Monty Python Icon John Cleese Has 2 Brutal Questions For Evangelical Trump Fans

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Comedy icon John Cleese has a pair of tough questions for evangelical voters who support President Donald Trump.

White evangelicals have been among Trump’s most ardent backers. A poll released earlier this month found 71 percent of them approve of the president.

That led to two questions from Cleese, sent via Twitter over the weekend:

Link to tweet

When one person wrote that they voted for Trump solely due to his opposition to abortion, Cleese fired back:

Link to tweet

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/john-cleese-donald-trump-evangelical_us_5bcd4ac4e4b0a8f17eeddf03

[vlyons]

1. Evangelicals are not really Christians

The just pretend and masquerade as Christians. But actually practice peace, brotherly love, and ethical conduct -- well those fell by the wayside a long time ago. Evangelicals are a degenerate cult.

[klook]

2. + 3:15 (nt)

[TomSlick]

9. My may be in the minority but

I can assure you than there are Evangelicals who really are Christians. We have read the Gospels and understand what Jesus said about caring for the poor and immigrants. Please don't assume that all Evangelicals are mindless Trumpsters.

[vlyons]

11. Sorry, but I'm not buying it

real Christians, who practice peace, tolerance, and compassion would have absolutely nothing to do with the hateful intolerant moneygrubbing preachers, who fill the Sunday morning air waves with their hate and intolerance. Where are the new-age Luthers, who will call out these charlatans and false prophets?

[TomSlick]

13. Not all Evangelical congregations are hateful, intolerant or money grubbing.

Some Evangelical congregations pay their pastors - who work for the Congregation - a decent, but hardly large, salary. Some Evangelical congregations fill the pulpit (and maybe the airways) with messages of hope and love. The latter day Luthers you seek are in such congregations.

I agree that far too many Evangelicals are either ignorant or knowingly disobedient of Jesus' teachings. However, it is not true that all are.

A more enlightened approach is not to paint with a broad brush judging people you do not know.

[vlyons]

15. Oh I know evangelicals all too well

I live in East Texas, the belt buckle of the bible belt. So after church those fine, fine, mighty fine Evangelicals go off to their KKK meetings. Oh yes, there are KKK chapters in east Texas - and more than one. I have literally had neighbors invite me to their Churches, and then use the N-word in my face. Any Sunday, you can see the Church parking lots filled with trucks sporting the confederate flag, Trump and build the wall bumper stickers. I am always shocked at the hate-filled speech that comes out of their mouths. But ask them about Jesus' parable of the Good Samatan, and watch how quickly they change the subject. They are a degenerate cult.

[TomSlick]

17. Just to be clear, are you confident that I am not really a Christian?

I attend one of those Evangelical congregations I describe. I am perfectly happy to discuss the parable of the Good Samaritan. I would be more happy to discuss Matthew 25, 31-46.

I suggest that you know some Evangelicals. You may even know most Evangelicals. However, you do not know all Evangelicals.

[vlyons]

18. I don't know what you are

You're free to be whatever you want.

[TomSlick]

25. You are being inconsistent.

This discussion started with your statement "Evangelicals are not Christian." My point that clearly not all - or even most - but some Evangelicals understand and follow Jesus' teachings. You replied that you weren't "buying it" and that you knew Evangelicals based on your experience in East Texas.

I have been trying to convince you that you cannot assume to know all Evangelicals based upon the noise of many or your experience with a few. It's only when I make it clear that I am one of those Gospel reading Evangelicals, who take seriously what Jesus said about care for the poor and welcoming the refugee that you bail-out with the obvious statement that I am free to be whatever I want.

My point is that you do not know me. You cannot know how well I follow Jesus' teachings. On this we seem to now agree. My suggestion is that I am not alone. I do not dispute that the Trumpster Evangelicals are loud. It seems likely there are far more of the Evangelicals you describe than folks like me. The point is there are Evangelicals like me.

All I am asking is to avoid the broad brush. Some few of the people on DU are progressive Evangelicals who strive to follow Jesus' teachings. I do not criticize the religion - or lack of religion - of others because Jesus taught that we should treat others as we would be treated. The idea is not unique to Jesus. See, Udanavarga 5:18- "Hurt not others with that which pains yourself."

