For all those faithful fundies that hate being overshadowed by an atheist's (many) years long charitable contributions toward children's hospitals, hunger relief - at home and abroad, soldiers deployed and returned, and others, I dare you to better me. Don't even do it for tax purposes! Do it because it's the right thing. Go ahead and prove yourself more "Christian" than me!
@jimbrown257 Yeah right on. I bet that without the enormous benefits and privileges religions enjoy, and tax exemption is just one, that is exactly what would happen. They would just fade away.
Have you read Daniel Dennett? He often gets overlooked because of the larger popularity or Hitchens and Dawkins but he's got a lot of real great ideas; his work is more philosophical than most others. Anyways, he has an idea for religion which is just that; don't parents or politicians favor any of them and see which (if any) people gravitate towards and do the best to help them. A religion should be able to prove its worth without help or special privileges.
Of course, none of that would ever actually happen because, as anyone can clearly see, that religion isn't kept around because of how it might help people. While I won't deny there are people who find solace in relgion, leaders/politicians and the clergy want it to further their own agendas.
You want to see a funny example of religion at its most comically inept? Read the third and forth post under this one (it starts "Bush dropped...").
@jimbrown257 Thanks for pointing out the asshole obsessed with the "truth" lying his ass off and backbiting a man (Soros) he knows nothing about. When Saddam was gassing the Kurds, Rumsfeld and Cheney were there kissing his ass to make sure he did and assholes like this hated anyone not complacent with the murder of these innocents. That is if he was even aware of it at the time which I doubt. Even so, he'd still be pulling this shit out of his ass. Kinda funny. I love the liberal bashing.
It's typical fundie hypocrisy; he talks says Christians are all about love but if you read some of his other posts you would see he doesn't really seem to practice it too well.
As for Bush taking out Sadam, the ironic part of it, is how while Sadam was a pretty bad guy, taking him out made it so the Christians in Iraq were no longer protected by the realitive stability Sadam created and they are now being slaughtered by fundamental Muslims. US Christians mostly ignore this fact.
@jimbrown257 I know, there was like this Christian community that dated back to the time of Christ and now they're all like working in Seven Elevens or living is this tiny area near the Green Zone. I bet the Christian community in Syria (founded by Christ's brother James) suffers a similar fate. The Catholics would love that, they hate them even more than they hate the Iraqi Christians. And the fundies and vangies are all like Huh? Whachew talkin bout? Deys all jes a buncha Ayrabs.
@jimbrown257 Oh yeah Religion/Money/Politics/Cancer/Diabetes/Aids they all go together. It's all about money and religion is always right there to tell everyone to be good servants or get them roused up to go fight a war for some rich bastards. And it's always there to tell them how they got to be more humble and not fight for their rights, unless of course, it's jim crow or whatever anti-catholic-jew-protestant-hindu-moslem (read fuck some poor bastards) scheme they got going.
Gore Vidal is certainly out of touch if he thinks the attendees of his lectures represent mainstream opinion when they are, to use his phrase, "a minority of a minority." Tax all the churches? Get real.
@mrtruthadict Bush dropped bombs on inocent women & children? Sadam murdered hundreds of thousands of his own people using chemical & biological weapons. We brought democracy to several Middle Eastern states. Who are you trying to fool? Truth Adict? You are brainwashed. I grew up in the democratic party. It is now owned by Soros and the communist party. This country was founded on the moral and Christian principles of God's Word in the Bible. I pray for you. God bless the USA.
Racist is a homosexual who prevents a Christian from 1st Ammendment rights to free speach to opposing views.
Why would any Christian be pro murder/ pro abortion?
Christians cannot be racist, liberals are anti-racist towards Christians. Christians love all. Liberals hate the truth, why liberals hate Christians because Christ is everlasting truth.
Christians are not pro war. But Christians support democracy. The slavery of communism and socialism isn't democratic.
There is a Christian Right filled with fundamentalists that has been backed by elements of Corporate America and staff the Republican party and Tea Party.
These are the Huckabee and Romney and Palin supporters.
They are by nature racist, anti-abortion, pro-war (of any kind).
There is no Christian Left.
There are no anti-racist, pro-abortion, anti-war Christians in America in any organized group.
@cfmonkey454 No such thing as Christian Left-doesn't exist.
Were talking a left wing religious movement and that doesn't exist.
Blacks and Latios have nothing to do with this conversation and you are nothing more than a racist for bringing these irrelevent people up in this discussion.
This man does not understand the United States. We are God blessed country. You ignorant liberals who are unbelievers are typical communists who only want what you believe in to exist. "I don't like republicans so lets eliminate them... I don't like religion so lets eliminate it.." So much for living free and the pursuit of one's happiness. Idiots. God bless the United States of America!
@Quanuck You phony Christians are responsible for the Bush administration and the 1 trillion dollars he borrowed to drop bombs on innocent women and children in Iraq. We are now debt slaves to China because of Bush. You and Bush were the beginning of the end of America. China is the next superpower, thanks to you idiots.
Ariaane: "Repeating dribble you've read does not make you appear intelligent." That is the pot calling the kettle black. For instance, your pronouncement that Ghandi was a racist and a pervert who slept with young girls, is nothing but parroting the cynical version of a complex man and history. And as to your assertion that 100 million people have died by athiestic communism, I would just add that 100 of millions have also died througout history for religion, monarcy, and democracy, etc.
The interviewer is rather strange in his understanding of Christianity. The "fundamental criteria" in which a person gains salvation is whether or not he or she believes in Christ. That's it. Anything more and then you have salvation by works.
Thus, any sensible religious teaching advocating things such as concern for others, or help for the poor, is lost in a sort of religious capitalist free-for-all. As a European, I would say American evangelical churches are the total antithesis of religion as I know it.
@Karlzberg414 Sensible religious teaching? There is nothing sensible about religion. Good men do good things, bad men do bad things, but only with religion can you get good men to do bad things.
@buddybleau It is undoubtedly true that you can get good men to do bad things through religion, but ask yourself how you get bad men to do good things?
I see you are in the US which proves my point a little. Ever been to a Church of England or Church of Norway service for example? Sober, sane, sensible and perhaps a little dull. They can't say anything controversial because the churches are supported by taxpayers money.
@buddybleau A good person can make positive light out of any base story, and a bad person can twist any base story into a negative and destructive entity. And that is the basic truth I think.
You can't possibly judge the entirety of religion because it is so diverse.
Tell that to the 100 million people slaughtered in 80 years by atheistic communism. Repeating dribble you've read does not make you appear intelligent.
The US is a mess religiously because it has no national church. European states tend to have a national church (whether official or de facto, Catholic or Protestant) which is supported financially by the state, and therefore is held to some degree of account, tending to be moderate in its outlook. Catholics in southern Europe, Anglican in Britain, Lutheran in northern Europe.
The US has no national religion and encourages the competition of churches as if they were businesses....
The power to tax is the power to destroy. For all of the talk of freedom, Vidal prevaricates his opinion hinting at using the power of the IRS to silence dissent. The IRS should be abolished along with the Federal Reserve. Ron Paul/Gary Johnson 2012.
