Are you an ex-Christian? Atheist? Humanist? Vegetarian? Are you into Sci-fi? Backpacking? Self-reliance?

I'm just looking for like-minded people to converse with.

-- Louis in Georgia (walking_in_the_light_of_reason@hotmail.com), September 12, 2001

Answers

Well.... I'm a Christian, omnivorous, non-backpacking farm dweller who can't spend too much time outdoors due to allergies. But, hey... I really like sci-fi! :-)

-- Cheryl in KS (cherylmccoy@rocketmail.com), September 12, 2001.

LOL! I'm a fundie Christian,/ believer that these are the end times, and Jesus is coming again soon, /Atkins Diet fan,/ I hate sci-fi/ And find all the exercise I need right here on my little farm. Self- Reliance, YES, and I thought that is what this board is all about. Wonder what would happen if I would start a thread asking if there are others out there like me?

-- daffodyllady (daffodyllady@yahoo.com), September 12, 2001.

hmm, labels... I prefer to call myself an recovering pentecostal,if a label is needed, loading up a pack & hiking off for miles? i've got some transplants that need watering here's the 5 gallon bucket.., i would be miserable w/out books, my faves seem to be the fiction/sci- fi/fantasy worlds. working on 'water sleeps' novel of the black company.read anything good recently? Robert A. Heinlein is a demi god imho!. vegie, raising my kid veggie & boy do i catch a lot of flack for that! I was asked by a table full of people at a resturaunt recently, " just where did I get my protein from?" my plate had cheese, peas, rice,cornbread, {die atkins die!;]} & mushrooms on it! i understand the need to talk to like minded people,[i'm here aren't i?] but beware the trap of lables, & how they can narrow your social outlook even more than living in the south does!

-- bj pepper in C. MS. (pepper.pepper@excite.com), September 12, 2001.

never was a christian (just wasn't raised that way), aetheist, on-and-off veggie, love sci-fi (give me farscape over dawson's creek anyday!). never back packed but i do love hiking. shoot me an email!

-- Elizabeth (eball2@wvu.edu), September 12, 2001.

No to the first five. Sort of to the backpacking. Yes to the self- reliance. But you can still have a drink if you ever come by my place.

Good luck.

-- Rick#7 (rick7@postmark.net), September 12, 2001.

May God help you. You're going to need His help.

-- ugly (here@home.com), September 12, 2001.

Hi Louis!!! Well, I am a lapsed Lutheran, now mostly a Buddhist in religious beliefs, mostly vegetarian, love sci-fi, and do hiking but no back-packing, the knees are bad for carrying that extra weight for back-packing!!! Don't mind the preaching of the Fundamentalists, they are just trying to comply with their chosen religion, nothing personal!!!

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), September 12, 2001.

#1. I am a Deist with Native American following

#2. No

#3. On certain things

#4. Trying very hard to become more of one

#5. I am more into H.G. Wells,The Prisoner,Soylent Green,prophecy,etc.

#6. As much as I can do as time permits

#7. Right at the momment I am self reliant more in mind and spirit than physically. But actions are following plans and about another year physical should join mental and spirit.

-- TomK(mich) (tjk@cac.net), September 12, 2001.

Hi Louis! I am a Unitarian, been a vegetarian for 6 years now, love sci-fi, hike/backpack whenever I get the chance and strive for self-reliance.

-- Mary S. (1deal@quik.com), September 12, 2001.

Louis:

A label number 1, 5 and 7 for me. I do hike a lot but camp out of a truck for the most part. Love speculative fiction and fantasy, like the "standard" sci-fi too. C.S. Lewis got me started on that track back when I was into that sort of thing (Best xian apologist and a superb fiction/allegorical writer as well). Also have been getting more into history as I get older currently reading "Undaunted Courage" re. Lewis and Clark. I'd be happy to converse with you.

-- Susan (smtroxel@socket.net), September 12, 2001.

I read the above entries and realize America is truly doomed.

-- monty (monty@bayou.com), September 12, 2001.

Hello Louis, I am a Scientologist. I have a homestead in the Ozarks. Love the outdoors. Read a lot of science fiction. Favorite writers are L. Ron Hubbard, Harlan Ellison, and Ray Bradbury. I also read books about self-reliance, such as, Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, All the Living the Good Life books by Helen and Scott Nearing, the FoxFires series, all the works of Henry David Thoreau, Ralph W. Emerson, Thomas Jefferson's The Jefferson Bible, BackWoods Home Anthologies, and much more. I have been known to read the above books several times, each time I discover something new that I missed in the last reading! We are presently building our home, (an A-frame). We slipped form the cellar using Scott and Helen Nearing's slipform techique. We built everything from the cellar up. We raise chickens for eggs and meat, (our primary source of meat). I hunt game and fish in the nearby streams. We raise a large percentage of our vegetables and we forage for what we can in the forest. We are both amateur herbologists and have a bit of wildcrafting under our belts also. Next year we plan to domestic a lot of the wild herbs that we forage in the forest for now. This year we planted comfrey, wildplums, California poppies, and feverfew. Presently, I am in search for ginsing since Sept and Oct are the months they allow you to search for ginsing in Missouri. Been out looking for a couple of afternoons but, have not found any yet. I planted over 400 trees this past spring! I ride my Harley Davidson as much of the time as possible, I like the wind in my face! It is also good for the enviroment. My wife and I have taken long trips around the country camping, backpacking, fishing, bicycling, etc. We do not travel much now since we have a 17 month old baby but, we she gets older we are planning more trips. My philosophy basically is to live a good life and by living a good life others will follow your example. No preaching, no teaching....we have enough of these kind of people. Show by example and others follow your example. Sincerely, Ernest

