Hi, Slag'

I really don't want this to get out of hand and cause hurt feelings: I do tend to enjoy arguing.

I am in Canada, and don't see US print media, so you have me there. But I see more than enough American news television, and frankly don't recall seeing any anti-Christian rhetoric. Au contraire, my impression is that news people and commentors frequently mention God, praying, and miracles (which is less likely on any Canadian news). I would really like to see stats on vandalism of churches/synagogues AND mosques: I realize they might be hard to come by. At least can you describe these "ideological attacks"?

Of course it happens, it does here on occasion. Synagogues and sometimes mosques are vandalized by white power/neonazi idiots, who usually self-identify as Christians. Most vandalism of Christian venues is done by thieves and young idiots who think overturning gravestones is funny.

My notion of a Fundamentalist Christian includes the following: believes in Biblical inerrancy, therefore believes among other things: in a 7 day creation including Eve from a rib; in a global Flood; in a young earth; in homosexuality as an abomination; in women submitting to men; and also opposes on moral grounds abortion, same sex marriage, books with 'magical' themes (or homosexual themes, or evolution supporting themes, etc.). Twenty or thirty? You really ought to go read a few of the more gigantic American Christian forums. An eye-opener.

Quote: "You fail to name that "loudest and most influential sect" either "under Bush"

I said 'sects', not 'sect', and Bush's Methodism is secondary to his constant references to God, talking to God, and his obvious early efforts to elicit approval from the Christian Right: if there is no such thing, and has no influence, why seek its votes? Those non-existent people almost got an anti same sex marriage law passed, did they not?

You know better what is going on in your own country, but, media spin or not, people around the world see, or at least their perception is, that a huge percentage of Americans are very religious, don't think evolution is true, still favour use of the death penalty, and as a nation are insular and uneducated about the world.

I knew that was the art you were thinking of - now really, out of the millions of artworks produced that year, one artist's output was disgusting and blasphemous. I hardly see that as a trend. I hardly saw it as art at the time, either, but that's beside the point. Of course it was done to provoke, and was in extremely bad taste, but you know what? I am much more repulsed by graphic televised depictions of rape, murder and mutilation - it literally makes me feel ill. I don't plan to try to ban such depictions, however.

Quote: "Your points do represent how many people view and think about the Christian religion: prejudicial, biased and very generalized which is to say not a fair characterization at all."

Slag, I could as easily accuse you of the same, in that you seem to see no harm in any of it. Perhaps we'd best get back to talkin' music. ;-)