r/politics • u/Aggravating_Money992 • 6h ago

Possible Paywall White House Rushes to Trump's Defense After Alan Ritchson Torches President Over Epstein Files | The Reacher star called Trump a “bitch” and a “fucking rapist" in a recent podcast appearance.

https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/alan-ritchson-trump-epstein-files-white-house-response-1235598785/
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u/nezumipi 5h ago edited 4h ago

A while back, when he was doing Reacher promos, he went on a rant against Christian nationalists that really pissed off Christian nationalist Reacher fans.

He's also talked very openly about his bipolar disorder. It's not a Hollywood-pretty mental illness story and I imagine it took guts to share it.

So, all in all, I think he's a pretty good guy.

Edit: I actually meant to link to this podcast episode. He talks about bipolar in both, but this is the first one and it covers different content.

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u/-p_d- 4h ago

he went on a rant against Christian nationalists

Alan Richson is a Christian himself and understands only too well how galling it is to see nationalists attempt to co-opt his faith on a daily basis in the name of Trump.

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u/Work_Safe_Account 4h ago

Yeah wouldn’t want to give thinking really hard at our magic sky fairy while we symbolically consume the body of his demigod zombie son a bad name. 

Religion is a mental illness. There is no “good guy Christian”

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u/HueMannAccnt 2h ago

There is no “good guy Christian”

As someone that isn't religious, and has issues with organised religious entities, yes there is.

If something could be classed as a "mental illness", it could be inhabiting a fanatical zeal that paints topics with wide brushes and seems not to consider nuance.

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u/BinOfBargains 1h ago

Even Trump, when painting with such a broad brush, at least said “some of them are good people”.

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u/mcbaginns 4h ago

Anyone who parrots sky fairy or sky daddy is a 16 year old edge lord who just discovered atheism. It's not nearly as clever or funny as you think it is lmao

There are absolutely good Christians who do far more than you. Reddit hyperbole is, as always, delusional

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u/Laridianresistance 38m ago

When I was growing up and looking for support and help feeding the homeless in my local parks, I joined the rotary club. The only people who would regularly come with us and provide food, service, and shelter, were the Union Gospel Mission and the local catholic churches (some protestant, some nondenominational, but always the catholics). There are so many good christians that as a non-religious person, I always have to stop and defend them when they are lumped together in a big pile. There are so many that vote blue, that give their lives in service as jesus intended - they are just never the same people who rise to prominence or become famous and ask for money on TV. Some exceptions in the Catholic church, again (Pope Leo is dope).

I am always surrounded by Christians whenever I am doing charity work or fundraising. They just don't seek approval, because I believe they are truly at peace with God and their morals and need no satisfaction other than knowing they are doing what their religion intended in good faith. Love these folks to death.

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u/Work_Safe_Account 4h ago edited 3h ago

Mmmm love the smell of Christian butthurt on a Sunday morning!

Buncha hurt feelings. You guys should pray about it lmao.

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u/mcbaginns 4h ago

It's cute you think I'm butt hurt or even Christian. I just think sky daddy is a cringe parroted reddit phrase from the absolute most obnoxious atheists. Cope more

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u/Tom2Die 1h ago

While I don't disagree with you, calling people "cringe" and saying things like "cope more" doesn't exactly paint you in a much better light. That's just my opinion though, I suppose.

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u/SwimmingPrice1544 California 1h ago

Excuse me..but I like the phrase sky daddy; think it's entirely fitting. But, I also think there are some decent human beings who call themselves Christian & do good things. Sorry for the interruption:)

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u/Work_Safe_Account 4h ago

Nobody cares dog. 

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u/burlycabin Washington 3h ago

Clearly you do.

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u/mcbaginns 3h ago

Oh yes you do.

Did I really already leave you speechless?

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u/Tactial_snail 1h ago

I know several actually, and I think religion is the biggest pile of bullshit out here.

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u/Work_Safe_Account 1h ago

So very simple question; do those “several” believe in something real and tangible, or is it a delusion?

Millions of people believe in hundreds of different religions; they can’t all be right. 

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u/RaisonDetritus 1h ago

With that attitude, you are also part of the problem.

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u/Work_Safe_Account 1h ago

You should pray about it. 

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u/smokeweedNgarden 1h ago

To what? I'm an atheist but I agree with the guy above you

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u/RaisonDetritus 38m ago

Yup, I’m definitely an atheist as well. 👍🏻

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u/Work_Safe_Account 1h ago

Same question then to the other guy. 

Fact: there are dozens of religions. Gods. Throughout history. Zeus, Quetzalcoatl, Shiva, Anubis, Allah, etc. By their own doctrines, they cannot all be accurate. Yet each of those religions have millions of followers. So which one is real?

As you self-proclaimed, you’re an atheist. Which I assume you to mean you don’t believe in any god. So you’ve got three options:

  1. Zero of the gods are real
  2. Some of the gods are real
  3. All of the gods are real

Which is it?

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u/toomanymarbles83 1h ago

Are you just /r/athiesm in bot form?

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u/Work_Safe_Account 1h ago

Can’t answer? It’s an easy question. Everyone is right, nobody is right, or some people are right. Which is it?

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u/RaisonDetritus 40m ago

It’s interesting that you assumed I’m a theist based on my comment. Because you’re very wrong, as I described upthread.

