Ramblings
I was sitting at the bar minding my own business when a good old friend of mine sat beside me. We began to talk and the conversation somehow went into the subject of spirituality. My friend said, "...whether or not you believe in god, you should at least admit there is a spiritual side of life." I disagreed and said there doesn't have to be anything spiritual about life, but if you do good things, good things tend to happen... etc.
Well it was about then when someone overheard us and made the comment that he didn't like that I said there is no god. I told him that I never said there is no god, only that I don't believe there is a god. He argued that I said there is no god again, then someone else from the other side of the room chimed in and said something about me being an idiot and telling the first guy not to talk to me because - "he is a lost cause, he doesn't believe". I told this guy that I'm willing to talk about it and hear what he has to say. He said, "I don't want to talk about it. I think you're a piece of shit for not believing in god".
That is when I realised that I was about to get into a fist fight unless I just dropped the subject. I decided to ignore the eavesdroppers and lower my tone and turn to my old friend for more talk about doing good things.
Whew! I thought about the encounter later and realized that those angry people were displaying the same emotions as the muslims when they burn down embasys over cartoons. Violence in the name of religion - what lunacy!
Well it was about then when someone overheard us and made the comment that he didn't like that I said there is no god. I told him that I never said there is no god, only that I don't believe there is a god. He argued that I said there is no god again, then someone else from the other side of the room chimed in and said something about me being an idiot and telling the first guy not to talk to me because - "he is a lost cause, he doesn't believe". I told this guy that I'm willing to talk about it and hear what he has to say. He said, "I don't want to talk about it. I think you're a piece of shit for not believing in god".
That is when I realised that I was about to get into a fist fight unless I just dropped the subject. I decided to ignore the eavesdroppers and lower my tone and turn to my old friend for more talk about doing good things.
Whew! I thought about the encounter later and realized that those angry people were displaying the same emotions as the muslims when they burn down embasys over cartoons. Violence in the name of religion - what lunacy!
posted by Rusko Elvenwood at 9:30 AM
5 Comments:
People tend to not like it when others try to take away something they want to believe in. I can see you getting your ass kicked sooner or later.
I have encountered so much hatred from so-called christians. This is because, regardless of what they say, it is NOT a peaceful or peace-encouraging or tolerant religion. The whole christian religion was started with a war in heaven...and their "savior" died a bloody death...and their book says that when he returns there will be a great "battle"...their god kills babies, women, families...has chit chats with satan about tempting Job, etc. Tons of examples...too many to post here. (I always wondered about that when I was a kid...why god had chit chats with demons and was tempted by satan's challenges.)
I think that the people like the ones you met in a bar are #1 STUPID and #2 not very strong in their faith and is easily shaken by one simple comment.."I do not believe a god exists"...it shakes them to their very core. I think it is truth smacking them in the face. It is why they would lash out at your physically..they are really wanting to fight their doubts. If they were strong in their faith they would not get so defensive. But they DOUBT and since they have nothing else to live for, it is threatening to try to take their imaginary friend away.
They are PATHETIC.
Thanks stardust. I appreciate your comments.
anonymous, my ass has been kicked before. I wasn't trying to take away anyones beliefs, I wasn't even talking to them. Eavesdroppers who wish to silence freedom of speech with violence are exactly what I dislike about the religious right.
I don't intend to curb my speech for fear of offending the frailties of someones belief structure. I am not shouting my beliefs (or lack of) in anyones direction. If someone doesn't like my opinions they have the right to simply ignore them. You know, if you don't like a tv show, simply turn the channel. There are those that would smash the tv set in spite. Those people are truely pathetic.
The religious tension here in Tulsa is most certainly palpable. Today while I was at work at walmart I was discussing Fox news with a secular Hindu co-worker, she said that she didn’t like Fox news and I said that I didn’t either that they were just a propaganda machine for the religious right. A guy nearby decided to intrude into the conversation and said, in a not so pleasant tone “yeah, and what’s wrong with that?” To which I replied, “nothing it is only a problem when they attempt to imbue religion into the public domain which is unconstitutional.” Then he angrily asked me what I knew of the constitution and asked if I was a lawyer, I could sense that things were careeining out of control and I didn’t want to lose my job over some religious fanatic so I only responded by asking him what he knew of the constitution and he then said “as much as you do.” Which he obviously didn’t, and then he walked off in a juvenile pout….the guy was in his late thirties and he’s acting like a child!!! I’m telling you the religious stories that I could tell you from working at walmart are endless, and this “situation” was a minor one….although I have never experienced religious fanatics become as hostile as the ones you speak of, that is scary.
Last night, my wife and I went to a different bar, and guess who sat down right beside us. It was the guy who said I was a piece of shit for not believing in god. I didn't know if he recognized me, but when my wife went to the restroom I asked him if he remembered meeting me the other night, he said yes. I asked if we were cool and offered to shake my hand. He shook my hand and said, "We're cool. Just don't talk about god in a bar."
I was cool and just said, "Ok good."
What I wanted to say was that it's a free country and I am allowed freedom of speech, but he was bigger and meaner looking than me, so I just let him be the big man.
It still bothers me though. The religious tension is a problem, and unfortunately, I'm in the minority.
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