Men with Nazi and DeSantis flags assemble outside of Walt Disney World

My southern Ohio, Baptist family whispered the word “Catholic” if the subject ever came up. Which left me a very confused child with questions that no one would answer.
Now I’m married to one and I’m still confused, lol.

super7*:

Doesn’t matter how many people at this showing. Every single Republican voter aligns their vote with this human garbage. They are empowered by Republicans. Republicans align with Nazis.

No, not every single Republican aligns their vote with this human garbage. Some of us voted for folks other than Trump back in the 2016 primaries and then sent our votes to a different party when he became the Republican candidate. Some of us voted for a different party again in 2020 for similar reasons. Some of us did vote for DeSantis only to find ourselves looking at other candidates for when the Florida primary for the 2024 presidential election comes around because he didn’t turn out the way we thought he would.

I respect your frustrations with Republicans, but would politely request that you, along with a considerable number of people, would be able to paint with a bit less broad of a brush in the future. We have to stop pigeonholing people into two camps on everything and realize that there are probably more people who tend to live somewhere in the middle than at either extreme, and/or who don’t define their whole personalities by their usual political affiliations.

I suspect that you're right, but party leaders are hardly speaking up against the nonsense. McConnell said just yesterday that he wouldn't comment on any of the candidates. Pretty weird times when a guy charged with felonies twice (so far) isn't safe to speak up against. I mean, seven years ago when we were talking about pussy grabbing and suggesting that McCain was a loser for getting captured, that should have been the end of it. And yet, here we are.

GoBucks89:

I first heard the concept that catholics are not christian from someone on the East Coast. Was more of an arrogance thing rather than privilege but that often gets mixed up there. Also heard it from a couple people in the south.

I wonder what they think of us Orthodox folks. On second thought, no I do not.

Anyone currently voting Republican votes for the same party that these Nazis support. When Republicans actually speak out against Nazis and white supremacist instead of trying to obtain their votes, then all Republicans can stop being thrown in the sane racist bucket. But for now, they need their votes so desperately they won’t disavow them. Which empowers them.

Mulfinator:

I wonder what they think of us Orthodox folks. On second thought, no I do not.

Especially given you don't even know when Easter or Christmas are. ;)

wahoo skipper:

15 people. They are loud...but small.

This was posted on a Facebook group I am in for my local community of Winter Garden. Sad to say that while nobody outright said they support the group, many commented that they were just expressing their freedom of speech, or that they were probably local teen actors. This group at Disney's entrance might be small, but I have a feeling there are more that support them quietly. Just as dangerous, there are a lot who don't believe these type of people are real.

Oh they’re real all right. I posted somewhere else about a group of Nazis that showed up to disrupt a drag brunch at a local brewery. They stood on the street side of the sidewalk holding swastikas and acting intimidating, even though they were masked like cowards. Their leader didn’t have a hood and spent his time goose stepping around like an ass.
There was no incident and the fundraiser went off as planned, but it’s unsettling to know that there is that kind of threat looming around. There’s a spot for people like that.

Legit question, not a troll: Whatever happened to the God Hates F*** people? You'd think they would use the whole Disney thing for massive exposure, but I haven't heard anything about them in quite some time. (Not that I'm complaining mind you.)

You'd think it would be them protesting outside Disney, not freaking nazis.

(Now the trolling part:) You'd think nazis would be pro-Disney, right? ;)

GoBucks89:

Especially given you don't even know when Easter or Christmas are. ;)

I'll give you Easter, but the Greeks celebrate Christmas on December 25th.

Tommytheduck:

Legit question, not a troll: Whatever happened to the God Hates F*** people?

Thankfully, I haven't heard much from them recently either. They are the Westboro Baptist Church, and the top result when I Google them is their website which are those very three words dot com. Unreal. Well, they are in fact real, but I wish they were...un.

I suspect they've faded because it doesn't Play in Peoria anymore, whereas transphobia very much does.

Less than 20 years ago, several states enacted same sex marriage bans. Much progress on LGB portion since that time. T portion is newer (at least it is to me -- LGB portion was discussed in college, law school, etc. decades ago -- but not T portion). Expect there will be progress on that portion as well. But like pretty much everything, it will take time. Reduced religiosity overall likely plays a role in all of that.

Reduced religiosity probably plays a role but surprisingly enough I think the internet is helping in that regard. Just now I searched "what did Jesus say about homosexuality" and not surprisingly he said nothing. To find that 20+ years ago I would have to read the Bible or consult my local biblical scholar. 20 years ago I would have been certain that the Bible was firmly against homosexuality but it's much more complex than a simple yes or no. New Testament? Possibly. Old Testament? Yes but that's largely in Leviticus. Leviticus also bans eating pork, charging interest on loans, and wearing mixed fabrics in your clothes. I'm certain that most people who use religion to justify homophobia aren't without sin themselves.

He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone.

Religious arguments are largely irrelevant if you don't share religion. They're even less interesting if you're atheist.

It’s hard not to see “religious” arguments as a justification for an already held social position. I’m not going to tell anyone else why they believe what they believe, but it takes an awfully narrow interpretation of scripture to conclude that transphobia is the most important thing on Jesus’ agenda for the world.

I like to see it this way. On judgement day nobody will ask me about you or you about me. I will answer only for myself.
Religious or not, it’s a good way to be.