Personally I think any affiliation that any party has with religion simply will cause trouble. Religion is extremely divisive, and generally causes some sect of religion to hate another. Now it can possibly be used as an instrument to conquer and divide which is an age old political tactic, but I would urge any party, not to suck up to these people, because their thoughts are dangerous. We only need to see where it has gotten us right now, nothing but death and destruction, proof of what I say.
ha. vidal. he's is delusional and a joy to watch. it's always interesting when folks have brainwashed themselves into believing their own myopic view. he literally *must* say what he says. he is not the only one, they come from both sides of the aisle. these narcissists get to a point where they are incapable of intellectual thought. so ingrained in their own defence objectivity becomes an afterthought and liability.
@obhobo I have to agree with you so far. I only started getting interested in him about a month ago, but I have so far not seen him actually state one proposal to fix anything. He talks of the founding fathers, and of philosophers of past, but he never proposes something that should be done. His criticism sounds good, but are very open ended. As for Republicans freeing the slaves, and then he talks of this movement by their descendants to the Democrats, this has never made any sense to me.
ha. vidal. he's is delusional and a joy to watch. it's always interesting when folks have brainwashed themselves into believing their own myopic view. he literally *must* say what he says. he is not the only one, they come from both sides of the aisle. these narcissists get to a point where they are incapable of intellectual thought. so ingrained in their own defence objectivity becomes an afterthought and liability.
It is intensely bothersome to me that the neo cons have hijacked the founding fathers for their own cause. Anyone who has read Jefferson, Paine, or Madison would realize how much they would hate the modern right,.
@sfmike20 ...and how they would hate the modern left with their tendency for massive government. Jefferson and Madison were big advocates of nullification and believed in the smallness of government. This country is broke and it is time to bring the troops home. Oh but I guess we are in Bush's third term.
@efrem1, of course they would hate the modern left, and I said nothing that would indicate my thinking anything else. My problem in this area is with the modern right who claim to be following the founding fathers. People need to understand that the founding fathers were on the anti-authoritarian left, and right. None of them would agree with the modern political climate. My irritation in this area remains with the right.
Btw, as Chomsky fan I have nothing in common with the modern left.
He overestimates the religious right, they are merely pawns in a bigger game. And disenfranchising whole groups is not anti-democratic and fascist in the least, oh the irony. I as a Calvinist do not believe in tax exempt and incorporated churches, but then again I do not agree with most taxation in general, I fail to see why religious groups should be targeted for taxation, they are voluntary organisations. As much as I cannot stand faux-evangelical groups, they'll fall well enough on their own.
Yeah but at least over here the Church has fuck all influence on legislation... Islam has more sway in our society then the Anglican church. Now THAT'S scary!
Anytime religion becomes political is scary. Ex. The Spanish Inquisition, the Crusades, the Salem Witch Trials, the huge amount of influence the Religious Right has.
@fede2 churches should be taxed like corporations. It would put 90% of them out of business over night because they don't really offer anything of substance and mostly exist for self perpetuation.
This guy is an old decaying left wing nutcase fucktard who's entire life has been devoted to being a smug asshole. He complains about the "monopolizing of great wealth." Well, in a free society, you EARN wealth. He wants society to democratically take away what people earn and redistribute it. That is the typical leftist vision of authoritarian mob rule, the exact opposite of what the founding fathers wanted.
They probably wanted people to have the intellectual capacity to make a decision one way or another. That's the best a democratic society can hope for.
I very much doubt they instilled a conservative or a liberal ideaology into the constitution or any of their other founding documents.
Aside from which, why is what they wanted (according to you) absolute gospel to be brough to fruition?
Your Christian faith doesn't "render" you a moron, but it follows from the fact that you're a Christian in this day and age that you are indeed a moron.
What is a "true" Republican? You don't think abortion is murder? You're not against having a minimum wage? What?
I follow the moral teachings of the Gospel of the New Testiment. It is better than any Secular Constitution or any "Intellectual's" version of a "Manifesto" to engineer the human race as though we are all farm animals, and a certain select few who are exceptionally intellectual--such as yourself--should decide for us how the world should be constructed.
Am I against Abortion morally . But, I cannot tell someone what to do.
Social engineering is an old and admittedly dangerous idea which is not considered intelleectually respectable today.
The moral teachings of the new testament drove Mother Teresa to keep sick people from their medicine, living in army cots, deficating in front of eachother and basically just suffering "to get closer to Christ".
If you call this moral, you're a disgusting human being.
so if christian give money to a church, or donate its not charity, what part dont you understand about that, maybe he just hates christians and he wants them to be punished
that's a narrow-minded view. But, you are entitled to your view. I disagree-
Our Catholic Parish in France raises more money than the "great Charitibie Governmental Agencies" do with YOUR money-and you have no choice with the Government-
It is voluntary with the secular charities as well (which raise a lot more than the Christian charities) and its still YOUR money if you donate anyways.
The problem is that none of these charities are quite getting the job done. That's why we need your money involuntarily as well, b/c you're a cheap-skate.
The tyranny of the private sector? Give me a fucking break. The "tyranny" of the private sector has greated the modern standard of living we all enjoy today. Life before capitalism was a nightmare.
Slaves enjoyed a better standard of living during their last 100 years as compared to any of the previous centuries. Is that an argument for slavery?
Aside from which, putting limits on corporate greed, coersion and destruction of individual lives is not oppsed to capitalism. It can be worked within capitalism.
When we say capitalism has created the modern standard of living, we are not just talking about a little tiny improvement, barely noticable, which is what you had with slavery. We are talking about revolutionary change. We are talking about massive amounts of technology, medicine, electronics, and all within a system where individuals have freedom. Only a Chomsky parrot fucktard would try to compare slavery to capitalism in such a manner.
religion should be taxed (church, mosque's etc) they are giving a product to people. (an amazingly ignorant one but nonethe less.)
They should be taxed the same way as any other company in your country. ignorant fucks ;) actually believing in a space god. A 3 year old have better rational thinking than religios people.
@hozzymannen I agree with you except the 3 year old bit, children are actually already made to give purpose to everything (makes sense, need to learn quick) so they are natural born creationists. They wouldn't say a lake doesn't move because there's no other water moving past they'd believe rather that it's to serve the animals living there or for dogs to bathe without getting eaten.
It's not that 3 year old's have better rational thinking - it's just they have the exact same rational thinking.
@whosthisguythinkheis All children are born "Atheist". All rational thought goes out the window when their parents get through forcing their religious beliefs on them. This to me, is child abuse. All religion is bad. Religion should be against the law! After all, religion is an accident of birth. Wherever you are born is the religion you will learn, whether you like it or not. Rational people have no gods!
@buddybleau Yup, I'm not trying to say creationism is correct because its the way were born, I'm saying it's wrong because it means creationsists haven't matured.
@hozzymannen a god that wasnt around for 98 ,000 years decided to show up give commands that fit in perfectly with the languages traditions and culture of a illiterate and supersiticious parts of the middle east and he told everyone that if u dont live like this then ur gna go hell so everyone who died b4 dat did oh and kill non believers, and u no wat murder every1 who isnt like u and submit to ur masters also (wat ignorance).
Vidal Gore doesn't care who he slams. Right or left, that is what is so brillant about him. He can take off his veil and state what he knows without pretention.
What's he got to lose, or gain? He's 80 yrs. old.
Gore Vidal is my favorite author. He is 80 years old and is a product of the greatest generation. My father along w/5 of his brothers were WWII veterans. My father was brillant and a gentleman: He said, "This generation coming up, has all gone to hell!"
