Pharma, the gm industry, the nanotech industry, the neo cons....the list is long. — Coben

Yes, Coben, I absolutely agree: the fundamentalists are the tools of those groups because they are easy to whip into a frenzy of self-righteous support for those same groups who addict them to opoids, lead them to believe that they have their best interests at heart, that there's no such thing as global warming, that they are the ones who can make america white again. I live in a particularly backwards southern state; one day I found myself driving behind a large truck with a bumper sticker proudly proclaiming, "My carbon footprint is bigger than yours." Talk about the most destructive death wish possible disguised as redneck bravado...

Well, sure. I am not saying they are 'without sin' (lol). But I think the real threats come from people who are much more cynical about belief and generally secular. And who will happily say whatever, depending on the audience, to increase their power.

But I think the real threats come from people who are much more cynical about belief and generally secular. — Coben

Trump claims to be a christian; I'm sure all the sociopaths running corporate america do as well. That's the problem: there are millions of people who claim to be christians whose hypocrisy is flagrant. Unless it is perfectly all right for christians to lie, cheat, steal, worship money, grab women by the pussy, etc.

I think you're right: they are cynical and deceitful, but they know how to play the game of christian piety so as to appeal to the masses. For example, Ken Lay of Enron fame claimed to be a christian; I could go on and on, but I won't. Well, maybe just a little: Ferdinand and Isabel; so many horrific popes; Torquemada; KKK; ok, that's enough.

Trump claims to be a christian; I'm sure all the sociopaths running corporate america do as well. That's the problem: there are millions of people who claim to be christians whose hypocrisy is flagrant. Unless it is perfectly all right for christians to lie, cheat, steal, worship money, grab women by the pussy, etc. — uncanni

Sure, they add this label on. It doesn't cost them much and it gains them something with some people. But they'd be sociopaths if everyone forgot Jesus tomorrow.

I think there are less public figures with tremendous power who do not bother to claim to be Christian. They will tend to speak up for other ideologies, like neo-liberalism or neo-conservatism and the atheist technocrats do their bidding without blinking.

I think there are less public figures with tremendous power who do not bother to claim to be Christian. They will tend to speak up for other ideologies, like neo-liberalism or neo-conservatism and the atheist technocrats do their bidding without blinking. — Coben

Perhaps that's true. No public figure is going to come out and proudly announce his/her atheism. As I wrote above, my conclusion after observing the behavior of so many public figures is that they aren't really christians at all, don't really believe and merely claim the label so as to fit into the dominant paradigm. I also see Zukerberg as a very corrupt and contemptible person, but he never claims to be a good jew.

It doesn't really matter what label folks slap on themselves; their behavior tells the whole story--you can tell by their fruits, plain as day. It's fundamental to both christianity and to judaism to love others; many of the Torah commandments focus on having ethically respectful and compassionate relations with others, whether they are fellow jews or gentiles. I've read the gospels, but not the rest of the NT, and it certainly seems to me that Jesus, jew that he was, was preaching the same message, although I conclude that parts of the message have been distorted by editors who were strongly anti-judaism.