Latest news with #God
GMA Network
2 hours ago
- Sport
- GMA Network
Scottie Thompson proud of Davao's historic title in Palaro basketball
Davao Region has won its maiden title in the 2025 Palarong Pambansa secondary basketball and no one is prouder than former Davao athlete Scottie Thompson. Thompson, who bannered the Davao squad in 2010, said he is proud especially since his former teammate Jess Evangelio steered the team to the title. "Truly proud sa Davao region, especially kay Coach Jess, kasama ko siya representing Davao City in 2010," Thompson recalled. "Para sa kanya 'yun, ibinigay ni God sa kanya 'yun kasi ang dami niyang history sa Palarong Pambansa, especially marami na siyang nakasali doon as a player. Binigay ni God sa kanya as a coach 'yung gold medal para sa region." Thompson said the Palarong Pambansa in 2010 was a turning point in his career as he was discovered there by the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA. "Without Palarong Pambansa, hindi ako makakarating sa Manila, hindi ako makukuha ng Perpetual. Doon ako na-scout so malaking bagay ang Palarong Pambansa," Thompson said, adding that the current crop of student-athletes are seen on bigger platforms. With Davao taking home the crown, is Thompson also looking to bring in some of the athletes from his hometown to Manila, particularly in Perpetual where he serves as team manager of the men's basketball team? "May kinakausap kami. Sana, alam naman nating bakbakan sa pagkuha ng players," Thompson said. "Sana madaan ko sa kausap 'yung teammate ko dati na 'yung mga pinakamagaling namin, makuha namin. Kung puwede lahat eh," he said in jest. "Sana may makuha kami especially galing sa hometown ko and matulungan na makapaglaro rito." "Malay mo, isa sa kanila ang future ng Philippine basketball." —JKC, GMA Integrated News
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Politico questions Trump's 'messianic rhetoric,' wonders if he sees himself as God
A Politico writer said President Donald Trump is using "messianic rhetoric" and questioned if the 47th president thinks he's like God. "Trump's outlook has shifted in essence from stuff happens and nothing much matters to something happened and it couldn't matter more," the Friday piece authored by Michael Kruse, a senior staff writer at Politico and Politico Magazine, said. "His rhetoric has gone from borderline nihilistic to messianic." The piece gave examples of Trump invoking God, especially following the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. Inside Donald Trump's Relationship With God, In His Own Words: 'I Was Saved' During his November victory speech at Mar-a-Lago, Trump said, "God spared my life for a reason," and during his inaugural speech at the Capitol in January, he said that he "was saved by God to make America great again." "For a while now, a roster of religious believers and leaders, grateful for the political victories Trump has bestowed in exchange for their votes, have suggested and sometimes outright said that Trump is 'chosen,' or 'anointed,' or a 'savior,' or 'the second coming' or 'the Christ for this age,'" Kruse wrote. "Now, though, Trump does it, too." Read On The Fox News App The headline asked, "Does Trump Actually Think He's God?" The piece also mentioned Trump joking that he would like to be pope, as well as the AI depiction of himself as pope that he posted on social media that was also shared by the White House. "It's worth asking. Does Trump… think he's God," Kruse asked. "OK, he almost certainly doesn't think he's God — but does he think he's… God-like? Divinely sanctioned or inspired or empowered? Does he think he's somehow imbued with some special, sacred purpose for some special, sacred reason? Or did he just see and seize an opportunity to stamp his world-upending agenda with the ultimate justification — a mandate from God?" Kruse said Alan Marcus, a former Trump consultant and publicist, told him that he has "no reason to doubt that he would… prefer to believe he was saved by a supreme being because he himself is special rather than the would-be assassin was a lousy shot or he got lucky." Trump Says Life Was Spared To 'Restore America To Greatness' During Victory Speech Marie Griffith, the director of the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University in St. Louis, told Kruse that she thinks Trump sees himself as a "chosen one." "Perhaps opportunism and genuine belief in his own chosenness aren't mutually exclusive," Griffith said. "But whether he truly believes it or not, it is plainly in his interest to keep talking as if everything he does is sanctioned by God," she said. "And I think just looking at the rhetoric, you have to wonder if Butler really shook him up and he thought, 'Maybe they are right. Maybe I really am the 'chosen one.'" Stephen