President Biden is a Devout Believer! Or Something…

 

Scott Wilmot has a great post up about Joe Biden’s endless promotion of abortion rights; not surprising for a Democrat, of course.  But Joe Biden describes himself as a devout Catholic, which appears to stick in Scott’s craw, just a bit.  Now, my first thought is that perhaps when Mr. Biden describes himself as a devout Catholic, perhaps he is lying.  Such behavior would not be completely new for Mr. Biden.  But no!  No less reputable a source than The New York Times ran an article yesterday (cited by Scott himself in the comment section of the thread I linked to above) with the following lead on Twitter:  “President Biden is perhaps the most religiously observant commander in chief in half a century.  A different, more liberal Christianity grounds his life and his policies.”

Has The New York Times forgotten Bill Clinton?  Every time another woman accused him of sexual assault, one could find him in the front pew of a church somewhere, with his glasses on the end of his nose in a nice, grandfatherly way, reading his Bible.  The New York Times itself often used such photo-ops irrefutable demonstrations of his Christian beliefs as evidence that Mr. Clinton was an ethical man.  Does The New York Times now think that was all a bunch of hooey?

Has The New York Times forgotten Barack Obama?  When there were enough American voters getting concerned about his background, and his self-described formative years in the Muslim faith, The New York Times started running stories about Mr. Obama’s having spent years of his life in the pews of the church of Jeremiah Wright, developing his Christian faith.  And this was not some short-term, cynical political ploy.  They continued to run these stories, for an extended period of time.  Until enough American voters began getting concerned about Obama’s background, and self-described devotion to a vicious racist like Mr. Wright.  Then, such stories mysteriously disappeared, for some reason.

But regardless, Mr. Obama was a deeply religious man, right?  Or does The New York Times now think that was all a bunch of hooey?

Has The New York Times forgotten Jimmy Carter?  Of course not.  But no liberal dares mention the Christian faith of Mr. Carter, because it appears that he actually believes in God.  So the less said about that, the better.

Has The New York Times forgotten George W. Bush?  He prayed several times per day.  He prayed at the beginning of tax policy meetings (Heavenly Father, we beg that you guide us, as we consider these important decisions…).  You can say what you want about Mr. Bush, but no one can question his devotion to his Christian faith.

So The New York Times honestly thinks that “President Biden is perhaps the most religiously observant commander in chief in half a century”?

Of course they don’t.

So why do they publish such news stories propaganda pieces?  Propaganda works better if it’s not an obvious lie.  Why do they do this?  Choose a lie that’s less obvious, right?

The most obvious answer is that they’re trying to make modern, trendy leftism appear to be inspired by the wisdom of the ages.  What would Jesus do?  Well, he’d make abortion on demand for teenagers a Constitutional right!  Yep!  That’s exactly what he’d do!  You conservatives can’t criticize anything in the Bible, right?  So all this post-modern leftist silliness is actually Biblical teaching, you provincial rubes!  Ha!  There you go!

And I suppose that may be their reasoning.  Providing cover for Mr. Biden from the right by falsely cloaking his policies in Christian theology is a reasonable approach, I suppose.  If you have no ethics whatsoever.  Which The New York Times, obviously, does not.

But I really don’t think that’s it.

Read the lead from The New York Times article again:

President Biden is perhaps the most religiously observant commander in chief in half a century.  A different, more liberal Christianity grounds his life and his policies.”

Why would they include that second sentence if they were trying to equate Mr. Biden’s policies with traditional Christian theology?  And what the heck is “different Christianity” anyway?  Is that the type of Christianity in which you don’t believe in God and you do whatever you want?  Ok, fine, but what is the virtue in believing in not believing in anything?  Or something?

Joe Biden’s head glowing in church. It is sometimes difficult for him to suppress his halo.

This is all so confusing.

Maybe they wanted to suggest that Mr. Biden was a Christian, but they just couldn’t do it, and they chickened out?  Maybe this article was written by a committee, so it can’t even agree with itself?  Maybe they’re afraid that some Democrats might think that Mr. Biden actually believes in God?