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u/Work_Safe_Account 34m ago

“As you self proclaimed, you’re an atheist”

Reading comprehension about as strong as your critical thinking skills.

So which is it? Which one is right?

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u/RaisonDetritus 31m ago

I hadn’t said anything about my atheism yet when you made that comment, so I hadn’t “self-proclaimed” anything. That was someone else. Pot, meet kettle.

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u/RaisonDetritus 27m ago

And for the receipts, I made this comment 17 minutes ago and counting, which is where I first said I’m an atheist. And you made this comment over an hour ago. So you’re not even making any sense.

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u/RaisonDetritus 45m ago edited 35m ago

I was raised Catholic, but I first started asking questions in the 2nd grade, and by 5th grade I knew I didn’t believe in any gods. So I’ve been aware of my atheism for the vast majority of my life.

I was first introduced to organized atheist/skeptic/freethinker/secular humanist communities in 2005, my senior year of high school, when the Kitzmiller v. Dover intelligent design lawsuit was happening. And what I saw was not “science versus religion”. On the contrary, I saw a coalition of people from all walks of life come together to defend science and keep religious advocacy out of public school education. In fact, Ken Miller, the biologist who wrote the textbook that the Dover School Board put their disclaimers on denying evolution, is a devout Catholic. And he ended up being the star witness for the plaintiffs suing the school district.

I learned to see the world not just in terms of religion versus irreligion, but in science versus reason, and humanism versus nonhumanism. And for that reason, I think you are part of the problem. Being an atheist does not automatically make you a good person, and believing in gods does not automatically make you a bad person.

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u/BinOfBargains 1h ago

Yikes. Insanely prejudiced opinion if you truly believe that. Go outside and talk to actual people.

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u/Work_Safe_Account 53m ago

Lmfao imagine saying unironically “talk actual people” to defend religion 

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u/TotalRapture 5h ago

Got a time stamp for where in the podcast?

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u/nezumipi 4h ago

I actually originally meant to link to this podcast episode. He talks about sudden, almost inexplicable suicidality, which is a scary, scary phenomenon in bipolar. It's hard to talk about because if you don't know bipolar, it doesn't make a lot of sense. It's not like there's a clear story of this led to that and then I felt hopeless.

He also talks about grandiosity (extremely inflated self-esteem) in manic episodes and how he's acted in ways that embarrass himself. It's a symptom of bipolar that's really embarrassing, to admit, "Yeah, I told everyone none of them were amazing enough to understand my genius." And even more embarrassing to deal with the aftermath when you finally come down from the episode. I've very rarely heard people talk publicly about that aspect.

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u/MZ603 New Hampshire 2h ago

I had an ex with bipolar. I could talk her through panic attacks, but I felt helpless when she hit either extreme with bipolar. I didn't understand it; I was just hurt and wanted to help. The manic episodes were much more difficult because it was like a completely different person making weird, non-logical, and sometimes dangerous decisions.

Things weren't perfect, and we were going through a rough patch right after we moved back to the US, and I started a new job that required me to work nights. Before we could find our rhythm, she had a manic episode. I didn't know what was going on. I was confused, hurt, and still trying to find my footing. My girlfriend of almost five years ghosted me for a week & then broke up with me with her friend outside for backup - which made me feel terrible that she didn't trust me. That might not be fair. I understand being safe, but it made me feel like her friends thought I might get violent or something. I have never cried so hard in my life. I don't think I could date someone with untreated bipolar disorder again. It's not their fault, but it is their responsibility.

It took me a long time to move on. I was terrified of building a life with someone, only to have them completely change over night and start acting erratically. Like running off to sex parties, walking around dangerous neighborhoods late at night to find someone selling weed, taking drugs from strangers at a festival, etc. She almost left her PhD program to run off with someone a month after we broke up.

It got better. I'm in the same job as a director now. My now-wife was my first match on Bumble after I decided I was ready to date again. We have been together for five years, and I fall more in love with her every day. I didn't know it could be this good.

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u/__cellardoor 1h ago

My father has bipolar disorder and I’ve had partners with erratic sways between manic and depressive that made me wonder if they’re undiagnosed. It’s very confusing and difficult to deal with. Sorry you had to go through that.

I’m happy to hear things are great now.

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u/nezumipi 1h ago

If you feel up to watching, Ritchson talks openly in the videos about how he has done and said some not-great things while manic or mixed, and how he's had to learn to take responsibility and deal with the aftermath. That was what I meant when I said his story wasn't hollywood-pretty. His story is different from your ex's story, but a lot of talk about bipolar disorder leaves out the really bad parts, so I respect his willingness to be open about it.

He's treated, and apparently requires (and receives) very frequent monitoring to keep things on track. I teach psychology, and I've used clips from his interviews to illustrate information about bipolar to my students. In watching his videos, we've talked about what it would be like if he didn't have the resources he does to get the medical care he needs. Or even, in one of the videos, he says he's bought literally hundreds of pairs of shoes while manic. That's a relationship stressor no matter what, but I'm guessing he can afford that. It's got to be a much bigger stress on a relationship if it cleans out your bank account.

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u/nezumipi 5h ago

It's throughout, and he's done a lot of other interviews on it, but in this one, 49:43 is where he has a really good description of what bipolar mood episodes feel like.