Fascist Charlatans Furious Over Sermon on Mercy

Bless this bishop!

God Jan 22

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Dear Humans,

Lo, behold the moment when mercy clashed with cruelty, exposing the fragile egos of fascist charlatans everywhere. At the National Prayer Service, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde delivered a heroic, spontaneous act of rebellion—a sermon calling for mercy for immigrants and LGBTQ+ people. Naturally, Donold and his cult are big mad. Let’s break it down.

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1. She Is a Hero.

What Bishop Budde did, in this particular moment in time, was nothing short of extraordinary. Her sermon wasn’t just brave—it was an act of rebellion that exposed the fragility of tyrants. Here’s what she said:

Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde’s Speech:

Her defiance sends a clear message: We are not afraid. Donold’s entire playbook relies on fear and division, therefore, courage and unity cuts through it like a terrible swift sword. He can rant all he wants, but history will remember Bishop Budde as a hero of the rebellion.

Bless you, Bishop Budde.

Thank you for asking for mercy for the most vulnerable communities. And thank you for leaving their jaws on the floor. The mystique is broken.

Their reactions are priceless, from Donold and JD’s pained grimaces, to Melania and Usha’s stricken faces of embarrassment, to Tiffany Trump, who was loving every second of it. They have that look people always have when they just found out that they’re going to Hell.

2. Thou Shalt Mock The Mofo

Unable to handle such an act of moral courage, Donold couldn’t help but take to LieSocial to spew one of his classic all-caps tantrums.

Let’s break it down:

• “The so-called Bishop...”
  Coming from a so-called Christian who sells Bibles with his own name on them? Imagine opening the Good Book and Donald Trump’s freaking name on it. Thou art a grifter, Donold.

• “She brought her church into the world of politics in a very ungracious way.”
  Right, because you’ve never politicized religion… except when you gassed peaceful protesters to hold a Bible upside down for a photo op…remember?

• “She failed to mention the large number of illegal migrants that came into our Country and killed people.”
  You mean the immigrants who pay taxes, care for your hotels, and contribute billions to the economy?

• “She and her church owe the public an apology!”
  No, vile Donold. You owe the public an apology—for your grift, your lies and for all the evil thou hast done IN THY WRETCHED LIFE!

3. Verily, The Chuds Are Big Mad

Predictably, the trolls on X lost their minds, calling her message “woke” and “un-Christian.” Let God respond to a few:

“Inappropriate for a church service.”

Oh, I’m sorry, is advocating for mercy too Christian for you? Would you prefer a sermon about stoning people?

“Never heard of a female priest-bishop BTW LOL.”
Amazing. Just say you don’t know how religion works and move on.

“She will have to answer to God for her beliefs.”

Good news—she just did. And God’s answer was, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

A sitting congressman calls for her deportation.
To be clear, the person giving the sermon was born and raised in the USA. So what he’s really advocating for here is deporting U.S. citizens for practicing their First Amendment rights.

4. God’s Final Thoughts

Lo, I say unto thee: was this not glorious? A charlatan exposed, a bishop raised, and the cowards squirming in their pews. Donold’s fragile ego was no match for a simple sermon about mercy, and his tantrum proves it.

This moment should inspire us all. If a single sermon can rattle their cage, imagine what we can do together. Mercy is not weakness—it’s a weapon, and it terrifies them. Keep wielding it.

5. Join the Rebellion

Humanity is at a crossroads. Donold Trump is coming for all of us who dare to oppose him. Every corporate media network, social media app, and billionaire has bent the knee to his fascist ambitions.

We’re risking everything to stand against him and his goons, bringing truth and laughter to the fight. Your support doesn’t just keep this radical leftist network alive—it’s a stand for resistance, survival, and the freedom to call out miserable pricks like him.

• "I've always enjoyed your FB posts. Today, the day before the inauguration, I HAD to find something uplifting to do to spark a shot of hope through the darkness. This is it! Hallelujah!" — Nancy

So if you’ve been waiting for a sign, this is it. To celebrate 8 months of smiting ignorance, we’re offering 20% off—but only until midnight tonight. Think of it as an investment in the forces of truth and satire.

