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The man in the White House announced Monday that God had placed him there, though he avoided placing his hand on the bible as he swore an oath.

He went to church Tuesday, something he almost never does, and heard Episcopal bishop Mariann Budde preach — to him.

He did not like what the bishop said to him in the name of the God he claims he represents. To wit:

#BishopBudde #Trump #mercy #bible #immigrants #migrants #LGBTQ
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pbs.org/newshour/politics/watc…

This entry was edited (11 months ago)
in reply to William Lindsey

"In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and independent families, some who fear for their lives.

The people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings; who labor in poultry farms and meat packing plants; who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals —"

#BishopBudde #Trump #mercy #immigrants #migrants #LGBTQ
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in reply to William Lindsey

"they may not be citizens or have the proper documentation. But the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors. They are faithful members of our churches and mosques, synagogues, gurudwaras, and temples.

I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away."

#BishopBudde #Trump #mercy #bible #immigrants #migrants #LGBTQ
/3

in reply to William Lindsey

"And that you help those that are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands find compassion and welcome here. Our God teaches us that we are to be merciful to the stranger, for we were all once strangers in this land."

The man's response? He has called Bishop Budde "nasty," a word he reserves for uppity women, and he demands that she apologize.

#BishopBudde #Trump #mercy #bible #immigrants #migrants #LGBTQ
/4

thedailybeast.com/donald-trump…

in reply to William Lindsey

I like the suggestion I've seen here about sending her an actual "thank you" via USPS. A small thing but it would be great to see thousands of such notes arrive at the Nat'l Cathedral.
in reply to William Lindsey

"While so many already-rich and already-powerful people line up behind Trump so that they might secure more money and more power, or at least protect the largesse they have, the good reverend risked her livelihood and potentially her life (and definitely her temporary wellbeing) in facing Trump publicly"

~ Jill Filipovic

#BishopBudde #Trump #mercy #bible #immigrants #migrants #LGBTQ
/5

jill.substack.com/p/shock-and-…

in reply to William Lindsey

(continued from /5) "and asking of him what any spiritual, moral, or religious leader should ask of all of us: That we act with humanity. …

Conservatives, including elected officials, are already putting a target on her back."

#BishopBudde #Trump #mercy #bible #immigrants #migrants #LGBTQ #courage #witness
/5

in reply to William Lindsey

"It is one of the most extraordinary moments of the Trump era, and reminds us, on this day after we honored Dr. King, that not all heroes wear capes. Some may also wear robes."

~ Simon Rosenberg

#BishopBudde #Trump #mercy #bible #immigrants #migrants #LGBTQ #courage #witness
/6

hopiumchronicles.com/p/in-an-e…

in reply to William Lindsey

"The reason this moment today popped out for me at least is that there are very few moments where culturally or religiously, I guess, we see people stand up and say, 'Actually, no, this is wrong, no, you shouldn't do this,' because we're in this very defensive crouch for anyone who's an opponent of what Trumpism is. So I think this is why this has got some resonance. ... And maybe that sparks other people to say something."

~ Sam Stein

#BishopBudde #Trump #mercy
/7

youtube.com/watch?v=-5_QrbJSn1…

This entry was edited (11 months ago)
in reply to William Lindsey

"Kentucky police are investigating after a series of racist Ku Klux Klan flyers telling immigrants to 'leave now' were distributed across the state on inauguration day."

~ Adam Gabbatt

#BishopBudde #Trump #mercy #bible #immigrants #migrants #LGBTQ
/8

theguardian.com/us-news/2025/j…

in reply to William Lindsey

"The White House Spanish-language website has disappeared, leaving behind an unsettling farewell for its users: a prominent 'Go Home' button. …

After clicking the "go home" button, users are directed to a montage of military imagery paired with triumphant music and cinematic shots of Trump, which leads to a page titled "America is Back."

~ Allison Walker

#BishopBudde #Trump #mercy #bible #immigrants #migrants #LGBTQ
/9

latintimes.com/white-house-web…

in reply to William Lindsey

"ICE is here in parts of Detroit and some suburbs with many immigrants (Arabs and Latins), including Dearborn & Hamtramck.
They applauded & voted for Trump last fall.

Because: 'Gaza.' …

We tried to tell them.

They wouldn’t listen. That’s why swing state Michigan went to Trump, and last November, those people were happy and proud of how they made that happen."

~ Pamela Hilliard Owens

#BishopBudde #Trump #mercy #bible #immigrants #migrants #LGBTQ
/10

substack.com/@wearespeaking/no…

This entry was edited (11 months ago)
in reply to William Lindsey

Rev. Benjamin Cremer responding to the offense the man in the White House has taken to hearing God's word preached to him by Bishop Mariann Budde.

