@onedayatatime Goes to show why we should not be "friends" with Saudi Arabia...they are the worst in human rights and the fact that they murdered a journalist for speaking out is something else to be cautious of...we do not want to follow in their foot steps of putting down dissenters for having a difference in beliefs...the wanna be king in the WH wouldn't mind if we all bowed down to him as our new god

@onedayatatime Exactly....to me, there is no difference in promoting Christian rule or Sharia rule...both are equal in harm to individual rights...

@onedayatatime I am sure that we all have our stories on those who believe this...I appreciate your comments and sharing of your experience...it just further strengthens my non-belief in all religions.

@onedayatatime Very true. A terrible thing about Saddam Hussein is he had thousands murdered every year to keep the peace and the likes of Islamic State subjugated. Replace the 'evil' and what comes to replace it?

@onedayatatime It isn't politically correct to say so. A British general who was administering the region during the interwar years quoted a Roman general who had done the same. "If I could carry out an atrocity once a month, I could keep the peace". Sometimes it is human nature to just be a 'pain in the arse' culturally. I'll have to dig out exactly where that quote came from soon. Of course Rome predates Islam.

@onedayatatime All too bloody often ends up that way. As a student of the Social Sciences, I'd love to find out why we it carry out. I think of the line from a song. "War! Yeah! What is it good for?" Then start making a list... I've been involved in the periphery of the Irish Troubles, shot at, and bombed a couple of times as a civilian target.

@onedayatatime No, and US foreign policy paved the way for the theocracy in Iran. The US government should stop supporting dictators and overthrowing democratically elected governments in favor of monied US interests.

while I think you are probably right I don't think I would mention it to the general public

@btroje I have no reason to even in the USA...it never comes up...I have discussed my atheism with people from Syria and Iran on an intellectual level...they actually take it better than those I know of the Christian faiths...

@thinktwice yeah, it is not a common topic for me anywhere

@onedayatatime As I stated, why would anyone even mention religion even when traveling to any country? I have never been asked in any of my travels. I think a general rule is that you don't go to countries where there is hostility to you first as an American or westerner...the assumption being that you are of Christian faith....the USA puts out countries where travel is not advised without reason. I am not going there because I don't take chances not because of my atheism but because I am a hated "American christian"...

@thinktwice a lot of people do things that do not follow any logical rules

@btroje Who are you talking about? Travelers or those who work in these countries? What are you referencing when you make that statement. Please expound what you mean by " logical rules" and who "people" are.

@thinktwice chill out. all your responses assume people operate by logical rules all the time. this is just a casual conversation

@thinktwice I am talking about humanity wherever they may live

@btroje I simply asked you to explain so I could further understand your comment. If you are unable to do so and think I need to chill, then I consider my conversation with you over. I never assume logic by the masses.I was speaking singularity with my experience in travel...

@onedayatatime I have pictures of Iran, Syria, Lebanon and others that do indeed prove that these beautiful and progressive countries have fallen into tyranny. My beloved Turkey is going in the same direction. I was hoping to visit at least once before it does...maybe this fall...