The Amish may appear to be "enlightened" but they are just as controlling and manipulative as the other sects.

Imagine a young person exposed, for the first time, to a bewildering new world where others of their age dress and eat differently, are technology savvy and, in most cases, talk a different "language". Amish youth would most often be found beating a hasty retreat back to the Amish community.

Heck, young people who have been raised in this world can find the entire process bewildering. What chance does an uninformed Amish youth have?

Correction: The second most hated minority group. Try being Roma . . . and an atheist. They believe they can always convert an atheist, but there's no hope for a gypsy! Anyway, have a great Solstice!
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WhifflePIffle,
I spent some of my career writing software. No matter how well intentioned and determined I was, some times what I wrote didn't work. And then there were the times it did!

I could really get involved with a movement that takes Christmas back to its roots as a Solstice celebration and start of the New Year. Like, get rid of Santa, keep the tree, the gifts and the great food and remind the Christians that OUR holiday predates theirs by many, many centuries so, go get their own, or join us in OURS!

Hi Gang,
Unfortunately, I follow number two with the unfortunate result that religious wing nuts interpret my "politeness" as "acceptance". I can only hope that they seriously think about it for more than a few minutes and conclude that my "politeness" is actually hiding humour . . . and disdane!
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The secret is that if the Republicans want to be elected they have to appeal to the ignorant masses and who better to harvest the dingbats but the super dingbat of them all! Hey, gang, our problem is that we are attempting to use intelligence and common sense to assess a ridiculous situation.

Coming out as an atheist created some difficulties when I was a child.

Recently coming out as a Roma has actually been easier since I had already learned to handle rejection. I will admit, though, that Roma are much more despised than atheists.

At least, no one is attempting to "convert" me to another race! (I would have said nationality, but Roma don't have a country)

HI and thank you for setting me straight. So, where did the alleged Christ figure not want to go to -- Sheol or Hades? What term is used in the early versions of the New Testament? It sure as "hell" wasn"t "hell".
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Hi Gang, For the record, the word "Hell" does not appear in the original bible. "Hades" does, but thats the ancient word for the dump where fire was used to hasten things along and cut down on the garbage stinking and derelicts were disposed of if they didn't have the contacts to be put in a cave away from the rats and scavenging birds. Unfortunately, some of the later versions of the protestant bibles may include the word "Hell", but that is just another example of the Christians altering the truth to fit their agenda . . . like their appropriation of winter solstice for Christ's date of birth. But, what the heck, why let the facts get in the way of a "story"?

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Come on, man! You are inviting them to make you understand and consequently there is little chance that they will give up and go away. My way is a heck of a lot faster and more fool proof. It also helps with unwanted door-to-door salesmen and troublesome telephone solicitors.