I just don't get it

[emjay]

You're welcome   I'm sorry to hear that but at least you're free now   Looking at your profile... location: bible belt hell...

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 and your earlier post, I think I probably had it a lot easier you and that would explain it - I think if I'd lived in that sort of environment - your mere mention of Westboro sent shivers down my spine - I think I would have took 46 years as well or longer. I'm from the UK and as far as I know, there's no such thing as a bible belt here, and nothing even resembling it. My family are fundamentalists in the sense that they are completely unshakeable in their beliefs, and in their stance on homosexuality, but the actual form of the religion they follow is quite 'progressive' (as opposed to the orthadox churches like the Catholic Church or the Church of England)... happy clappy Baptists, Joyce Meyer type stuff... so most of my childhood was filled with the laying of hands, "carpet time" as Randy put it, and speaking in tongues. There wasn't/isn't a prohibition on science or anything like that, as you described, in fact my dad has a degree in physics and is very much interested in all types of science. In terms of level of belief I think my dad has more faith than all of the preachers I've ever seen put together... I've never met anyone else like him in that respect so in that regard I'd call him a fundamentalist, but he's not a fire and brimstone type Christian by any stretch of the imagination. He'll always forgive me, but he'll never accept the homosexual part of me. But he does love me, and as long as the issue of homosexuality stays firmly 'out of sight, out of mind', we get on like a house on fire because we're actually very similar in nature and have similar interests (plus we take the piss out of each other like nobody's business ). Anyway, so I was just saying really that our situations are a bit different and it looks like you've had to deal with a much more oppressive and perhaps even physically dangerous environment... being in Fred Phelps land...

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so major kudos for breaking free from that, no matter how long it took  

Thanks, Emjay.  I appreciate it.  Got my DNA tested . . . 96% British Isles, the rest is French and German and Basque . . . and I have had moments when I'm a little miffed at my very brave ancestors for crossing the pond!  You Brits seem so much more sane in many respects.  I'm glad that you still have your parents in your life, even tho' things must get a little strained at times.  Chin up!  I look forward to reading your posts here!

Hiya drfuzzy... I'm sorry I haven't replied sooner   I've been busy packing all day long because I'm moving out in two days, at least for a few months... finally going to spread my wings for the first time in my life 

That's interesting, I've never thought of having my DNA tested like that. I'm half English, half Irish as far as I know, but a test like that might reveal more. Yeah it's a tough one... American history has always been enchanting to me but all that pretty much went out the window when I read the God Delusion and learned what it was really like in some places, both in its oppression of atheists and - from a different book... but one which painted a remarkably similar picture - homosexuals.

I don't know about saner It would be interesting to understand why America developed like that in some places, and we didn't, but as it stands I haven't got a clue

As for my parents, it's okay. We get on well enough most of the time. I used to be quite a handful, not exactly a gay activist... or not much of one ...but out and proud and writing to and talking with MPs about gay issues and stuff like that. Into gay rights... though I've never been on a Pride march. But I've kind of settled down since then, for the sake of a quiet life, so we don't get into it as much as we used to.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to reading your posts too, and again I'm sorry I didn't reply sooner. I wanted to but there was just so much to do and by the end of the day I was (and am) completely shattered.