Atheists of good conscience can't stay in the Republican Party.

[Ladyhawk]

One of the reasons I left the GOP is that there is no room for an unbeliever in the right-wing camp.

"No, I don't know that Atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God." - George Herbert Walker Bush (who spawned our current nightmare)

The only holdouts are the Ayn Rand laissez-faire capitalists, but I don't consider them atheists of good conscience. I consider them religionists with greed as their god and Atlas Shrugged as their bible. It always comes down to fanatical dogma, doesn't it?

I imagine those of any faith besides fundamentalist Christianity are also pretty freaked out right now. There's even a schism between liberal Christians and fundy Christians.

Fascism occurs when one group tries to force their dogmatic views on the rest of society. We need to be the live-and-let-live party, but how can we maintain that attitude toward fanatics and still keep our freedom? The answer, I think, is that we can't.

We have to force freedom and tolerance down their throats. Isn't that more than a bit paradoxical? I still have trouble with this conundrum: Is it OK to be intolerant of intolerance?

Many have noted that we now live in two Americas. Some think we're poised on the brink of another civil war. But this time, the combatants aren't arranged into tidy geographical areas. I'd rather find a peaceful way of fixing the problem, but I worry we're headed for tough times.

[whistle]

1. Has anyone ever seen GW and Laura in church?

[Endangered Specie]

3. That would induce a lightning bolt or 2 Id think

[Malva Zebrina]

4. yes, I did

there was a picture published of George "praying" during a church event. His eyes were all screwed up tight and his mouth was all tight also. He looked actually as if he were constipated and sitting on the john trying to do something about it. It was really a disgusting picture and I know it was just another of his acts and was obviously faked. It was George praying as he perceived he or anyone, should look when praying. He is a total failure as an actor. I don't have the picture now, but I remember it clearly.

[Warpy]

8. ROFL!!!!

I grew up going to Catholic school, and from the plaster saints to the holy card portraits to the faces of the parishoners, I could never tell the difference between piety and indigestion.

[Ladyhawk]

5. Good Question

It could be Shrub is pretending to be a fundamentalist Christian in order to pander to his base. I've heard compelling arguments that Adolf Hitler did the same. (Please don't shoot me for the Adolf Hitler note. I've read enough of Hitler to know he brought up Christianity a lot. I've also read enough to realize he knew how to lie in order to get his way. Maybe Shrub is doing the same thing with coaching from his handlers.)

All I'm saying is that fanatical dogma is the guiding force behind the current mis-administration. In Soviet Russia, part of the dogma included enforced atheism. All I'm saying is that a nation is in trouble when it tries to enforce a single set of ideals (dogma) upon the general populace.

[Deja Q]

2. Nobody with a functioning brain should stay in the republican party

And one way or another, "tough times" is unavoidable, I'm afraid...

[Ladyhawk]

6. You'd think, wouldn't you?

But nearly everybody I know IRL is a Bushie. They can't all be stupid, can they?

[baldguy]

7. Hell, Christians of good conscience can't stay in the Republican Party.

The arrogance, the "me-first" money hungry attitude, the total disregard and disrespect for other people, etc etc etc

The goals of the Republican Party is totally antithetical to ideals of Christianity.

[NNadir]

9. I like your description of the Randies.

I think of them as fundementalists.

Thanks also for the Bush pere quote. I love to bring that one up just in case people forget how much we atheists are threatened by the State and the new State religion.

[leesa]

10. No one with a good conscience or morals has any business supporting

these amoral thugs.

[R Hickey]

11. Atheists need a homeland.

I bet the safest US place to hide out during a non-geographical US civil war would be Alaska. Outside the US, the British Empire looks pretty good for me. If Bush gets back in, we're headed for disaster, in my opinion.

[Justpat]

12. Neither could a true Christian

[ithacan]

13. GOP hijacked by religious right!

you're absolutely right. The Republican party has been hijacked by the religious right. Check out this website for the details: http://www.TheocracyWatch.org/