Gore Vidal is a very educated and smart man. dneuens,you are wrong in saying, "The repubs pushed through the civil rights laws to objecting democrats."
"The Civil Rights Act" was passed in 1964
under L.B.Johnson. You must be confusing Lincoln w/this. Mr. Lincoln, (btw,the first republican) I am sorry to say, only passed the "Emancipation Proclamation"so that blacks could be used in the Northern Army. The truth is the truth. Both parties of our country are just the in's,or the outs i.e.same.
Dear Vearl, please stop throwing that expression "the greatest Generation" around. What you truely mean is a generation that forgot to think for themselves. Brainwashed if you will. If that generation all thought like Vidal, the future of America would have been much brighter than the one they are facing today, caused by the reactionary decisions of that ... "the greatest Generation".
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No idea what he's talking about. The repubs pushed through the civil rights laws to objecting democrats. The first dozen blacks elected to congress, including ex-slaves were republicans. Martin Luther King was a registered republican.
I am no republican but Gore Vidal is a moron with an acute sense of revisionist history.
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha is he done yet?......nope hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Because...there were two kinds of democrats in those days: Southern and Yankee democrats. Do you understand that difference? Dear old Strom, for example, was a southern democrat, which is to say, a republican.
Will the great grand kids of "cooperate" owners be like Buddha and give up self adulation for the benefit of the poor or will they continue like the British Monarchy? Whither?
May I have clarification on WHO the "coperations" are made of? Can you make a clip on WHO THE COOPRATIONS ARE? What are there political and religious affiliations and what are there failies and children are being preped to do and where are there grand children are being educated and waht are there plans to "survive' because it will give a great clue to their agendas and goals.
I think the interviewer (Paul Jay) has more sense than Gore Vidal, who seems to dismiss religion out of hand. There are a lot of us religious folk who are greatly opposed to the national security state. Don't stereotype all of us based on what you've heard from nuts like Fred Phelps.
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This interviewer knows nothing about the fundamentals of the original message of Christ. The care of the poor is a part of what he taught, perhaps was part of a commandmant (as in love neighbor as self) but it is not a fundamental of salvation. Belief in Him is the fundimental. The belief causes changes in behavior, as belief that there is a clif at the end of the road will cause you to change the course of your car. (very simplistic way of putting that, of course.)
Jesus speaking (Luke 14:26)"If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple."
Thats one interpretation of Christ's message which really came into existence about 1400 years after he died. You may believe that because of your denomination, but that doesn't make it 'true'.
Damn...How insecure does your deity have to be to where he's constantly whining about attention to him ALL the time. It's like God is the ultimate narcissist. LOL
@MasterMark123 Gandhi was one of the closet we have seen to "christ-like", along with Martin Luther King Jr.,and maybe a few others. The American Christians would probably kill him again, if he was to come back! The Christians that I know pick and choose what is conveinant for them to adapt into their lives, and they discard or go against the bulk of his teachings, from what I can tell. A great deal of them are fairly low-brow, simple minded, and have relatively low comprehensional skills.
Shorewatcher, people like us know NOW so it is up to us to make things better. In my own opinion I do not think all is lost, but the road to improving things will be difficult. People like Vidal make good points, but he comes on like a cynical curmedgeon. Cyncism is not what is needed to improve things.
Also, I think Vidal is wrong in totally wrong in blaming Bush. American Citizens should take the blame for allowing government to become a our master not our servent.
I am non-religious and I have nothing against religion. I only get upset when policy makers try to create laws based on ancient religious texts. Laws should be created based on reason, rationalism, and the best of ones ability to interpret the Constitution. At least that is my opinion.
Both parties have their crooked elements. I think Vidal has a niave view that if only the Democrats were in power everythng ok. At least that is the message I am getting from him. Someone correct me if I am wrong?
THIS IS A JOKE. at min 3:00 he makes a complete hack of christianity. You will not be judge by how well you treat the poor. No man can work for or earn salvation, it is a free gift given by the grace of God. Very erroneous, he shouldn't have even attempt to adress such a topic.
He is speaking to the whole content of what Jesus said....to the essence, from which one can look at a life and see something. It is from ones heart that all actions come, not from ones words.
"They didn't do it because they wanted to become bankers...They joined the Republican party because they didn't like black people." I'm from the South and love many aspects of it, but Vidal's statement is all too true, even today.
For thoose who havent see the political break down on who votes D or R with respect to all religous lobbies. It is almost 50/50. One couldn't tell with our media reportage.
I do not accept Gore Vidals opinion at all. Hardly news more like a primer for progressive base politics. Unless all are to assume real news is slanted hard to the left. A feeble excersize at best. Very predictable.
We build this country around freedom not money. We are going to kill ourselves over greed and money thats whats its all about. ITs all business, it will never and in this country sorry to say to you guys, just relax and enjoy what you have while it lasts. Do your part.
I am curious what you think about these "God bless america" bumper stickers? And these "These colors dont run". Fervent knee jerk patriotism. As if god blesses one continent of people over another! LOL. What about these support the troops stickers? What if I had a I do not support the troops sticker? I am sure my car would get keyed. Look around man people are always trying to restrict free speech. That is why the ACLU exist.
Paul Jay's fundamental belief about what Christianity is about is really what fundamental socialism is about. jesus said "The poor will always be with us" in a context meaning poverty wil never be solved. Stalin & Lennin promised to do this very thing, and Russia wept 40 years later.
Quality of life improved greatly in Russia under their reigns, minus the executions. Stalin took them from the ploughshire to the nuclear bomb in 29 years.
This Gore moron seems to love FDR and detest Bush - hmm, interesting how he can look past FDR's many trandgressions and shredding of the Constitution, like when he forced the internment of Japanese Americans. These liars like Gore Vidal will never acknowledge that - talk about your inconvenient truths.
what a fantastic egomaniac!Typical left-lib views..how come arrogant old liberal fruits like Vidal and any other pablum-puker,basically people who find capitalism and all its inherent horrors so repugnant,move to France,or start their own little Marxist paradise somewhere else-I get sick of the same crap that panders to the supposedly downtrodden,who probably don't give a rat's ass what all these compassionate liberals are saying about how the world should be run.
And tone the mere fact that you think everything is black and white is exactly why this country is being flushed down a toilet and a theocracy or fascist state is on the threshold. Thinking people have exact black and white, yes and no beliefs is very scary. Thinking a liberal is automatically a marxist is nuts.
Your thoughts scare me because you obviously completely do not understand DEMOCRACY! The whole point is to engage in opposing views being able to DISAGREE. I am so sick of people like you saying this "Move if you don't like it here!" mentality. You should move because you obviously hate the idea of democracy.
We (in America) do not live in a democracy. We live in a Republic. There is a difference. In certain situations the "move if you don't like it" makes sense; in others it does not. If you disagree with freedom of speech, of religion, of the right to pursue happiness, then yeah, one should leave.
If you are against free speech, you should not live in a Republic or Democracy. The Republic or Democracy isn't oppressing the person who doesn't believe in freedom of speech, religion, etc, rather that person should leave because his/her beliefs run counter to the very heart of democratic thought. Do you even read what I type?
you still don't make sense. Somebody can say they are against free speech or against religion etc and live in a democracy. It happens all the time wtf? Groups are always trying to restrict free speech and speak against religion etc. Their beliefs do not run counter whatsoever. Saying you are against free speech or religion is in itself Free speech!
