When I read « Babylon Is Fallen » as your theme for today, my first thought was of the book by Pat Frank, « Alas, Babylon. ». This post-apocalyptic novel was first published in 1959, when I was 14 years old. We lived east of Orlando near Patrick Air Force Base. This was during the Cold War; Russia had launched Sputnik in 1957, shocking the US, and the space race was starting. Set north of Orlando, it felt very real to me. I have never felt it wasn’t a possible ending to the world race for domination.
The world is even scarier now. I never expected that in my "golden years" that I would watch this wonderful country lose its way in the world, and glorify the evil that now dominates our government. Alas, Babylon, indeed.
Thanks, Jean. I don't know that one and will have to look into it.
The mutually assured destruction was such a clear and present danger...whoever would have predicted that we would throw away democracy and join them? Stranger than fiction, truly.
Oh yes. That one had me trembling, about the same time and, there were air raid drills throughout grade school. We started first grade, duck and cover under our desks, then the drill moved out to the windowless cloakroom. Then to the boy's basement, which developed screens over the windows to keep glass from scattering. Then we all were put on busses, the start of a pretend evacuation to Everett. By 1955/6, they stopped even that: the message was, we give up, there's no safe place.
There were air raid sirens every Wednesday at noon. I always thought that would be the PERFECT time for an attack because everyone ignored them. The freeway through Seattle was built with air raid shelters in the understructure of the overpasses. During the Korean War, I was terrified by searchlights in the sky, since I had seen newsreels about the Blitz; I didn't learn till much later they were simply car dealer advertising.
In the middle 60s I was driving up and down the coast from Seattle to Palo Alto. In Oregon there was one place called, I think, Sunny Valley, that had been determined to be the LEAST likely place for fallout to land. It took about half an hour to drive through, and I remember feeling a LIFT from the fear. That was the main way I knew that fear was otherwise always with me. This is when the term "cognitive dissonance" was coined: suppressing the threat was how you managed a day to day life.
The swiftness with which we expected annihilation was a matter of minutes, not weeks. But I do have that wish that I could find a Sunny Valley somewhere again. The original is no longer safe from the fallout of this coup.
That's what cognitive dissonance was for--to protect us from just that. It definitely wasn't a means of ignoring that what you believe in are lies. As Auden said, it was necessary for "dogs to go on with their doggy lives."
There was a Nike missile silo on the island I grew up on, not far from the only theater on the island. I guess we figured that if a loud roar drowned out Vincent Price, we could try to get under the theater seats.
It was probably worse in places like Seattle, home to Boeing and within the blast radius of the Bremerton Naval Shipyard. Maybe inland things weren't quite as, well, obvious.
I read it too in High school and it rang close to me, as well. I was in Tampa where MacDill AFB is. Great book. Another good one was On the Beach and the movie…a classic
I originally had On the beach in my comment but the damn page refreshed and my comment disappeared so I had to redo it. I agree. That book was terrifying, and the scene in the movie with the call to I think San Francisco with no one to answer it was devastating.
Thankfully I read today’s piece after morning coffee. One of the bleakest you’ve written in that there is no “upbeat” ending, no ok dear readers here is how we overcome this. So I will glean from your biblical interpretation that your recommendation is “Fight!” and do not be restrained by politesse or false belief in political myths about bipartisanship. I sure hope you and Alexander Vindman spend at least a minute or two sharing where we can find a scintilla of hope…Friends and I know much - most - will be as dark as the evil souls perpetrating this hate and destruction. But it is always helpful to hear others’ ideas about where to focus our efforts to fight against the darkness.
I often quote this admonition: “Do not fight evil directly, just make steady progress in the good.”
For me the good is showing kindness and forbearance to all and resisting in any way you can.
For me the good at this time is for every able bodied citizen to get into Good Trouble by taking to the streets with conviction. Make alliances. Plan rallies and such. SHOW them our massive numbers! We’re mad as hell and we’re NOT going to take it anymore!
This is my approach now: be vigilant, do what you can, and don't feel like you have to do everything. Give yourself an assignment and stick to it. No one can do everything, but everyone must do something.
Thanks, Sue. It's a dark time, and there's no way around that, unfortunately.
But: There is hope, always, in numbers...vastly more of us than them, so much more good than evil.
Jeremiah tells us what to do: “Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes.” In other words, be vigilant, do what you can, and don't feel like you have to do everything. Give yourself an assignment and stick to it. No one can do everything, but everyone must do something.
And in the Bible, at least, things don't turn out too well for the bad guys in the end...
Weirdly, I forgot all about that until I sat down to write this. And I wrote it for a while before I remembered. You'd think I'd remember something like that more vividly!
Thank You, Greg, for your revelation of what The Bible is really all about! Makes so much sense, which the Bible never did for me, despite (because of?) 12 years of Catholic school education. Can't wait to share this with my seminary dropout friend!
