Yeah, that certainly makes some excellent and valid points, but unfortunately, I made many of them to him, and he dismissed them all.  And though everything on that page is accurate, the fact that it's from the Freedom from Religion Foundation might turn him off.  But it has some things I didn't know, like about McCarthyism influencing our motto and the Pledge of Allegiance.  I'll try to mention some of them to him some time, assuming he doesn't act like a complete horse's ass again. 

 Thanks!

Whoa, you just gave me a flashback of when I lived at home.  Here it is 18 years later and my dad still has those same issues only I don't even try anymore.  I hope that you can get through to him but if not, try to not let him piss you off so bad.  Sorry but he sounds like an irrational ass for throwing stuff at you.  Just like a xtian to use that sort of behavior like that will convince you to turn to their way of *believing. (I was going to say *thinking, but remembered, xtians don't think).

Does he know:

The words "under god" weren't added to the pledge until the 1950's?

The words "in God we trust" weren't added to our currency until the 1950's?

The founding fathers were Deists and not Christians?

He might find those facts interesting. Unless he just refuses to think about them. 

DrTerwilliker, your post made me smile - not laugh - just smile and shake my head.  Easter 2007 resulted in a screaming match between me and my sister and her husband.  Most of the screaming was coming from them and they did the same thing to me as your dad by constantly interrupting me.  The topic of the "discussion" was the same - Christian Nation.

Now, since I am not as young as you, I had the advantage of leaving, which upset my mother but I did not care.  When I got home I sent my sister an e-mail outlining the argument and systematically refuted each point since I was unable to do that in person due to the screaming.  I never did get a response from her and she has never brought the issue up again.  I did get some fun cartoon pictures of John Wayne making anti-gay statements e-mailed to me - (eyeroll - yeah, that is the mentality I am dealing with here)

It sounds like you wrote this mainly to vent and you should - it helps!  Next time, try to avoid religious discussions with friends and family unless you are sure they are going to be able to calmly discuss it.  Seems as though these are the main people you would want to help educate, but they are also the most frustrating and it can end up causing permanent damage to a relationship.  I am not saying that you should give up altogether, but as you have already discovered, it isn't easy.  Keeping your temper in check is most important and don't be afraid to walk away from the discussion before it deteriorates.  You can always walk into your room and punch a pillow to let off some steam - hee hee.

Been there.  Done that. 

First, don't let 'em get you hot under the collar.  Getting upset and screaming only makes them think they've "won".

Second, when he interrupts the first time, let him.  When it's your turn and he interrupts again, simply interrupt him and say something to the effect, "Please don't interrupt.  I let you speak.  Please let me make my point." 

When he interrupts you again (and he will), hold up your finger* and quietly say, "It's my turn now.  Please let me finish."

When he interrupts you a third time (and he will), interrupt him and say (continue to quietly speak when he tries to interrupt again), "If you won't let me complete a sentence, it's obvious you're not interested in having a two way conversation.  If I'm not allowed to share my thoughts and ideas, I guess there's no point in continuing.  This makes me sad because I really felt like you thought I was an intelligent person and might have something to share."

*Don't hold you hand up in a STOP! motion because that could be construed as rude.  Just hold up a finger like "Wait a minute, please."

There's no guarantee that will work, but it's a start.

The best alternative, though, is to avoid the subject with your father.

What pisses me off about Christian revisionists is that they dont understand that if they succed in pushing mor "Jesus" in government then sectarian squabbles will rise as to "which Jesus" runs our government.

These morons do not have any historical perspective about how dogmatic laws were before the revolution. If a Catholic moved to a Baptist area of the cononies they would be subject to Baptist based laws and it would be more difficult for them, if not impossible to partisipate in politics of that area.

Freedom of religion did not start with the Mayflower. It is true that those people moved to this contenent to excape the opression of th King(not just for religious reasons) but their intent was not to establish freedom for everyone, but freedom for their own sect. The colonies were just as tribalistic as Europe.

It wasnt untill Jefferson and Paine and the likes thereof that the concept of leaving religion up to the individual that the seeds of religious freedom came about.

What these revisionists want will not give them freedom, it will create a monopoly distroying freedom to those outside that monopoly. It will foster more division and more infighting as to "which version" and certainly does not nor will ever accomidate those outside the label "Christian" in any case.

To all reading this and especially Chrisitans. Pointing out the need for a neutral goverment is not a call on atheists behalf to use goverment to force the end of Christianity. That is absurd and there are many Christians who do understand "Jefferson's wall" and it's importance.

Freedom of reliigon does not intitle Christians to a monopoly on political power and does not intitle them to pretend that Jesus is our only president.

