I share your mostly liberal views; however, I wouldn't want to ban the bible for two reasons:

• Banning books is so Third Reich
• The bible is a great book for promoting atheism...no, seriously.  Once a person can read it objectively, it looks an awfully lot like a contradictory amalgamation of various authors that reflect the barbarity of their times.  In other words, it starts to look like what it really is.

That said, I have recently come to share your political apathy.  I was very outspoken about my atheism in the peace group.  Some Aussie missionary lady tried to tell the peaceful demonstrators that the Iraq War was okee-dokee because so many Iraqis were finding Jesus.  Of course, I had to open my big mouth and tell her exactly what I thought of that.  She laid hands on me to bring me back to Christ, and there in the midst of all those who view non-violence almost reverently, I seriously thought about whacking her so hard she fell on her ample fanny.  

I'm not radical about non-violence.  I just want that stupid war to end.  

I tried to attend a seminar called "From Violence to Wholeness."  It totally wasn't for me.  First of all, it was based on a religious version of the same program but still reeked of religiosity.  Secondly, most of the attendees were liberal Christians.  They had a cow when I mentioned I played violent video games and enjoyed certain movies they deplored.  They all got on my case.  It was then that I realized that treating non-violence as such a high calling nearly made the group a cult.  

Violence sucks: true.  It usually begets more violence.  But to carry the idea of non-violence so far that it makes you stop killing pixelated Nazis on your PC...WTF?  I don't hurt anyone when I play those games and it's never carried over into real life...not even when that fat Aussi missionary tried to cram Jesus into my skull with her pudgy little hand. 

Lately I've come to realize that both the Democrats and the Republicans (along with the media and the corporations which run this country) are completely disconnected from what we, the people, actually want.  I called my senators and my worthless neocon Representative.  I wrote them.  I begged.  I pleaded.  And what did I get?  Nada.

The public wants the war to end.  The soldiers want the war to end.  Only the big corporations, the media, Bushco and Congress are treating it like it somehow still has merit.  Fuck that.  Congress and Prezteldent Bush do whatever they want no matter how many fucking letters, phone calls, etc. they receive.

Meanwhile, it's bread and circuses for the public.  The news media focuses on stories that don't affect but a handful of people.  Anything to do with celebrities works.  Bonus points for a missing blond woman.  Just make sure it's about something that really doesn't MATTER.  FSM forbid they should actually report about something important!  Lord, no!  The people want to be lulled into a sense of security...except when BushCo wants to play the "terra!" card.  Booga! Booga! Booga!  Sit! Lie down! Beg!  Now go to work, wage slave!  Shop, shop, shop!!! And most importantly: PLAY DEAD.  Much of the American populace has that last one down to an art form.

Fuck 'em all: The White House, Congress, Supreme Court, the media and the corporations.  And screw phoning, e-mailing and writing my Congress critters.  Shouldn't they do what's right without my holding their hand every step of the fucking way?  Even with the aid of my letters, e-mails and phone calls, most of them couldn't find their spines.  It reminds me of that old Far Side cartoon of the boneless chicken ranch, only with Democrats standing in for the floppy chickens.  Hey, either the Dems are spineless or they really offer no alternative to the corporate-driven Republicans.  Sadly, I think it may be the latter.

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Having a father as a preacher and having studied for a degree in theology I have to say that learning Greek and Hebrew and learning about the early history of the Christian church was enough for me to turn away from the Christian doctrine in disgust. I could go into a rant but I can't be bothered at present.

In short: Studying the Bible turned me away from Christianity. 

Okay, so back to the main message of this thread.

I love politics. I'm majoring in Political Science and spend a big chunk of my life writing political freelance articles for various things. My main goal? To piss off the world one person at a time.

No, really... I feel the same way some of the time about being "shunned" because of my "non-religion" as it were, but I have come to the conclusion that the only way to make people SEE atheists as a real policial arm with real political ambition and a real drive and determination to "get things done" is to stay involved no matter who looks at you weird. I also just decided one day that I just don't care if I scare people or not because of my lack of belief.

I have determined that people will see me for who I am and what my political views and thoughts are, rather than seeing me as an Atheist who has a mouth that likes to flap. To me, politics shouldn't be about religion and I think it IS about religion far too much so I try to involve it as little as possible (when I can).

If my lack of belief scares people, then maybe people need to be a little scared. If it changes how people see me, then that's their problem.

--Sarah--