If you’re interested in interpretations of the meaning of biblical events from a psychological standpoint, delve into the revelatory and inspiring book named “A Course in Miracles”.
As they say, I feel ya." I *used to* wonder how people could've let Nazis happen.
Thx for the clarification re "weak as women". Re the generally accepted meaning, though, I notice Mark Cuban. Didn't much like him on that TV show, but then his drug thing seems good. And now, he's describing Democrat leaders as weak, not doing anything effective to stop Babylon from falling. He goes on to say that all the bad guys understand is money and mentions the shopping boycotts. Of course, Walmart, Amazon, and Target crashing could hurt pension funds and savings. And so what, Bezos and the Walmart family have to forego this year's new yacht. A market crash would embarrass King Orange, though. For a few minutes. But would it stop him? Who's smart/strong enough to revolt without being nailed to a cross? Still, Cuban's general point seems valid. Maybe a total money revolt - taxes, shopping, etc.? Or after all your amazing-as-always research, if you were to write a story in which Babylon rescues itself... Could you tell us how?
I know what you mean about the financial stuff. I feel like ultimately it will hurt working people more than the oligarchs, who will use it as an excuse to lay off workers. Not that it shouldn't be attempted; I'm just not sure of the efficacy.
There's only one way to get rid of Nazis, and it isn't through boycotts and etc. For an answer to your last question, for one possible story, may I direct your attention to another book of the Bible (at least in the Catholic Bible): the Book of Judith.
I really enjoy hearing about people's perspectives on God, the bible, and religion from a more subjective perspective. Also, about the process that resulted in where they landed on the subjects. My experience and familial history created a crazy quilt that made it natural for me to land in Humanist territory, long before I knew it existed. Recently I decided to follow a genealogical path backwards regarding religion, starting with my personal experience and as being adopted. It's more about the people, their circumstances and their choices.
Thanks. I agree, it's interesting to hear about, especially because, unlike so many things about ourselves, it's not necessarily static. I go back and forth a million times on all this stuff.
Well, I don't know about that aborted novel, but today's column was certainly chilling, as are the goings on in Washington.
There is no question that the Jehovah of the bible is an asshole. I have no other source material in which to know Him, so I must assume that it's true. However, asshole or not (or maybe, Asshole or not), it's because of my Catholic upbringing -- now, long abandoned -- that "The Exorcist" scared the ever-living shit out of me. Both the book and the movie, but more so, the movie. It's SO in your face, and I was a 15-year-old Catholic boy when I saw it. I'd already read the book, and it gave me a fright, but not like that movie. During the actual exorcism, when Isuzu rises up, backlit and horrible in Regan's bedroom, I had to walk out of the theater and go stand in the lobby for a few minutes. That was 52 years ago, and I remember it like it was last week. I've been daring myself to watch it again because I never have, and it feels like it's time to put that trauma behind me.
I don't believe in that stuff anymore, but I DO believe in Evil, and this column is SO on-the-nose about what we're seeing now, and it can't be described as anything other than Evil -- capital E. They have filled the zone with so much shit that it's impossible right now to find our way out of it. The Evil being done in the name of "saving money" seems much more aligned with the agenda of being cruel to people that don't explicitly support Trump and the cabal. I don't, for example, believe one bit that Elon cares at all about cutting spending. He seems to be GLEEFULLY getting off on the power of firing vast swaths of people for "the lulz." He's an Evil troll, as is Trump, Patel, Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, and anyone else encouraging this. The trolling, though, has gone WAY over the line.
I read this morning in Jim Stewartson's column that Enrique Tarrio, leader of the Proud Boys, and some others, including Mike Flynn, and the asshole who posed sitting at Nancy Pelosi's desk with his feet up, were, for some reason, in the halls of Congress yesterday, TROLLING Michael Fanone, the Capital police officer who had a heart attack, and nearly died on January 6th from being tazed and beaten by the mob of disgusting animals. HOW is this happening?
I've written my Senators, Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, to try and find out WHEN Democrats are going to start stepping up. No answer but a form letter thanking me for contacting the Senators and sharing my "concerns." What the FUCK? Are they counting on the history of "this too shall pass," and waiting it out while a Vichy government forms around them? It seems so. It's been almost four months since the election, Dems need to get over it and move on and fight this thing and FIGHT IT like the Republicans would fight it. Not "strong letters of concern," or "strongly worded speeches," but actual government oversight, legislation, or whatever they can get away with. They've been there watching McConnell for decades, take advantage of every loophole he can find, to get what he wants -- is all of that really ONLY for Republicans? Move it or lose it, I say, because it's becoming more obvious BY THE DAY that violence is the very next step to this if NOTHING continues to be done. Trump will get his "bloodbath," and it won't be pretty for him or the Empress. This kind of stuff is how civil wars start, and I know I am too fucking old to be taking part in a civil war, but something has to be done by the only people left who CAN do something, and so far, they're NOT doing it.