I suggest that that such a rule is more enlightened.

[vlyons]

38. If I were a Christian, which I'm not

I would certainly not be affiliated with the Evangelical variety. I would run, not walk, for the nearest exit door. I would blush red with shame, if anyone ever found out that I had been even tangentially associated with Evangelicals. How dare they go around telling people that they are going to Hell if they don't join their Church. How dare they tell people that they are born full of sin and can only be saved by getting baptized. How dare they treat LGBT people as some sort of sub-human filth! How dare they control women! How dare they expect me to think that they are ever so ethical, kind, and virtuous; and at the same time, embrace Donald Trump? What a depressing belief system.

I left the Christian church long ago, because I could not stomach the hypocracy. And don't even get me started about all the illogical nonsense in the Nicene creed.

[Mariana]

24. If you insist upon associating yourself

with those other Evangelicals by using the same name they do, it's natural that people are going to assume that you are like those other Evangelicals.

[TomSlick]

26. I will not allow people with whom I disagree but who claim my faith to steal my faith from me.

Painting with a broad brush is always dangerous and often incorrect. Because Trump is a jerk, I do not assume that all New Yorkers are jerks.

[pangaia]

30. Bravo.

[Mariana]

32. Your faith is dependent on the name on the church sign?

If you choose not to call yourself by the thoroughly tainted name Evangelical, you can't have faith anymore? Is that how it works?

[Pity Puddles]

43. Tough titty

I consider all religion a crock. I considered the Bible a fiction because it was written a man. A man that could have serious mental illness or really really high on drugs to write the claptrap. Evangelism to me, is more fluff of crap.

Disclosure: Born an orthodox Jew (not haredi/frum but close). Felt nothing, got nothing and why should I believe in an invisible or nonexistent being when I lost my father to leukemia 4 years ago. Essentially left the religion.

[BigGermanGuy]

55. the thing i find most interesting about the new testament

is that it was written DECADES after Jesus' supposed death, but men who were outlaws.

of COURSE you are going to make that guy sound supernatural.

[pangaia]

29. No, it is not natural to assume that. It shows stunning ignorance.

[Mariana]

33. So, the word Evangelical is meaningless.

If a church has the name Evangelical on the sign, that tells you nothing about the nature of the Christianity being preached therein. Is that what you're telling me?

[Kaleva]

21. Those aren't evangelicals. That's a false cult you see.

They may call themselves "evangelicals" but they clearly aren't and you play their game when you call them that too. You aren't the first person to be suckered in by them.

[vlyons]

22. not just a cult

but a degenerate cult

[Kaleva]

23. I would agree.

I usually refer to these fraudsters as "money changers", "cultists" or something similar.

[atreides1]

51. I'm sure you're right

Unfortunately those congregations you speak of are few in number and aren't noticed...

[ProfessorPlum]

46. The Slacktivist has a blog

and he is an evangelical Christian who is an actual human being and christian. They exist, but they certainly aren't the majority.

[Progressive Jones]

19. Why don't you "real" evangelicals clean house? nt

[Mariana]

27. They're just helpless to do anything about it.

Honestly, what do you expect them to do? Write letters to the editor? Issue press releases clearly stating their churches' positions? Solicit interviews with local and national media? Condemn the hateful preachers (by name) on social media and on their church websites? Picket the bad churches? Why, just imagine if millions of "real" Christians did those things. Do you really think that would make any difference? Apparently, they don't think so, because we sure see damn little of it.

[vlyons]

39. I expect them to walk out

I expect them to stand up in their congregations and call their leaders hateful and stupid and to resign. I expect them to take their children out of their hateful Sunday schools. I expect them to take their children out of their backward, anti-science, racist Christian charter schools and home schooling - and enroll them in public schools. I expect them to stand up for real decency, not hypocracy. We are not powerless.

[Mariana]

42. You said, upthread, "Evangelicals are not really Christians."

Naturally, they won't stand up and denounce their leaders. I'm talking about all the supposedly "real" Christians, Evangelical and otherwise, like TomSlick on this thread claims to be. They could be doing all the things I said, to preserve their own reputations and that of Christianity in general. However, it seems very few of them can be bothered to publicly denounce the hateful churches, preachers, and practitioners.

