Hello. Am I the only german here?

[Something completely different]

Welcome from a German-American if that's close enough (some Scottish, English and French as well).

hey, i am always amazed of how all americans seem to keep track of their ancestors.
I know my dad is british, my mum`s austrian and somewere in the late 18th century my great great great great grandpa was a polish man who served in the austrian army, during the napoleonic wars. but that`s all i know

Glad to hear things are so much easier in Europe. No surprise from all I've heard. There was a time when people fled the religious madness in Europe to come to America, a secular haven at that time. I think we were the first to separate church from state and forbid any religious tests for office in our Constitution.

i dont mean any offence but, i learned at school (when i was at school) that the first settlers who came to "new england" were radical calvinists who had fled the war of the roses in great britain and wanted to found a fundermentalist state.
But yea your constitution is defenatly one wich seperates religion and state and your nation was defenatly founded as such. people oftern forget that historicaly at that time (late 18 th century) the enlightenment swept all across the western world, and nations such as prussia, the united provinces of the netherlands, habsburg austria (under emperor josef the second) and the united kingdom; all created constitutions wich seperated religion and state.

How ironic that things have changed so much. As we say over here, "the shoe is now on the other foot". Please save a place for us in Europe if things get much worse over here.

oh i dont think things have changed that much. i believe our culture is simply different. i remember a american evangelical preacher coming to tour around germany and people hated him.
he protested infront of abortion-clinics by swearing and intimedating those who entered (in german culture that is considered a gross violation of someones private life), he made a preach-music-event in wich he preached "if hitler could get together so many people then i can to in the name of jesus" - number one rule in german social life NEVER compare yourself to hitler no matter how good or bad you intentions may be, and then he denied evolution wich we as a country who has a former scientist as chancelor and is very proud of it`s scientific faculties rejected. evangelical calvinism i believe simply doesnt fit into german culture.

No surprise that piety is directly proportionate to stupidity, as you've pointed out. Religion stifles the search for real answers and suppresses the free exchange of ideas. Societies only advance when they shed the shackles of faith.

Oh it`s grotesk! in some european countries the catholic church actualy still has a major influence in politics by defining the conservative parties parylines like for example in spain or italy. for most europeans religious doctrin is a absolute taboo in politics

In the long run, I think America will become more like Europe. The younger generation doesn't subscribe as much to religion and non-belief seems to be spreading. If we can just keep the older generation from destroying the planet between now and when we take over, we'll be fine.

oh believe me not everything shines and sparkles here. we still have a lot of problems (and i dont only mean the currentcrisis), but i wish you and your fellow citizens good luck in driving religion out of your congress and white house