It's like citizens who served in the military saying they fought to preserve my right to free speech. Yet they complain when someone is against war.Or they get upset when a person says bluntly they dont give a rats ass why they fought. They respond by saying the predictable "Love it or leave it". When they are to stupid to realize if they fought for my right to free speech that includes my right to say I dont give a rat's ass. What is so hard to understand?
Ive tried to read Gore Vidal! OMG
Hes so boring, ive just read 50 pages. Truman Capote. Philip Roth, Norman Mailer Yes!
Those are great.
dressyleopardo1 3 days ago
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@conservativeanthem-
Total homosexual elitist liberal.
Vidal wrote halfway decent historical novels, but as a pundit and commentarist he is a pompous narcissistic bigot.
His liberalism is so rampantly confirmation-biased as to render him incapable of rational opine.
One of the worst America produced. Gone to befoul the South of France, and good riddance.
TemplarLeonem 1 week ago
This guy is such a drama queen...
ConservativeAnthem 3 weeks ago
For all those faithful fundies that hate being overshadowed by an atheist's (many) years long charitable contributions toward children's hospitals, hunger relief - at home and abroad, soldiers deployed and returned, and others, I dare you to better me. Don't even do it for tax purposes! Do it because it's the right thing. Go ahead and prove yourself more "Christian" than me!
ScienceisBeautiful 6 months ago
Religion is politics is about the most disgusting and troubling idea I can imagine.
Unitl their god shows up for a Senate vote they can't claim we have to do some political thing because "that's what god wants!"
jimbrown257 7 months ago
hes a true social democrat
timetochilli 7 months ago
Tax religions
hamnose 8 months ago 2
@hamnose
"Tax religions"
...Better yet, END religions.
jimbrown257 7 months ago
@jimbrown257 Yeah right on. I bet that without the enormous benefits and privileges religions enjoy, and tax exemption is just one, that is exactly what would happen. They would just fade away.
hamnose 6 months ago
@hamnose
Have you read Daniel Dennett? He often gets overlooked because of the larger popularity or Hitchens and Dawkins but he's got a lot of real great ideas; his work is more philosophical than most others. Anyways, he has an idea for religion which is just that; don't parents or politicians favor any of them and see which (if any) people gravitate towards and do the best to help them. A religion should be able to prove its worth without help or special privileges.
jimbrown257 6 months ago
@hamnose
Con't:
Of course, none of that would ever actually happen because, as anyone can clearly see, that religion isn't kept around because of how it might help people. While I won't deny there are people who find solace in relgion, leaders/politicians and the clergy want it to further their own agendas.
You want to see a funny example of religion at its most comically inept? Read the third and forth post under this one (it starts "Bush dropped...").
jimbrown257 6 months ago
@jimbrown257 Thanks for pointing out the asshole obsessed with the "truth" lying his ass off and backbiting a man (Soros) he knows nothing about. When Saddam was gassing the Kurds, Rumsfeld and Cheney were there kissing his ass to make sure he did and assholes like this hated anyone not complacent with the murder of these innocents. That is if he was even aware of it at the time which I doubt. Even so, he'd still be pulling this shit out of his ass. Kinda funny. I love the liberal bashing.
hamnose 6 months ago
@hamnose
It's typical fundie hypocrisy; he talks says Christians are all about love but if you read some of his other posts you would see he doesn't really seem to practice it too well.
As for Bush taking out Sadam, the ironic part of it, is how while Sadam was a pretty bad guy, taking him out made it so the Christians in Iraq were no longer protected by the realitive stability Sadam created and they are now being slaughtered by fundamental Muslims. US Christians mostly ignore this fact.
jimbrown257 6 months ago
@jimbrown257 I know, there was like this Christian community that dated back to the time of Christ and now they're all like working in Seven Elevens or living is this tiny area near the Green Zone. I bet the Christian community in Syria (founded by Christ's brother James) suffers a similar fate. The Catholics would love that, they hate them even more than they hate the Iraqi Christians. And the fundies and vangies are all like Huh? Whachew talkin bout? Deys all jes a buncha Ayrabs.
hamnose 6 months ago
@jimbrown257 Oh yeah Religion/Money/Politics/Cancer/Diabetes/Aids they all go together. It's all about money and religion is always right there to tell everyone to be good servants or get them roused up to go fight a war for some rich bastards. And it's always there to tell them how they got to be more humble and not fight for their rights, unless of course, it's jim crow or whatever anti-catholic-jew-protestant-hindu-moslem (read fuck some poor bastards) scheme they got going.
hamnose 6 months ago
What a bigot!
Pfsif 9 months ago
Gore Vidal is certainly out of touch if he thinks the attendees of his lectures represent mainstream opinion when they are, to use his phrase, "a minority of a minority." Tax all the churches? Get real.
Tertiarygrowth 9 months ago
@mrtruthadict Bush dropped bombs on inocent women & children? Sadam murdered hundreds of thousands of his own people using chemical & biological weapons. We brought democracy to several Middle Eastern states. Who are you trying to fool? Truth Adict? You are brainwashed. I grew up in the democratic party. It is now owned by Soros and the communist party. This country was founded on the moral and Christian principles of God's Word in the Bible. I pray for you. God bless the USA.
Quanuck 1 year ago
Racist is a homosexual who prevents a Christian from 1st Ammendment rights to free speach to opposing views.
Why would any Christian be pro murder/ pro abortion?
Christians cannot be racist, liberals are anti-racist towards Christians. Christians love all. Liberals hate the truth, why liberals hate Christians because Christ is everlasting truth.
Christians are not pro war. But Christians support democracy. The slavery of communism and socialism isn't democratic.
Quanuck 1 year ago
Its very simple.
There is a Christian Right filled with fundamentalists that has been backed by elements of Corporate America and staff the Republican party and Tea Party.
These are the Huckabee and Romney and Palin supporters.
They are by nature racist, anti-abortion, pro-war (of any kind).
There is no Christian Left.
There are no anti-racist, pro-abortion, anti-war Christians in America in any organized group.
This may seem odd but it is absolutely true.
Christianity =Right wing in US.
MultiSmartass1 1 year ago 2
@MultiSmartass1 Like Reverend Al Sharpton? Or the Black and Latino Religious Communities?
cfmonkey454 1 year ago
@cfmonkey454 No such thing as Christian Left-doesn't exist.
Were talking a left wing religious movement and that doesn't exist.
Blacks and Latios have nothing to do with this conversation and you are nothing more than a racist for bringing these irrelevent people up in this discussion.
MultiSmartass1 1 year ago
Gore Vidal is awesome. Sorry you haters can't see the truth.
slayme3 1 year ago
This man does not understand the United States. We are God blessed country. You ignorant liberals who are unbelievers are typical communists who only want what you believe in to exist. "I don't like republicans so lets eliminate them... I don't like religion so lets eliminate it.." So much for living free and the pursuit of one's happiness. Idiots. God bless the United States of America!
Quanuck 1 year ago
@Quanuck You phony Christians are responsible for the Bush administration and the 1 trillion dollars he borrowed to drop bombs on innocent women and children in Iraq. We are now debt slaves to China because of Bush. You and Bush were the beginning of the end of America. China is the next superpower, thanks to you idiots.