Click here to claim your blessing and fight alongside us.

Via White Crane Institute \\ Iran

 

Noteworthy

2009 -

On this date a sociologist at an Iranian university presented a study showing high levels of homosexual experiences among the country's population. Iran has strict laws against sex outside marriage and other sexual acts such as masturbation. Adultery and same-sex acts are punishable by death. Startling new research from sociologist Parvaneh Abdul Maleki found that 24% of Iranian women and 16% of Iranian men have had at least one homosexual experience. 73% of men and 26% of women surveyed said they had masturbated.

 

Ms. Maleki presented her findings at the Third Conference on Well-being in the Family and the story was reported in the Iranian press, albeit as a report on sexual deviance in need of treatment. The report also revealed that more than 75% of those who grew up in a conservative religious environment have watched pornography, 86% have had a heterosexual relationship outside of marriage and just over 4% have had Gay or Lesbian relationships. Since Iran's Islamic revolution in 1979, human rights groups claim that between 3,000 and 4,000 people have been executed under Sharia law for the crime of homosexuality. The President of Iran admitted in an interview that there may be "a few" gay people in his country, but attacked homosexuality as destructive to society.

 

In an interview with U.S. current affairs TV program Democracy Now, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also rejected criticism of the execution of children in Iran. During a visit to the U.S. in 2007 he said in reply to a question posed about homosexuality during his speech at New York's Columbia University: "In Iran we don't have homosexuals like in your country… In Iran we do not have this phenomenon, I don't know who has told you that we have it." In his TV interview he condemned American acceptance of gay people. "It should be of no pride to American society to say they defend something like this," President Ahmadinejad said. "Just because some people want to get votes, they are willing to overlook every morality."

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"With the increasing commodification of gay news, views, and culture by powerful corporate interests, having a strong independent voice in our community is all the more important. White Crane is one of the last brave standouts in this bland new world... a triumph over the looming mediocrity of the mainstream Gay world." - Mark Thompson

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Via Ram Dass - Love Serve Remember Foundation \\ Words of Wisdom - January 22, 2025 💠

 

"When our thinking mind subsides, what we might call our 'heartmind' takes over, and we can begin to live in love. Love is opening to merge with another being, whether another person or with God, and in the end it’s the same difference. Love is the doorway to being in harmony with the entire universe."

>> Want to dive deeper with Ram Dass? Click Here to Receive a Daily Wisdom Text from Ram Dass & Friends.

Via The Raft: Loving Ourselves and Others in the New Year

 

Inspiration from the International Plum Village Community
January 2025

"Looking deeply at any one thing, we see the whole cosmos. The one is made of the many. To take care of ourselves, we take care of those around us."

Thich Nhat Hanh, Cultivating the Mind of Love

Living Joyfully This year marks the third anniversary since Thich Nhat Hanh’s transition. As we are all his continuation, we can enjoy this 5-minute clip of his teaching on how to live our days joyfully: “A good practitioner is capable of generating joy and happiness in his daily life, in her daily life, to nourish himself and to heal himself.” Watch

The Chant of Metta 慈经 (1999) by Imee Ooi 黄慧音

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Intention: Cultivating Lovingkindness

 

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RIGHT INTENTION Cultivating Lovingkindness Whatever you intend, whatever you plan, and whatever you have a tendency toward, that will become the basis on which your mind is established. (SN 12.40) Develop meditation on lovingkindness, for when you develop meditation on lovingkindness, all ill will will be abandoned. (MN 62)  The function of lovingkindness is preferring welfare. (Vm 9.93)