Mansfield, author of "Choosing Donald Trump: God, Anger, Hope, and Why Christian Conservatives Supported Him," told Kruse that he thinks Trump believes he is a "tool of God." Molly Worthen, a history professor at the University of North Carolina who specifically focuses on history and religion, told Kruse that Trump is a "nihilist for whom the only source of meaning is the amassing of personal power, turning his will into personal, political, financial and territorial domination." She added, "That's totally compatible with a messiah complex." She added that she doesn't "see the recent turn in his language as a deviation from past patterns, but the fuller realization of those patterns." Kruse's piece also highlighted a meme Trump posted on his TruthSocial account on Wednesday night that depicts Trump walking down a dark street with the words, "He's on a mission from God, nothing can stop what is coming." Kruse said he asked White House communications director Steven Cheung in a text message if the president "literally" believes those words. "As people of faith, we are all on missions from God," Cheung said. "The president has the biggest mission — to Make America Great Again and to help bring peace across the world. And he's doing just that."Original article source: Politico questions Trump's 'messianic rhetoric,' wonders if he sees himself as God
DW
3 hours ago
- Politics
- DW
AfD and radical Christians: An alliance of convenience? – DW – 05/31/2025
The radical right in Germany, Europe and the US portrays itself as the defender of the Christian West against Islam. But religion is not really at the heart of this conflict. "What's your name?" asked Alice Weidel of the young blond man who had just approached the co-leader of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party for an interview. "LE-O-NARD JÄ-GER is my name," Jäger, wearing a big black jacket over a white shirt, answered boldly. His hair was neatly combed back. "Perhaps you know me," he said. "I was on the trip to the US where we met Donald Trump!" Weidel smiled in a friendly but reserved way. In January, the far-right AfD held its national party congress in Riesa, in the eastern German state of Saxony. For Weidel, the congress wrapped up with a marathon of interviews. TV networks and newspapers wanted to know: Has the AfD become more radical? How far-right has the party become? But Weidel also made sure to set aside plenty of time for right-wing newspapers and YouTubers such as Leonard Jäger. His YouTube channel has half a million subscribers, and his interview with Weidel has been viewed over a million times. "You're always under fire from the media," the young man said, showing his support for the political leader. His interview lasted eight minutes and the main topic was God. Who is Alice Weidel, co-leader of Germany's far-right AfD? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Alice Weidel on faith and God "Do you believe in God?" was his first question. Weidel launched into a somewhat roundabout answer: She talked about the water, minerals, and metals that make up the human body — about how fascinating she finds the question of God. And she also mentioned being a very introspective person. "I would like to believe, but I think I need a little more time." Jäger's online persona could be defined as defiant cheerfulness, and he often posts videos of himself engaging in debates with people at left-wing demonstrations. He discusses gender issues, the AfD, homosexuality, and God, and often edits his videos to make his critics look ridiculous. He believes that there are only two genders, that leftists want to introduce children to sex at an early age, and that the elites want to ban everything. In addition, Jäger's answer to the world's problems is often Jesus. Although Weidel doesn't not appear to be especially religious, the AfD does ride the wave of traditional Christian culture and values. The party stokes fears about Islam and a general uncertainty about change. YouTuber Leonard Jäger spoke to Alice Weidel about God Image: Ketzer der Neuzeit/Youtube To many, the image of an ideal world of cheerful snowy Christmas celebrations, peaceful churchgoers, and straightforward rules about right and wrong sounds like the solution for dealing with the complexity of the modern world, which is why, observers say, the AfD maintains close ties to Christian traditions. "My partner is Christian, and she is very devout," Weidel told Jäger. "Our children are also being raised as Christians. I think that's very important for laying a solid foundation." However, devout Christians are somewhat of a rarity in the AfD, and Germany's major Christian churches have accused the party of hate and incitement. Moreover, faith doesn't play as big a role in German society as it once did — a trend that is true for