#BishopBudde #Trump #mercy #bible #immigrants #migrants #LGBTQ
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app.bsky.cz/profile/brcremer.b…

in reply to William Lindsey

"It was the reaction of Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA), though, that was most indicative of the current moment: He publicly called for the bishop [i.e., Bishop Mariann Budde] to be deported."

#BishopBudde #Trump #mercy #bible #immigrants #migrants #LGBTQ
/12

morningmemo.talkingpointsmemo.…

in reply to William Lindsey

Apologizing would be like invalidating everything she says. I hope she refuses. What she said is what I agree with.

Have mercy on those of less fortune.

in reply to William Lindsey

@GreenRoc What she said was fine and I'm glad she said it, but I have no idea what people mean by this "god" thing. I've asked dozens of people to say what this "god" thing is, but no one knows. Even my own mother is unable to answer this question.
in reply to Esslar2

@flyhigh @GreenRoc Choose, if you will, to scoff at what this person said because she believes in God.

A lot of us do not have the luxury of that kind of purism and scoffing, and we welcome her statements and her reference to her sincere faith grounding those statements — and we recognize that we need to band together in the face of an extraordinary threat and not attack each other,.

in reply to William Lindsey

@GreenRoc The question remains, when you talk or anyone talks about this "god" thing, what are you talking about? I don't think you know at all but won't admit it. Am I wrong?
in reply to Esslar2

@flyhigh @GreenRoc No, I think the question that remains is why you defend Donald Trump by seeking to discredit and attacking one of the few people to have spoken out publicly to his face?

I'm not a follower of Donald Trump. But you do you, please.

in reply to William Lindsey

@flyhigh Will, I had a quick look at their feed. I dont feel they are trying to discredit the Bishop, but instead are playing at the game of disbelief in God, and trying to ignore the fact that Google can explain to them about other people's faith in an omnipotent being.

Looks like a faith-hater.
I told them to google.
But they chose to ignore using Google, and are asking us to cater to their questions. I have no right to explain God to them.

"tune them out". good advice, thanks.

in reply to Green Roc Thoughts

@GreenRoc @flyhigh Yes, I understand the game.

The game puts this person and others trying this tactic on the side of Donald Trump and not Mariann Budde.

They may pretend otherwise, but attacking someone who has had the courage to speak out right to his face because the inspiration for her courage comes from her religious faith effectively supports Trump.

And I refuse to do that.

in reply to William Lindsey

@GreenRoc It's really something the way you do everything but one simple thing: Say what you mean when you talk about this "god" thing. In clear, specific terms, in plain English, when people bring up this "god" thing, what are you talking about? I've asked dozens of people this question. Only one person, a young woman from some "religious" group, answered. She said, "I don't know" when I asked her this, to her face. Good for her, at least that was honest. So far, of all the people I've asked, and that means you, too, she gave the only honest answer. So, what about you?
in reply to Esslar2

@flyhigh @GreenRoc I refuse to be baited into a going-nowhere "discussion" with someone trying to score points and diverting attention away from a courageous woman who stood up to Donald Trump and spoke truth to him that has infuriated him and his followers.

You can divert your own attention from that important fact if you choose. I don't intend to do so for myself.

Thanks for understanding. And do yourself a favor and stop baiting people. You do your cause no good service in doing this.

in reply to William Lindsey

"What Bishop Budde did, in this particular moment in time, was nothing short of extraordinary. Her sermon wasn’t just brave—it was an act of rebellion that exposed the fragility of tyrants."

~ God

#BishopBudde #Trump #mercy #bible #immigrants #migrants #LGBTQ #courage #witness
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thegodpodcast.com/p/fascist-ch…

in reply to William Lindsey

"It took the courage of one woman to change the conversation around Donald Trump."

~ Melissa Ryan

And to those coming to this thread to scoff and laugh because this courageous woman speaks out of her religious conviction, let me say one thing:

We see you. We see how you amplify Trump by laughing at the courage of a woman speaking up against him.

And we won't forget.

#BishopBudde #Trump #mercy #bible #immigrants #migrants #LGBTQ #courage #witness
/15

altrightdelete.news/p/one-voic…

This entry was edited (11 months ago)
in reply to William Lindsey

"The clip went viral online and made the front page of multiple news sites. It changed the conversation from Trump’s shock and awe to the people and communities who are now in harm’s way. It was a reminder of what courage looks like. Something we haven’t seen much of since Trump’s election in November."