MrTruthAddict 1 year ago
haha outlaw the republican party.. SUPER constitutional.
HandInGl0ve 1 year ago
Yeah, let's rig elections! What a champion of democracy! Unimpressive.
NihilNominis 1 year ago
Ariaane: "Repeating dribble you've read does not make you appear intelligent." That is the pot calling the kettle black. For instance, your pronouncement that Ghandi was a racist and a pervert who slept with young girls, is nothing but parroting the cynical version of a complex man and history. And as to your assertion that 100 million people have died by athiestic communism, I would just add that 100 of millions have also died througout history for religion, monarcy, and democracy, etc.
bradygate 1 year ago
The interviewer is rather strange in his understanding of Christianity. The "fundamental criteria" in which a person gains salvation is whether or not he or she believes in Christ. That's it. Anything more and then you have salvation by works.
onemindonespirit 1 year ago
... to be run for private profit.
Thus, any sensible religious teaching advocating things such as concern for others, or help for the poor, is lost in a sort of religious capitalist free-for-all. As a European, I would say American evangelical churches are the total antithesis of religion as I know it.
Karlzberg414 1 year ago
@Karlzberg414 Sensible religious teaching? There is nothing sensible about religion. Good men do good things, bad men do bad things, but only with religion can you get good men to do bad things.
buddybleau 1 year ago
@buddybleau It is undoubtedly true that you can get good men to do bad things through religion, but ask yourself how you get bad men to do good things?
I see you are in the US which proves my point a little. Ever been to a Church of England or Church of Norway service for example? Sober, sane, sensible and perhaps a little dull. They can't say anything controversial because the churches are supported by taxpayers money.
Karlzberg414 1 year ago
@buddybleau A good person can make positive light out of any base story, and a bad person can twist any base story into a negative and destructive entity. And that is the basic truth I think.
You can't possibly judge the entirety of religion because it is so diverse.
Karlzberg414 1 year ago
@buddybleau
Tell that to the 100 million people slaughtered in 80 years by atheistic communism. Repeating dribble you've read does not make you appear intelligent.
ariaane 1 year ago
The US is a mess religiously because it has no national church. European states tend to have a national church (whether official or de facto, Catholic or Protestant) which is supported financially by the state, and therefore is held to some degree of account, tending to be moderate in its outlook. Catholics in southern Europe, Anglican in Britain, Lutheran in northern Europe.
The US has no national religion and encourages the competition of churches as if they were businesses....
Karlzberg414 1 year ago
The man is off on so many points
AlexanderRaccoon 1 year ago
@AlexanderRaccoon Refutation?
PrimaIScream 1 year ago
That's odd, given that Nixon was the President who racially integrated the American school system on a scale without precedent in American history.
EkajTheSwordsman 1 year ago
The power to tax is the power to destroy. For all of the talk of freedom, Vidal prevaricates his opinion hinting at using the power of the IRS to silence dissent. The IRS should be abolished along with the Federal Reserve. Ron Paul/Gary Johnson 2012.
efrem1 1 year ago
Personally I think any affiliation that any party has with religion simply will cause trouble. Religion is extremely divisive, and generally causes some sect of religion to hate another. Now it can possibly be used as an instrument to conquer and divide which is an age old political tactic, but I would urge any party, not to suck up to these people, because their thoughts are dangerous. We only need to see where it has gotten us right now, nothing but death and destruction, proof of what I say.
specialears 1 year ago
ha. vidal. he's is delusional and a joy to watch. it's always interesting when folks have brainwashed themselves into believing their own myopic view. he literally *must* say what he says. he is not the only one, they come from both sides of the aisle. these narcissists get to a point where they are incapable of intellectual thought. so ingrained in their own defence objectivity becomes an afterthought and liability.
obhobo 1 year ago
@obhobo I have to agree with you so far. I only started getting interested in him about a month ago, but I have so far not seen him actually state one proposal to fix anything. He talks of the founding fathers, and of philosophers of past, but he never proposes something that should be done. His criticism sounds good, but are very open ended. As for Republicans freeing the slaves, and then he talks of this movement by their descendants to the Democrats, this has never made any sense to me.
specialears 1 year ago
@obhobo
ha. vidal. he's is delusional and a joy to watch. it's always interesting when folks have brainwashed themselves into believing their own myopic view. he literally *must* say what he says. he is not the only one, they come from both sides of the aisle. these narcissists get to a point where they are incapable of intellectual thought. so ingrained in their own defence objectivity becomes an afterthought and liability.
ariaane 1 year ago
It is intensely bothersome to me that the neo cons have hijacked the founding fathers for their own cause. Anyone who has read Jefferson, Paine, or Madison would realize how much they would hate the modern right,.
sfmike20 1 year ago 3
@sfmike20 ...and how they would hate the modern left with their tendency for massive government. Jefferson and Madison were big advocates of nullification and believed in the smallness of government. This country is broke and it is time to bring the troops home. Oh but I guess we are in Bush's third term.
efrem1 1 year ago
@efrem1, of course they would hate the modern left, and I said nothing that would indicate my thinking anything else. My problem in this area is with the modern right who claim to be following the founding fathers. People need to understand that the founding fathers were on the anti-authoritarian left, and right. None of them would agree with the modern political climate. My irritation in this area remains with the right.
Btw, as Chomsky fan I have nothing in common with the modern left.
sfmike20 1 year ago
Comment removed
espunde 1 year ago
He overestimates the religious right, they are merely pawns in a bigger game. And disenfranchising whole groups is not anti-democratic and fascist in the least, oh the irony. I as a Calvinist do not believe in tax exempt and incorporated churches, but then again I do not agree with most taxation in general, I fail to see why religious groups should be targeted for taxation, they are voluntary organisations. As much as I cannot stand faux-evangelical groups, they'll fall well enough on their own.
espunde 1 year ago
Apparently the way to thwart 'danger to democracy' is to 'contain' any votes, ideas, sentiments to the right of those of Gore Vidal.
gweijai 1 year ago
LOL - This Jack Ass believes religous fundamentalists are exclusively GOP.
1Skeptik1 2 years ago
Even when I agree with him I think that he is a arrogant pompous ass.
DawnWeatherby 2 years ago
Its worse in the Uk, the Church taxes the people.
LouisPlume 2 years ago
Yeah but at least over here the Church has fuck all influence on legislation... Islam has more sway in our society then the Anglican church. Now THAT'S scary!
FreeInquisition 2 years ago
Ooooohhh... scary Muslims from space are coming to rape our women and steal our precious metals and our cows. Scary.
commissarusa 2 years ago
Political Islam is scary.
FreeInquisition 2 years ago 3
Anytime religion becomes political is scary. Ex. The Spanish Inquisition, the Crusades, the Salem Witch Trials, the huge amount of influence the Religious Right has.
commissarusa 2 years ago 2
Exactly, but why you feel the need to tell me that or post a sarcastic remark to a response I made to another user is beyond me.
FreeInquisition 2 years ago
I thought you were one of those nuts on the Right. Sorry.
commissarusa 2 years ago
Fair play.
FreeInquisition 2 years ago
"The maniac even thinks the goverment should tax your church"
either every institution bares the tax burden or no one does. i don't see why chruches must be exempt.
fede2 2 years ago 19
@fede2 churches should be taxed like corporations. It would put 90% of them out of business over night because they don't really offer anything of substance and mostly exist for self perpetuation.
