galiel

tdekeyser:

It is useful to keep historical perspective. Read about the McCarthy years--and read about the reaction to it, which ultimately brought us unprecedented freedoms.

Feel free to leave (there are millions around the world dying--literally--to get in here, anyway), and don't worry--the rest of us will stay here and fight the good fight, so that you can come back when it's all over and enjoy the freedoms we have fought for

Corwin

Again.... non-racial minorities are going to have a rough time of it for the next few years at least... here's hoping it doesn't get too hopeless.

I ate Pascal's Wafer

Yeah, I imagine it's going to get rough before it gets much better. That said, I do want to stick around until it gets completely hopeless. When it becomes nearly impossible to change what they have done I'll consider moving to Europe, but while there's a chance I want to stay and help bring America back to reality.

-Nick

Deadend

Country-wide the percentage of people attending church/religious services at least once a week, is about 6%. It's probably less for big cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam or The Hague (though it might be the other way around, as they have larger proportions of foreigners who tend to be more religious than the native Dutchies).

Most stores are closed on Monday mornings because the hardly do any business then. Outside of the large cities most stores are also closed on Sundays, this used to be because of religious motivations, but for the last 20 years or so, it has mainly been the trade unions that have fought to keep Sundays as a day of rest.

The Netherlands are hardly free of religion however, we have state-financed religious schools, theocratic political parties and our prime minister is a former professor of Christian philosophy

simian

I may take you up on that some day. Question 1) many openings for food engineer types? (OK, I know the answer to that: yes, no problem) 2) what are the rules on bringing along a significant other (not married) who does not have professional skills? If it matters, my income is more than suffecient to support her, so it is not as though it would be a monitary drain on the country.

But, for now, I plan to stay and fight. I have fought C/S battles before, and I think the groups I have worked with get more respect from the general population than the groups we battle. Heck, we even had one Christian young lady write the local paper and flatly state that after attending some of our presentations (creationism/evolution issues), the Christians could learn a lot about acting like Christians from the atheists she had met.

Simian

HaysooChreesto!

Ahemmm, (sounds of rustling paper, now paper being torn). And the Oscar goes to...

Deadbeat

Now that's just mean, man. They're going to be tired, disillusioned, and desperate for a little compassion, and you want to send them to Winterpeg, Manisnowba?

Cruelty, thy name is randomsyllable!

At least let them acclimatize in Vancouver for a while. You can start decompression via Alberta a little later.

Puck

Ugh, Canada is far too cold for this gal. Now Cuba...I have always wanted to live in Cuba for some reason. Tropical island, interesting history, funky old buildings. Heck, everyone's poor and that isn't always a bad thing. Give me a little shanty and some little gruel and a job to help me do my part for the country. Let me grow old in the salt air, toothless, but happy in the sun.

(Wakes up) Oh. Well, guess I better gird my loins and do what I can to keep America free for my Grandaughter. Damn. I hate this, but I suppose if things do get out of hand, I'm going to have to speak up more in this overly religous county. Gonna piss off husband. Bad for business and all. Secretly he'll love it though. Which if his fears came about, we'd be old, toothless and *here*. Cuba... (goes back to dreaming)

avalanche:ix

"Do people even bother going to church anymore in Amsterdam?"

maybe a few dozen people or so.


"I was there a couple weeks ago and saw 3 gigantic churches that were closed or are now being used for office space or other non-religious purposes."

well, it's hard to top their architecture.


"The Sunday I was there was the day you guys had that huge storm so I really didn`t see many other people besides my girlfriend and I out and about that morning so I have no idea what a normal Sunday morning is like over there."

hangovers. sleeping late (for the non-hangover people too).

"I did notice that most everything was closed Sunday and I doubt it was due to all wind."

well, it's tradition really. nothing to do with religion anymore. and small shopkeepers don't really have the capacity to open up on sunday (well, they do, but then they'd work all week, that'd just be cruel).


"And whats with most of the shops not opening until noon on Mondays? I have a feeling that it`s got more to do with hang overs than being tired from all the praying you did on Sunday."

something like did. more free time for shopowners i guess.

Sabine Grant

Glad you mentionned those facts Galiel. I have a hard time sympathizing with claims that freedom is restricted in America. Mostly due to the fact that I have lived in countries where freedom was indeed restricted. I cannot help but compare.