Europe as a whole. The AfD strongholds in eastern Germany are traditionally very secular. Exploiting Christian traditions So why the overtures to Christianity? "Because it is compatible with the political mainstream," said Matthias Kortmann, professor at the Technical University of Dortmund, where he specializes in examining the ties between religion and the radical right. "Many people, even those who don't sympathize with the AfD, would still agree that Christianity plays a special role in Germany's history and culture. And the AfD exploits that," Kortmann told DW. Germany's churches get creative about new ways to worship To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Most of the AfD's references to Christian values are made in their attacks on Islam, which they associate with immigration. Ever since hundreds of thousands of refugees from the Middle East began arriving in Germany in 2015, the party has been warning of the downfall of Western civilization and what they call "population replacement." The AfD often claims that other political parties are deliberately flooding Germany with Muslims in order to destroy their own culture. Around 83 million people live in Germany, 25% of whom have some immigrant background. However, the percentage of Muslims remains much lower. According to official figures from 2020, there are approximately 5.5 million Muslims in Germany, only 6.6% of the population. Nevertheless, prominent AfD politicians like Beatrix von Storch argue that Germany is undergoing a "de-Christianization." In an interview with DW, she warned of the "growing influence of Islamic movements on culture, society, and politics, and the shrinking role of Christian values in public discourse." Von Storch is also a devout Catholic. "I see my duties as serving God and humanity, with a responsibility to promote what is good and to do what is right," she said. AfD lawmaker Beatrix von Storch worries about the shrinking role of Christian values in public discourse in Germany Image: Sebastian Kahnert/dpa/picture alliance Punished for transphobia For von Storch, her faith means fighting abortion, the queer community, and, above all, transgenderism. In fact, her transphobic remarks have got her in trouble in the Bundestag. Last year, she was sanctioned for making offensive remarks about the transgender Green Party MP Tessa Ganserer, even after receiving numerous warnings. Bundestag Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckart condemned the heckling as "degrading and disrespectful." According to Kortmann, discussions about gender identity are a classic example of how populists try to capitalize on social uncertainty in the modern world. "This is super easy to exploit: Many people are already feeling insecure, and they say, 'now they're also taking away the two-gender system, which was something we could always depend on'," he said. Ultimately, critics see the AfD's relationship with Christianity as instrumental: The party draws on Christian traditions when it suits its agenda. However, the party does not cultivate close ties with the churches. "The AfD must always be careful not to align itself too closely with particular groups that, upon closer inspection, may generate significant skepticism among the general population," said Kortmann. He thinks Christian fundamentalists are the exception in the AfD: "Because these groups are not only against transgenderism, but perhaps also have a very outdated view of women or are against same-sex marriage. All of that is absolutely accepted in society." Piety as a political force: Europe and the US Up until now, the influence of Christianity on politics has generally been one of the major differences between Europe and the US, where evangelical billionaires sometimes use enormous sums of money to shape politics in the name of God. Many of them support the radical right surrounding Donald Trump. But according to Philipp Greifenstein, this phenomenon is now also spreading to Europe. Greifenstein is editor of the German online magazine Die Eule, which covers religious politics, the church, and theology. "Right-wing or far-right influencers are using religion as a way to downplay their own views and to curry favor with the evangelical movement in the US," Greifenstein told DW. "Financial reasons definitely play a role here, because this US movement has a lot of money at its disposal." Greifenstein argues that many Christian influencers are more impressed by US dollars than by the evangelical message. "I don't get the impression that Leonard Jäger wants to promote Christ. It's all about expanding reach." That is a goal that Jäger certainly shares with Alice Weidel and the AfD. This article was originally written in German. While you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter, Berlin Briefing.