Reflection Kindness is a habit, like everything else in our emotional range. It can be learned and reinforced and cultivated, or it can be neglected, abandoned, and suppressed. Why not practice kindness by fostering the welfare of all beings, including yourself? Like any habit, it takes time and patience to interrupt the reflex to blame and hate and to install the new patterns of thought and behavior. But it can be done. So let’s do it! Daily Practice Lovingkindness can be invoked at any time. Look for opportunities to think kindly of other people, to wish them well, and to soften your heart. Do this especially as an antidote if you feel yourself going in the other direction and feeling ill will toward someone. Lovingkindness and ill will cannot coexist in a single mind moment, so you always have a choice to feel friendly or feel hostile in any situation. May you choose wisely. Tomorrow: Refraining from False Speech One week from today: Cultivating Compassion Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

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Via Daily Dharma: Begin Again

 

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Begin Again Beginning again and again is the actual practice. Sharon Salzberg, “How to Forgive: A Meditation” CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

Seeing the Emptiness of Self By Laura Bridgman When we shift our attention from thoughts to feelings and let identity arise into consciousness, the sense of self diminishes. Read more » Dhamma Wheel 365 Days of Practice to Your Inbox Commit to a year of contemplative study with Tricycle’s daily email course on the noble eightfold path.

Via Choose Democracy

Friends,

That clenching feeling in your stomach? That restlessness? That mind jumping around checking the news anxiously? That's a normal response to an abnormal situation.

We strongly suggest some deep breathing, sharing with friends how you truly are, and digging into your spiritual and physical practices. We definitely recommend these 7 practices at Finding Steady Ground:

1. I will make a conscious decision about when and where I’ll get news — and what I’ll do afterwards.
2. I will make human-to-human connection with another person and make sure we stay in motion.
3. I will pray, meditate, or reflect on those I know who are being impacted by oppressive policies, and extend that love to all who may be suffering.
4. I will read, listen to, or share a story about how others have resisted injustice.
5. I will be aware of myself as one who creates.
6. I will take a conscious break from social media.
7. I will commit to sharing with others what’s helping me.

(Read more at Finding Steady Ground.)

Via Informed Comment daily updates (01/21/2025)

 

Death shaded the Life of this Holocaust historian. The cancer Memoir he began in Hospital was a final ‘Act of Love’

By Tess Scholfield-Peters, University of Technology Sydney (The Conversation) – Mark Raphael Baker began writing his final book, A Season of Death, from his hospital bed, in the wake of his terminal pancreatic cancer diagnosis. His second wife, Michelle, would later observe: “More than a comfort or distraction, in him it was a need.” The […]

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Today in our little garden

 

Via White Crane Institute

 

The Swedish Parliament 2009 - The Swedish Parliament was presented with legislation that would allow Gay couples to marry in civil ceremonies or in the Lutheran Church, which until 2000 was the official church of Sweden. "The main proposal in the motion is that ... a person's gender will no longer have any bearing on whether they can marry. The marriage law and other laws concerning spouses will be rendered gender neutral according to the proposal," a statement from Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt's conservative Moderates said.   The proposal had wide backing in parliament. While heterosexuals in Sweden could previously choose to marry in either a civil ceremony or a church ceremony, homosexuals were only allowed to register their "partnerships" in a civil ceremony. Civil unions granting Gays and Lesbians the same legal status as married couples were allowed in Sweden since 1995. On October 22, 2009, the governing board of the Church of Sweden, voted 176–62 in favor of allowing its priests to wed same-sex couples in new gender-neutral church ceremonies, including the use of the term marriage. Same-sex marriages have been performed by the church since November 1, 2009   With the adoption of the new legislation, Sweden,  became the first country in the world to allow Gay people to marry within a major Church. Under the proposal, Lutheran pastors are permitted to opt-out of performing Gay marriages if they have personal objections.

|8|O|8|O|8|O|8|O|8|O|8|O|8|O|8| Gay Wisdom for Daily Living from White Crane Institute "With the increasing commodification of gay news, views, and culture by powerful corporate interests, having a strong independent voice in our community is all the more important. White Crane is one of the last brave standouts in this bland new world... a triumph over the looming mediocrity of the mainstream Gay world." - Mark Thompson Exploring Gay Wisdom & Culture since 1989! www.whitecraneinstitute.org |8|O|8|O|8|O|8|O|8|O|8|O|8|O|8|