Thanks, Pauline!

My background is Irish/English/Scottish/Belgian and my brother was married to a Portuguese woman, my other brother is married to a Hungarian woman, my sister and I are married to Dutch/Indonesian men, my nephew is married to a Turkish woman.  My cousin had a baby with a Native American woman, I think she's Sioux, another cousin is married to an African-American man,  another cousin adopted 2 babies from South America. I don't know what else the future of my family will be but we're all American.

Hi Pauline, While I thank you for posting this I must point out the following: 1. This was written and passed around the net not long after 9/11 so it has been around a while. 2. It containes some inacceracies and misconceptions about the U.S. For example: He says: "An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God." Sadly, this is NOT true! Were it true, then MOST American Athiests (and there are MANY MILLIONS of us) would not be SO AFRAID of what Christians would do to them if they knew they were Atheists, they would be very open about being Atheists. Some American Atheists are even AFRAID to tell their own families and friends the truth about their beliefs. NEXT, because so many people are clueless about or war in Iraq, I wish to point out the following: First, any intelligent, and rational person who has paid SUFFICIENT attention to what has been going on over there knows our war in Iraq is fully justified and a necessary part of our war on terror. Second, Yes, the U.S. has made some errors and so what? There is nothing we can do to correct the past. Third, while there would have been some violence between the Shia and the Sunni caused by extreamists on both sides, it would have been minimal had it not been for the actons of al Qaeda, other terrorist groups, Syria and Iran. Forth, In 1996, when bin laden declared war on the United States, he said civilians were also considered the enemy. Fifth, The war that is NOT about just Iraq. bin laden has published long range plans to establish a world wide Caliphate and putting all those still alive under a Taliban form of rule. There are 100,000,000 Molsem extremists have said they will support this goal with their lives. (This is MORE than FIVE times more people than the US had "under arms" during WWII.) Bin Laden KNEW he could not fight the US IN the US and so the the intent of 9/11 was to draw us into a war IN the Middle East. Which he did and I for one would much rather be fighting terrorist there where we set up to fight them. The facts are we are killing at least 30 of the bad guys for every one of us we have lost. It is bin laden's goal to have both Iraq and Afghanistan as bases to train their terror groups. Iran is furnishing a lot of aid to terror groups in Iraq. ANYONE with a fully functioning brain and sufficient knowledge of what is going on, knows pulling out of Iraq before we have accomplished our goals there is NOT an option. This following forum has up-dated information on Iraq, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Afghanistan and the Middle East. There is already a LOT of information in it now and there will be more as time goes on. I hope you will take the time to read the various articles and learn what is going on over there. -- http://community.adlandpro.com/forumShow.aspx?ForumID=10649 Thanks for your time. Neil

Hi Bea,
so nice to see you back and enjoying this post; luv the graphic dear lady !! :-)

bless you

Pauline R

Hi Neil,
good to see you here my friend :-) !

Sure this must have been around for some time now I guess, but its the first time I've got to see it, and from the posts here I see that its for them too.

Now about the points you've made:-

you say

2. It containes some inacceracies and misconceptions about the U.S.

For example:

He says: "An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God."

Sadly, this is NOT true!
Were it true, then MOST
American Athiests (and there are MANY MILLIONS of us) would not be SO AFRAID of what Christians would do to them if they knew they were Atheists, they would be very open about being Atheists.

It appears that  you have been a victim of such abuse, and this I do feel for you my friend. Believe me it is your free will to believe what you want and to be who you want and no one can take that away from you. I ask you one question here Neil, and that is whom do you think are Christians? What you have had to undergo must be pretty horrible to see you thinking like this today. However my friend, I hope what I have to say here changes even one atom of how you think.then I will consider myself lucky and Ive gained a friend for life.. Believe me brother, anyone who looks down on another IS NOT A CHRISTIAN..so quit calling those who persecuted you  christians.Now I know you will take me back to the Old testament and quote scripture from there, but thats a whole new debate we can take to another forum right?? :-) ok so......here the topic is FREEDOM AND WHO IS AN AMERICAN.... so freedom is ....heres what I think of freedom....I would like to think that real freedom comes from within..THINK FREE AND YOU WILL BE FREE..the past has a very weird way of holding us in bondage and robing us of happiness and fulfillment. YOU are an athiest Neil, then be happy being one..show everyone around you that without God in your life, you are one happy, healthy, and thriving human being..What do you hope to achieve when you over and over again keep saying 'you christians' do this and do that..etc .etc; The Moslem world too is full of terror and treachery, Indian history teaches us too that  there was persecution and terror under certain rules;even today there are places in India where insensitivity to certain religions exist ! so does that mean we will sit and cling on to those evil times and give up what life has to offer now ?? I  would say move on Neil, I wont say forget, because I know thats not possible if the extent of your suffering was so great...but this my friend I would like to see you do..times have changed, people have grown,,and as I know every TRUE CHRISTIAN will agree with me here that you are loved, and respected for who you are and  the freedom to choose to be who you are, is a choice that only YOU make.

The topic about terrorism and war in Iraq etc; is very debatable and I would not like to go there at all.  However I respect your views on this issue. Remember all humans dont have the same mental  capacity to fathom things around them, thats why we think differently. It does not give us the liberty to redicule anyone who cannot think like us !

Take care Neil my friend, I luv ya as you are, and oh, remember I am a CHRISTIAN  :-)

your friend always

Pauline R

Hey there Kathleen, sorry I skipped your post, didnt meanto  dear, :-)

wow from the looks of your family, I see you are a true American !!!!! its really something to celebrate ! its unique to be so diverse. ask me I know that too !!

take care  and stay blessed

Pauline R