As a former Nebraskan, I know how lonely it can be being a non-believer in a fairly religious state. I'm glad to see this organization reaching out. I plan on contacting this group and offering my support.

Ugh, yesterday I did not turn on my TV at all and instead cleaned the house and went on a bike ride. 9/11 stuff is just played to death...and every single aspect of the day and the years following has been covered in some type of media. It doesn't make me feel any more solemn or remember it any more to sit and watch show after show 10 years on. But that is just me.

I think the thing that annoys me is, that in places like East Bumblefuck, USA people are having 9/11 memorials...these are the same people that complain about those liberal NY'ers allowing teh gheys to marry, and are often accused of being socialists. Essentially, the type of people (generally speaking) killed on 9/11 are the type of people they hate. At the end of the day I don't think it's even about the victims for most Americans...America was attacked by foreigners, and they don't want to forget that.

This explains why so many people enjoy the services of their local dom/domme (I have a friend who is a domme, and you'd be surprised...or not surprised...the kind of business she has).

They all so badly want to be persecuted, but at the same time enjoy the power that comes with being the majority. It's the martyr syndrome...I know people who like to purposefully make their life look difficult (or pretend to do so) that they have it oh-so-hard so they receive affirmation of their importance and self worth from others.

What drives me nuts is that so many people continue to give these institutions relevence, despite the fact many are very loosely affiliated with their religious groups. For example, I know so many Catholics who are simply not interested, never attend church or pay attention to anything the pope says...yet they continue to go through with the sacraments, just out of tradition. I don't know nearly as many Muslims personally, but most I do know aren't interested either. I think the question is how do we get these folks on our side? Easily that would be tens of millions people.

My husband is from the UK, and thankfully my husband and inlaws are atheists. It's a running joke whenever we go down to Florida with them I threaten to take them to The Holy Land Experience instead of Disney
http://www.holylandexperience.com/

For better or worse, America still has a huge amount of clout in the world politically and financially. As Bush's policies shaped world events, no doubt would the policies of the likes of Michele Bachmann or Rick Perry, who I think are far more odious than Dubya.

Did he post on this site?

Generally, I welcome d the coming of Depeche Mode, as they have taught me to "reach out and touch faith" LOL.

OK, I promise no more Personal Jesus jokes!

Another point is that this is political pandering at it's worst. I don't understand how those in attendence don't see through Perry's little prayer party for what it is...duping them into voting for him by invoking the name of Jesus Christ.

Btw, could someone explain to me what this Living Christ stuff is? It sounds like a zombie to me. Living Christ, is quite literally, after my brain.

The video won't play for me...which probably isn't an alltogether bad thing.

I worry too, if we elect this idiot or one of his ilk. He's not going to try to come up with solutions, make plans or anything of the such...he'll just putz around praying something will happen.

After the way congress treated the debt ceiling and the pure bigotry and ignorance of the GOP presidential candidates, for f*@% sake the American people deserve so much better. But it begins with us...get out and vote in every primary and general election. Don't be afraid to run for office if you are so inclined. We need people who work for the people, not for themselves.

Great topic idea!

I think for me, I was always an outsider of sorts. I grew up in a small town, and I didn't have the 5 generations of roots in the community that seemed to be required to be socially accepted. I wasn't ever treated outwardly in a negative way, but there was an invisible line that separated me from them. Of course I wasn't the only outsider so to speak, and us social outsiders tended to band together and form our own friendships amongst each other. I admit in my youth many times I longed to be accepted by everyone, but as I got older and closer to college age I figured out that wasn't a necessary component in living a happy life for myself.

I was always fiercly independent, and I went through many stages of experimenting with my spiritual identity. My family was nominally Catholic, but my mom was very much a believer and I think she always though my atheism was just a phase. I am thankful that I was never forced to attend church, read the Bible or attend Sunday school though it was important for her that I at least go through the motions and receive the sacraments. My father, on the other hand has at various times taught science and history, and was therefore encouraged me in my interest in those fields. In retrospect, I think my dad was a non-believer...I don't think he would necessarily identify as an atheist but I think he simply just didn't really care about religion. In all, I was lucky to have grown up in the conservative Midwest with the parents I had, who allowed me to figure out on my own what to believe in.

On a funny sidenote, somehow my dad was convinced to join the Knights of Columbus. He was telling us about the induction ceremony and how weird it was and my sister asked if they were like the Knights of the Round Table from Monty Python and started singing the song from the movie. My dad lost it then...so every time I think of the Knights of Columbus now, that song pops into my head.

I saw this interview and I said "hallelujah, by his reasoning then we can ban Christian churches going up in our community!" Then I realized it was Mr. Cain.

Face palm. Really, the current group of Republcan candidates are quite the sad sacks. I don't like alarmist views, but I am beginning to honestly believe they are intent on destroying this country to rebuild it as a Christian Theorocracy.