That is an interesting position Mr Wilson, will you elaborate?
Expanding on what one canât see may not be doable, or wise to try. My claim invites those who can see Trump as focused on lessening âthe powers of self-interest & Mammonâ to expand with examples.
But my sense is that Trump as an American reality icon who repeatedly claims to have achieved the highest possible greatness and success in every way epitomizes our classic American prioritizing of appealing to achieving our self-betterment in terms of a great stock market and materialist Mammon. He models a devotion to self-interest in the way he uses money contributed to his charity to advance himself and have his portrait done to the way he tweets his desire to denigrate others sometimes a hundred times a day, viciously demeaning good people from members of his cabinet to anyone who challenges him. Whether itâs Ukraine or his department of justice, his repeated obsession appears to be how they are devoted to things that enhance his own self-interest.
My impression is that this whole narcissistic style is reinforcing our American drift toward polarized political animosity, or the kind of mutual partisan âhatredsâ that Dave recently cited. It promotes a competitive ethos of the fleshâs tendency to look out for our personal self-interest and the enhancement of our âownâ kind, rather than conveys any invitation to pursue the unselfish fruit of the Spirit that Jesus embodies.
Hereâs a good Christmas story, from the BBC. Itâs dedicated to all the âBah, Humbugâ folks, discussing political stuff - on Christmas eve and Christmas day. 
But my âup and coming potential Trump alternativeâ, does clean up behind himself.
ButâŚbutâŚRandy, YOU are posting on the eve and the day also - on a political thread.
Very true, Dave. But I donât think Iâm sharing any âpersonal political perspectiveâ. But perhaps a holiday tidbit or two, from the BBC?
But tomorrow is a different story altogether .
Bob, I got the stats from worldpopulationreview.com (which I linked to in my comment), who got it from The United Nations. But I donât know how they get their estimates.
I agree, so how in your view do we combat that?
I am a fatalist. I donât think we can combat that. My way if dealing with it, for the most part, is avoid the conservation. If I sense someone is open to reason, Iâll discuss. But largely, I just listen and agree as much as possible.
I love to hear about solutions, but most of the time, each side points out faults and failings of the other side.
Have a guy who is super left wing, but I had good discussions with him. I agreed with him on much, and where I disagreed, I told him that I donât think there is enough evidence for what he suggests and that it opens up other problems. Interestingly, he was open to some ideas or problems with some of his ideas.
I myself am open to new ideas and trying new things. I am also open to learning from other countries. This country needs some level of humility, which is hard, because we were raised with being told and reinforced that we are #1.
Iâm not a fatalist, but tend to agree with your position. I have learned to avoid conflict⌠(I have enough of that in my life) and to be honest, I see myself as a bit of a weeny compared to what I used to be when it comes to my unbending beliefs of the past. But I also have realized that I have bonded with those closest to me in a way that I never have in the past. My lack of judgement is key to opening doors, but would also be key in my condmnation from those I used to socialize with.
1 Like
The expected answer may be to elect a president who displayed a bit less focus on his own ego. But I think Christianity Todayâs deeper concern is that followers of Jesus do better at avoiding getting sucked into this kind of obsession with our own priorities, and live out the actual way of Jesus, advocate for those who have less mammon than we, as well as convey that we oppose dumbing down the importance of character and showing respect for our fellow citizens, even those whose convictions differ from ours.
The temptation for all of us appears to be being drawn into a polarized culture war and focus on partisan combat that imitates the kind of demeaning and ridiculing internet posts that frequently come from the leader at the top.
Iâm like the angel in Itâs A Wonderful life. Nothing is cast in concrete. Even my Z-Hell (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) tribulation theory.
Oh, before I forget. Whatâs new in the BBC today?
See what happens after all the insights, folks were making here?
And some Republicans are mad. And NOT for the reasons, you might think.
Not to be undone in this litany of self-awareness, I think Iâm more like Kenny Rogersâ âCoward of the Countyâ.
Just donât push me too far.
Are you like the chap, in this video? Who locks the door, from the inside? 
Where can I get an umbrella like his?
Probably from places like the CIA, MI6, Etc. 
I heartily agree. Ethno-centric tendencies toward nationalism and superiority are world-wide.
The way I see it.
THE LAST DAYS OF THE REPUBLIC?
Both of the articles of impeachment passed by the Democrats in the House are unprecedented in that they charge âthought crimesâ against a president. They are based on the dubious legal theory that doing something that is legal in and of itself but with a supposedly improper mental attitude turns an otherwise legal act into an impeachable offense. Lawyers call such offenses âspecific intentâ crimes, which means they turn on what was in someoneâs mind at the time of the actions in question. If accepted by the Senate as a valid basis for impeachment, these articles of impeachment would set a dangerous precedent that a president may be removed from office any time that a majority of the House is suspicious of a presidentâs motives, which occurs frequently in an era of divided government.<< -
https://spectator.org/against-impeachment-for-thought-crimes/?fbclid=IwAR1Jv-RkDiUCziCM2Mzgg8krRb_eyFtneimg_5HJfeBuiVCCwimOAq5KVa4
1 Like
Oh, no! This is terrible! Did Trump get cut from the film? And by Canada to boot.
I dug up, the scene that was cut.
I posted this over at the book review category, might as well put it here since it was a response to a bit of heat I was taking over there::
tâs a book review. Of a well researched and insightful book. It happens to deal with something political, trying to get to the truth of something that has affected America negatively for 3 years and, if left unchecked, will plague future presidents, if we still have them. I think that is important. If you donât, for Godâs sake just donât read it.
OTOH, if you cannot see the relationship of politics to Christian freedom of expression, to religious liberty in general, to human freedom most generally - well you need to be âwokeâ - but not in the Leftist sense lol.
1 Like