in Christianity and it is that belief in Christ is the only path to salvation/heaven. A good person, the best person even, will go to hell if they have heard of but do not believe in Christ.

      Christian doctrine has spread this message for millennia, and it and other derivative philosophical thought, has been used to justify countless atrocities around the world.

      That should tell you or anyone reading most of why the world is the way it is today.

    • zbyte64@awful.systems
      1·
      2 days ago

      Religion is open to interpretation just like art. If someone interprets art and feels empowered to be a shitty person then they or the art is wrong. I don’t have to “believe” anything particular about the art to arrive at that conclusion, the same is true for religion.