scombrid

Glad I missed it. My blood pressure is greatful. I tend to scream at the tele when assholes like Buchanan spew shit without refutation.

uhcord

"I am pleased to say from my own heart, on my own time and in my own opinion, God Bless America!"

Ditto Berenger Sauniere. I also remember him saying that.

Agnostic? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

Amazon

I, too, watched with great hope.
Unfortunately, his grandstanding on the Jehovah's Witness story probably turned people off since the story was not immediately relatable to the current pledge situation. It took too long, and the circumstances are different.

I would have preferred that he ask direct questions to Buchanan and made him answer. The usual sidestepping of the real issues was frustrating. I think I'm going to write more letters to local papers on this, because these false statements continue to be spouted by the pro-god-in-everything-we-say-and-do set:

1. "Atheists are trying to eliminate religion from every part of public life." No, just the publicly-FUNDED parts of public life. Neutrality for the common good.

2. "Atheists want to keep all children from pledging allegiance to their country." Oh for goodness sake! We just want the sky fairy qualifier removed. They make it sound like we want to turn all children against the government.

3. "Majority rules." Religion is not majority rule - that's why there is an amendment to CLARIFY the distinction. These people actually think all non-Christians should follow Christian rituals because there's more of them than us.

4. "Tradition" Actually, since much of the god in government problems have been created in the last 50 years, I would say that it's more like a disturbing fad.

5. "You're asserting power over our right to worship, you authoritarian dictator you." I would like to hear how ANYONE is denied his or her right to worship on their own time in this country. Little Patrick is not allowed to stand up during math class to start a group prayer, but he's also not allowed to start telling stories from the latest Harry Potter book or today's baseball game. Worship all you want, on your own time.

6. "This country was founded on Christian principles, and our founding fathers were Christians." I don't need to go into this one. This post would be a mile long. It's already too long.

7. "If you don't like it, you sorry atheist, you can leave." This hatred and bigotry is the most horrifying and enlightening part of this whole issue for me. It proves to me, as if there was any doubt, that religion breeds intolerance and feeds on ignorance. As for the name-calling, that shows me that they're frightened out of their skins of us "sorry atheists".

More letters will be written, and we'll see which papers dare to clear up the misconceptions. These pro-god-in-every-thought-or-we're-doomed people should start answering to the real issues.

[ July 16, 2002: Message edited by: Amazon ]

[ July 16, 2002: Message edited by: Amazon ]</p>

Anunnaki

I watched it twice and I`m quite sure that Phil said he was a Catholic right before he went off on the JW story.

Is there a transcript for this horror show?

Amazon

I thought he was calling Buchanan a Catholic.

Of course, that doesn't seem right, either.

Toto

Why? Buchanan is an Irish Catholic.

Amazon

I didn't know that.
I suppose the stereotyping part of my brain had targeted him as probably a baptist or protestant of some sort.

So, it was Donohue appropriately identifying Buchanan as a Catholic.

[ July 16, 2002: Message edited by: Amazon ]</p>

Anunnaki

I had the exact same misunderstanding as Amazon. I would have never guessed that Buchanon was a Catholic. I figured Phil was talking about himself.

ex-preacher

I'm fairly certain that both Donahue and Buchanan are Irish Catholics.

Krieger

I knew that Buchanan was a Catholic.