The kind of America you are trying to create doesn't sound any less oppressive then the others you complain about. Instead of banning things becuase "the state" doesn't like them, you try and ban them for religious reasons. Proposition H8 is a perfect example. Gay marriage is no one elses business but the gay communites. They had every right to take their grievences to the courts as American citizens. Instead a bunch christain hate mongers decided somehow they should stick their nose in it. A democracy is a governemt where the people pick thier leaders, "God" has nothing to do with that. If the "The People" as you put it, decided they wanted more affordable healthcare, and the state could provide it, that was their choice. I find it hard to beleive a just god would have a problem with that. But since you brought the subject up, let's see you even prove that "God" actually exists.

If you want to pontificate, you do have the right to do so, but it would be nice if you actually knew something before you spew.

1- WWI? WTF? Every country involved in the European part of the war was at least nominally Christian. The least Christian country involved was France. The most Christian countries were Germany, Austria and Russia. You really need to do some reading here.

2- The Naz were Christian, all of them. Germany was one of the most Christian countries in the world at the time of the holocaust. Every Jew, Roma, Slav, homosexual and others murdered in the camps were killed by Chritians, every single one. A few senior Nazis did dabble in the occult, but, bozo ( a necessary perjorative in this case), nothing about the occult is secular or atheist.

3- Stalin was a mass murderer, yes, big time, but not one person was killed in the name of atheism or secularism. All were killed in the name of Leninism. And don't even start with Marx. Marx was an academic not a revolutionary, and he never called for revolution. He didn't believe that revolution coulkd be made, he believed that it would occur organically in highly developed industrial states. That's why Lenin was in Switzerland in 1917. The concept of created revolution with top down dictatorship was pure Lenin, nothing to do with Mark who believed in the 'withering away of the state'. Please, a little knowledge here rather than pure ignorance.

4- Mao and Pol Pot were also mass murderers but never in the name of atheism or secularism. All in the name of leninism or communism or Maoism.

5- The Congo? WTF? The U.S. assassinated Lamumba the supposed atheist and communist. We supported Mbutu, a Christian who murdered two million with our total support. He later saw himself as god, but we still supported him.

6- The Romans were not Christians but they were very religious. Can't you read?

Your post was consummate ignorance. Learn something before you stick your feet in your mouth up to your thighs.

I differ on one point. I admire some people who change their minds. That can take cerebral suppleness, social grace, and courage.

Ah, yes, she must express her feelings! So like an artist, Reminds me of her fellow artist, Nero, whose poems. by the way, were really not half-bad.

And a middle-finger to her, too.

First you claim that "God" is necessary for democracy (while doing a lousy job of explaining why) and then in another post you claim that you are not a christian and that you wouldn't pray to God but a "Creator" (which is different from a god how?). Isn't that a bit of a contradiction?

And Salty Dawg, please, by all means, explain how Iraq is the dems fault, thanks!

I lived in Sweden for 3 1/2 years. The Sweden you described is not the Sweden I know. The Sweden I know is one where about half the population counts an XBox 360 as a major purchase. Then they save to buy games for it.

The Sweden I know is one in which I made half again as much in my job and took less home due to taxes.

The Sweden I know is where, in an entire block of "middle class" people there wasn't one single wide-screen television when many of the poorest in this country have at least one.

The Sweden I know is where you spend $14 a gallon (Converted to gallons and US$.) for fuel for your car and wonder why Americans gripe about $5.

The Sweden I know is where you have a cell phone only because it's subsidized.

The Sweden I know is where everything is subsidized and then you're taxed out of your ass to pay the subsidies.

I'd suggest actually visiting a few of these places you long to live in before coming here and making yourself look like an ignorant parrot.

And don't start spouting this crap about where you read it because, like I said, I've been there.

I think the people of Sweden are absolutely marvelous. I count quite a few of them as among my closest and most trusted friends. However, given a choice of living here or there for the rest of my life, I'd choose here whether I gave it careful consideration or not.

The Ottoman empire was a muslim empire and very involved in WWI.

I love the ornament. I read the article too because I thought there was some impeachment effort or Christmas fantasy of it. I'm surprised the artist was not rejected from the begining or that the ornament was not inspected before. I wonder what subversive ornaments made it onto the tree? Shining a light on torturers is a long Christian tradition and an expression of Chritian belief no matter who does it, Christian or not. Bush is a torturer. His belief that he expresses Christianity in his actions is self-delusion and is gross representation of Christ's teachings.

Did Brightstar just blame feminism for W? I think he did:

"Obviously, the feminist flooded pussified masses that think they are oh so pure have no clue about ANYTHING.

No wonder bush got reselected. They damn well KNOW there are no real MALES on the left, hence no opposition."

Oh, the lack of logic...it burns!! Seriously, BS, I'd like to hear your explanation for this, especially considering that most feminists aren't too fond of Shrub. Are you implying that if us mean ole Amazon women would just get out of the way and scamper back to the kitchen, you Manly Men would take the power back from the executive branch with your supreme Manliness? Seriously? Isn't that power-grubbing executive branch mostly populated by men? I'm not implying that the current situation is "men's" fault, only that it's not "women's" fault either.

Both women and men elected Bush, based on fear, ignorance, and media propaganda, with no small dose of stupidity. Stupidity and lust for power know gender, I'm afraid.