President Biden on Thursday responded to former President Trump’s Christmas post with a religious message to love your enemies.

Trump’s unusual Christmas message, which he shared on Truth Social, called for various people he sees as “looking to destroy” the nation to “rot in Hell.”

Biden shared an article from The Hill about Trump’s post on X, formerly known as Twitter, and added a message to poke at the former president.

“There’s an expression they say in church sometimes: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you,” the president said.

  • jordanlund@lemmy.worldM
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    11 months ago

    This is the sort of thing that will be totally lost on the “good Christians” who are voting Trump.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      Right. The problem with ‘killing with kindness’ is that it doesn’t work if the people who support your opposition aren’t interested in kindness.

      • Candelestine@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        I don’t mind him pushing for diplomatic civility, it’s part of his job. But yes, we are slowly sliding towards domestic military conflict, while Xi Jinping laughs all the way to the bank.

          • Candelestine@lemmy.world
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            11 months ago

            You know, I think he likes the Winnie the Pooh references. He’s not a typical authoritarian, Chinese culture is very idiosyncratic, very different from the west. They don’t mind contradicting things being true simultaneously, often doing two things at once.

            He likes being underestimated while he talks about wanting respect, though. It’s an asset. He can’t just let people disrespect him of course, but of all the things he could be compared to…

            He’s a sophisticated, complex man imo. Not some simpleton like our authoritarians. He thinks, deeply.

            • occhionaut@lemmy.world
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              11 months ago

              Nah, you post anything on Chinese social media with Winnie the Pooh visible its gonna get taken down immediately IF YOURE LUCKY.

              • Candelestine@lemmy.world
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                11 months ago

                Of course. He can’t allow anyone to call him anything that might be dishonorable. That doesn’t mean he isn’t okay with it though. People can fight against things they like, if it suits their other purposes.

    • that guy@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      Evangelicals want totalitarianism since condemning others to hell isn’t the marketing pitch they once believed it be

    • oxjox@lemmy.ml
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      11 months ago

      Dude, this is lost on everyone.

      People don’t show anyone any respect at all any more. Common courtesy is just gone. ‘Doing the right thing’ is lost because it’s assumed you’re not getting something in return or your efforts are for naught. Everyone is self-absorbed and self-righteous. People preach about “empathy” but only practice it for those they feel sorry for.

      I’m not a religious person but treating people like I want to be treated is something I try to do every day. Treating people with kindness, putting out positive energy into the world, makes you a better person. I can’t comprehend the hate that so many people walk around with.

      • DragonTypeWyvern
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        11 months ago

        Fascists weren’t beat with brotherly love the first time, and it won’t be how they’re beaten this time either.

        • brightandshinyobject@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          That isn’t the kindness for the facists, it’s for those the facists hurt. The kindness offered to facists is correction. Not all correction is gentle.

    • akilou@sh.itjust.works
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      11 months ago

      It will be worse than lost on them, they’ll figure out a way to use it against him. Maybe it shows weakness or something. I’m sure they’ll figure out a way to turn it around. There are Subreddit full of people working on it.

    • tegs_terry@feddit.uk
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      11 months ago

      There’s plenty of sentiment in the bible to the contrary, which is the useful thing about it. It’s so full of gubbins that you can throw it back in its own face no matter what.

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        The problem is that they even think Jesus is a liberal cuck now.

        It was the result of having multiple pastors tell me, essentially, the same story about quoting the Sermon on the Mount, parenthetically, in their preaching — “turn the other cheek” — [and] to have someone come up after to say, “Where did you get those liberal talking points?” And what was alarming to me is that in most of these scenarios, when the pastor would say, “I’m literally quoting Jesus Christ,” the response would not be, “I apologize.” The response would be, “Yes, but that doesn’t work anymore. That’s weak.” And when we get to the point where the teachings of Jesus himself are seen as subversive to us, then we’re in a crisis.

        https://www.npr.org/2023/08/08/1192663920/southern-baptist-convention-donald-trump-christianity