#BishopBudde #Trump #mercy #bible #immigrants #migrants #LGBTQ #courage #witness
/16

in reply to William Lindsey

As Melissa Ryan says, the courage Mariann Budde shows is something we haven't seen much since Trump's election.

We have not seen it from corporate media. We won't see it there.

We won't see it from business elites — far from it.

We won't this kind of courage among the 80% of white evangelicals and 60% of white Catholics who voted for Trump, or from most leaders in that sector of US Christianity.

#BishopBudde #Trump #mercy #bible #immigrants #migrants #LGBTQ #courage #witness
/17

in reply to William Lindsey

My spouse has spent time this morning talking to people working within Catholic immigration services for which he has written grants. They tell him there's anguish among religious groups working to protect immigrants. They know what's coming.

But as I noted, even knowing this was coming, 60% of white Catholics still voted for Trump — voted for him BECAUSE they knew this was coming.

#BishopBudde #Trump #mercy #bible #immigrants #migrants #LGBTQ #courage #witness
/18

in reply to William Lindsey

who cares about your fucking heresy church?

why the fuck is this cunt speaking?

stfu !

Timothy 2:12: "I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet."

Corinthians 14:34-35: "Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church."

This entry was edited (11 months ago)
in reply to William Lindsey

Bishop is my hero. Feels she could be Rosa Parks kind of hero with how this despicable Trump and cronies are hating on her.

She says what I would also wish to say to this horrible incompassionate man.

in reply to William Lindsey

Isn’t the Bishop an American citizen? Jesus these people just want the whole country to belong to white supremacist men. I absolutely hate it here. Maybe we should just like…give them Texas and then the rest of the US can go to being an actual democracy and trying to make a just and equitable world for all. ✊🏽🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🖤🤎🤍
in reply to William Lindsey

Idk … to me, the quote sounds a lot like a no-true-Scotsman argument.
in reply to Arnd Layer

@iamlayer8 To me as one of those in the sights of the oppression now being unleashed in my country, it sounds like welcome support for me and others on the margins. I'm not inclined to draw purist lines and divide up the community of those trying to resist on the basis of those purist lines.
in reply to William Lindsey

If a man's going to wrap himself in church trappings and issue his own Bible to get his material ends he can expect to be spoken to by Bishops. If it was good enough for Charlemagne it's good enough for the likes of him.

#Trump

in reply to William Lindsey

I was a christian myself, was very religious, not so much a christian anymore, BUT I still carry those teachings despite it all, I believe that love is hard, and hate is easy, this is what we could see, the easy route was chosen. I believe in love, that it can transcend into new reasoning and push us further, while hate is only short term serving, and leads to a darker future for all.
in reply to ⚝Flampler✡˚⊹

@deumi Thank you. This is powerful and thoughtful analysis. I agree with it. I think as I read what you say of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's comparison of the path of costly grace and the path of cheap grace. Live is hard; it follows the costly path.
in reply to William Lindsey

i actually never head of Dietrich Bonhoeffer before, might need to look into that at some point
in reply to ⚝Flampler✡˚⊹

@deumi He's worth knowing more about, I think. He was one of the few truly courageous German Christian leaders who dared to oppose Hitler in a public way, and he was executed by the Nazis as a result.
in reply to William Lindsey

They're learning,aren't they? And those businesses think they'll be able to survive? Nope. They're not going to hire Black and poor white people as replacements.
in reply to Ivey Janette McClelland

@IveyJanette You're right. And study after study shows that businesses that at least try to aim at diversity tend to be more successful than those that refuse to practice diversity.
in reply to Ivey Janette McClelland

@IveyJanette For most if not all businesses, profit is the bottom line. I think some businesses recognize that suppressing or ditching diversity is counterproductive and works against their bottom line of profit-making.
in reply to William Lindsey

They only care about the bottom line. If that means not hiring from the communities they serve; not promoting from within; and limiting those employees to low-paid positions with high turnover. 1955 all over again.
in reply to William Lindsey

And that's why you have civil unrest. Including violence,boycotts and looting. We had that in LA in 1965,1992 and even in 2020. We're on the verge of that here in Albuquerque. Only this time,the clown will order troops to shoot on sight.
in reply to William Lindsey

They did that in 1965 in South Central LA,Watts and Compton. I was 3. I saw it. And in 1992 citywide.
in reply to William Lindsey

@IveyJanette Unfortunately, some businesses (and some colleges) have done "diversity" --> but it's hostile, so there's high turnover. So!!! Racism is confirmed and they smile "wisely" at each other when the periodic assessments declare that they really should do better with diversity.
in reply to cognitively accessible math

@geonz @IveyJanette And yet studies frequently show that businesses that try to implement diversity policies actually often end up outperforming those that resist those policies. I think of Richard Florida's work, too, showing that educated and creative people do not want to move to places in which discrimination and lack of inclusivity and tolerance for difference are the norm.
in reply to William Lindsey

Kudos to all the "I got mine" immigrants too. (Looking at you, Usha, Lauren, Priscilla and Melania)
in reply to William Lindsey

For those wondering, the standard 404 page has a button that says, "Go to home page."