I don’t think any of those explanations are right.  This just doesn’t make any sense.

Unless The New York Times actually believes that all of its readers are profoundly stupid and uninterested in the world around them.  Except for that one reader (There’s always one, right?) named Bob:

NYT:  “Joe Biden is a devout Catholic.”

Bob:  “Yeah but…”

NYT:  “Shut up.”

And honestly, who cares what Bob thinks?  After all, The New York Times is a reputable news source, right?

Right?


I was hoping that, as I wrote this out to clarify my thoughts, I would reach an understanding of all this.  But I really don’t understand.  Why is The New York Times doing this?

Our guy is a devout believer in Christianity!  Well, a different Christianity!  You know!  Not the yucky kind!  He believes in the belief of not believing in any actual beliefs!  Well, nothing specific!  It’s different and liberal!  So what we really mean is, he’s liberal.  But in a Christian way!  But not regular Christianity!  A different Christianity!  Or something!

It would appear that the authors of this New York Times piece are as confused as I am.  So why are they publishing it?

I have no idea why they’re doing this.  It’s just surreal.

This is going to be a strange four years…

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  1. Dr. Bastiat Member
    Dr. Bastiat
    @drbastiat

    Incidentally, I would have pasted a copy of the actual Tweet in my post, the way Scott did in his comment.

    But I just can’t figure out Tweets.  How do you manipulate them?  Are they pdf’s?  Jpegs?  Why can’t I copy and paste them, like everything else?  

    I Googled it, and was following the multi-step instructions, until I got to:  “Swing a dead cat over your head.”  And I stopped right there.  My wife would have been very upset.

    • #1
  2. Sisyphus Member
    Sisyphus
    @Sisyphus

    Dr. Bastiat (View Comment):

    Incidentally, I would have pasted a copy of the actual Tweet in my post, the way Scott did in his comment.

    But I just can’t figure out Tweets. How do you manipulate them? Are they pdf’s? Jpegs? Why can’t I copy and paste them, like everything else?

    I Googled it, and was following the multi-step instructions, until I got to: “Swing a dead cat over your head.” And I stopped right there. My wife would have been very upset.

    Someone else’s dead cat, then. 

    • #2
  3. Chuck Coolidge
    Chuck
    @Chuckles

    “Christian” has in these days become a very amorphous label, which likely relates to the reason Christianity has become so unpopular in certain circles.

    I know I’ve quoted it enough to become annoying, but still – Acts 11:26 “The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.” 

    • #3
  4. Bob Thompson Member
    Bob Thompson
    @BobThompson

    Dr. Bastiat: The New York Times actually believes that all of its readers are profoundly stupid and uninterested in the world around them. Except for that one reader (There’s always one, right?) named Bob:

    I figured it this way. Robert was the most popular name for boys born in the 1930’s and second most popular in the 1920’s and the 1940’s. So there’s a lot of us old geezers and we are stubborn about our beliefs. Of course, we get dogs named after us as well.

    • #4
  5. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Biden is a firm believer in … you know … the thing.

    • #5
  6. Some Call Me ...Tim Coolidge
    Some Call Me ...Tim
    @SomeCallMeTim

    Three points:

    1.  Good to see you posting again.  I hope you are feeling better. 
    2. Thank you for reading the NYT. so I don’t have to. 
    3. Why run this type of story?  To try to make his policies more palatable to the public that still believes in God. 
    • #6
  7. Doctor Robert Member
    Doctor Robert
    @DoctorRobert

    Good to see you back, Dr. B. 

    • #7
  8. Jim McConnell Member
    Jim McConnell
    @JimMcConnell

    Dr. Bastiat (View Comment):

    Incidentally, I would have pasted a copy of the actual Tweet in my post, the way Scott did in his comment.

    But I just can’t figure out Tweets. How do you manipulate them? Are they pdf’s? Jpegs? Why can’t I copy and paste them, like everything else?