1Atomtan 4 months ago
This guy is an old decaying left wing nutcase fucktard who's entire life has been devoted to being a smug asshole. He complains about the "monopolizing of great wealth." Well, in a free society, you EARN wealth. He wants society to democratically take away what people earn and redistribute it. That is the typical leftist vision of authoritarian mob rule, the exact opposite of what the founding fathers wanted.
falltwoep 2 years ago
They probably wanted people to have the intellectual capacity to make a decision one way or another. That's the best a democratic society can hope for.
I very much doubt they instilled a conservative or a liberal ideaology into the constitution or any of their other founding documents.
Aside from which, why is what they wanted (according to you) absolute gospel to be brough to fruition?
bahramf 2 years ago
I agree with you. He appeals to the "intellectual" Self Certified Pompous Left, the atheists, the Briliant Ones-
But, underneath, honestly, if you can scratch the surface, is a TRUE Republican--meaning as the country was originally designed to be--
and he criticizes Virulently BOTH the LEFT as a Fraud, also. I am not sure he embraces ALL left-wing Ideas-
He fluctuates.
Many of what he speaks of regarding "Free Press" and Journalism being "Dead" is unfortuantely Correct.
Listen Closely.
poitrenaud 2 years ago
If you don't think he's really a leftist that means you're a member of the self-certified moronic-hillbilly right which he doesn't appeal to.
bahramf 2 years ago 2
Well you seem to know everything: Who is the Left; who is a Moron/Hillbilly AND who he does not appeal to.
I am a true "repbulican" which has absolutely NOTHING to do with the Republican Party. And this man's ideas are very appealing to me.
I keep my Christian faith personal. But that does not render me a Moron.
I dislike most politics in general; and HE dislikes both.
I admire this man.
poitrenaud 2 years ago 3
Your Christian faith doesn't "render" you a moron, but it follows from the fact that you're a Christian in this day and age that you are indeed a moron.
What is a "true" Republican? You don't think abortion is murder? You're not against having a minimum wage? What?
bahramf 2 years ago 8
I follow the moral teachings of the Gospel of the New Testiment. It is better than any Secular Constitution or any "Intellectual's" version of a "Manifesto" to engineer the human race as though we are all farm animals, and a certain select few who are exceptionally intellectual--such as yourself--should decide for us how the world should be constructed.
Am I against Abortion morally . But, I cannot tell someone what to do.
Minimum Wage? Oh my--
A living wage for everyone.
Advances Freedom.
poitrenaud 2 years ago
Well, you're creating a false dichotomy.
Social engineering is an old and admittedly dangerous idea which is not considered intelleectually respectable today.
The moral teachings of the new testament drove Mother Teresa to keep sick people from their medicine, living in army cots, deficating in front of eachother and basically just suffering "to get closer to Christ".
If you call this moral, you're a disgusting human being.
bahramf 2 years ago 4
I'm curious, you say you are a Real Republican, define that please.
I have argued with "republican" friends that they really need to get their party back, we need them!
And it appears many Dems are afraid of the label Liberal, I wear it as a badge of honor.
In the truest sense Republicans were the radicals, Shouldnt it be possible to be a
LIBERAL REPUBLICAN?
ATHEIST REPUBLICAN?
In the strictest sense should republicans lead the charge for gay marriage? Repeal of most drug laws?
lifeseeker1 2 years ago 5
so if christian give money to a church, or donate its not charity, what part dont you understand about that, maybe he just hates christians and he wants them to be punished
timothyiii 2 years ago
The churches aren't necessarily charitable. Keeping priests and pastors in business so you can continue to attend sunday service is not charity.
bahramf 2 years ago 9
i probly known about 7 preachers in my life time and they never took money from the church, they always had to work, factories and so on
timothyiii 2 years ago
that's a narrow-minded view. But, you are entitled to your view. I disagree-
Our Catholic Parish in France raises more money than the "great Charitibie Governmental Agencies" do with YOUR money-and you have no choice with the Government-
With Religious Organizations, it is voluntary.
poitrenaud 2 years ago
It is voluntary with the secular charities as well (which raise a lot more than the Christian charities) and its still YOUR money if you donate anyways.
The problem is that none of these charities are quite getting the job done. That's why we need your money involuntarily as well, b/c you're a cheap-skate.
bahramf 2 years ago
No they don't! That's first, but second, they're clearly not getting the job done because poverty, disease and famine are still HUGE problems.
It's unfortunate that you're only for helping if your money is 'voluntarily' given to help. It's not enough!
bahramf 2 years ago
You cant outlaw a political party. This is a free society.
falltwoep 2 years ago
The Nazi Party?
bahramf 2 years ago
The Nazi Party isnt outlawed in America.
falltwoep 2 years ago
That's unfortunate if its true. Not because I'm a Nazi, but because I believe in freedom.
bahramf 2 years ago 2
Its 100% true because in America every individual has freedom of association. There have even been Nazi rallies in recent years.
falltwoep 2 years ago
Oh, I though you said it was. It shouldn't be outlawed.
bahramf 2 years ago
i hate government people, how can you tax charity
timothyiii 2 years ago
How can you distinguish between charity and charlatan religion?
bahramf 2 years ago
well its money givin by choice, thats called charity, what the hell is charlatan releigion
timothyiii 2 years ago
Vidal says nothing against not taxing charities.
Religion is seperate from charity.
Retailers take money by choice; are they charities? Is hezbollah a charity? Is the Vatican a charity? They have marble sculptures 50 feet high.
Giving to Oxfam, Amnesty International and other real charities should not be taxed. Both democrats and republicans do tax charities though.
bahramf 2 years ago
Hopefully democrats will eventually tax religions as well is the point.
bahramf 2 years ago
your talking out your ass man, this guys is big government, and its not to hard to see
timothyiii 2 years ago
Yah, he is as opposed to a big private sector and the tyrany of it.
bahramf 2 years ago
you say he's opposed to a private sector, and he thinks charity should be tax, your still talking out your ass
timothyiii 2 years ago
At no point does he say charity should be taxed. Everyone reading this can watch the whole 4 minutes and see that.
Charity should not be taxed (it is) but religion should be taxed.
bahramf 2 years ago
The tyranny of the private sector? Give me a fucking break. The "tyranny" of the private sector has greated the modern standard of living we all enjoy today. Life before capitalism was a nightmare.
falltwoep 2 years ago
Slaves enjoyed a better standard of living during their last 100 years as compared to any of the previous centuries. Is that an argument for slavery?
Aside from which, putting limits on corporate greed, coersion and destruction of individual lives is not oppsed to capitalism. It can be worked within capitalism.
bahramf 2 years ago
When we say capitalism has created the modern standard of living, we are not just talking about a little tiny improvement, barely noticable, which is what you had with slavery. We are talking about revolutionary change. We are talking about massive amounts of technology, medicine, electronics, and all within a system where individuals have freedom. Only a Chomsky parrot fucktard would try to compare slavery to capitalism in such a manner.
falltwoep 2 years ago
I am a capitalist. I notice you speak nothing about people's live improving, except as a result of those other improvements.
bahramf 2 years ago 2
Thank you RealNews for once again bringing a great interview to us.
terps4eva9 2 years ago
religion should be taxed (church, mosque's etc) they are giving a product to people. (an amazingly ignorant one but nonethe less.)