So, contact your Senators and Representatives, even if they're MAGAts, and let them know that we are WAY OVER the line, and it's not going to wait for some mythical 2026 Democratic landslide election! I didn't wake up thinking I was going to rant today, but there it is.
As you know, I love me a good Steve B rant, so thanks for that.
I believe that there are some people who are beyond salvation. The damage is too much, the evil is too pervasive, the cancer has no cure. Putin is one. No amount of anything will change who he is.
My kids love horror movies -- they are very popular among Gen Z, who are much less affected than we all were -- and my one son saw The Shining when he was, like, 10 or 11 and loved it. I forbade them from watching Exorcist, especially the younger one, who scares more easily, because I didn't want them to be traumatized. When he finally watched it, he was like, "That's IT? Really?"
At Georgetown they show it on Halloween on the big theater on campus, and of course we know where all the places are, which makes it a lot less scary.
But what makes it so great is the tone. It's just this slow fade into more and more dread and unease. So well done. But I'm sure if you watched it now, although it is still for sure spooky, it won't be like it was. (It is, for my money, the best horror movie ever made.)
The Dems need to fight it like they're fighting Nazis, because that's who they're fighting.
Oh yes, "The Exorcist" is one of the greatest horror movies ever made! The darkness, the evil that comes off the screen, the very color palette of the film is so, so good! I will probably give it another watch this year -- it really CAN'T be worse than what's been going on in daily life. "Requiem for a Dream" is another GREAT, great film that I would have to force myself to watch again. Maybe a double-feature night is in the offing. LOL
Greg, you made me cry this morning. And certainly not tears of joy, but of lament. Everyone around me continues to go on about their lives in blissful ignorance of everything you said this morning. Yes, Babylon has fallen. Yes, this is pure evil in charge of our country.
I am an evangelical Christian, although I am embarrassed to say that more so every single day. I have never been one of those end times, Revelation, weirdos, in fact quite the opposite. I thought they were absolutely NUTS. I mean the Bible CLEARLY says “no man knows the day or hour.” Matthew 24:36. I knew Trump was sick, perverted and deranged from day one. Who could not see that?? Honestly, however, with each passing day, and the bizarre and sick embrace of evil by my Christian brethren of all stripes, but especially my wing, my trepidation and fear, has grown and grown. Since November it accelerated and since January 20, it has reached meltdown levels.
Your analysis of the Bible is I believe certainly true from the “empire/country” level, and judgment is coming on our nation for our hubris and corruption and now willful surrender to these malevolent people and forces. In addition to our nation collapsing, I am coming to believe Trump and this movement, aided and abetted by Christian Nationalists and other “Christians,” could actually be the Antichrist prophesied in the Bible. I cannot believe I am saying that. Ten years ago I would have laughed at such hysteria from anyone, and especially me! But watching the evil and insanity run amok, and the US Senate proudly confirm such vile,reprehensible, sick and evil men and women has made me question everything. I am 71 years old, graduated high school in 1971, and this is all such sick and perverse and evil stuff I never dreamed of, yet 77 million are just fine with all of it. This is not “politics.” I am so sick of that from people who are not even in the cult.
We are in VERY dangerous waters here, uncharted and stormy. Thanks again for your wisdom, insight and gift for communicating all this to us.
Thanks, Rick, for sharing all of that. I understand how you feel. As a (lapsed) Italian Catholic from New Jersey, it REALLY irks me that Italian New Jersey Catholic Leonard Leo is a key figure in the destruction of our democracy.
There are two beasts, not one, in Revelation. They are very similar in dynamic to Donald and Elon. So, I mean, who knows?
I talked to Katherine Stewart about this, who covers the religious right. She says a lot of it is just that the parishioners are just being flat-out lied to by the pastors. All the Deep State crap, lies about Biden, all of that, and so people naturally believe what they are told in church. It's the fault of my leadership more than the rank and file (not ALL the leadership, obviously). So much of what's wrong now can be helped if people just got better information.
Hey, Greg. Lots of bad pastors out there especially in the really pentecostal type churches, and some really bad ones in my Baptist circles too. Looking at Al Mohler, Robert Jeffress and of course Franklin Graham. Those Baptists make me apoplectic. I do not agree with Ms. Stewart that much about the people not being at fault(just the pastors) at least in most of my type Baptist churches. The people are at fault too! Admittedly, I am most familiar with suburban(not rural or urban mega church environments), mainly. I am not saying she isn’t right to some extent about the pastors; HOWEVER, it is my belief that MILLIONS and MILLIONS of these Catholic AND Protestant parishioners and members have been brainwashed from the pulpit and elsewhere about abortion, primarily, plus LGBTQ, and especially the boogie man of trans athletes, etc. Abortion is murder=Democrats are evil. PLUS, the Fox News lies and propaganda are wide and deep, and we “good Christian people” KNOW Fox is the only source to be trusted. Yes, that’s the source that paid almost $800 million for lying……..Go figure. It is scary out here.
