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It's that time of year again when everyone's gonna celebrate a birthday while conveniently ignoring the birthday boy.

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What is it with Americans and reinventing ancient heresies?

Thinking the Son is a created being? Arianism in the ancient world, Jehovah's Witnesses in modern America.

Thinking the Holy Trinity is one God playing three roles rather than one God in three persons? Modalism in the ancient world, Oneness Pentecostalism in modern America.

Thinking there are modern prophets with equal authority to the Apostles? Montanism in the ancient world, the New Apostolic Reformation in modern America.

Thinking that Christians are mandated to live like Jews? Judaising in the ancient world, the Hebrew Roots Movement in modern America.

Thinking that we have a divine spark trapped in the body that needs to be freed with secret knowledge? Gnosticism in the ancient world, Scientology in modern America.

Why does this happen? I thought it was something about American Christianity for a long time, but then I realised that L. Ron Hubbard, who wasn't Christian and doesn't seem to have been one at any point in his life, straight-up reinvented Gnosticism. What is it about Americans?

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In fairness to Clark he was quoting someone else.

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Isn’t Africa projected to have something approaching 4 billion people by the end of the century? Africa isn’t self sufficient in food now.

join the praxis discord - sign up - github

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A cheetah also, but only alongside planes on takeoff

The person who ran next to your car when you were a child.

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Bolt… probably in 1999 or 2000

*for our purposes, a youtube account only counts if you’ve used it to post videos.

reblog for reach/bigger sample size!!

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One of the most powerful political movements in the United States?

I wish I could see the world through the lens of liberals.

Christofascism, a term coined by liberation theologian Dorothee Sölle, is probably the best word that can be used to describe the sort of reactionary politics that is breeding in the United States. Christofascists effectively describe Christians that operate through their paradigm of religion in order to implement fascist ideology into policy. Christofascism is not limited to fundamentalists, "extremists," nor evangelicals, but can be found in several different denominations.

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Notice how cops can't do shit without community assistance?

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When you see this post, reblog and say a Hail Mary- for the end of abortion.

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I’ve had enough historical events for one week. What do you mean it’s only Tuesday.

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World War II was traumatic because both Germany and Japan were serious adversaries (Italy not so much). If they had been milquetoast it would have been a minor affair.

None of my post was meant to read “if Germany was better at war they would have won”. I’m saying that Germany could have won if only small things had gone the other way. For example, if the UK was knocked out at Dunkirk (and with it, the likelihood of US participation), it’s reasonable to believe that the Soviets would have been defeated.

Hitler conquered more of Europe than any other person in history taking a state smaller than Texas and ultimately controlling more territory than the Roman Empire. He did it in 3 years. Saying Nazi Germany was bad at war is like saying that the team that lost the World Series is bad at baseball.

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There is a reason why "Operation Pike" hasn't happened. Convincing people to support a war against the Soviet union rather than a defensive war against nazi germany wouldve been downright impossible and wouldve lead to even more labour discontent and a communist europe (don't get me wrong it wouldve been great but obv the rich didn't want that)

The Soviet Union could've (and basically did) defeated the fascists without the help of the US or the UK or France (lol)

And either way fascism is inherently unstable and will combust once it doesn't have a war to fuel itself with. Either with a "normal" capitalist dictatorship or with socialism

Operation Pike didn’t happen for several reasons but primarily Because the Germans quickly knocked France out of the war.

The Soviets might well have fallen without the aid of the western powers, not only direct material aid of lend lease, but also by forcing the Axis to keep large numbers of troops in Western Europe along with the effects of ongoing strategic bombing on German industrial production. An extra 250,000 German troops in the eastern theater might well have meant the loss of Moscow and the capture/execution of Stalin. No one can be sure, but we can’t ignore these important factors.

The Soviets lost 20+ million people. It’s a bit much to think with certainty that they would have prevailed without western support.

I don’t have a strong opinion on whether fascism is inherently stable or unstable, I doubt anyone really knows. That being said, China has arguably evolved into something like a fascist nation, if not perfectly mirroring 1930s Italy and Germany

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So, basically, the Nazis could've won WWII if...they weren't Nazis. Because the vast majority of their bad decisions, like antagonizing almost every major power around them, stemmed from the ideology, as did most of their logistical errors.

That’s not what I’m saying. Of course Germany was at a severe disadvantage vs. the combined capabilities of the US, UK, and the Soviet Union, with only comparatively weak Italy and distant Japan as major allies. The US benefited especially from having an untouchable homeland. At the same time, Germany did manage to punch above its weight, and simply mocking them as if it was obvious they would lose fails to overlook that the Allies had a fair bit of luck on their side.

Of the three things which could have changed history I mentioned, 2 of the 3 involved other counties doing something different.

If the UK and France had bombed the Soviet Union near the start of the war (Operation Pike) they would have been at war with the Soviets, not Germany.

If Japan had not taken the bait and attacked America, America would have remained neutral due to the isolationist attitude of the American people.

In either case, the most likely outcome would have been a German victory over UK and France, with it likely being the dominant Continental power in the post war period (although one imagines the Soviets catching up via economic growth combined with a large population).

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My wife’s grandmother just died tonight. Please say a prayer for the repose of her soul if you can.

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For all those who claim the deity of Christ was invented by Constantine.