    I Googled it, and was following the multi-step instructions, until I got to: “Swing a dead cat over your head.” And I stopped right there. My wife would have been very upset.

    I still say Ricochet needs a laugh-out-loud icon. “Like” sometimes just doesn’t do it.

    • #8
  9. Bob Thompson Member
    Bob Thompson
    @BobThompson

    Some Call Me …Tim (View Comment):
    Why run this type of story? To try to make his policies more palatable to the public that still believes in God.

    I’m sure the NYT’s writers do believe their readers are stupid but those writers are ignorant. True Christians who do believe as they profess recognize and understand what is going on and the writings of these ignorant columnists have no effect. I doubt very many Christians read the Times.

    • #9
  10. Dr. Bastiat Member
    Dr. Bastiat
    @drbastiat

    Some Call Me …Tim (View Comment):

    Three points:

    1. Good to see you posting again. I hope you are feeling better.
    2. Thank you for reading the NYT. so I don’t have to.
    3. Why run this type of story? To try to make his policies more palatable to the public that still believes in God.

    Ok.  But why then immediately clarify that he believes in a “different Christianity”?  God doesn’t change.  

    If Mr. Biden actually does believe in God, then much of what he says & does makes no sense whatsoever.

    Again, unless the NYT thinks that everybody who reads their newspaper is stupid, this makes no sense.

    • #10
  11. cdor Member
    cdor
    @cdor

    Dr. Bastiat (View Comment):

    Some Call Me …Tim (View Comment):

    Three points:

    1. Good to see you posting again. I hope you are feeling better.
    2. Thank you for reading the NYT. so I don’t have to.
    3. Why run this type of story? To try to make his policies more palatable to the public that still believes in God.

    Ok. But why then immediately clarify that he believes in a “different Christianity”? God doesn’t change.

    If Mr. Biden actually does believe in God, then much of what he says & does makes no sense whatsoever.

    Again, unless the NYT thinks that everybody who reads their newspaper is stupid, this makes no sense.

    Maybe the NY Times just ran out of ways to kiss his ………….you know the thing!

    • #11
  12. Manny Coolidge
    Manny
    @Manny

    Dr. Bastiat: I was hoping that, as I wrote this out to clarify my thoughts, I would reach an understanding of all this. But I really don’t understand. Why is The New York Times doing this?

    The NY Slimes is doing this for at least two reasons. (1) To divide Catholics. Most of the Catholic media outlets (EWTN, the various radio stations) are conservative. If they can break off non-political voters for Biden they will have accomplished something. (2) And I think more importantly, devout Catholics are mostly conservative, and the accusation toward the Liberal half is that most of them are devoid of commitment, are cafeteria Catholics who pick and choose what they want to believe in, and are a step away from being lapsed. This accusation stings. Here’s Biden, supposedly a Liberal Catholic who is a true believer. That accusation is mostly true but Biden contradicts the conservative narrative.
    Edit: when I say devout Catholics are conservative, I don’t necessarily mean politically but orthodox in their faith. While there’s quite a bit of overlap they are not exactly synonymous.

    • #12
  13. philo Member
    philo
    @philo

    Not being a Catholic, I was much more offended that this “man” and his administration, who are openly hostile to (if not completely ignorant of) anything resembling Founding Principles, pushing the silliness of a “foundational precedent”…and then citing a 47 year old embarrassment to thinking people of all ages as one of them. The age of anti-intellectualism*** is upon us…

    ***Lest you think this isn’t a bi-partisan issue, look no further than Mittens Romney in the news this morning. 

    • #13
  14. EHerring Coolidge
    EHerring
    @EHerring

    Dr. Bastiat (View Comment):

    Incidentally, I would have pasted a copy of the actual Tweet in my post, the way Scott did in his comment.

    But I just can’t figure out Tweets. How do you manipulate them? Are they pdf’s? Jpegs? Why can’t I copy and paste them, like everything else?