[BigGermanGuy]

54. you still practice dominionism

which is the root basis of nationalism and fascism.

you place a hierarchy above society, and that in the end is a negative that can not be forgiven.

[Mariana]

37. Christianity has long promoted hate, fear, and violence

to control the faithful. This began very early in the history of the church, during Peter's time, if the New Testament is to be believed. Acts 5 : 1-11 (my comments in parentheses).

Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet. (So far so good.)

Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God." When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. (So much for teaching brotherly love and forgiveness. And how exactly did Ananias die? This is a very suspicious death.)

And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. (Of course it did! Their friend was just killed!)

Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him. About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, "Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?" "Yes," she said, "that is the price." Peter said to her, "How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also." At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. (What's that about brotherly love again? And this is another highly suspicious death.)

Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events. (Well, I guess so. Great fear that if they don't hand over everything they own, they'll be struck dead. No trial, no defense, no second chance. Whether Ananias and Sapphira were killed by God or by Peter, the result is the same - a terrified congregation that will do whatever Peter tells them to do.)

[vlyons]

40. Paul's previous employment

was hunting down Christians for arrest and disposal. A leopard does not change his spots.

[Mariana]

44. Paul never met Jesus before the crucifixion.

This story is about Peter, not Paul. The stories say Peter was a fisherman before he became one of his Jesus's original disciples, and he was hand-picked by Jesus to lead the Church. Like I said, the threats and violence began very early indeed.

[Buckeyeblue]

45. I agree

I call them the New Christians because much of there faith is about making up "God's Will" to match their own personal shortcomings and their prejudices.

[Mariana]

49. Except that isn't new, it's been going on for ages.

Why do you think there are so many denominations of Christianity? It's because much of their faith is about making up "God's Will" to match their own personal shortcomings and their prejudices. If their church teaches something they don't want to hear, they just start up a new church that teaches something different.

[Buckeyeblue]

53. But this seems different

The new Christians are moving away from traditional denominations. I also call them store-front Christians because they tend to set up shop in non-traditional venues. They stay as long as they can pay the rent and when they can't pay the rent, they move on. I have some extended families that fall into this group. When they talk about their religion, the use words like fighting the enemy and other war like terms. My brother-in-law says every morning he drives to work looking for a rip in the sky (which is apparently the signal that armageddon has begun). I know the religious crazies have been out there forever. But it seems to me their numbers and influence are more noticeable than before.

[Mariana]

56. They use words like fighting the enemy and other war terms.

[Buckeyeblue]

58. Maybe it is no different...

Maybe it's just the peculiar crazies I have to deal with. My mother forced me into Sundsy school at age 10. I asked too many questions and the teacher (the preacher's wife) told me it was not my place to question the word of god. I've been an atheist every since that day....Before I could even attach a word to it.

[yurbud]

59. there are many different kinds of evangelicals but you're right about most that get into politics

[berni_mccoy]

3. If you want to get technical, Jesus gave ONE commandment: Love each other.

If you do this, then the others are not necessary.

Jews have 10 commandments and that’s why they wouldn’t support someone like Trump.

[theophilus]

6. Exactly! I wish all knew this and taught this.

The "ONE JOB" that Christians have is from Matthew to Revelation: Love your neighbor as yourself and be filled with good works that demonstrate that LOVE.

[berni_mccoy]

8. Even though I am not a Christian, I do follow this one rule

I try to maintain this as the motivation in all of my actions. It is not easy, and I don’t always succeed, but I believe this was one of the most beautiful teachings we can learn from.

[UTUSN]

4. K&R

[theophilus]

5. I absolutely love John Cleese! Here, however, he is a bit off.

If one reads the NEW Testament and looks at what God requires of Christians then it becomes clear without a lot of study that He does only require the following of ONE commandment. In myriad places we read that the ONE command to follow is to love your neighbor, the other, as you love yourself. Love of others will cause us to avoid the problems that were once covered by hundreds of other commandments, etc. Love is the solution. So the focus is laser sharp.

Now concerning abortion. What do we read in the NEW Testament. This: . Nothing. That is interesting because abortion was not uncommon at the time of writing. Exposure of infants was also not uncommon and nothing is said of such either.