I have lots of thoughts about the “Christian” support of Trump, and even more about the heresy—-really—of Christian nationalism and the “seven mountains mandate” garbage. It is unAmerican, unchristian and unbiblical and wrong, wrong, wrong.
Sorry for the long reply. I have LOTS of opinions as you can see.
Greg, I meant to comment on Leonard Leo, too. If I not mistaken, ALL 6 of the Trump Supreme Court justices are Catholics selected by Leonard Leo or corrupted by him. What a coincidence!!!!!!
God versus Satan puts a name to good versus evil. Father Lennon, my old parish priest was fond of saying that to know yourself was to know god, not the other way around. God was within each of us. If true and there are two ultimate beings, then Satan was within certain of us, Putin, Trump, Musk et al come to mind. Most of us have good intentions, others bad intentions. Ultimate salvation is simple math, there are many more with good inside than bad and the numbers will hold up, good triumphs evil.
It is in this very simple minded thinking that salvation occurs. Good intentions take many forms, writing to your representatives, visible protest, showing up and helping pro Democracy organizations, etc. The greatest evil, good intentions that sit on the sidelines, waiting for others to do the lifting.
The other great asset, believing that good will overcome evil. As Tug McGraw said, " You gotta believe". In these days of finding it hard to believe, start by believing in yourself and take things from there.
Father Lennon was right, I think...or, at least, I agree with him. But it's just like anything else...athletic prowess, musical talent, comic timing...some people have more of it and some much less. So it is with good and evil. It's when the evil ones get into power that the trouble starts. And I also agree with Tug McGraw.
You may enjoy two books of Biblical history that I refer to on occasion. One is “Halley’s Bible Handbook” that I’ve kept in my library since my Episcopal girl school days and has historical references to Biblical places & things. The other is the “Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible” which I found all five volumes of sitting on the curb across the street from me one day when a neighbor cleaned out their house during the Pandemic. They might come in handy if you ever care to finish “Babylon Fallen”. Personally, I like to think I may have covered all my bases by morphing from a Jesus Freak in highschool to an Allen Ginsberg inspired Buddhist then to a Punk Nihilist then an AA adherent then a Kundalini yoga Sikh enthusiastic & now back to being an Episcopal. Today’s sermon which, I attended online was about Forgiveness. Something which I truly struggle with these days.
Thanks for sharing this, Amy. It's all a journey for wisdom and knowledge and understanding, and, as I'm sure you discovered, there is something to be learned from all of those disciplines (although I'm guessing the punk one was probably the most objectively fun).
The think about forgiveness is that some people are unworthy of being forgiven, or rather, incapable of it. Forgiveness is the sister of mercy, and if you're merciful to someone who doesn't appreciate the gift, that's your good nature being taken advantage of. Me, I always feel bad for everyone, even the villains in movies, and certainly in real life. Forgiveness is hard. Really hard.
As someone who grew up in a family that was essentially a religious cult of four—steeped in bibliolatry—my spiritual healing consisted of realizing the Bible is BS from the standpoint of a guidebook for daily living, and getting as far away from it as possible. As a citizen grappling with the effects of evil on my daily life, I appreciate very much your realization that the passages cited are not predictions but rather warnings about how evil leadership—which we’re experiencing firsthand—comes about to destroy societies that were comfortable enough to be taken for granted.
Thanks, Earl. I really like how you phrased that...comfortable enough to be taken for granted. That's where we are now. The country is soft. (I include myself in that.) Some evil malignant devil always has to come and ruin it for the rest of us.
When I read « Babylon Is Fallen » as your theme for today, my first thought was of the book by Pat Frank, « Alas, Babylon. ». This post-apocalyptic novel was first published in 1959, when I was 14 years old. We lived east of Orlando near Patrick Air Force Base. This was during the Cold War; Russia had launched Sputnik in 1957, shocking the US, and the space race was starting. Set north of Orlando, it felt very real to me. I have never felt it wasn’t a possible ending to the world race for domination.
The world is even scarier now. I never expected that in my "golden years" that I would watch this wonderful country lose its way in the world, and glorify the evil that now dominates our government. Alas, Babylon, indeed.
Thanks, as always, for your postings.
Thanks, Jean. I don't know that one and will have to look into it.
The mutually assured destruction was such a clear and present danger...whoever would have predicted that we would throw away democracy and join them? Stranger than fiction, truly.
Yes, so difficult to understand.