This is definitely a message, and it's beyond fucked up.

This entry was edited (11 months ago)
in reply to William Lindsey

@bruce TBH the video looked more like something we would see on Russian telly (at least until RT got banned from here by the Communications Ministry)
in reply to William Lindsey

The America of Andrew Jackson is back, sadly
This entry was edited (11 months ago)
in reply to William Lindsey

I so, so, so want someone to hack the White House website and replace the whole thing with a message in Cherokee, saying "go home"
in reply to William Lindsey

#BishopBudde may be the first target of trump’s militia. Will she fall off a balcony, fall out of a window? I doubt Trump will forgive and most certainly will not forget how she spoke to him. How dare she?
in reply to Canadian Crone

@CanadianCrone Let's hope not. I suspect many of us may find ourselves targeted now for refusing to fall silent.
in reply to William Lindsey

@CanadianCrone Once the fascism spreads throughout the populace no one will be safe. American victims of the brainwashing will soon turn their venomous gaze towards Canada, and a military operation directed at us won't be out of the question.
in reply to MamiyaMan 🇨🇦 🇺🇦

@mamiyaman @CanadianCrone It will definitely pose very serious dangers if that man now in the White House gains any kind of direct, unfettered control over the military.
in reply to William Lindsey

@mamiyaman The military may have no choice. Follow orders or else…The courts are already freeing convicted insurrectionists. Those self same rabble rousers, who love weapons, will be more than ready and eager to carry out his orders. QAnon Shaman Jacob Chansley tweeted: “NOW I AM GONNA BY SOME MOTHA FU*KIN GUNS!!! I LOVE THIS COUNTRY!!! GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!! J6ers are getting released & JUSTICE HAS COME… EVERYTHING done in the dark WILL come to light!”
in reply to Canadian Crone

@CanadianCrone Long ago, I learned from many African-American friends and colleagues that if I let them rob me of hope, I let them take my soul.

I refuse to do that.

in reply to Canadian Crone

@CanadianCrone Long ago, I learned from many African-American friends and colleagues that if I let them rob me of hope, I let them take my soul.

I refuse to do that.

in reply to William Lindsey

Hoping that Trump will have a satori is futile. Hoping that resistance will continue to grow, that honour and decency will win over depraved and cruel evil, those things I strongly believe in. In that I will never lose hope.
in reply to Canadian Crone

@CanadianCrone I'm not aware that I specified that I hoped that Trump will have a satori. I suspect I said nothing of the sort because I believe nothing of the sort. I continue to follow the guidance given me over many years by courageous African-American friends who have battled serious injustice all their lives, and whose ancestors did the same, not to let go of hope, because that allows the oppressor to steal our souls.
in reply to William Lindsey

My satori comment referred to my previous toot that “ Hope is futile as concerns Trump having a change of heart. Hope is futile in expecting his vindictiveness to disappear”. It did not refer in any way to your comment about maintaining hope. I do believe that good will triumph, that honour and decency will triumph. But I hold no hope whatsoever that Trump will change. I hope this clears up any misunderstanding 😀
in reply to Canadian Crone

@CanadianCrone I hold no hope that he'll change, either. In speaking of holding onto hope, that's not what I mean. I hold no hope that his duped followers will change, either, or ever admit the harm they are doing, have done.
in reply to William Lindsey

you could clearly see that Vance's wife was very uncomfortable with the situation.
in reply to Ken M Sweeney

@TheComfortableSpotPodcast I was interested in her facial language, too. The other man's wife looked like she was sucking a bitter lemon, but Vance's wife seemed to me to be listening and perhaps taking in what Bishop Budde was saying. But it's so clear by her body language, too, that she "belongs" to Vance and he calls the shots — and my own intuition is, he could potentially be abusive, perhaps psychologically so. I have no evidence to base that judgment on, but it's my intuition.
in reply to William Lindsey

yes, I agree. We guys know what's going on there because we know of others who behave that way.
in reply to William Lindsey