They should be taxed the same way as any other company in your country. ignorant fucks ;) actually believing in a space god. A 3 year old have better rational thinking than religios people.
hozzymannen 2 years ago 37
(might have better spelling skills too.) totally joking your point seems valid.
croftjw 2 years ago
@hozzymannen I agree with you except the 3 year old bit, children are actually already made to give purpose to everything (makes sense, need to learn quick) so they are natural born creationists. They wouldn't say a lake doesn't move because there's no other water moving past they'd believe rather that it's to serve the animals living there or for dogs to bathe without getting eaten.
It's not that 3 year old's have better rational thinking - it's just they have the exact same rational thinking.
whosthisguythinkheis 1 year ago
@whosthisguythinkheis All children are born "Atheist". All rational thought goes out the window when their parents get through forcing their religious beliefs on them. This to me, is child abuse. All religion is bad. Religion should be against the law! After all, religion is an accident of birth. Wherever you are born is the religion you will learn, whether you like it or not. Rational people have no gods!
buddybleau 1 year ago
@buddybleau Yup, I'm not trying to say creationism is correct because its the way were born, I'm saying it's wrong because it means creationsists haven't matured.
whosthisguythinkheis 1 year ago
@hozzymannen I second that!! Religion is a business.
TreeSmoke1999 1 year ago 2
@hozzymannen a god that wasnt around for 98 ,000 years decided to show up give commands that fit in perfectly with the languages traditions and culture of a illiterate and supersiticious parts of the middle east and he told everyone that if u dont live like this then ur gna go hell so everyone who died b4 dat did oh and kill non believers, and u no wat murder every1 who isnt like u and submit to ur masters also (wat ignorance).
timetochilli 7 months ago
Vidal Gore doesn't care who he slams. Right or left, that is what is so brillant about him. He can take off his veil and state what he knows without pretention.
What's he got to lose, or gain? He's 80 yrs. old.
Vearlsriver 2 years ago 26
WIthout winning or losing,
he's probably been himself during his life
He occupies with the truth, and nothing but the truth
arnaksken 1 year ago 2
Gore Vidal is my favorite author. He is 80 years old and is a product of the greatest generation. My father along w/5 of his brothers were WWII veterans. My father was brillant and a gentleman: He said, "This generation coming up, has all gone to hell!"
Vearlsriver 2 years ago 2
Gore Vidal is a very educated and smart man. dneuens,you are wrong in saying, "The repubs pushed through the civil rights laws to objecting democrats."
"The Civil Rights Act" was passed in 1964
under L.B.Johnson. You must be confusing Lincoln w/this. Mr. Lincoln, (btw,the first republican) I am sorry to say, only passed the "Emancipation Proclamation"so that blacks could be used in the Northern Army. The truth is the truth. Both parties of our country are just the in's,or the outs i.e.same.
Vearlsriver 2 years ago
Dear Vearl, please stop throwing that expression "the greatest Generation" around. What you truely mean is a generation that forgot to think for themselves. Brainwashed if you will. If that generation all thought like Vidal, the future of America would have been much brighter than the one they are facing today, caused by the reactionary decisions of that ... "the greatest Generation".
dutchtrader 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
No idea what he's talking about. The repubs pushed through the civil rights laws to objecting democrats. The first dozen blacks elected to congress, including ex-slaves were republicans. Martin Luther King was a registered republican.
I am no republican but Gore Vidal is a moron with an acute sense of revisionist history.
dneuens 3 years ago
No, he was in fact a democratic socialist.
dtothediesel 3 years ago 4
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha is he done yet?......nope hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
firstlaunch 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Yaaa this old hippie douche needs to shut the fuck up. Whats wrong with wealth?
He says liberals need to suppress votes!??! WHAT??? He's calling everyone a fascist but he wants to institute socialist/fascist policy?
He rants about Christians not giving to the poor but we give 5 times more than liberals...what a fucking tool
lasdhkfdslhdlshaf 3 years ago
WHat a great man. Religion are wealthy. I was told that god must be evil and rich because the evil and rich always look after their own.
fulfilled123 3 years ago 2
yeah but those who claim that the republican party is the party of Lincoln need to realize that it is the same party as Lincoln in name only.
WROGIE80 3 years ago
Gore Vidal is out of touch and a liar.
Democrats were pushing for integration too fast?
Perhaps Mr. Vidal doesn't know how Al Gore Sr. voted on civil rights legislation. Was Bull Conner a republican?
When Strom Thurmond was running for President, which party was he a member of?
Vidal lives in a dream world where he thinks that if he repeats a lie long enough people will just accept it.
Out law the Republican party? Yeah, that's the democray our founding fathers wanted!!
Scusemebubba 3 years ago
How dare you call him a liar. How do you know he is not talking the truth. Tax religions please do.
fulfilled123 3 years ago
Because...there were two kinds of democrats in those days: Southern and Yankee democrats. Do you understand that difference? Dear old Strom, for example, was a southern democrat, which is to say, a republican.
Pippin76 3 years ago
you are a stupid idiot.
its not what he said.
try listening fool.
JadeTomZ 3 years ago
this guy IS DRILLING IT WITH THE INFO... GOOD STUFF
REGWHY 3 years ago
My aunt is religious but she had to bail out of her church in Columbus, Ohio (ugh.) because they kept railing against democrats.
zprodigy 3 years ago
Will the great grand kids of "cooperate" owners be like Buddha and give up self adulation for the benefit of the poor or will they continue like the British Monarchy? Whither?
cadermd 3 years ago
May I have clarification on WHO the "coperations" are made of? Can you make a clip on WHO THE COOPRATIONS ARE? What are there political and religious affiliations and what are there failies and children are being preped to do and where are there grand children are being educated and waht are there plans to "survive' because it will give a great clue to their agendas and goals.
cadermd 3 years ago
I think the interviewer (Paul Jay) has more sense than Gore Vidal, who seems to dismiss religion out of hand. There are a lot of us religious folk who are greatly opposed to the national security state. Don't stereotype all of us based on what you've heard from nuts like Fred Phelps.
NathanZackery 3 years ago
My buddy.
GrampawUniverse 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
This interviewer knows nothing about the fundamentals of the original message of Christ. The care of the poor is a part of what he taught, perhaps was part of a commandmant (as in love neighbor as self) but it is not a fundamental of salvation. Belief in Him is the fundimental. The belief causes changes in behavior, as belief that there is a clif at the end of the road will cause you to change the course of your car. (very simplistic way of putting that, of course.)
Ba101 3 years ago
Jesus speaking (Luke 14:26)"If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple."
Inqoinf 3 years ago
Yeah but if you believe there is a cliff when there really isn't you'll end up chnaging course right into a brick wall.
SkyShaw 3 years ago
Thats one interpretation of Christ's message which really came into existence about 1400 years after he died. You may believe that because of your denomination, but that doesn't make it 'true'.
eirefrance 3 years ago
Damn...How insecure does your deity have to be to where he's constantly whining about attention to him ALL the time. It's like God is the ultimate narcissist. LOL
MyceliaProductions42 3 years ago
speaking of insecure:
You people get real upset when people don't agree with you. the fact is, this guy doesn't have the facts right.
but if you can't handle it, Its your issue.
I have better things to do.
enjoy yourselves.
Ba101 3 years ago
"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."