    I Googled it, and was following the multi-step instructions, until I got to: “Swing a dead cat over your head.” And I stopped right there. My wife would have been very upset.

    I take a screenshot. Then I upload it as a picture (Add Media) and insert. Being a mischievous sort, I often can’t resist using my Apple Pencil to add my two cents. 

    For copying the words, I click on the tweet. Then you can highlight, copy, and paste.

    • #14
  15. EHerring Coolidge
    EHerring
    @EHerring

    If people want to understand how religious people can also support leftie ideas like abortion, read this book.

    • #15
  16. Columbo Inactive
    Columbo
    @Columbo

    If only Bishops and Priests would feel confident in denying him communion. But they also know that this secular globalist Pope would just override them.

    • #16
  17. EDISONPARKS Member
    EDISONPARKS
    @user_54742

    At Biden’s age and with his failing mental acuity Biden “believes” whatever is spelled out for him on the teleprompter.

    And if you ask him live to clarify he’ll fumble around with an embarrassing word salad, which will later be weakly further “clarified” by one of his spokes persons.

    Then the MSM will take the entire charade and pretend it was a plausible explanation and excuse it all down the memory hole.

    Abortion is the Leftist (D) religion, and it does not matter how many lies are told to get there … just as long as Biden gets there.

    The time is coming where the (D) answer to challenging questions will be sit down, shut up, and listen …. and the MSM will be standing there with a cattle prod to persuade the dissenters to follow the herd.

    • #17
  18. EHerring Coolidge
    EHerring
    @EHerring

    A person that close to his judgment day wouldn’t be pushing abortion if he were a devout Christian.

    • #18
  19. Eustace C. Scrubb Member
    Eustace C. Scrubb
    @EustaceCScrubb

    Not since the Quakerism of Richard M. Nixon!

    • #19
  20. Addiction Is A Choice Member
    Addiction Is A Choice
    @AddictionIsAChoice

    Democrat religiosity is of a piece with their “living constitution.” Flexible enough to support any liberal nostrum.

    • #20
  21. Aaron Miller Inactive
    Aaron Miller
    @AaronMiller

    Dr. Bastiat (View Comment):
    But I just can’t figure out Tweets. How do you manipulate them? Are they pdf’s? Jpegs? Why can’t I copy and paste them, like everything else?

    In Ricochet comments, it’s as simple as copying and pasting the http address by itself and Ricochet automatically embeds the image. But I don’t recall if that works in a post. If not, try editing/updating the post. 

    • #21
  22. Aaron Miller Inactive
    Aaron Miller
    @AaronMiller

    Dr. Bastiat:

    Read the lead from The New York Times article again:

    President Biden is perhaps the most religiously observant commander in chief in half a century. A different, more liberal Christianity grounds his life and his policies.”

    Why would they include that second sentence if they were trying to equate Mr. Biden’s policies with traditional Christian theology? And what the heck is “different Christianity” anyway?

    Evil always destroys by two ways: violence or poison, by direct attack or by corruption. Sometimes they attack by one; sometimes by both.

    They are playing with words, akin to “pro-choice” and “reproductive health” to mask a brazen lie as something respectable. They are proposing that Christianity is fundamentally malleable, like they believe that American culture and even human nature are largely malleable. Satan is offering “Christianity” without Christ — without truth or history.

    They want the prestige, the community, and the influence without all that established those effects. They fill their faith with pride, division and rank, vengeance, decadence, and abominations. It’s a mockery of Christianity.  More pointedly, it’s a way to claim Christianity while distancing themselves from Christianity’s sexual morality.

    It is by the same reasoning that they invite all invaders across our borders without understanding the particulars of American culture that made our country attractive to so many poor and downtrodden peoples. They claim to be patriots while condemning our past and our present. They are liars — sometimes without realizing it.

    • #22
  23. Manny Coolidge
    Manny
    @Manny

    Addiction Is A Choice (View Comment):

    Democrat religiosity is of a piece with their “living constitution.” Flexible enough to support any liberal nostrum.

    That’s a great analogy!