I love that the front rows were filmed so intently. The eye rolling, blank stares and head shakes are appalling.
A few times they try to make eye contact with each other and fail.
Vance looks like he’s seething.
All of them are Christian for the votes.
in reply to Kirsty

@Kirsty Yes, I thought the same as I watch. To me, Vance's affect is the affect of a dangerously angry and potentially violent man. Trump is silly enough to think that he can slew his eyes and turn his head and show male contempt for powerful female words — but we'll see what the future holds for him.
in reply to William Lindsey

I saw this on LinkedIn but didn’t feel like I could comment there. Thanks for posting here.
in reply to William Lindsey

This was beautiful, and a testament to what it means to have actual religious guidance, from someone who is every bit an actual Christian.

Not religious, but I am very impressed.

in reply to [empty]

@allanb I agree — real testimony from someone who has spiritual grounding (which to my way of thinking, can come from many sources other than religion, all of them valuable).
in reply to William Lindsey

She showed us how to speak truth to power. Hopefully she moved at least one trump supporting “Christian” to think about the ridiculousness of worshipping their fake, orange idol.
He thinks he IS God. His KKKults think so too.
I noticed he nor his shitty offspring said the Lord’s Prayer.
He’s a shitstain worshipped by millions. It’s all so gross.
in reply to William Lindsey

And the parents who fear their children will be taken away when ICE starts their planned raids in schools

#BishopBudde #immigrants

Unknown parent

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William Lindsey
@dugartogo A very good question: how, indeed? "People who grant those people authority may be surprised how it's used against themselves some time in the future": that's exactly right.
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William Lindsey
@Huntn00 Quite a portal, for sure.
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William Lindsey
@PattyHanson I'm not entirely sure who you mean by "them" — Trump supporters, I'm deducing? If so, I sincerely doubt that telling them anything at all will do more than fall on deaf ears. Perhaps down the road they'll see and admit responsibility for what their idolatry has produced, but right now, I think they're impervious to reason, appeals to humanity, or anything of that sort.
Unknown parent

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William Lindsey
@CatHerder @darwinwoodka Oppressed groups have long taught us that laughter is a premier tool in undercutting the power and arrogance of tyrants, haven't they?
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William Lindsey
@Seanochicago Meanwhile, as Allison Walker reports, the White House Spanish-language website was yanked down the day the man was inaugurated.
in reply to William Lindsey

@CatHerder

I don't know, I'm seeing some black people posting today that we shouldn't be laughing, that the buffoonery is just so we take it all less seriously than we should.

I tend to think it's a matter of good satire that makes it even clearer what's happening though. And if we can't make tyrants feel like idiots for what they're doing then they just push further and further anyway.

I mean the moronic hatred of immigrants when they're all married to them? Come on.

in reply to William Lindsey

This entry was edited (11 months ago)
in reply to William Lindsey

You're welcome.

I really appreciate the work that you do on your news threads.

in reply to William Lindsey

I like to imagine how the sermon would have been received by Jimmy Carter.

But we see scolding from people whose compassion is cowardly, whose charity is biased, and whose humility is pure hypocrisy.

in reply to Geeden_Of_Arden

@Bon_Jardin I'm not clear about the people to whom you're referring, whose compassion is cowardly. I do think many people moralize without practicing what they preach, and in that way, show that their moral teaching is empty. Bishop Budde surely does not strike me as that kind of person.
in reply to William Lindsey

I can sometimes be unintentionally unclear.
Cowardly compassion: e.g., The right's "protection" of women and fetuses falls infinitely short of what's needed.

I should have made my support for the bishop's integrity and brilliant truth to power more explicit. In a time where the church is hardly a beacon of virtue, she absolutely shone above what we have come to expect. If only her example were the norm. (And I mean the politicians here.)

This entry was edited (11 months ago)
in reply to Geeden_Of_Arden

@Bon_Jardin I agree with you about the "protection" of women and fetuses on the part of those on the right. Thanks for clarifying.
Unknown parent

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William Lindsey
@frantictdrinker Yes, isn't that a kicker — calling for deporting someone born in New Jersey? Send her back to New Jersey, is what he means?
Unknown parent

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William Lindsey
@Impish4249 Thank you. Good commentary.
in reply to Darwin Woodka

@darwinwoodka @CatHerder As you say, there's good satire and empty laughter. In many ways, our sated, anti-intellectual, meme-crazy society loves to laugh in an entirely empty way. The kind of laughter that performs a valuable critical function envisages a better world for all of us, and this vision often arises out of the experience of oppression.