Don't remember quite doing that - in fact I seem to remember trying to avoid it
and I can't find the bucket of tar anyway - must have left it in the bottom
shed so the geese get to keep their feathers. But the comment about atheists
was inspired by recent coverage of attitudes in the US (and I'm reading Dawkins
at present too) that suggests that they're the only remaining acceptable target
of discrimination.
The religiosity of the US is both obvious and a little puzzling at times from
out here. As I've been known to comment, even The Simpsons go to church. But
then, of course, we're all decadent Europeans, hey?
So consider - you've just elected a black president and came close to electing
a woman - but what is the chance of someone who is openly non-religious being
elected any time soon? Not holding my breath down here. Perhaps you should try
passing as an atheist or agnostic for a while and seeing what you experience in
that cloak?
As to the monolith of fools (nice term!) - I'm well aware of the internally
rich diversity of culture, attitude, behaviour, etc. but from out here again,
the experience IS of a monolith with an approach reminiscent of the Borg and a
mindset to match. To get some idea why read this - it is my local community -
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/03/28/world/asia/irpt-australia-mcdonalds-protest/
Of course the one thing they get wrong is that they call it a restaurant - no
it isn't. But I chose the CNN report for the additional irony. There are better
hits on a Google search.
Andrew Fildes
afildes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.soultheft.com
Author/Publisher:
The SLR Compendium:
revised edition -
http://blur.by/19Hb8or
The TLR Compendium
http://blur.by/1eDpqN7
On 05/03/2014, at 10:22 AM, Moose wrote:
> And yet, you feel comfortable tarring all of the US with one brush.
>
> On 3/3/2014 1:11 AM, Andrew Fildes wrote:
>> Tell that to an atheist.
>
> You seem to have a tendency to reduce a huge country with a vast array of
> different sub-cultures to a monolith of fools.
>
> Where I live, in the circles I frequent, and in similar circles I know of in
> many other of the more civilized parts of
> the US, being an atheist is not even worth commenting on. Out in the larger
> social and commercial world where I have
> lived and worked all my adult life, I can't recall anyone ever making an
> issue of any particular religion or non-religion.
>
> For women, in particular, which seems to me to be where this started, many
> mainstream religions here are completely
> gender blind. I know a few women ministers and a candidate as close friends.
> They have never mentioned to me or my wife
> any hint of feeling oppressed or 'less than' males in their churches.
>
> It even seems that some denominations may soon be predominantly run by women.
>
> In that sense, the contrast to the situation of women in some Muslim
> countries is pretty great. Perhaps AG should have
> been more specific in his comment. Given the image that prompted it, though
> ...
>
> On 3/4/2014 3:04 PM, Andrew Fildes wrote:
>> I'd rather think the best of people first, while also remembering that they
>> are merely human too and that there are very few saints.
>
> Oh my! Might that apply to my fellow USians, as well?
>
> Moose
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