The founders were a varieity of beliefs and NOT ALL OF THEM WERE CHRISTIAN. Most were deists. They did value the mind of the individual and believed that religion was up to you, NOT THEM.

Pointing this out does not make us facists. It is actually saving all religion from a future theocracy by demanding goverment neutrality. I get really sick of the pathetic attempt of some Christians claiming that "secularist" is a dirty word when the reality is secularism is exactly what gives both the atheist and Christian their freedom.

By leaving religion out of law making it allows people to decide what laws are without getting intagled over who's god did what and which version has the right to make OUR LAWS.

It doesnt require Jesus or Allah or Vishnu to make speed limit laws. And OUR constitution makes no mention of Jesus. You DO have freedom of religion and that is not in dispute by any atheist.

What we are tired of, and so are many people who hold a religion, are the attempts by revisionists place all outside their sect at the back of the bus.

No one should be out to opress anyone. But no one has the right to use goverment to state what god I or you should believe in. No one has the right to use goverment property and funds to errect monuments to Jesus or Allah or Vishnu.

Revisionists mistake inforsment of "time place and context" as an outright ban. That is pure bullshit.

Goverment institutions such as schools and courtrooms are not churchs, mosques or synogouges. Pointing this out does not make us facists.

360,000 private sector houses of worship that are not owned by the government . Look in the phone book under "churches". That phone book is not printed by the goverment. Listen to any major TV network or your local radio station on Sunday morning. Thousands upon thosands of tv and radio media PRIVATLY OWNED not owned or un by the goverment.

Countless religious websited on the internet NOT OWNED OR RUN BY THE GOVERMENT. Newspaper, magazines, books, billboards, business marquees.

ALL THIS MEDIA concumed by the public independant and seperate from the goverment.

SO GET YOUR COLLECTIVE HEADS OUT OF YOUR ASSES! NO ONE IS OUT TO OPRESS YOU!

We just want the theocratic assholes to stop pretending that there is a "Chrisitan use only" sign on the White House or Supreme Court doors.

If it were that important to the founders that Jesus ran our goverment, why the failure to mention specifically "Christianity" or |"Jesus".

If it were true then why do we have Jews and a Muslim in our Congress who were NOT required to swear in on a bible? 

Your rights are not being violated by secularists(including christian secularists) THAT no religion is intitled to make laws based on their religion and that OUR LAWS are based on common consensus, not common label or common dogma.

A neutral goverment does not equall a godless country. If you think there is a lack of freedom of religion PLEASE FUCKING READ THE LIST OF AVAILABLE PRIVATE SECTOR MEDIUMS AVALABLE TO YOU.

Stop being whiny crybabies because people are finally standing up and saying, "We are Americans too". 

I am not going to sit idoly by while people atempt to turn back the clock to days of theocratic tribalism. These morons will, if Americans are apathetic, within a few generations, turn this free country into another Middle East.

If you want your freedom to be a Catholic, Baptist, Jew or any other label, the best way to keep goverment out of your personal beliefs is to ask them to refrain from chosing sides. That is your belief, NOT THEIRS!

That is all secularists are saying and I am tired of the bullshit that somehow "secularists" equate to Hitler and ovens. Grow up assholes and realize that all we are saying is that your religion and your sect is not the only one that exists in this country.

Our founders believed the best way to protect everyone's religious freedom is to take a "hands off" aproach where the individual took care of that issue on their own time with their own resources. Stop twisting that to mean that evil atheists are out to have Christians burned at the stake. BULSHIT!

The Consitution is just as important to atheists and it is also bullshit to say that only people who believe in "Jesus" can protect it and all others are merely government ATMs that "Christians" allow to live here as guests.

I am not merely a guest. I was born in this country and anyone ANYONE, who is in good legal standing has the right to compete, not only in business, but in politics as well ALL THE WAY UP TO THE TOP as per

"NO RELIGIOUS TEST" UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION!

What part of that do some not understand? There is no requirement for me to swear to Allah, or Yahwey or Vishnu in OUR CONSTITUTION, so why would Jesus be any different? 

In conclusion. And let me repeat! NO ONE IS OUT TO GET YOU! But we do get tired of your bullshit claim that "Jesus" and not humans, make up OUR GOVERNMENT! GROW THE FUCK UP AND GET OVER IT! Your religion is not the only one in this country and you are not intitled to the drivers seat by proxy. You must compete for it and cannot exclude others from competing based on religious label.

BOO HOO, MOMMY, THE BIG BAD SECULARSTS WONT ALLOW ME MY PETTY THEOCRATIC MONOPOLY........BOO HOO! 

Whenever I do that, half the time the other party says something to the effect of: "This isn't fair, you are asking me questions with sole intent of trapping me in a corner"

 Yeah... no shit!