I used to believe that it could never happen. That once we took that step forward we wouldn't go back. But now it is a real fear. And I still sometimes wonder "how in the hell is this happening?"! When are the conservatives going to wake up?

I feel it is the current Republican party's wet dream. Margaret Atwood has become one of my favorite authors

Although it deals with politics more than religion, for something truly scary, try Sinclair Lewis’s dystopian novel “It can’t happen here.” It deals with a populist fascist who was elected president and was written in 1935, 2 years after Hitler came to power in Germany. I’m reminded of this book every time Dumpster opens his mouth. You know, like when he talks about “his” justice department and wants his political enemies put in jail.

Absolutely . I have read the book and am watching the series. The series makes me so angry sometimes I have to walk away. It seems to be showing where this country is going. Terrifying . I wholeheartedly believe in separation of your church and my state.

In countries outside of USA, the more educated people are, the less religious people are. I don't understand what is happening in USA. Don't they teach critical thinking?

I'm watching the series because I believe it is possible - but it's the males of some species who are now becoming sterile. It could be that our species could end up like sea-horses - androgenous biologically. When it's time to reproduce, the female becomes a male - once fertilised she becomes a female again to bear her young.

Sleep well - take your soma!

It should be compulsory watching for all kids. Next time I'm covering "Religious Education" in a school I might just slip it in there as a suggestion.

I read the book a long time ago.
It definitely helped cultivate my subversive streak.

Political power is tied directly to birthrates. Among European-Americans, fundamentalist Christians about the only people who are at or above replacement levels when it comes to having babies. The more educated white liberals are not replacing themselves. So of course in some dystopian future where the ability to have children is critical for human survival, an order built around some kind of repressive religion is the best way to go. The Catholic Church has always pushed the doctrine of no birth control and big families. Muslims do this. Mexican-Americans also do. There is a reason old mainline Protestant denominations are dying out. The blue bloods simply are not reproducing.

And read the bios on the women on this site. A lot of them have never had children and don't want to ever have children. How is atheism as a belief system supposed to overcome that? I've fathered three children, and none of them are religious at all.