i don't speculate on who is going to be in heaven or hell. that is a personal thing.

but as far as your judgement of CPC's goes... if someone makes broadbrush, overgeneralized statements and assumptions of a minority group based on the actions of a few members of said group, you would call that person an ignorant racist. you do the same thing in regards to CPC counselors (who are generally christians) and it is acceptable? still seems ignorant and presumptive to me.

i am sorry that your niece dealt with ignorant fools, but that does not mean that all CPC's are the same.

What exactly do you think "crisis pregnancy counselors" actually do? For the most part they are Christians (as you admit) who try to talk women out of getting abortions because it is "morally wrong." Do you think they care if that is the best decision for the woman or girl involved? No, they just don't want anyone to have an abortion, regardless of the situation, and for the most part their arguments are based on religion. To me, that's promoting an agenda--not helping people.

I'm sure the counselors you know are sweet as hell to you at church on Sunday, but have you ever sat before one of 'em as a confused teenager looking for OBJECTIVE answers to your questions? Perhaps you might see the situation in a different light if you had.

The opposite of fundamentalism is feminism.

I am adamantly pro choice, which is pro woman, a woman has the right to choose what happens to her body. This is a personal, private medical issue.

Unwanted pregnancies will ALWAYS occur. Women will ALWAYS have abortions, always NEED abortions. The idea that we "just need to get back to chastity" (which I actually heard uttered by a prolife representative on the radio 2 weeks ago) When was that exactly? Are we talking belts here? I worry when the good old days are medieval.

So I've been thinking about the idea that the opposite of fundamentalism, here, in Kabul, in Tehran, is Feminism. Anyone else out there consider themselves a feminist?

Not since the definition of feminist somehow morphed into "Man-hating (lesbian) bitch".

But then I'm also not ashamed of having been born Caucasian.

Yeah, I need a good working definition of "feminism".

Feminist= Man hating lesbian bitch....hmmm. sounds like someone is hopped up on the fear-based, misogynistic Limbaugh soundbyte. That's no definition. Supporting women's human rights doesnt deny men theirs. Get over it.

From the dictionary:
American Heritage
Feminism:
1. Belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes.
2. The movement organized around this belief.

Princeton:
1: a doctrine that advocates equal rights for women
2: the movement aimed at equal rights for women

Actually I developed my ideas regarding feminism during the ERA campaigns.

Flavored by being hoodwinked with a "Social Psychology" course that turned out to be "feminist social psychology."

I am woman, hear me roar, without the need to have some sort of affirmative action programs to get me ahead.

Yeah, but you're strong. A lot of women are...easily impressed (myself). I admire you. You've no need for nonsense bullshit man-stuff. A lot of women, apparently, do need this. You can't count yourself amongst the rabble. You, wolf, are a different breed of woman.

supporting human rights for women makes you a feminist? i thought it was just part of being an intelligent, unbiased individual.

Well, obviously man-hating lesbian bitches will be feminists. But that does not imply that a feminist is a man-hating lesbian bitch. Equivalently, all environmentalists aren't eco-terrorists, all pro-choice people don't try to browbeat people into having abortions, all abortion prohibitionists aren't shooting doctors, all NRA members aren't in the Michigan Militia, all gun-control avocates aren't looking for a complete ban on guns, all Christians aren't Bush supporters, and all Muslims aren't terrorists.

A black and white view of the world doesn't provide much insight.

Well, hell! Happy Monkey, you took all the fun away!

So you are a feminist! Surely you've enjoyed some of the needed action....like the campaign for your right to vote, or your education, or investment in medical research regarding your body.... You might not agree with all the tactics, but you seem to support the acknowlegement of your basic rights. And that makes you the most common, powerful, non lesbian bitch type , (Ok with maybe shades of Annie Oakley), Feminist.

"feminist" is a word for intelligent and unbiased in one particular issue. It is, of course, unfortunate that such a word was ever necessary, but stupidity and bias is very strong, and has to be chipped away one issue at a time.

I love men who are feminists. :) As they are generally, intelligent and fair and loving.