Christianity is based on loving others. You decide what that means within common sense parameters. Christianity works on a people like leaven on a lump of dough, if done right. It does not condemn and violently take away people's rights. It provokes thought and teaches equality...."neither Jew or Greek, male or female, slave or free. Etc.

Evangelicals have turned their back on Yashua because they have turned their backs on love. We are told to be willing to lay down our lives for other Christians. We are also told to love our enemies and care for them if they need help. Trump and his bunch are not only, hopefully, destroying the Republican party but they are also, hopefully, destroying evangelicalism. It, and they, are anti Christian in the true and original sense. That is my opinion.

I know that many here on DU are anti religion in all senses. I understand. I would say that we must be a loving people interested in helping those who need help and leaving alone others who do not need our judgement, etc. That's what Christianity means to me. If a person is hateful and hurtful to others, whether they deserve it or not, I find that troubling.

[jmowreader]

7. Trump has never been noted for loving his neighbor

[SammyWinstonJack]

10. Not sure why a belief in religion is necessary to be a decent person.

I don't believe in a god, don't need religion to tell me what is right or wrong or how to be a caring person. I just instinctively know right from wrong, don't we all? Shouldn't we all? If some are anti-religion, that might be religion's fault, don't ya think?

[vlyons]

41. There's what the new testament says, and then

there's what the church says it says. You know, of course, that prior to about the 15th Century AD it was illegal for common people to own a bible, much less print one in the vernacular of the people. The real history of the Church is very violent. But many Christians don't know what happened when the first crusade reached Jerusalem. Or how the Nicene creed came to be. If one goes to college (or a good public library), one can learn about the history of the church. But how many Evangelicals ever do that?

[Mariana]

50. Very few Christians of any flavor ever do that.

It's not just the Evangelicals.

[Mendocino]

12. Prosperity Doctrine

God loves MONEY$$$$$

I need a $65 million Gulfstream jet and a solid gold toilet.

Being poor is for losers!

[Initech]

14. They have read it, they just don't care.

[Kaleva]

16. False prophets such as Robertson, Falwell Jr., Swaggart, Franklin Graham, Bakker have deluded many

I have more respect for a poor street preacher then any of the above I listed. If your evangelical spiritual leader is wealthy and living the good life, that alone should be a big red flag.

[Frances]

34. I think that all of the men you named will be sitting at the right hand of Satan

When they die

[DFW]

52. This won't play in Germany, but maybe back in the States?

&index=100&list=PLsgzqiprLpbGeb27GQYKxQ_kgGmiP28Jn

[Progressive Jones]

20. How about just living a realty based life? nt

[dawg day]

28. And the 10 Commandments doesn't actually mention abortion

these "fundamentalists" are supposed to care about the -literal- words of the Bible. But they don't, of course, or we'd have a lot of stoning of Republican adulterers, starting pretty high up.

[Mariana]

47. Just like every other Christian, they pick and choose

which parts of the Bible to take seriously and which parts to ignore. Also, they consider abortion to be included in "Thou shalt not murder". Therefore, abortion is prohibited in the 10 commandments by their interpretation - and their interpretation is just as valid as any other.

[Wounded Bear]

31. I'm reminded of a great internet meme I happened upon many years ago...

It goes something like:

All the world's great religious teachings can be boiled down to one simple concept: Don't be an asshole.

None of them seem to take the lesson to heart.

[Cha]

36. lol! And, as Kurt Vonnegut said..

“Hello babies. Welcome to Earth. It’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It’s round and wet and crowded. On the outside, babies, you’ve got a hundred years here. There’s only one rule that I know of, babies—God damn it, you’ve got to be kind.” –God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, by Kurt Vonnegut

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/10-of-our-favorite-sentences-in-literature/

[Cha]

35. evangelicals don't want a women to have a choice

regarding her own body.. but they're willing to let the poor babies and kids go hungry and without shelter so the obscenely rich % can have more tax cuts and live it up on the backs of the poor.

Link to tweet

[eppur_se_muova]

48. Don't miss the painting ! M'sieur Creosote at the last supper -- with lots of other MP characters. n

[BeckyDem]

57. lol +1