On the United States

Military family here. Many people do not fully understand the immense pressure/duties taking the military oath can be ignoring actual combat. It is not GIJoe action movie time lol.

Reisudo, your words are ringing on deaf ears. I'm not a fool, and you can't stop me. You can come up here to Richmond and try to force me, but beyond that, I'm doing what the hell I see fit. To get a work visa and citizenship in a country safe for me, an atheist, I have to get a degree. I am not paying a cent by virtue of the government, and I'm surprisingly concealed about my dislike of the US in everyday life - so nobody's the wiser. Most of the countries you're probably thinking of are no better than the US for atheists. And yeah, they shared information that should have never been classified. You're a fool, simply by virtue of you being a tool of the machine. You're a murderer, and you seem to be content in that label. I'll let you keep your opinions, your sociopathy and your high horse. I'm clear on my objective. Its clear I cannot change your mind.

I think it depends where in the USA you are... I live in the San Francisco area and it's not so bad here. Would even stay here forever if it weren't in danger of fatal earthquakes. I like it here more than Japan, mostly because of the people and western society as a whole seem a whole lot more accepting, diverse, and open-minded(Japan is extremely sexist and close-minded compared to San Francisco, and also lacks sufficient civil rights when it comes to racism).

> I think it depends where in the USA you are All parts of the USA, technically, do not provide atheists with rights. In California, regardless of how liberal it is, you still have to swear on a bible if you go before a judge. If I were to request a sutra or a copy of the state constitution to swear on, I would be automatically mistrusted and get a jury bias and judge bias off the bat. Its the same at the federal court level. And while child custody laws will never apply to me, they always discriminate against non-theists - consistently. Bush Sr. reportedly said that atheists should not be regarded as citizens. Around 50% of the US population will not vote qualified atheists for president. So why do I deserve or should be obligated to regard the US as a good country? On the subject of Japan's sexistness - its less than some US states and European countries. In all of Japan women possess reproductive and divorce rights ( IE they may both abort their fetuses and divorce men ) in some US states women lack reproductive rights, and in some European countries there is significant legal barriers, due to the Vatican's influence, for women to divorce husbands, even in the case of domestic violence. Racism in Japan, as far as I have read and been told by Japanese citizens, extends mostly to rude foreigners. 20 years ago, the country was significantly more racist towards outsiders, but today, according to them, a foreigner who adopts the culture, becomes a productive member of society and learns the language is mostly welcomed. Close-mindedness is only important if you aren't within the social norm. Other than my origin and mother tongue, I'm pretty damn compatible with Japanese culture. I am a practicing Zen Buddhist ( despite people on here trying to tell me otherwise ) I am hard working ( at jobs I've had, I have committed over 50 hours a week, consistently ) able and willing to learn the language. I also have the capacity of extreme respect in the face of disdaining someone. Why don't I do it on here? Because nobody important on here knows my name, and this user is unique, so attempting to find out who I am is very difficult - so I would not be concerned about how I conduct myself here - especially when I'm defending myself against sociopathic, narcissistic murderers.

So what's with you and your whole religion thing? I don't do religion because it's annoying and People start acting crazy. Is that all you can think about Reaper? You're always arguing with people and causing problems. We get you don't like the US and Christians and so on, but you're no better than them with all this disruptive behavior... I mean no offense, but you are a very hard person to understand.

That is sad about the bias for religion in the court. I always thought it was just the south US, but if that's how it is every state, that's bad. :( I know I'm against marriage(the religious ceremony) being a requirement to be a family, and that's another reason I'm moving out to Canada. I think that with the people not wanting to vote for atheists, that's something nobody can really change. It's inevitable in politics that there will be biased voting, for anything like religion or race. I do wish USA would separate government/politics and religion, but I guess it's part of their tradition like marriage vows. For Japan, the sexism is not really to do with politics/rights either, but I mean the society is extremely sexist. How it explain it... It is hard to explain this to someone who doesn't experience it. It's like, girls have really really strict standards in how they present themselves(it's no real law, but it's an unwritten law that if you break, you risk your social life). They are expected to be girly, fake, wear skirts/dresses, have high-pitched voices, and generally live to please men. There ARE women there who refuse those things, but they're often seen as parasites/undesirable in mens' and government's eyes(as they contribute to the low birth rate apparently). The whole housewife image of women. Well, it's not so bad in Okinawa, and maybe it's more in Tokyo(?), but I still don't like how deeply-ingrained that one-sided representation of women is still in Japan, even if it's not THAT bad now, I think USA definitely has Japan beat when it comes to womens' actual happiness and social freedom. USA girls tend to be more confident and encouraged to be expressive, and we're not pressured to wear skirts/dresses except on formal occasions, and we don't have to talk in any higher pitch than what's comfortable for us. >.<

Tori, I suppose you have a point, which I will entertain. Let me offer a counterpoint. If I keep my head down and not attempt to attract attention to myself then I will continue to be attacked and harassed. While by some morals that may be me taking the high road, at the end of the day that is how Nazi Germany started with Jews: the Nazis built up a distrust of Jews, then seized power and proceeded to systematically exterminate them, along with anyone else who doesn't meet their ideals. To me, the equivalent of the Nazi Party here is the Tea Party, and the majority of the Republican and Democratic Parties. Atheists generally have very few allies, due to infighting and disorganization between them. I think atheists should come together and either flee, as I plan to, or resist. I am tired of resistance, that's not a life to live at all. All I am concerned with is defending myself while I am anchored here. As far as the sexism goes in Japan I fully am aware of the social constraints women face. But at the same time I cannot help but agree with some of it. Not all of it, for instance I believe women have the right to work and education, but a lot of women in the US grow up spoiled and undisciplined and it shows. The birth rate issue in Japan is many folds but is primarily the fault of Westernism. Structure and order are important for society to function. But agree, Japan does have a rather strict system for women. At the same time, I would rather deal with that along with my partner, rather than be in an unsafe environment. I had my car egged this morning, likely because I pissed off a local church for making a page that revealed the pastor's past as a sex offender, wife beater and child molester. I did the right thing though, and I don't regret it.

I'm not from America, and I always here people talking crap about it. How everyone's a ccrazy ignorant shot-gun weilding redneck cowboy. America's not perfect, but truth is, you could do a lot worse. I mean, look at South Sudan, Seira Leonne and other African countries (were there is a roumer raping a virgin cures AIDS). We had an AID worker who lives in Seria Leonne tell us about it, about how drugs are easier to come by than clean water and violence is a way of survival. And south Sudan is just a war zone. Then there's middle-eastern countries, (Like Kabul) were women are treated like objects, and children are forced into marriages. America isn't perfect, but on the global scale of things it isn't all that bad.

I'm not super patriotic, but I'm thinking of joining the Army. I could get so many benefits, pay, and an education by joining it. I don't care if they send me to war. I got a family to help. I have people who need me. I'll fight on through the pain.

Ashanna, if you read most of my posts I'm referring to the US in terms of first and second world nations around the globe - if you limit it to those, its not very good. Especially for people like me. I'm alive, but me and my partner, who is Roman polytheistic, have to consistently defend ourselves from the scrutiny of the Christian majority. Darkhorse, sure, go right ahead and do what you see fit - it isn't my place to tell you otherwise. I have respect for many members of the US military, former and current. They have to show a willingness to not mindlessly slaughter people, like a few people on here have been shown to not think like that, and also respect my ideals - I don't ask for much other than recognition that I do carry valid opinions. You try living as an atheist or other minority religion in the US and maybe you'll start to see my point.