Oh yes. That one had me trembling, about the same time and, there were air raid drills throughout grade school. We started first grade, duck and cover under our desks, then the drill moved out to the windowless cloakroom. Then to the boy's basement, which developed screens over the windows to keep glass from scattering. Then we all were put on busses, the start of a pretend evacuation to Everett. By 1955/6, they stopped even that: the message was, we give up, there's no safe place.
There were air raid sirens every Wednesday at noon. I always thought that would be the PERFECT time for an attack because everyone ignored them. The freeway through Seattle was built with air raid shelters in the understructure of the overpasses. During the Korean War, I was terrified by searchlights in the sky, since I had seen newsreels about the Blitz; I didn't learn till much later they were simply car dealer advertising.
In the middle 60s I was driving up and down the coast from Seattle to Palo Alto. In Oregon there was one place called, I think, Sunny Valley, that had been determined to be the LEAST likely place for fallout to land. It took about half an hour to drive through, and I remember feeling a LIFT from the fear. That was the main way I knew that fear was otherwise always with me. This is when the term "cognitive dissonance" was coined: suppressing the threat was how you managed a day to day life.
The swiftness with which we expected annihilation was a matter of minutes, not weeks. But I do have that wish that I could find a Sunny Valley somewhere again. The original is no longer safe from the fallout of this coup.
JESUS FUCKING CHRIST, Susan!! Nothing like imposing PTSD at an early age!
That's what cognitive dissonance was for--to protect us from just that. It definitely wasn't a means of ignoring that what you believe in are lies. As Auden said, it was necessary for "dogs to go on with their doggy lives."
There was a Nike missile silo on the island I grew up on, not far from the only theater on the island. I guess we figured that if a loud roar drowned out Vincent Price, we could try to get under the theater seats.
It was probably worse in places like Seattle, home to Boeing and within the blast radius of the Bremerton Naval Shipyard. Maybe inland things weren't quite as, well, obvious.
I read it too in High school and it rang close to me, as well. I was in Tampa where MacDill AFB is. Great book. Another good one was On the Beach and the movie…a classic
I originally had On the beach in my comment but the damn page refreshed and my comment disappeared so I had to redo it. I agree. That book was terrifying, and the scene in the movie with the call to I think San Francisco with no one to answer it was devastating.
Bravo
Thank you!
Brilliant again! Thank you.
Thanks, Carol!
And like all captivating horror stories the people are going to be dying to see what happens next.
Well put...and that's of course what I'm so afraid of.
Me also
Thankfully I read today’s piece after morning coffee. One of the bleakest you’ve written in that there is no “upbeat” ending, no ok dear readers here is how we overcome this. So I will glean from your biblical interpretation that your recommendation is “Fight!” and do not be restrained by politesse or false belief in political myths about bipartisanship. I sure hope you and Alexander Vindman spend at least a minute or two sharing where we can find a scintilla of hope…Friends and I know much - most - will be as dark as the evil souls perpetrating this hate and destruction. But it is always helpful to hear others’ ideas about where to focus our efforts to fight against the darkness.
I often quote this admonition: “Do not fight evil directly, just make steady progress in the good.”
For me the good is showing kindness and forbearance to all and resisting in any way you can.
For me the good at this time is for every able bodied citizen to get into Good Trouble by taking to the streets with conviction. Make alliances. Plan rallies and such. SHOW them our massive numbers! We’re mad as hell and we’re NOT going to take it anymore!
I like that, Susan.
This is my approach now: be vigilant, do what you can, and don't feel like you have to do everything. Give yourself an assignment and stick to it. No one can do everything, but everyone must do something.
I will take that good advice to heart. Thanks.
Slay the beast
Fight is the only choice.
Yes and yes. Slay.
Cal, make that two or more beasts.
Marlene, a deceased pal and a great writer wrote about Sciarios. They said killing was fun. Dying was the hard part.
Ugh
Yep, it is "Ugh"
And I mis spelled Sicario
That’s okay, Cal, I didn’t even notice.
Thanks, Sue. It's a dark time, and there's no way around that, unfortunately.
But: There is hope, always, in numbers...vastly more of us than them, so much more good than evil.
Jeremiah tells us what to do: “Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes.” In other words, be vigilant, do what you can, and don't feel like you have to do everything. Give yourself an assignment and stick to it. No one can do everything, but everyone must do something.
And in the Bible, at least, things don't turn out too well for the bad guys in the end...
Short Blade
Por Sicarios
Dude, the apparition in the closet *was* Jesus
I mean, maybe it was...
Weirdly, I forgot all about that until I sat down to write this. And I wrote it for a while before I remembered. You'd think I'd remember something like that more vividly!
Thank You, Greg, for your revelation of what The Bible is really all about! Makes so much sense, which the Bible never did for me, despite (because of?) 12 years of Catholic school education. Can't wait to share this with my seminary dropout friend!