Fox News
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Politico questions Trump's 'messianic rhetoric,' wonders if he sees himself as God
A Politico writer said President Donald Trump is using "messianic rhetoric" and questioned if the 47th president thinks he's like God. "Trump's outlook has shifted in essence from stuff happens and nothing much matters to something happened and it couldn't matter more," the Friday piece authored by Michael Kruse, a senior staff writer at Politico and Politico Magazine, said. "His rhetoric has gone from borderline nihilistic to messianic." The piece gave examples of Trump invoking God, especially following the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. During his November victory speech at Mar-a-Lago, Trump said, "God spared my life for a reason," and during his inaugural speech at the Capitol in January, he said that he "was saved by God to make America great again." "For a while now, a roster of religious believers and leaders, grateful for the political victories Trump has bestowed in exchange for their votes, have suggested and sometimes outright said that Trump is 'chosen,' or 'anointed,' or a 'savior,' or 'the second coming' or 'the Christ for this age,'" Kruse wrote. "Now, though, Trump does it, too." The headline asked, "Does Trump Actually Think He's God?" The piece also mentioned Trump joking that he would like to be pope, as well as the AI depiction of himself as pope that he posted on social media that was also shared by the White House. "It's worth asking. Does Trump… think he's God," Kruse asked. "OK, he almost certainly doesn't think he's God — but does he think he's… God-like? Divinely sanctioned or inspired or empowered? Does he think he's somehow imbued with some special, sacred purpose for some special, sacred reason? Or did he just see and seize an opportunity to stamp his world-upending agenda with the ultimate justification — a mandate from God?" Kruse said Alan Marcus, a former Trump consultant and publicist, told him that he has "no reason to doubt that he would… prefer to believe he was saved by a supreme being because he himself is special rather than the would-be assassin was a lousy shot or he got lucky." Marie Griffith, the director of the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University in St. Louis, told Kruse that she thinks Trump sees himself as a "chosen one." "Perhaps opportunism and genuine belief in his own chosenness aren't mutually exclusive," Griffith said. "But whether he truly believes it or not, it is plainly in his interest to keep talking as if everything he does is sanctioned by God," she said. "And I think just looking at the rhetoric, you have to wonder if Butler really shook him up and he thought, 'Maybe they are right. Maybe I really am the 'chosen one.'" Stephen Mansfield, author of "Choosing Donald Trump: God, Anger, Hope, and Why Christian Conservatives Supported Him," told Kruse that he thinks Trump believes he is a "tool of God." Molly Worthen, a history professor at the University of North Carolina who specifically focuses on history and religion, told Kruse that Trump is a "nihilist for whom the only source of meaning is the amassing of personal power, turning his will into personal, political, financial and territorial domination." She added, "That's totally compatible with a messiah complex." She added that she doesn't "see the recent turn in his language as a deviation from past patterns, but the fuller realization of those patterns." Kruse's piece also highlighted a meme Trump posted on his TruthSocial account on Wednesday night that depicts Trump walking down a dark street with the words, "He's on a mission from God, nothing can stop what is coming." Kruse said he asked White House communications director Steven Cheung in a text message if the president "literally" believes those words. "As people of faith, we are all on missions from God," Cheung said. "The president has the biggest mission — to Make America Great Again and to help bring peace across the world. And he's doing just that."
