It is not fear but concern. As a Christian , fear is thought to be the opposite of love . Perfect love casts out fear.
I have fears but not about gay rights. I have known many homosexual people. I do not think they should be treated like lepers. I am concerned with ageism which is acceptable in the United States and has been since I was young enough to hear the slogan "never trust anyone over 30."
I am concerned that changing times mean we discount the mistakes of our elders and refuse to learn from them.Each age group is conveniently isolated from the next. Divide and conquer. It has not always been this way. It was not this way a generation ago.
If we do not know elderly people: we can put them down like you would an aging animal. This decision should always remain with the one doing the dying. I have been involved in elder rights long before I became elder and long before Sarah Palin's hysterical death panel commit .
I have helped put people down a week before Christmas so the holiday is not ruined for the family. It is easy enough to increase morphine. Actually I resisted hospice for doing this but was part of a family that made the final decision for the patient.
It bothers me that home teaching is linked with anti science. I home taught in a co op with the families of ten doctors who home taught.. This is the mid west, mind you in the midst of the Bible belt. Many were school teachers who decided they did not want their children in government schools. Three of my friends were trained and paid to teach by government schools. We pooled our resources. What happened to "it takes a village?" Would you vote to restrict all private education? My kid believes in intelligent design but also accepts evolution. We taught evolution and I refused to spen a lot of time debating the issue pro or con. I said you sort it out because it doesn't really matter to me.Each person finds their own path.
. My spouse got a BA in Science and nearly finished a MA.
None of these doctors taught our kids to dismiss evolutionary process.My kid is a science nerd and proud of it.
Many of us home taught because of studies which show that girls are often dismissed or overlooked in the classroom and males are given special attention. The teachers knew they were being studied . The cameras were on and more times males were given the opportunity to answer questions in the classroom.
I compiled a history based on women's studies when I read through the available curriculum for history and found that early American history focused on men and only included two women prior to the Civil War.
You simply cannot give a child the attention they require in a government based regime.
What really 'scares me" is that atheist cannot home teach in some states. You must declare yourself as home teaching for religious purposes. This should be fodder for atheists or gay couples who wish to teach at home but are not interested in declaring a religion.
Home education should be a right . If students fail exams or do worse academically , make some adjustments. I am certain I do not need to say that home schooled kids do better or as well as government schooled children.
I am happy there is a morning after pill and that contraceptive devices are available to sexually active teens The rise in STIs is epidemic. This makes me afraid for my grandchildren. Abortion is a private decision but should be done in the first trimester and people with religious objections should not be required to support abortion with their tax monies. It is the same with tax money that goes to kill people in the next war.
As for the "hatred' of atheists.. I know of no one who hates atheists.I like some of them and dislike some of them just like any other people group.
I know no Scientologists and I certainly don't hate any of them.You mean we hate John Travolta and half of Hollywood?
People may not want an atheist for president . More Catholics voted for JFK. The majority of blacks voted for Obama.
The majority of people in the US are not atheists. Do I think an atheist is capable of overseeing the governance of the US? I am certain they could do as well as any other American politician.
. Maybe it is a public relations problem?
I am not afraid of change. I fear stupid people. I fear people who believe the media and who refuse to research.
Many non practicing Christians do not understand evolutionary process. Many science students do not understand it , either. Science is continually being updated. I just found out I am related to a sea sponge. A few months ago I was related to a mud fish. It is just so confusing ,and last week I heard there was NO primordial soup that was possibly seeded by highly evolved space aliens. Great Caesars Ghost!
No wonder I am confused when the body of evidence is always being readmitted. I have simply stopped caring. Many of you will stop caring about this as you age. I have peace that whatever happened I am here living and breathing and that is all that really matters today.