If you’re interested in interpretations of the meaning of biblical events from a psychological standpoint, delve into the revelatory and inspiring book named “A Course in Miracles”.
It’s no ordinary book.
Thank you. My mom would like that too (she reads all the comments). MOM, GET THIS BOOK!
Hello, Mrs Olear. Cheers.
As they say, I feel ya." I *used to* wonder how people could've let Nazis happen.
Thx for the clarification re "weak as women". Re the generally accepted meaning, though, I notice Mark Cuban. Didn't much like him on that TV show, but then his drug thing seems good. And now, he's describing Democrat leaders as weak, not doing anything effective to stop Babylon from falling. He goes on to say that all the bad guys understand is money and mentions the shopping boycotts. Of course, Walmart, Amazon, and Target crashing could hurt pension funds and savings. And so what, Bezos and the Walmart family have to forego this year's new yacht. A market crash would embarrass King Orange, though. For a few minutes. But would it stop him? Who's smart/strong enough to revolt without being nailed to a cross? Still, Cuban's general point seems valid. Maybe a total money revolt - taxes, shopping, etc.? Or after all your amazing-as-always research, if you were to write a story in which Babylon rescues itself... Could you tell us how?
I know what you mean about the financial stuff. I feel like ultimately it will hurt working people more than the oligarchs, who will use it as an excuse to lay off workers. Not that it shouldn't be attempted; I'm just not sure of the efficacy.
There's only one way to get rid of Nazis, and it isn't through boycotts and etc. For an answer to your last question, for one possible story, may I direct your attention to another book of the Bible (at least in the Catholic Bible): the Book of Judith.
Judith. Perfect. And like a lot of my high school library books.
Brilliant. Thank you.
Thank you!
Impeach the leach
Impound the crown
of the would-be king
Every morning I feel a little more vengeful and vindictive than the morning before.
Me too.
I can't say where I want the rhyme to end...
I really enjoy hearing about people's perspectives on God, the bible, and religion from a more subjective perspective. Also, about the process that resulted in where they landed on the subjects. My experience and familial history created a crazy quilt that made it natural for me to land in Humanist territory, long before I knew it existed. Recently I decided to follow a genealogical path backwards regarding religion, starting with my personal experience and as being adopted. It's more about the people, their circumstances and their choices.
Thanks. I agree, it's interesting to hear about, especially because, unlike so many things about ourselves, it's not necessarily static. I go back and forth a million times on all this stuff.
Well, I don't know about that aborted novel, but today's column was certainly chilling, as are the goings on in Washington.
There is no question that the Jehovah of the bible is an asshole. I have no other source material in which to know Him, so I must assume that it's true. However, asshole or not (or maybe, Asshole or not), it's because of my Catholic upbringing -- now, long abandoned -- that "The Exorcist" scared the ever-living shit out of me. Both the book and the movie, but more so, the movie. It's SO in your face, and I was a 15-year-old Catholic boy when I saw it. I'd already read the book, and it gave me a fright, but not like that movie. During the actual exorcism, when Isuzu rises up, backlit and horrible in Regan's bedroom, I had to walk out of the theater and go stand in the lobby for a few minutes. That was 52 years ago, and I remember it like it was last week. I've been daring myself to watch it again because I never have, and it feels like it's time to put that trauma behind me.
I don't believe in that stuff anymore, but I DO believe in Evil, and this column is SO on-the-nose about what we're seeing now, and it can't be described as anything other than Evil -- capital E. They have filled the zone with so much shit that it's impossible right now to find our way out of it. The Evil being done in the name of "saving money" seems much more aligned with the agenda of being cruel to people that don't explicitly support Trump and the cabal. I don't, for example, believe one bit that Elon cares at all about cutting spending. He seems to be GLEEFULLY getting off on the power of firing vast swaths of people for "the lulz." He's an Evil troll, as is Trump, Patel, Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, and anyone else encouraging this. The trolling, though, has gone WAY over the line.
I read this morning in Jim Stewartson's column that Enrique Tarrio, leader of the Proud Boys, and some others, including Mike Flynn, and the asshole who posed sitting at Nancy Pelosi's desk with his feet up, were, for some reason, in the halls of Congress yesterday, TROLLING Michael Fanone, the Capital police officer who had a heart attack, and nearly died on January 6th from being tazed and beaten by the mob of disgusting animals. HOW is this happening?
I've written my Senators, Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, to try and find out WHEN Democrats are going to start stepping up. No answer but a form letter thanking me for contacting the Senators and sharing my "concerns." What the FUCK? Are they counting on the history of "this too shall pass," and waiting it out while a Vichy government forms around them? It seems so. It's been almost four months since the election, Dems need to get over it and move on and fight this thing and FIGHT IT like the Republicans would fight it. Not "strong letters of concern," or "strongly worded speeches," but actual government oversight, legislation, or whatever they can get away with. They've been there watching McConnell for decades, take advantage of every loophole he can find, to get what he wants -- is all of that really ONLY for Republicans? Move it or lose it, I say, because it's becoming more obvious BY THE DAY that violence is the very next step to this if NOTHING continues to be done. Trump will get his "bloodbath," and it won't be pretty for him or the Empress. This kind of stuff is how civil wars start, and I know I am too fucking old to be taking part in a civil war, but something has to be done by the only people left who CAN do something, and so far, they're NOT doing it.
