Fact-checking website Politifact has determined that beginning with his 2016 presidential campaign and up until this week, Donald Trump has spoken lies, either substantially or completely—76 percent of the time.
John, we who are aware of the teachings of scripture have been warned of the proliferation of false prophets in the later days, and millions are being pulled in by them. Reasonable people need to take heart that light will dispel darkness, and only we can make it so.
Thank you, John, for setting the record straight in your very special way. "The false gospel according to Donald" reminds me of lessons long ago of Adolf Hitler's "playbook" that worked w/the German people until it was too late. Actually terrifying that so many are still following this modern day propagandist. But everyday something happens to help me keep the faith in America & her people. I have to thank you for also sharing a line that I will enjoy using for the next few weeks: "The Republican Presidential ticket regularly hovers between Pants-On-Fire and Pinocchio." :) Appreciate your good humor to balance the worry! :)
As a Stanford student I lived in Germany in the 1980s and studied the history of the country. Everything you wrote here is so important for the current situation in the US.
To reinforce John's excellent presentation here, which does well in battling MAGA totalitarianism, and your comment, here is what I wrote and quoted -- Rebecca Solnit and George Orwell:
Thank you Eric! I also follow Dr HCR! Our next door neighbor is from Germany & my parents were Danish-Americans that survived the Nazi occupation of their homeland. As you know: Truthful history must never be forgotten
John - well said and frightening in its downstream effects. Those of us above a certain age who remember the liberal-conservative contests of the 1980s, recall that the primary objection by conservatives - led by pastors and evangelical megachurch owners - was that liberals supposedly rejected even the concept of objective truth. Liberals were accused of describing society and its challenges in deceptive ways, ignoring basic religious "truths" and waging war on conservative beliefs.
Of course, that characterization was generally reductionist and sometimes intentionally misleading. What many liberal commentators were doing was not rejecting "objective" truth, but instead widening their perspective to recognize and account overtly for factors and influences, ignored by conservatives, that were operating in, and influential over the very issues that conservative "truth-tellers" insisted were simple and easily fixed through rigorous religious indoctrination and control.
What conservatives in those days insisted was "objective truth" was instead their own partisan characterization of an issue, not necessarily "truth." Their positions may have begun with a kernel of reality, but quickly hardened and crystalized that limited-scope interpretation into the only interpretation recognized by them as "true." All other positions - those that took account of the other factors at work in the creation, continuation, and growth of a problem issue - were castigated as lies, evil, the work of "satan." Those characterizations of opposing, rationally-based analyses remain a favorite "go-to" response of the narrow-thinking, exclusionary, self-serving, "leaders" and megachurch owners for a simple reason: it eliminates any need to actually think about an issue beyond a superficial level or to consider any solution other than "more religion." Of course, they reserve to themselves control over the content of that "solution" and reap personally the benefits (often pecuniary) of their control over the levers of their faith community.
It has been noted before that today's faith leaders, rather than follow the example attributed to Jesus in the gospels, have instead accepted (and relish) satan's third temptation - temporal power - and are reaping the consequences of their decisions. Yet they wonder why their churches are emptying out and religion is becoming less important in people's lives, especially among the younger people. Having failed to demonstrate by their actions the basic morality of their professed faith, they have poisoned the well. They reap what they have sown.
Here's a "radical" suggestion: Support the actual, messy, sometimes uncomfortable truths rather than seeking ephemeral refuge by pulling up the drawbridge and locking out teason. Vote blue - up and down the ballot. Strike a blow for reality, reason, and community. We improve as a species one person at a time.
One of the saddest things, to me, is when people say something like, all politicians do it, meaning they all lie, cheat, or are corrupt.
Recently, a friend of mine said something like this. She and I are often on the same page politically so I felt comfortable replying by asking her, tell me about a non-MAGA that makes up stories for political gain. She couldn’t do it.
I’m so tired of the normalization and the sane-cleaning of the MAGA’s. Yesterday I heard something on NPR. The commentators was talking about the press’s coverage of TFG’s rallies. The Rally she used as an example was supposed to be about a specific topic. It took TFG 28 minutes of incoherent rambling before he even mentioned the appropriate topic. The commentator read several headlines about the rally and only one indicated the lunacy of what actually happened. She then played several clips from the rally explaining that in normal coverage of such an event does not have the time to itemize the lies and reference the unhinged speech.