Politico
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Politico
Trump found God — in himself
The religious right has long provided some of the most enthusiastic support for President Donald Trump. It appeared at first blush like a marriage of convenience — a manifestly impious man handing policy wins to the faithful. Trump himself seemed to hold an almost nihilistic, come-what-may philosophy that didn't quite fit into a purpose-driven Christian worldview. In a quote that roughly summed up his outlook on life, back in 2018, he said, 'My attitude is, whatever happens, happens.' He was talking about trade talks with China, but he could have been talking about anything — he said some version of that multiple times. Things are different now. Trump is different. He's not just a culture warrior or a political leader. After raising his fist in the air following the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, he's also a survivor. And that almost nihilistic talk has been transubstantiated into almost messianic proclamations. 'God spared my life for a reason,' he said in November, referring to his survival of an assassination attempt. 'I was saved by God to make America great again,' he said in his inaugural address. 'It's … an act of God,' he said about a month after the shooting. 'For a while now, a roster of religious believers and leaders, grateful for the political victories Trump has bestowed in exchange for their votes, have suggested and sometimes outright said that Trump is 'chosen,' or 'anointed,' or a 'savior,' or 'the second coming' or 'the Christ for this age,'' writes Michael Kruse in this week's Friday Read. 'Now, though, Trump does it, too. And that matters. It matters, some say, because it highlights how his well-documented narcissism and grandiosity has metastasized into notions of omnipotence, invincibility and infallibility. And it matters maybe most immediately because it offers a window into how he is approaching his second term — even more emboldened, even more unilaterally oriented, even more apparently uncheckable and untouchable than the first.' Read the story. 'He has gone absolutely CRAZY! He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I'm not just talking about soldiers.' Can you guess who said this about Russian President Vladimir Putin? Scroll to the bottom for the answer.** The Cracks in Trump's Sculpture Garden … Trump has an ambitious plan to unveil life-sized statues in the likeness of 250 great Americans — from George Washington to Whitney Houston — for the nation's 250th birthday next year. There's just one problem: The United States has neither the talented sculptors nor the museum-quality foundries in sufficient numbers to produce so many fine statues in such a short amount of time. 'Unfortunately, the schedule all but guarantees something less than awesome, splendid or timeless,' writes Capital City columnist Michael Schaffer. 'And, quite possibly, something less than American, too: The fine print forbids 'abstract or modernist' statues, and the biggest collection of artisans and fabricators working in Trump's preferred old-school realist style turns out to be in China, not the U.S.' The Trump administration's second-term tariff policy hit a major roadblock in the courts this week, with a ruling from the U.S. Court of International Trade concluding that the bulk of Trump's tariffs in his second term are unlawful. The ruling has been stayed pending further appellate review. But don't worry if you haven't been paying attention. Throw out a few of these talking points and you'll sound like you're in the know: (From legal columnist Ankush Khardori) — Be sure to mention the statute at the heart of the case — the International Economic Emergency Powers Act. (Bonus: Pronounce it eye-ee-pah.) — Pretend like you already knew that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit exists. The court typically handles patent and government contract cases, but it is also the court that hears appeals from the Court of International Trade. — Don't fall for the line that the judges who issued the ruling — there were three of them — were a bunch of partisan hacks. One of them is a Trump appointee; another is a Reagan appointee. (The third is an Obama appointee.) — Voice some skepticism about how easy it will actually be for the Trump administration to implement the same tariffs under different statutes. It will not be that easy. — Explain that those statutes have distinct procedural requirements, which is why the Trump administration didn't use them in the first place. IYKYK. The Dem AG Who Beat Trump in Court … Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, who led a coalition of Democratic states in suing to block a major portion of Trump's tariffs, seemed pleasantly surprised after the U.S. Court of International Trade issued a unanimous decision undercutting the president on Wednesday. He spoke with Joseph Schatz about why the courts pushed back on the administration. Dems Need a Shadow Cabinet … With her party still flailing about for a viable opposition strategy, Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-NY) offered an intriguing idea: a shadow Cabinet. It's common enough abroad for the party out of power to appoint its own answers to each individual member of the ruling party's leadership. But how do you build one here? According to Bill Scher, ranking members of Congress aren't fresh enough, and presidential hopefuls are too self-serving. So he came up with a shadow Cabinet roster of his own — and the picks might surprise you. Hegseth's Military Purge … Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth recently announced a purge of high-ranking military officials, pledging to cut 20 percent of 4-star officers and 10 percent of all other generals and admirals. 'That's a recipe not just for a politicized military, but an authoritarian military,' says Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), a Marine veteran. 'That's the way militaries work in Russia and China and North Korea.' He spoke with Deputy Editor Bill Duryea about Hegseth's dramatic move, and what's next for the armed forces. From the drafting table of editorial cartoonist Matt Wuerker. Who Dissed? answer: That would be President Donald Trump, posting on Truth Social this week. politicoweekend@
