Paula White's Raison d'Etre

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Garrett Smith's picture
Paula White's Raison d'Etre

Paula White was appointed by President Donald Trump as President Trump’s faith adviser.

According to her own words Paula White was appointed on an “assignment from God”. [1][2]

This begs the question of how that happened.

Since Paula White was appointed by President Donald Trump as the legal designee, this begs the question: How was President Trump a tool of Divine Intervention in the appointing of Paula White?

Was President Trump supernaturally ordained by the god to become president so that he could then appoint Paula White? And if so, were the American voters somehow impelled to vote for him? How did that work? Where does the chain of supernatural consequences begin? What specific points can we point to and say "god did this."?

According to President Trump's campaign manager Sarah Sanders, "He [(god)] wanted Donald Trump to become president," [3]

It's still unclear what role the god played in in election rigging. It's also unclear how we can verify that the god actually did want Donald Trump to become president.

[1] https://www.foxnews.com/faith-values/trumps-spiritual-adviser-paula-whit...
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_Faith_and_Opportunity_Initiatives
[3] https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sarah-sanders-says-god-wanted-donald-tr...

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Cognostic's picture
RE: "his begs the question:

RE: "his begs the question: How was President Trump a tool of Divine Intervention in the appointing of Paula White?" OH FUCK! Another asshole calling themselves Atheist and supporting Theistic assertions? Just what the site needs.

Tin-Man's picture
Hey, Cog, I could be wrong,

Hey, Cog, I could be wrong, but it sounds to me like ol' Garrett is just as puzzled as the rest of us in regards to god's "mysterious ways" of working his "miracles."... *chuckle*... In other words, he's not defending or supporting it. Looks like he is asking how anybody could possibly fall for it... *grin*... Garrett, please correct me if I'm wrong.

Garrett Smith's picture
Nah, you got me wrong I think

Nah, you got me wrong I think. Shouldn't be throwing stones, though. That's your bad.

Tin-Man's picture
Hey, Garrett, use the @(name)

Hey, Garrett, use the @(name) at the top of your posts to designate who you are addressing. Helps keep down the confusion when these threads start expanding.

Garrett Smith's picture
Yeah. What I'm doing here is

@Tin-Man
Yeah. What I'm doing here is linking to the original sources of fox news and the christian right; the "other". I'm trying to not misrepresent them.

A common approach is to strawman the perceived enemy, whether the enemy is "RWNJ" or "SJW" or "feminazis" or what have you.

In constrast, I'm looking at what they actually say and asking what I think are valid questions.

If the President created a role for Paula White as "Faith Advisor", and Paul White then attributes that act to an act of the god, then it begs the question: How does that work?

Such ideas made it into the echelon of politics unquestioned. Yes, exactly I am questioning what was left out there by Faux news -- sorry, I meant Fox News -- unquestioned.

I'd ask fox news myself but I've been banned from almost all social media.

Garrett Smith's picture
I edited my first post in

I edited my first post in this thread to include the most relevant link:—
Trump's spiritual adviser, Paula White, says helping president is 'direct assignment' from God
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sarah-sanders-says-god-wanted-donald-tr...

Garrett Smith's picture
I don't have permission to

I don't have permission to comment on Fox news.

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boomer47's picture
@Garrett

@Garrett

The notions that" it's god's will ", "it's all part of god's plan" and "everything happens for a reason" amount to fatalism and the denial of free will, in my opinion. My understanding has always been that Christians believe god endowed human kind with free will. ..

I have some problems with the Christian's claim to free will.

Garrett Smith's picture
Is it about preordainment, or

Is it about preordainment or fatalism? If so, how are any of my questions any less valid. If anything, they're more valid as they might help snap someone out of their mystical daze and into a mental state that might more closely resemble thinking. If it was all part of her god's plan, then where can we point to the divine intervention? I didn't vote for any of them. Am I therefore against her god? How does that work?

I definitely don't mean to badger or bully anyone with questions. I just question stuff such as Trump becoming president as god's will, to then appoint Paula White, whose devine destiny was supernaturally preordained. Like how does it work that her god makes that happen? How can we know it?

Doesn't it seem fantastical and implausible? Or am I still getting the idea wrong?

boomer47's picture
@Garrett

@Garrett

Sorry mate, I wasn't criticising you or your post, but simply commenting .

But to answer your question as best I can:

My own view is that of determinism, by which I mean future actions are determined by past actions. This view does not necessarily abrogate free will .

Fatalism or saying a thing is pre ordained means a thing/everything is going to happen no matter what I do. .

Consequently, an omniscient god knows everything which will happen, no matter what. That is fatalism as far as I'm concerned.

To claim we are given free will where we are punished for not accepting gods rules, is nonsense to me. That's 'Hobson's choice'

Calvinism is based on the notion of predetermination. Simply put, the argument is that you don't know if you are saved or not, but can find out: 'Obviously', being prosperous is sign of god's favour. God would not show favour to a person who is damned. Therefore the prosperous are saved. The poor and destitute are obviously damned. A religious justification of libertarianism .

This view was used to brilliant effect by Max Weber in his seminal work; "The Protestant Ethic And The Spirit Of Capitalism "

Perhaps the most powerful and useful tool in the toolbox of the human being is the capacity to rationalise literally any behaviour. Add Industrial strength cognitive dissonance together with strong confirmation bias and you your devout believer. Easily recognised in claims made by literalist evangelicals for example.

It never ceases to amaze me how the mind of god so neatly coincides with the desires and prejudices of the believer.

It would be simply risible if not so potentially dangerous .

Thought for today : "Beware of the true believer; naive at best, dangerous at worst" (Tarquin S Shagnasty)

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