Absolutely none of this surprises me in the least! I was at the bank today and the teller there was convinced that not only had Biden not called any governors regarding the Hurricane damage but that Biden is the one with Dementia! What is going on in this country with these lying news channels is absolutely unbelievable and incredibly dangerous! This is Criminal and endangering peoples lives! These lying news sources should be fined into bankruptcy! This is so EVIL!
He is a pathological liar and he knows it. That is what makes this election so important. He is dangerous and needs to be stopped. Hopefully we can start anew on Nov 6th with a President looking forward with truth and integrity on her side . Vote 🗳️ on Nov 5th or sooner.
The stark reality you point out makes me want to scream bloody murder. I live among strangers in my community. On a beautiful stroll in my neighborhood on 9/11, I encountered a Fed-X driver who in passing said the world had gone crazy. Back at the house my utter disbelief when turning on the TV and realizing what she meant paralyzed me. Today I feel the same horror and outrage in my own city limits. The terrorists believed a lie. Now a scary number of us do too. The attack on truth destroys.
It saddens me that the very people who profess to follow him have nothing whatsoever to do with Jesus…”by their fruits shall you know them.”
As for the politicians, (et al )and the unaware folks who trust others to speak truth without doing their ethical duty to fact-check…their temporal choices are just as bad.
“Liar,Liar, pants on fire”! Every bill board must have all those complicit in this so called political reality standing with their pants on fire across the Nation! All of them…. Make it as famous as “Smokey the Bear” who taught everyone about the dangers of fires.
And don’t forget John Robert’s and the rest of the illegitimate court . “Pants on fire”! Shame them like little liars that they are. And place your children in that picture by having them wag their fingers at these liars. Lying is a sin.
John, we who are aware of the teachings of scripture have been warned of the proliferation of false prophets in the later days, and millions are being pulled in by them. Reasonable people need to take heart that light will dispel darkness, and only we can make it so.
Thank you, John, for setting the record straight in your very special way. "The false gospel according to Donald" reminds me of lessons long ago of Adolf Hitler's "playbook" that worked w/the German people until it was too late. Actually terrifying that so many are still following this modern day propagandist. But everyday something happens to help me keep the faith in America & her people. I have to thank you for also sharing a line that I will enjoy using for the next few weeks: "The Republican Presidential ticket regularly hovers between Pants-On-Fire and Pinocchio." :) Appreciate your good humor to balance the worry! :)
As a Stanford student I lived in Germany in the 1980s and studied the history of the country. Everything you wrote here is so important for the current situation in the US.
To reinforce John's excellent presentation here, which does well in battling MAGA totalitarianism, and your comment, here is what I wrote and quoted -- Rebecca Solnit and George Orwell:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/october-2-2024/comment/71212708?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=ktt63
Thank you Eric! I also follow Dr HCR! Our next door neighbor is from Germany & my parents were Danish-Americans that survived the Nazi occupation of their homeland. As you know: Truthful history must never be forgotten
And Newsmax is their catechism.
John - well said and frightening in its downstream effects. Those of us above a certain age who remember the liberal-conservative contests of the 1980s, recall that the primary objection by conservatives - led by pastors and evangelical megachurch owners - was that liberals supposedly rejected even the concept of objective truth. Liberals were accused of describing society and its challenges in deceptive ways, ignoring basic religious "truths" and waging war on conservative beliefs.
Of course, that characterization was generally reductionist and sometimes intentionally misleading. What many liberal commentators were doing was not rejecting "objective" truth, but instead widening their perspective to recognize and account overtly for factors and influences, ignored by conservatives, that were operating in, and influential over the very issues that conservative "truth-tellers" insisted were simple and easily fixed through rigorous religious indoctrination and control.