So, contact your Senators and Representatives, even if they're MAGAts, and let them know that we are WAY OVER the line, and it's not going to wait for some mythical 2026 Democratic landslide election! I didn't wake up thinking I was going to rant today, but there it is.
As you know, I love me a good Steve B rant, so thanks for that.
I believe that there are some people who are beyond salvation. The damage is too much, the evil is too pervasive, the cancer has no cure. Putin is one. No amount of anything will change who he is.
My kids love horror movies -- they are very popular among Gen Z, who are much less affected than we all were -- and my one son saw The Shining when he was, like, 10 or 11 and loved it. I forbade them from watching Exorcist, especially the younger one, who scares more easily, because I didn't want them to be traumatized. When he finally watched it, he was like, "That's IT? Really?"
At Georgetown they show it on Halloween on the big theater on campus, and of course we know where all the places are, which makes it a lot less scary.
But what makes it so great is the tone. It's just this slow fade into more and more dread and unease. So well done. But I'm sure if you watched it now, although it is still for sure spooky, it won't be like it was. (It is, for my money, the best horror movie ever made.)
The Dems need to fight it like they're fighting Nazis, because that's who they're fighting.
Oh yes, "The Exorcist" is one of the greatest horror movies ever made! The darkness, the evil that comes off the screen, the very color palette of the film is so, so good! I will probably give it another watch this year -- it really CAN'T be worse than what's been going on in daily life. "Requiem for a Dream" is another GREAT, great film that I would have to force myself to watch again. Maybe a double-feature night is in the offing. LOL
Contact your Senators and Representatives ESPECIALLY if they are Republican. Thank you for your rant Steve!
Greg, you made me cry this morning. And certainly not tears of joy, but of lament. Everyone around me continues to go on about their lives in blissful ignorance of everything you said this morning. Yes, Babylon has fallen. Yes, this is pure evil in charge of our country.
I am an evangelical Christian, although I am embarrassed to say that more so every single day. I have never been one of those end times, Revelation, weirdos, in fact quite the opposite. I thought they were absolutely NUTS. I mean the Bible CLEARLY says “no man knows the day or hour.” Matthew 24:36. I knew Trump was sick, perverted and deranged from day one. Who could not see that?? Honestly, however, with each passing day, and the bizarre and sick embrace of evil by my Christian brethren of all stripes, but especially my wing, my trepidation and fear, has grown and grown. Since November it accelerated and since January 20, it has reached meltdown levels.
Your analysis of the Bible is I believe certainly true from the “empire/country” level, and judgment is coming on our nation for our hubris and corruption and now willful surrender to these malevolent people and forces. In addition to our nation collapsing, I am coming to believe Trump and this movement, aided and abetted by Christian Nationalists and other “Christians,” could actually be the Antichrist prophesied in the Bible. I cannot believe I am saying that. Ten years ago I would have laughed at such hysteria from anyone, and especially me! But watching the evil and insanity run amok, and the US Senate proudly confirm such vile,reprehensible, sick and evil men and women has made me question everything. I am 71 years old, graduated high school in 1971, and this is all such sick and perverse and evil stuff I never dreamed of, yet 77 million are just fine with all of it. This is not “politics.” I am so sick of that from people who are not even in the cult.
We are in VERY dangerous waters here, uncharted and stormy. Thanks again for your wisdom, insight and gift for communicating all this to us.
Thanks, Rick, for sharing all of that. I understand how you feel. As a (lapsed) Italian Catholic from New Jersey, it REALLY irks me that Italian New Jersey Catholic Leonard Leo is a key figure in the destruction of our democracy.
There are two beasts, not one, in Revelation. They are very similar in dynamic to Donald and Elon. So, I mean, who knows?
I talked to Katherine Stewart about this, who covers the religious right. She says a lot of it is just that the parishioners are just being flat-out lied to by the pastors. All the Deep State crap, lies about Biden, all of that, and so people naturally believe what they are told in church. It's the fault of my leadership more than the rank and file (not ALL the leadership, obviously). So much of what's wrong now can be helped if people just got better information.
And yes, dangerous waters indeed. It scares me.
Thanks again for writing.
