Shake

Welcome to both Josie and Zora!

Zora, where are you from originally? I'm in upstate NY, but did several years in SC while in the USAF, so I know about those attitudes you're talking about. Are the race issues bad there, too?

It's so nice to see that we've got a such a good age range of users here: low teens to 70+ (IIRC)! Impressive, and exciting!

livius drusus

Hi Zora. I hope you don't mind that I have split your segment into its own introduction thread. Welcome to IIDB.

Zora

Thanks, everyone. I feel so much better hearing from you all. It has been quite awhile since I have had so much positive input, and I surely needed it.

I was born in Massachusetts, where my ancestors were in the Revolution....with patriotism instilled in my from birth. Part of that patriotism included the belief that religious freedom was for everyone...not just the various denominations of Christians! My father's family shunned religion beginning with the Civil War and the rise of agnostacism that was then taking place in Western Mass and New York. Then, the local economy went bad and my Dad moved the family to Florida to work in the missile industry during the late 50's and 60's. It was a small town, and the Bible crowd descended on us as soon as we arrived. Dad took it as long as he could, but then told them all we would not be attending. It was kind of ugly at times even back then but I was a kid, loved and protected at home, so it didn't matter much.

I married an Air Force man and we lived in a multi-cultural environment until coming here. Part of the plan is to go up closer to K.C. in Missouri...near Whiteman AFB and build a place where there are others who know the mention of Buddhism isn't going to cause them to go blind and that God isn't going to strike them dead for having the occasional atheist at their garden party.

I have tried the asking questions thing, but once the "discussion" degenerates to telling me I am an instrument of , or possessed by, Satan.. I find not much use. It only works on rational people who know they don't know all the answers.

In the meantime, I'm glad to hear from you all. You are just what I needed!

Beetle

Welcome, Zora! Sorry you're running into so many idiots in Missouri (that's what happens when you leave New England!)

Maybe you can head up the Internet Infidels -- Missouri Synod?

Zora

I was asked about race issues here. Well..there aren't many non-whites here. There is the occasional Asian, usually a war bride but they are "out of sight, out of mind" since the few aren't Christian so not in church. In this county, there are virtually no blacks. There is the occasional mixed-race child (whose mother is of course a whore, or trash, etc., etc. according to the disapproving locals). If you do find someone who doesn't share these sentiments, it is off limits to mention they exist, because they feel personally attacked somehow, through guilt I guess.

Yes, I do miss New England! Am I to assume there are just as many irreverant folks there as ever? And Europe! We spent a little time in England, plus knew some RAF guys in the states. What a great bunch of people. Funny and irreverant. I love it!

Well, I'm not sure about starting an Infidels contingent here. In the course of the fundy discussion, I was warned to shut up. Don't know if that was a suggestion to save my soul, or my life. I can't believe I'm the only Infidel here. I guess the rest just got warned earlier than I.

G.P. Hanes

I feel your pain. Southern Missouri--the land of country music shows and white supremacists (and meth labs!).

Yes, definitely move north, closer to Kansas City. We're still in the bible belt, but at least there's more diversity.

dangin

Hi Zora, I don't know how far east or south in Mizzou you are, but the Kansas City area is not tragic. I, sitting 120 yards from Missouri, live on the Kansas side, but you can find areas here that are pretty educated and enlightened. Lawrence, KS to southern KC, Kansas, to the Plaza and Westport in Kansas city are all right. The area around the art institute is good. There are pockets of safety for our kind. Perhaps Columbia MO is OK, I'm not certain, but it should be a more educated city than most in this geographic congregation of hicks we call home.

Clutch

Holy cow. Writing from a university town in Canada, it's hard to believe the place you describe is on the same planet -- never mind a day and half away by car.

Anyhow, welcome to II!

Zora

Yes, that was my feeling exactly as all this stuff began to unfold. I just couldn't believe it! I still find it nearly incomprehensible. I do believe Columbia is OK too....they have a Freethought club at the University there. We need to be fairly near a military base in order to take advantage of husband's hard-earned retirement benefits and bases are usually in really bad, really flat places. (I like hills, like my birthplace had.) So, Warrensburg is probably it. But, we won't be far from KC, and they are bound to have a Freethought Society. Glad to see that others have a similar observation of Missouri so people know I'm not making it up.

DMB

Zora, you really have my sympathy. It really sounds like hell on earth!

It's a curious fact that extreme fundies who focus on a wonderful heaven in a putative afterlife seem to be ultra-keen on making everyone else's life a misery. Just like the Taleban fundies in Afghanistan or dear Osama. They apparently think their god will reward them for being totally negative.