What conservatives in those days insisted was "objective truth" was instead their own partisan characterization of an issue, not necessarily "truth." Their positions may have begun with a kernel of reality, but quickly hardened and crystalized that limited-scope interpretation into the only interpretation recognized by them as "true." All other positions - those that took account of the other factors at work in the creation, continuation, and growth of a problem issue - were castigated as lies, evil, the work of "satan." Those characterizations of opposing, rationally-based analyses remain a favorite "go-to" response of the narrow-thinking, exclusionary, self-serving, "leaders" and megachurch owners for a simple reason: it eliminates any need to actually think about an issue beyond a superficial level or to consider any solution other than "more religion." Of course, they reserve to themselves control over the content of that "solution" and reap personally the benefits (often pecuniary) of their control over the levers of their faith community.
It has been noted before that today's faith leaders, rather than follow the example attributed to Jesus in the gospels, have instead accepted (and relish) satan's third temptation - temporal power - and are reaping the consequences of their decisions. Yet they wonder why their churches are emptying out and religion is becoming less important in people's lives, especially among the younger people. Having failed to demonstrate by their actions the basic morality of their professed faith, they have poisoned the well. They reap what they have sown.
Here's a "radical" suggestion: Support the actual, messy, sometimes uncomfortable truths rather than seeking ephemeral refuge by pulling up the drawbridge and locking out teason. Vote blue - up and down the ballot. Strike a blow for reality, reason, and community. We improve as a species one person at a time.
One of the saddest things, to me, is when people say something like, all politicians do it, meaning they all lie, cheat, or are corrupt.
Recently, a friend of mine said something like this. She and I are often on the same page politically so I felt comfortable replying by asking her, tell me about a non-MAGA that makes up stories for political gain. She couldn’t do it.
I’m so tired of the normalization and the sane-cleaning of the MAGA’s. Yesterday I heard something on NPR. The commentators was talking about the press’s coverage of TFG’s rallies. The Rally she used as an example was supposed to be about a specific topic. It took TFG 28 minutes of incoherent rambling before he even mentioned the appropriate topic. The commentator read several headlines about the rally and only one indicated the lunacy of what actually happened. She then played several clips from the rally explaining that in normal coverage of such an event does not have the time to itemize the lies and reference the unhinged speech.
Brilliant John - you have captured exactly what is happening
The liars don’t worship the Almighty above all other “gods”.
Instead they have found pleasure in power, money, control and what that provides them
But in reality everything they have can be washed away in an instant
All their lies will amount to nothing
And The Truth will set the American people free again
I pray that you and John are right.
Absolutely none of this surprises me in the least! I was at the bank today and the teller there was convinced that not only had Biden not called any governors regarding the Hurricane damage but that Biden is the one with Dementia! What is going on in this country with these lying news channels is absolutely unbelievable and incredibly dangerous! This is Criminal and endangering peoples lives! These lying news sources should be fined into bankruptcy! This is so EVIL!
He is a pathological liar and he knows it. That is what makes this election so important. He is dangerous and needs to be stopped. Hopefully we can start anew on Nov 6th with a President looking forward with truth and integrity on her side . Vote 🗳️ on Nov 5th or sooner.
The stark reality you point out makes me want to scream bloody murder. I live among strangers in my community. On a beautiful stroll in my neighborhood on 9/11, I encountered a Fed-X driver who in passing said the world had gone crazy. Back at the house my utter disbelief when turning on the TV and realizing what she meant paralyzed me. Today I feel the same horror and outrage in my own city limits. The terrorists believed a lie. Now a scary number of us do too. The attack on truth destroys.
These essays you write are wonderful. I subscribed, read them all and send them to several friends who are also enjoying your commentaries.
It saddens me that the very people who profess to follow him have nothing whatsoever to do with Jesus…”by their fruits shall you know them.”
As for the politicians, (et al )and the unaware folks who trust others to speak truth without doing their ethical duty to fact-check…their temporal choices are just as bad.
“Liar,Liar, pants on fire”! Every bill board must have all those complicit in this so called political reality standing with their pants on fire across the Nation! All of them…. Make it as famous as “Smokey the Bear” who taught everyone about the dangers of fires.
And don’t forget John Robert’s and the rest of the illegitimate court . “Pants on fire”! Shame them like little liars that they are. And place your children in that picture by having them wag their fingers at these liars. Lying is a sin.