This Country was founded as a secular Country. Then things got screwed up when we let the religious nutters into the Government. We are trying to fix that, so please don't lose hope for us.

Yes, but don't remember our very own twatt of Happy Clappy Prime Minister and his Merry ban of men and women who are destroying everything.

What I have learned while on this site is, just how failed and broken the US education system must be. Sometimes seeing levels of ignorance expressed, (Not by members generally but in the postings.) that it should be a shame for any government in the 21st century to admit to allowing. Everyone should have the right to an education which at least provides a basic understanding of the world within which they live.

Sadly you have to wonder where the next generation of educators are to come from, when you produce an uneducated generation this time, it becomes a task of trying to lift yourself by your own shoe laces. And doubly sadly, I suspect that the failing is spreading to other countries like the UK too.

Dude, thank you but our country's constitution literally mentions the separation of church and state, unfortunately current conditions are a pain in the ass, this should be corrected in November 2020. Why don't you instead worry about Morrison, a pentecostal nut case taking your country in the wrong direction? That threat is much more pressing to you Aussies I would say, than our own nut cases that will most definitely be expectorated in a few months.

I understand you, but don't worry. America is fast becoming a third world country and we have in office the right people for that job. I just read that Trump has raised another 45 million in the last quarter for his re-election campaign. Put the quarters together and you have a tremendous amount of money raised by this man who "only wants to help us." He really wants to help us bad, and so do the powers behind him. We are not in good hands and this is not Allstate.

A few more years of the current group in power (trumpie is just a figurehead) and the dreams of the xtian taliban will be fulfilled. Scary.

If just one thing had been different, I would have grown up in Australia.....sigh....

Unfortunately our current prime moron is a member of a cult and has drunk too deeply of the cool aid the religious bigotry bill is just one example. Completely corrupt. So while at the moment we are allowed to express our stance if scotty from marketing gets to stay in much longer then we won't be allowed to as it will upset the poor little cultites.

I am a Canadian who lived in Texas for 8 years in the 2000s. I thought that the Bush years were pretty bad. I had hope for the US when Obama was elected and served two terms. I was shocked Trump won the last election. I thought secular liberal ideals would blossom as younger generations became adults. I was wrong. However, it is important to note that there are liberal minded secularists in pockets of the US. Trump as played to the religious and ethnic divides every chance he gets to stir up hatred for the sake of power. I also think he does it for the sake of pure drama as if he is staring on a reality TV show. The show would be a comedy if it was not reality. Trump's character would make a great cartoon villain and he provides plenty of humorous content for the late night talk shows.

Growing up in a small farming community in central Minnesota I used to joke we had two races....Catholics and Lutherans. There was a fair amount of animosity between the 2. Catholic parents got especially concerned if their kid was dating a Lutheran. Because....they’re just so different ‍

The British North American Colonies were founded, at least in part, as a dumping ground for religious undesirables. And we've been stuck with them ever since!

So what's up with the new "Religious discrimination Law?"

Some of us don't hide.

See what happens when you throw off the yoke of British rule! Hard right religion and no national health service free at the point of need cradle to the grave hahaha.
Fair enough, I think we'll be in line for becoming the 52nd State in another 367 days. Porto Rica having the 51st position reserved for them.

Thanks it will be a struggle

I happen to live in a part of the UI.S. which, at least in the larger cities of the Pacific Northwest, doesn't really discriminate against secularists. Actually I didnt' really experience religious disrimination all hta tmuch when I lived in Los Angeles either.

I also have a brother who lives in the state of Kansas. I have never gone to visit him, in part, because of where he lives, and in part because h eis one of my siblings who hangs onto the religion we were raised in (Mormon). I never visited my oldest sister when she lived in Utah either.

Thank you. It might even be a good idea to move to Australia.

as a Canadian I have the same feeling about hiding these things.... what is up with that..... seems like Agnostic and atheists are secrets...

Australia has a Conservative government. You think Americans are not as tolerant and accepting of diversity as Australians are? Which part of the U.S. did you experience third world beliefs?

Oklahomans do discriminate but I have found my tribe where I can be open and comfortable. I have always been open about it and I am sure it cost me promotions at work but my big mouth in many areas would have done that anyway.

Thank you! As an American with friends all over the world, it becomes obvious how idiotic we appear and are as a nation. When I live stream with other atheist the conversation always turns to aweful American beliefs and how Aussies pee without getting the ceiling wet!

My sympathies. It never ceases to amaze me why people can't see the disconnect between technology in a first world country, driven by science, and a belief in hocus pocus.

Still, at least in the US you can come out as an atheist, as
unpopular as it may be. My further sympathies go out to those who cannot come out, for fear of severe punishment.

As an American atheist since age 13, I have never felt a need to hide my lack of belief. My dating profile states I'm an atheist. Telling people helps normalize it.

My Christian friends love me for who I am. We don't talk about religion.

I believe that religious people are trying to pass third world beliefs in aussie. Correct me if I'm wrong.

All the ignorant superstition has been exacerbated with the election of Don John the Con Trump as President. In three short years, our mentally I’ll President has erased all the progress and hard earned gains in science, civil rights, women’s rights, and single handedly transported our nation from the 1st quarter of the 21st century to the middle of the 20th century. I have always been bothered by the smug exceptionalism of my countrymen, but now I’m downright ashamed to be American. Our citizens have lost the ability to distinguish truth from lies or worse, simply don’t care. #Proudagnostic.