-- http://communities.msn.com/livingoffthelandintheozarks (espresso42@hotmail.com), September 12, 2001.

"I read the above entries and realize America is truly doomed.

-- monty (monty@bayou.com), September 12, 2001. "

Looks to me from reading the entries that the Lusenet Countryside forum is diverse. Your dire and gratuitous conclusion can be immediately recognized as nothing more than trolling for a flame war. Since, to my knowledge, we don't have the ability to killfile in this forum, I'll ask you politely to refrain from further inflammatory comment on this thread.

-- Susan (smtroxel@socket.net), September 12, 2001.

Ernest of the Osarks, bless your heart! Another Harley rider here too, we have two, an old 1960 panhead chopper, and the nice riding one, 1998 Heritage Softail Classic, what a ride, like a Caddy on two wheels!!!

Sure glad to hear there are other Iron Horse fans out there that also are into the homestead lifestyle and self reliance!!!

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), September 13, 2001.

Hello Annie, I have a '95 Sporster. Check it out on my website. Sincerely, Ernest

-- http://communities.msn.com/livingoffthelandintheozarks (espresso42@hotmail.com), September 13, 2001.

Wow! Thanks, everybody, for all of your responses. I got a chuckle (hehehe) out of a couple of them! It seems that there ARE a few like- minded people here. I intend to e-mail some of you as soon as I get a chance, but it may take me a few days. Thanks, in advance, for your patience.

-- Louis in Georgia (walking_in_the_light_of_reason@hotmail.com), September 13, 2001.

Louis, I have found folks who label themselves humanistic and vegetarian to be some of the most religious folks I have ever, ever met, and if you're vegan you are a downright fundamentalist! Part of the definition of religion in Webster's is "a specific system of belief or worship built around God, a code of ethics, a philosophy of life, etc." Sorry, no atheism there.

I am teasing you. If you could see my face I would be grinning at you....

-- marcee king (thathope@mwt.net), September 13, 2001.

LOL, yeah americia, doomed,doomed, founded by those ,'quakers',protestant splinter 'cults',slaves,indentured sevants,prisoners[whole state of georgia!],speclators,mountain men,and rogues of all types,yeah how could all that 'riff raff' possibly hold together much less break free of its soveriegn???hoo boy, yup that america idea is doomed, doomed i tell ya! rolling on ground laughing, thank you for the full monty, uh,monty...:O

-- bj pepper in C. MS. (pepper.pepper@excite.com), September 13, 2001.

I'm a Pagan Agnostic/omnivorous but trying to cut down on meat consumption/ sci-fi and fantasy loving/ haven't had time for more than a walk around the block lately/ homesteading gonna-be. Is that close enough? :)

-- Sherri C (CeltiaSkye@aol.com), September 13, 2001.

Well..love backpacking (life member Florida Trail Association) canoing (backcountry) christian sorta (when He said In my Father's house there are many mansions, I sorta thought, many paths to the same truth) raise a lot of fruits, some vegetables, not self sufficient, hope to have property and a larger garden and start pressure canning, still like some sci-fi, mostly the Robert Asprin Myth series, and his Phule's Legionnaires, and McCaffrey, of course, mostly still read comic books or nature books, still busy in Boy Scouts after work hours (we've hiked the Coosa and Pine Mountain trails in Georgia-now someone ask me about our backcountry canoe trips).Oh, and the perfect meal is steak and a salad. With bleu cheese. Love that fungus.

-- Mitzi Giles (Egiles2@prodigy.net), September 13, 2001.

Well, I'm not into religion, I'm a Christian (NOT xian). I believe Jesus is my savior. I'm into camping when I find time but not really backpacking. I get into very little sci-fi except for Lexx on occasion, then I wonder why I watched it.

I'm working on being a homesteader although I don't think I will ever be truely on my own. I'll get as close as I can though.

-- Uriah (Uriahdeath2@netscape.net), September 13, 2001.

"Walking in the light of reason"! More like "Walking in the dark of death".

Many, many prophecies have been fulfilled in the bible. Including some just recently. How is it you can see the light and still be so blind?

-- r.h. in okla. (rhays@sstelco.com), September 14, 2001.

I am wondering if I start a thread that says "Are there any Christian, gardening, book-loving, conservative mothers out there" if it would be deleted. Seems like someone else started a thread like this once and it was. Just wondering.

-- Melissa (cmnorris@1st.net), September 14, 2001.