Minor point: JW's (Jehovah's Witnesses) would be unlikely to be found serving in the military. Their faith forbids it and in the event of a draft, most would likely be given CO status.

i've seen 'em. sometimes when kids are away from home and scared from being out of their element they convert to ideas that match their current feelings.

You are correct that the practice is currently allowed, and perhaps I misspoke regarding a given practice being disallowed. However, it is pretty certain that no Wiccan group will be allowed to participate in the "Faith Based Initiative" which spawned the Bush quote about Wicca not being a religion.

The fact remains that, despite Constitutional assurances to the contrary, there is a pervasive and increasingly organized effort to make this a Christian Nation...you know...one nation, under God?

Those of us who aren't Jehovah's sheep are probably not going to like it if this country becomes a Christian theocracy. Theocracies in general have historically lacked tolerance and equality.

*belts out into song*
"The INQUISI-I-ITION....what a show!
The INQUISI-I-ITION....here we go!
We know you're wishin'....that we'd go awa-a-ay...

So come on you Muslims and you Jews!
We've got big news for all of youse!
We're gonna change your point of views...toda-a-ay...
Cuz the INQUISITION's here and it's here...to...sta-a-a-ay!!"

*hats off to Mel Brooks*

Let's face it...you can't Torquemada *anything*!

No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!

It's not that they aren't allowed to participate, it's that they aren't applying.

Even large pagan organizations, including Pagan Pride groups, Local interfaith networks, even really big covens, like Assembly of the Sacred Wheel can't get it together long enough to decide on a project, get people together to do it, and keep doing it ... The largest pagan organization in Philly has been doing canned food drives for years. A canned or shelf-stable food item has been the admission fee to their events for as long as they have been in existence. That's the best they can manage. And they aren't generating a lot of canned goods. Pagans are great about talking about stuff. They come up very, very short on doing anything about it.

El, I didn't expect "Christians are out to get me" paranoia from you, bud.

Sydney sounds like L.A. and Melbourne sounds like San Francisco or Seattle. For some reason I get the feeling that Melbourne might be cold and wet. I wonder why? hmmmmmm

I must admit to a certain amount of paranoia when staring down the barrel of a growing religious Right. Their illogical, divisive rhetoric, now targeted mainly at gays and those seeking abortions, aforementioned rhetoric being based upon their religous tenets, gives me pause.

So...granted that no group with which I am affiliated has applied. Are you aware of any who have at all? And where are such details kept available?

Sydney is like a sunny San Francisco. It's a really fun and interesting city.

Tom DeLay's statement pretty much sums up the source of my paranoia:

"We're going to be able to lead this country in the direction we've been dreaming of for years. . . . We're going to put God back into the public square."

I'm pretty sure that the God to which he refers is not going to be Cerrunos... :vikingsmi :

San Francisco has a very good public transport system, but also most everything is within walking distance. You can walk to a market, or a cafe, etc. I've always wanted to live in a city where I wouldn't need to own a car. I'd still own one, but I wouldn't use it often.

San Francisco is also VERY expensive. Is Sydney like that?

Patrick, given my real world experiences with the religous right, I think that anyone should be concerned about them getting into a position of power or having influence with someone in a position of power (see my comments in the "Bushland" thread, if you haven't already). :eyebrow:

Melbourne can be damp on occasion but generally the weather is nice, spring is unpredictable, autumn and early summer are beautiful, summer is often scorching, winter can be damn but only goes down to 5-10 degrees. Melbourne isn't that small, the train network is very good, the CBD itself is walking-size and crammed with fantastic little cafes and bars, nightlife is more spread into surrounding suburbs.

There is a palpable irony in a state founded on persecuted religious minorities fleeing England spawning the religious right of today. The thing that amuses me is that this really will be the government Americans deserve - placate the worst tendencies while dry-fucking the country into bankruptcy and global hatred - the public is too worried about Janet's tit and where the ten commandments should be in the courtroom to even notice. Perfect.

Jag,
I wish you would stop saying that we are all getting what we deserve. The vote was 51% to 49%. Hardly a landslide. One in two americans don't support the current ruling party.

One in two voting Americans. The combination of those who voted for Bush and those who chose not to vote is substantially larger than that.