Time To Smear Kavanaugh's Good Name...

[One Bad Pig]

Not as it was intended. The intension was to convey that I observe that "anger" is a theme that surfaces more and more and more in Christian contexts. A vein of ore is more apt than a vein in the body - so I may have sent people down a false path using that comparison since, as OBP notes, a vein in a body plays a critical function. But a vein of ore, or a thread in a tapestry is merely a small part of a larger whole. Present, but not pervasive.

And I do see more and more "anger" being expressed by those who claim to be Christian. It manifests in the modern widespread support for Trump, in the anger at being "victimized" by those who seek to limit the mixture of religion with government, the anger at "secularists" who are "ruining this country," and so forth. The anger is present - it is very real - and it is very evident. That doe snot mean everyone is angry - it does not mean it is the "heart" of Christianity. But I hear more and more Christians abandoning the "love your enemy" message in favor of the "get even with your enemy" message prevalent today.

Can you give any examples, or is this all anecdotal?

Also, Christianity is much, much bigger than this country; it seems you're referring to primarily American Christianity (and quite possibly American evangelical Christianity).

[Mountain Man]

Right, we probably are going to end up with the same information we have now. But it is necessary, we just don't have the votes now.

If the Republicans give an inch, the Democrats will take a hundred miles. They'll call for Ford's accusation to be investigated; then Ramirez's; then Swetnick's; then that anonymous accusation out of Colorado; and then whoever else they can lure out of the local trailer park with a 100 dollar bill. And on and on. It will be the never ending investigation, and Kavanaugh's withdrawal will be the only remedy acceptable to the Democrats. The Republicans would be fools to fall for this.

[carpedm9587]

Carp, what do you mean by love your enemy? What do you think that means? What do you mean by getting even?

When I was Christian, loving your enemy meant not responding in kind, not meeting hatred with hatred, anger with anger, spite with spite. It meant calling the racist who hates you because your black and offering him a ride to work. It meant trying to understand the motive behind the anger rather than simply responding in kind. It is something I continue to try to practice. When I am assailed as dishonest, deceitful, passive aggressive, and all of the rest of the things that happen here from so many, "loving your enemy" means not returning the same in kind. I may object to the characterization, but when it becomes clear that objection is falling on deaf ears, simply move on and carry on and leave people to their assumptions.

Getting even is pretty self evident. It's tit-for-tat behavior. You call me dishonest - so I call you dishonest. You steal from me - so I steal from you. You treat me badly, so I treat you badly. Trump is a marvelous example of this behavior in action on a regular basis. The instances are numerous. The NFL issue is a marvelous example. Trump's battle with the NFL started back when he owned a team, in a competing league, but the NFL was too big and powerful to be successfully competed with and the league failed. Later Trump tried to buy an NFL team and was rebuffed. He has had an issue with the NFL since, so the whole "kneeling" thing was a perfect opportunity to use the power of his presidency to get even with an old nemesis. That's the kind of behavior that is "getting even."

[carpedm9587]

Can you give any examples, or is this all anecdotal?

I thought that list WAS examples...

Also, Christianity is much, much bigger than this country; it seems you're referring to primarily American Christianity (and quite possibly American evangelical Christianity).

This is true. I do not have enough exposure to Christianity in other countries to speak about it, and I would agree that there is more anger in evangelical Christianity than there is in other forms. My language could have been more precise.

[One Bad Pig]

I thought that list WAS examples...

It's a list of your perceptions. Given your misreading of perceptions here.... I was hoping to take an independent look.

[Cow Poke]

You would think. But what is going to happen is it will be a never ending series of delays and more accusations popping up. This is a coordinated attempt to push off the vote till after the election and they are not going to just stop after a week.

It is a no-win for the Republicans.

[Cow Poke]

Right, we probably are going to end up with the same information we have now. But it is necessary, we just don't have the votes now.

It would not surprise me if they discovered that Kavanaugh was downplaying his drinking.

[Cow Poke]

It would not surprise me if they discovered that Kavanaugh was downplaying his drinking.

[Sparko]

It would not surprise me if they discovered that Kavanaugh was downplaying his drinking.

I know in high school I drank a lot in my senior year. But I never attacked anyone or got black out drunk. My heavy drinking was actually the reason I pretty much stopped drinking altogether after high school, because I was scared I would turn into my dad who was an alcoholic.

[Zymologist]

The questions about Kavanaugh's drinking with respect to making him vomit, I'd like to offer my perspective:

I have a weird, chronic gut problem that (long story short) makes carbonation really hard on my digestion. While I, too, like beer, the thought of drinking copious amounts of it is literally sickening to me because I don't think I could drink enough of it to get drunk. I'm pretty sure my stomach would lose that battle long before any drunkenness set in. So the possibility that a couple beers could upset his stomach is perfectly reasonable to me (in other words, it doesn't have to be the case that he would drink insane amounts of beer, to the point of vomiting).

[Cow Poke]

If anybody thinks this will be wrapped up in week, they're crazy.

[carpedm9587]

It's a list of your perceptions. Given your misreading of perceptions here.... I was hoping to take an independent look.

How would any list I provide NOT be a perception?

I have to admit to having no clue what it is you want.

[KingsGambit]

I've been inclined to have a hard time believing the allegations so far but if it turns out that he has not been forthcoming about his drinking history (and there does appear to be some evidence that is the case), it makes me wonder what else he is hiding.

[Starlight]

The questions about Kavanaugh's drinking with respect to making him vomit, I'd like to offer my perspective:

I have a weird, chronic gut problem that (long story short) makes carbonation really hard on my digestion. While I, too, like beer, the thought of drinking copious amounts of it is literally sickening to me because I don't think I could drink enough of it to get drunk. I'm pretty sure my stomach would lose that battle long before any drunkenness set in. So the possibility that a couple beers could upset his stomach is perfectly reasonable to me (in other words, it doesn't have to be the case that he would drink insane amounts of beer, to the point of vomiting).

But, when testifying under oath, you probably wouldn't go on and on about how much you like beer, and claim it regularly made you throw up because of your stomach... and yet when it was pointed out to you that you won your social circle's "threw up most" award during the parties at beech week turn around and say "It Was Totally The Spicy Food, not the beer, because I'm not a guy that drinks to excess".

Kavanaugh kept telling silly white lies like this throughout his hearing, under oath, to try and paint a better picture of himself, which was all a bit bizarre, especially when his school buddies exist who can go on TV and say he was "blatantly lying" during the hearing about such things.

[rogue06]

What is more interesting, despite the politics of FBI avoidance by Kavanaugh and his supporters,

Okay, at this point I can only call you deliberately and willfully stupid and/or dishonest. Feinstein asked the FBI to get involved when she forwarded Ford letter to them. The FBI declined. So it isn't Kavanaugh that is avoiding the FBI it is the FBI that didn't want to be a part of this. Moreover, if the Democrats were actually interested in an FBI investigation for any other reason than a delaying action stunt they wouldn't have held onto Ford's letter until the last minute. They would have released it during his appearance before the Senate.

Keep these simple facts in mind the next time you start to mindlessly regurgitate your talking points.