The Decline of Right-Wing Rhetoric since George W. Bush

[Carrikature]

Religion and irreligion are completely different categories outside of theism and atheism. An atheist can be into New-Age woo that believes in ghosts, reincarnation, other realms, and still be an atheist. Same thing for theism: you can believe in a deity that is completely natural and not even belief in the supernatural, or realms outside of this world; in fact Voltaire's God might be the first real example of humanist philosophy. Point: the two are related by their topical nature, and not their philosophy. So, most Buddhists are atheists as well as Jainists - and Neo-Paganism is more about making the natural world the divine, which I suppose would fall under scientific pantheism.

My point was that atheism and theism are dynamics philosophies that are more complex than what might be their historical examples.

You're right. I was conflating religion with deistic belief, and I should not have been. I ought to know better than that.

[Chillanodon]

Trump seems to be improving the right-wing rhetoric quite precipitously with his response to whiny Saudi Arabian princes:



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For some reason, this strikes me as a rise, rather than a decline, in right-wing rhetoric. Especially since it's the type of thing that makes him more popular among swing voters. Something about removing recalcitrant, unfriendly, and diffident populations who make no noticeable effort to remove the violent lunatics from among them is popular, whoda thunk it?

Me, I simply look forward to the day when Donal Trump goes full R. Lee Ermey on the rest of the Republican candidates (with Rand playing Private Joker, Carson Private Snowball, Jeb playing private Cowboy, and Christie playing Gomer Pyle.)

My mission is to weed out all low-energy losers who do not pack the gear to serve in my beloved administration!