Hey, Greg. Lots of bad pastors out there especially in the really pentecostal type churches, and some really bad ones in my Baptist circles too. Looking at Al Mohler, Robert Jeffress and of course Franklin Graham. Those Baptists make me apoplectic. I do not agree with Ms. Stewart that much about the people not being at fault(just the pastors) at least in most of my type Baptist churches. The people are at fault too! Admittedly, I am most familiar with suburban(not rural or urban mega church environments), mainly. I am not saying she isn’t right to some extent about the pastors; HOWEVER, it is my belief that MILLIONS and MILLIONS of these Catholic AND Protestant parishioners and members have been brainwashed from the pulpit and elsewhere about abortion, primarily, plus LGBTQ, and especially the boogie man of trans athletes, etc. Abortion is murder=Democrats are evil. PLUS, the Fox News lies and propaganda are wide and deep, and we “good Christian people” KNOW Fox is the only source to be trusted. Yes, that’s the source that paid almost $800 million for lying……..Go figure. It is scary out here.
I have lots of thoughts about the “Christian” support of Trump, and even more about the heresy—-really—of Christian nationalism and the “seven mountains mandate” garbage. It is unAmerican, unchristian and unbiblical and wrong, wrong, wrong.
Sorry for the long reply. I have LOTS of opinions as you can see.
Greg, I meant to comment on Leonard Leo, too. If I not mistaken, ALL 6 of the Trump Supreme Court justices are Catholics selected by Leonard Leo or corrupted by him. What a coincidence!!!!!!
I've had this in my bookmarks since around 2019. Depending on your religious (or even non-religious) viewpoint, it seems quite accurate. I just skimmed through it and found a reference to Jan 6th, 2021, talking about a "failed rebellion," but the blog itself hasn't been updated since mid-2020. It seems pretty on-the-nose: https://www.benjaminlcorey.com/could-american-evangelicals-spot-the-antichrist-heres-the-biblical-predictions/
Thanks, Steve. I will read it. I cannot believe I am talking like this……….
God versus Satan puts a name to good versus evil. Father Lennon, my old parish priest was fond of saying that to know yourself was to know god, not the other way around. God was within each of us. If true and there are two ultimate beings, then Satan was within certain of us, Putin, Trump, Musk et al come to mind. Most of us have good intentions, others bad intentions. Ultimate salvation is simple math, there are many more with good inside than bad and the numbers will hold up, good triumphs evil.
It is in this very simple minded thinking that salvation occurs. Good intentions take many forms, writing to your representatives, visible protest, showing up and helping pro Democracy organizations, etc. The greatest evil, good intentions that sit on the sidelines, waiting for others to do the lifting.
The other great asset, believing that good will overcome evil. As Tug McGraw said, " You gotta believe". In these days of finding it hard to believe, start by believing in yourself and take things from there.
Father Lennon was right, I think...or, at least, I agree with him. But it's just like anything else...athletic prowess, musical talent, comic timing...some people have more of it and some much less. So it is with good and evil. It's when the evil ones get into power that the trouble starts. And I also agree with Tug McGraw.
You may enjoy two books of Biblical history that I refer to on occasion. One is “Halley’s Bible Handbook” that I’ve kept in my library since my Episcopal girl school days and has historical references to Biblical places & things. The other is the “Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible” which I found all five volumes of sitting on the curb across the street from me one day when a neighbor cleaned out their house during the Pandemic. They might come in handy if you ever care to finish “Babylon Fallen”. Personally, I like to think I may have covered all my bases by morphing from a Jesus Freak in highschool to an Allen Ginsberg inspired Buddhist then to a Punk Nihilist then an AA adherent then a Kundalini yoga Sikh enthusiastic & now back to being an Episcopal. Today’s sermon which, I attended online was about Forgiveness. Something which I truly struggle with these days.
Thanks for sharing this, Amy. It's all a journey for wisdom and knowledge and understanding, and, as I'm sure you discovered, there is something to be learned from all of those disciplines (although I'm guessing the punk one was probably the most objectively fun).
The think about forgiveness is that some people are unworthy of being forgiven, or rather, incapable of it. Forgiveness is the sister of mercy, and if you're merciful to someone who doesn't appreciate the gift, that's your good nature being taken advantage of. Me, I always feel bad for everyone, even the villains in movies, and certainly in real life. Forgiveness is hard. Really hard.
As someone who grew up in a family that was essentially a religious cult of four—steeped in bibliolatry—my spiritual healing consisted of realizing the Bible is BS from the standpoint of a guidebook for daily living, and getting as far away from it as possible. As a citizen grappling with the effects of evil on my daily life, I appreciate very much your realization that the passages cited are not predictions but rather warnings about how evil leadership—which we’re experiencing firsthand—comes about to destroy societies that were comfortable enough to be taken for granted.
Thanks, Earl. I really like how you phrased that...comfortable enough to be taken for granted. That's where we are now. The country is soft. (I include myself in that.) Some evil malignant devil always has to come and ruin it for the rest of us.