    • #23
  24. Brian Clendinen Inactive
    Brian Clendinen
    @BrianClendinen

    You forgot Trump, the same thing was done but other media outlets. Most of my Christian Friends thinks he is a Christian. I voted for him but I no he is not one.

     

    About the only person I really think is a Christian was George W. Bush. He is personally a very ethical person even though I think many of his policies were disastrous. He is a very ethical person in his personal life. Its sad that so many people believe Bush Lied and People Died. When in fact he was one of the most honest in Washington.

    • #24
  25. CRD Member
    CRD
    @CRD

    Manny (View Comment):
    And I think more importantly, devout Catholics are mostly conservative,

    I wish this is true! It’s not for my family. They are devout, but they think Fr. James Martin is right on his interpretation of the Church’s teachings, not Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. And Pope Francis has more than confirmed their beliefs.

    • #25
  26. Manny Coolidge
    Manny
    @Manny

    CRD (View Comment):

    Manny (View Comment):
    And I think more importantly, devout Catholics are mostly conservative,

    I wish this is true! It’s not for my family. They are devout, but they think Fr. James Martin is right on his interpretation of the Church’s teachings, not Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. And Pope Francis has more than confirmed their beliefs.

    Catholic TV and radio media are conservative. Those I know that are devout are conservative. I think the telling statistic is that Catholics that attend Mass faithfully every week voted for Trump around 2:1. I guess your family is in that lower third.

    • #26
  27. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Aaron Miller (View Comment):

    Dr. Bastiat:

    Read the lead from The New York Times article again:

    President Biden is perhaps the most religiously observant commander in chief in half a century. A different, more liberal Christianity grounds his life and his policies.”

    Why would they include that second sentence if they were trying to equate Mr. Biden’s policies with traditional Christian theology? And what the heck is “different Christianity” anyway?

    Evil always destroys by two ways: violence or poison, by direct attack or by corruption. Sometimes they attack by one; sometimes by both.

    They are playing with words, akin to “pro-choice” and “reproductive health” to mask a brazen lie as something respectable. They are proposing that Christianity is fundamentally malleable, like they believe that American culture and even human nature are largely malleable. Satan is offering “Christianity” without Christ — without truth or history.

    Oh, for cat’s sake: I’m a better Catholic than Slow Joe and I’m a Lutheran.

    • #27
  28. CACrabtree Coolidge
    CACrabtree
    @CACrabtree

    Proving once more that I’m a one-string banjo, I lay much of this idiocy on the breakdown of the family and our educational system.  When American families began their slide into dysfunctionality (one parent households or two parents who didn’t give a flip about acting like adults) more and more of our kids received the early part of their education from the television and, later on, many of their standards of behavior from the same source.

    Our schools couldn’t (and still can’t) compensate for the lack of a homelife or a completely dysfunctional one.  When parents don’t care about what their children are learning (or that their children’s teachers might be dolts) we shouldn’t be surprised when those kids grow up to be adults that are easily fooled by the charlatans in the media and our political establishment.

    Yeah, I suppose I could be accused of oversymplifying the situation but I believe that, on the whole, an educated populace is harder to fool (by institutions like the New York Times and people like Joe Biden) than an ill-educated one.

    • #28
  29. Chuck Coolidge
    Chuck
    @Chuckles

    CACrabtree (View Comment):
    an educated populace is harder to fool … than an ill-educated one.

    Perhaps:  But a brainwashed populace, not so much.

    • #29
  30. Django Member
    Django
    @Django

    Columbo (View Comment):

    If only Bishops and Priests would feel confident in denying him communion. But they also know that this secular globalist Pope would just override them.

    I remember reading in a book by Dr. Ludwig Ott(sp?) that “he who takes communion unworthily sins against the blood and body of Christ.” I’m not very religious and even I would take that seriously. It’s interesting that the bishops and priests don’t. They’d be doing Biden and others a service to deny communion. Or maybe they have no supernatural faith at all and don’t care. 

    • #30
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