- Gandhi.
MasterMark123 4 years ago 32
Awesome, i like that quote and i'm a "christian" although that word has many things attached to it that i dont stand for.
Markennz 4 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Awesome, i like that quote and i'm a "christian" although that word has many things attached to it that i dont stand for.
Markennz 4 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Awesome, i like that quote and i'm a "christian" although that word has many things attached to it that i dont stand for.
Markennz 4 years ago
"False converts" most.
Ba101 3 years ago
@MasterMark123 Gandhi was one of the closet we have seen to "christ-like", along with Martin Luther King Jr.,and maybe a few others. The American Christians would probably kill him again, if he was to come back! The Christians that I know pick and choose what is conveinant for them to adapt into their lives, and they discard or go against the bulk of his teachings, from what I can tell. A great deal of them are fairly low-brow, simple minded, and have relatively low comprehensional skills.
TheArbiter74 1 year ago
@TheArbiter74
Ghandi- a pervert who slept naked with young girls? Who referred to blacks as Niggas and uncivilised. lol
Kool aid drinker
ariaane 1 year ago
Shorewatcher, people like us know NOW so it is up to us to make things better. In my own opinion I do not think all is lost, but the road to improving things will be difficult. People like Vidal make good points, but he comes on like a cynical curmedgeon. Cyncism is not what is needed to improve things.
chalk20 4 years ago
Also, I think Vidal is wrong in totally wrong in blaming Bush. American Citizens should take the blame for allowing government to become a our master not our servent.
chalk20 4 years ago
I am non-religious and I have nothing against religion. I only get upset when policy makers try to create laws based on ancient religious texts. Laws should be created based on reason, rationalism, and the best of ones ability to interpret the Constitution. At least that is my opinion.
chalk20 4 years ago 2
Both parties have their crooked elements. I think Vidal has a niave view that if only the Democrats were in power everythng ok. At least that is the message I am getting from him. Someone correct me if I am wrong?
chalk20 4 years ago
If our country goes, and it might, the whole world will also go, right back into the dark ages....with an oligarchy at the helm.
Elin48 4 years ago
Elin..."It is from ones heart that all actions come, not from ones words."...
Hear, hear!...
primalsource 4 years ago
THIS IS A JOKE. at min 3:00 he makes a complete hack of christianity. You will not be judge by how well you treat the poor. No man can work for or earn salvation, it is a free gift given by the grace of God. Very erroneous, he shouldn't have even attempt to adress such a topic.
Pormilous 4 years ago
He is speaking to the whole content of what Jesus said....to the essence, from which one can look at a life and see something. It is from ones heart that all actions come, not from ones words.
Elin48 4 years ago
But the Democratic party is also crooked
Trying to find an honest human never mind a politician
is more difficult than finding an alien
homeborn 4 years ago
Religion is a curse
homeborn 4 years ago
"They didn't do it because they wanted to become bankers...They joined the Republican party because they didn't like black people." I'm from the South and love many aspects of it, but Vidal's statement is all too true, even today.
Waldemar3 4 years ago
For thoose who havent see the political break down on who votes D or R with respect to all religous lobbies. It is almost 50/50. One couldn't tell with our media reportage.
shanes1 4 years ago
I do not accept Gore Vidals opinion at all. Hardly news more like a primer for progressive base politics. Unless all are to assume real news is slanted hard to the left. A feeble excersize at best. Very predictable.
shanes1 4 years ago
We build this country around freedom not money. We are going to kill ourselves over greed and money thats whats its all about. ITs all business, it will never and in this country sorry to say to you guys, just relax and enjoy what you have while it lasts. Do your part.
ageofReason1 4 years ago
I am curious what you think about these "God bless america" bumper stickers? And these "These colors dont run". Fervent knee jerk patriotism. As if god blesses one continent of people over another! LOL. What about these support the troops stickers? What if I had a I do not support the troops sticker? I am sure my car would get keyed. Look around man people are always trying to restrict free speech. That is why the ACLU exist.
nontheistdavid 4 years ago
Paul Jay's fundamental belief about what Christianity is about is really what fundamental socialism is about. jesus said "The poor will always be with us" in a context meaning poverty wil never be solved. Stalin & Lennin promised to do this very thing, and Russia wept 40 years later.
7KingCole7 4 years ago
Quality of life improved greatly in Russia under their reigns, minus the executions. Stalin took them from the ploughshire to the nuclear bomb in 29 years.
WhatCrass 4 years ago
strange that you equate "quality of life improved" with the words "nuclear bomb"
lalalamort 4 years ago
Hey, Gore: Mooo! get it?! MOOOOOO!
7KingCole7 4 years ago
This Gore moron seems to love FDR and detest Bush - hmm, interesting how he can look past FDR's many trandgressions and shredding of the Constitution, like when he forced the internment of Japanese Americans. These liars like Gore Vidal will never acknowledge that - talk about your inconvenient truths.
AriesLudzik 4 years ago
I hate this Gore Vidal. He don't speak as well as my main man GW Bush. Now there's a deep thinker.
nativio 4 years ago
what a fantastic egomaniac!Typical left-lib views..how come arrogant old liberal fruits like Vidal and any other pablum-puker,basically people who find capitalism and all its inherent horrors so repugnant,move to France,or start their own little Marxist paradise somewhere else-I get sick of the same crap that panders to the supposedly downtrodden,who probably don't give a rat's ass what all these compassionate liberals are saying about how the world should be run.
tone143 4 years ago
And tone the mere fact that you think everything is black and white is exactly why this country is being flushed down a toilet and a theocracy or fascist state is on the threshold. Thinking people have exact black and white, yes and no beliefs is very scary. Thinking a liberal is automatically a marxist is nuts.
nontheistdavid 4 years ago
Your thoughts scare me because you obviously completely do not understand DEMOCRACY! The whole point is to engage in opposing views being able to DISAGREE. I am so sick of people like you saying this "Move if you don't like it here!" mentality. You should move because you obviously hate the idea of democracy.
nontheistdavid 4 years ago
We (in America) do not live in a democracy. We live in a Republic. There is a difference. In certain situations the "move if you don't like it" makes sense; in others it does not. If you disagree with freedom of speech, of religion, of the right to pursue happiness, then yeah, one should leave.
mikeymatrix 4 years ago
Explain a situation where "move if you don't like it" makes sense in regards to free speech.
nontheistdavid 4 years ago
If you are against free speech, you should not live in a Republic or Democracy. The Republic or Democracy isn't oppressing the person who doesn't believe in freedom of speech, religion, etc, rather that person should leave because his/her beliefs run counter to the very heart of democratic thought. Do you even read what I type?
mikeymatrix 4 years ago
you still don't make sense. Somebody can say they are against free speech or against religion etc and live in a democracy. It happens all the time wtf? Groups are always trying to restrict free speech and speak against religion etc. Their beliefs do not run counter whatsoever. Saying you are against free speech or religion is in itself Free speech!
nontheistdavid 4 years ago
It's like citizens who served in the military saying they fought to preserve my right to free speech. Yet they complain when someone is against war.Or they get upset when a person says bluntly they dont give a rats ass why they fought. They respond by saying the predictable "Love it or leave it". When they are to stupid to realize if they fought for my right to free speech that includes my right to say I dont give a rat's ass. What is so hard to understand?
nontheistdavid 4 years ago