Yeah, I thought so.
You're funny, Lindy. I don't know many atheists who are tolerant of religious zealots, although methinks you are a tad more tolerant of right wing religious zealots than left wing religious zealots, like the liberal Presbyterians who just "disinvested" in Israel (were they ever actually invested?)
Maybe it's easier in Hawaii, I bet there are few religious zealots in Hawaii. I just learned recently that the missionaries who went to Hawaii to convert the savages wound up owning most of it. That can't help but make people suspicious of religion.
Virginia has a very large population of religious zealots, including Jerry Falwell, but Virginia is also one of the first states to abolish state religion and is very firm on religious freedom.
Other states are not so lucky, Utah being famous as a place where if you are not Mormon, you can't get ahead. And Arkansas is reputed to be similar for Evangelicals, which probably explains a lot about Clinton, and why he became so mendacious. He's not religious, but learned to bob and weave about it at an early age. The whole Bible Belt thing explains why Gore is such a bore, listening to him is like listening to a Baptist preacher talking about hellfire and damnation, only his sinners are polluters.
I don't worry about the Religious Right taking over, there are literally thousands of Protestant sects and no, they can't all get along, that's why there are churches all over America with tiny congregations, maybe two dozen believers, who think they are the only ones who are saved. |
